News Articles
Medicaid and the “Fiscal Cliff”
December 21, 2012
Assuming nothing is done to alter the Congressional Control Act of 2011, sequestration will take affect at the end of December 2012. Sequestration is $1.2 trillion in spending cuts to many discretionary programs, which will create a dramatic falloff in the federal government’s investment in our economy. This will have a detrimental impact on many children and families who rely on the effected programs.
Why is Medicaid at Risk?
The 2001 and 2003 tax cuts are set to expire at the end of the year, which will generate more revenue, but in the absence of greater revenues, Congress and the President must still find additional ways to reduce federal spending. Because Medicaid was protected from sequestration cuts, some members of congress are advocating for additional cuts to the program.
Letter from Congress Focuses on Healthy Families Transition
California Healthline's Capitol Desk
November 26, 2012
by David Gorn
California's effort to move approximately 860,000 children from the Healthy Families program has drawn national attention.
Twenty-two members of the House of Representatives, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), last week sent a letter to state health officials, urging caution in the Healthy Families transition to Medi-Cal managed care.
United Way Establishes Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund
November 2, 2012
South Pasadena, CA
United Way, led by United Way New York City, has established the Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund to address the near-term and long-term recovery needs of individuals, families and communities along the Eastern Seaboard that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. Contributions to the Fund will be used by local United Ways in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia to address hurricane recovery needs in communities that FEMA has declared disaster areas.
California Ranks 12th in Nation for Decline in Uninsured Children
State Still has Higher Number of Uninsured Children than National Average
October 23, 2012
Sacramento, CA
Contacts:
Judy Darnell at United Ways of California, 831-246-3099 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Suzie Shupe at CCHI, 916-404-9442 Ext.101 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.%20">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Carrie Spencer at The Children’s Partnership, 310-260-1220 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
According to a new report by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Center for Children and Families, the rate of uninsured children in California declined 1.5 percent between 2009 and 2011, which ranks the state 12th in the nation for the decline in the child uninsured rate. Despite this decline, in 2011, some 8 percent, or approximately 745,000, of California children still lacked health insurance, higher than the national average of 7.5 percent and ranking the state 35th in the nation.
Understanding Sequestration and its Fiscal Impact on California
August 27, 2012
Sequestration is an automatic, across-the-board spending cut that would bring federal spending levels in line with the Congressional Budget Control Act of 2011. If no plan is enacted to reduce our national debt by $1.2 trillion, there will likely be a 7 to 9 percent cut on most discretionary programs, including Head Start and School Improvement Grants. If sequestration proceeds, California stands to lose over $546 million in federal funding due to cuts in Health and Human Services, Education and Workforce Development. Here is a summary of the potential cuts and actions you can take to help prevent them.
Making Sure Your Child is Healthy and Ready to Learn: A Back-To-School Checklist for Parents
August 21, 2012
As many students are getting ready for school this August and September, here is a quick checklist to keep kids healthy and happy this Fall.
Enroll your child in health insurance today.
Your children (ages 0-18 years old) can get the care they need to stay healthy. No cost and low cost programs are available by calling 2-1-1 to talk with a specialist about Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, or 1-877-KIDS-NOW. You can also apply online at www.healtheapp.net.
Make sure your child has required immunizations and vaccinations.
California law requires children to be up-to-date on all required immunizations. Learn more at www.shotsforschool.org, or by contacting your county public health department.
What Families Need to Know about the Healthy Families Program Transition to Medi-Cal
July 26, 2012
In June 2012, the final state budget included a transition of all children enrolled in the Healthy Families Program into the Medi-Cal program.
Here's What Families Need to Know:
No Healthy Families Kids will be moved to Medi-Cal before January 1, 2013.
- For parents with children in Healthy Families, nothing about your child's coverage will change immediately
- You will receive a notice from the state at least two months before any change is made
- Individual transition dates will vary based upon where you live and your child's current health plan.
As We See It: Little progress on childhood obesity
Santa Cruz Sentinel
November 10, 2011
With California's childhood obesity epidemic untamed, it's good to see at least some adults are cutting back on snacks and sweets.
State senators agreed this week to stop spending taxpayer funds to feed themselves, after a newspaper report that legislators have spent more than $111,000 this year on food.
Alejandra's long walk in tough, old sneakers
Orange County Register
November 9, 2011
By Yvette Cabrer
Alejandra Aquino, 12, looked in the mirror, looked down at her shoes yet again, and made the call. Today she would wear the slightly battered, slightly tomboyish Converse sneakers – the black ones.
"I like it when they're old," she explained. "It shows you've been to many places."
Santa Cruz County seeking turnaround on childhood obesity
San Jose Mercury News
November 9, 2011
By Jondi Gumz (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Santa Cruz County is among the 31 counties in California that have yet to turn the tide on childhood obesity, according to a UCLA report released Wednesday.
Statewide, however, progress is being made, with a 1 percent decline in overweight children in grades 5, 7, and 9 between 2005 and 2010.
Wotherspoon earns Nor Cal PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award
Lake County News
November 9, 2011
The Northern California Section of the PGA has announced that Mark Wotherspoon, PGA director of Golf of Buckingham Golf & Country Club in Kelseyville, has garnered the 2011 NCPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award.
Wotherspoon is being recognized for his leadership, mentoring and charitable involvement throughout the region.
Shaking up the status quo in L.A. schools
November 6, 2011
Los Angeles Times
By Steve Lopez
A disparate alliance called Don't Hold Us Back is calling on L.A. Unified and the teachers union to lay down their weapons in contract negotiations and hammer out some big-ticket reforms.
Six million, give or take. That's how many children are in public school in California.
Arguably, we won't have a strong economic future if they don't get a good education.
But boy, do the grown-ups love to muck things up for the kids.
Helping the homeless: Grants enable Tulare, Kings counties to provide shelter but money's almost gone
Visalia Times-Delta
November 5, 2011
James "Crazy Horse" Shore has spent half his life on the streets, rummaging through trash cans, sleeping in ditches and under overpasses and eating scraps from the trash container behind KFC.
He will die on the streets, he said, without hesitation. In predicting his fate, the 42-year-old man added that more than 20 years on the streets of California has taught him two things ìì how to fend for himself and that the homeless are in desperate need of resources.
PCM raises funds for OC United Way
Orange County Register
November 3, 2011
Professional Community Management of California, managing agent for Laguna Woods Village, has announced that it has raised about $16,000 for Orange County United Way through employee contributions during its annual fundraising drive this past week.
"Since our company was launched almost 40 years ago, we have placed a high value on contributing both time and financial support towards charitable efforts taking place in our communities," said Donny Disbro, CEO of Professional Community Management. "This commitment is alive and well today, as evidenced by the enthusiasm our employees have shown during this fundraising drive."
S.B. COUNTY: United Way volunteers upgrade classrooms
The Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
November 2, 2011
United Way partnered with Central City Lutheran Mission in San Bernardino for “Make a Difference Day” in order to renovate classrooms for the Mission’s after school program.
The event was hosted by Arrowhead United Way as part of their mission to support education and help improve the academic environmental setting for children in the after school program.
