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For more info.: Maricela Morales, maricela@coastalalliance.com, 805-658-0810 ext. 203 MissionThe CAUSE Health Access and Equity Program is dedicated to collaboratively securing access to quality, comprehensive, and affordable universal health care and resolving health disparities. CAUSE priority populations include uninsured children, farm workers and low wage working families. Current Action
History
2001
CAUSE research, coalition building and community organizing efforts resulted in the allocation of $100,000 of Tobacco Settlement Funding by the Board of Supervisors to maximize enrollment and retention in existing state and federally supported insurance programs currently available. 2003 Central Coast Legislation Forum featuring Senator Sheila Kuehl, Assemblywoman Hannah Beth Jackson, Richard Brown, Ph.D., UCLA Center for Health Policy and Kirsten Spaulding, Chief of Staff, California Federation of Labor- AFL-CIO 2004 Work and Health Forum: Securing the Health of Workers co-sponsored by the CSUCI Community and Labor Studies Institute featuring:
2004 Exclusive Briefing on the Children’s Health Initiative engaged an Honorary Host Committee of 18 civic leaders from the Ventura County Economic Development Association, UFCW Local 1036, Ventura County Medical Association, United Way of Ventura County, Westminster Free Clinic, Community Memorial hospital, St. John’s Rgnl. Medical Center, Assemblymember-elect Pedro Nava, County Board of Supervisors, Mayor of Santa Paula, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, Mexican Consul, Ventura County Commission for Women and more. Statewide and regional guest presenters: Institute for Health Policy Solutions, UC San Francisco, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Working Partnerships USA 2005 CAUSE organized nearly two thousand Ventura County residents, including children, youth, college students, parents, civic, labor and faith leaders along with dozens of organizations to establish the Ventura County Children’s Health Initiative Steering Committee with the goal of health coverage for all children ages 0-18 in working families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or $51,510 for a family of three. The Board of Supervisors created the VC Cares for Kids or ACE medical discount program for the estimated 5,000 uninsured children that are not eligible for existing health coverage programs. The Board of Supervisors has established four Local Single Point of Entry sites to increase children’s health coverage and ACE enrollment. Over 3000 children have been enrolled. 2005 CAUSE commenced collaboration through the Ag Futures Alliance (AFA) to establish the AFA Healthcare Committee with the vision of “a system that ensures a healthy workforce in which all farm workers and their families have access to affordable health care services that include prevention, treatment and education.” 2006 Children’s Universal Health Coverage: Why and How Co-Sponsors: CA Lutheran University Political Science Dept. and Gender & Ethnic Studies Dept., Child Development Resources Inc., United Way of Ventura County, El Concilio del Condado de Ventura and the VC Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice Featured statewide presenters from Insure the Uninsured Project, PICO California, The Children’s Partnership 2006 CAUSE along with the AFA Healthcare Committee efforts with the Ventura County Health Care Agency to advocate at the state level for the revision of the draft state RFA and locally, to include farm workers as a priority population under the CA. Health Care Coverage Initiative. In 2007, the VC Health Care Agency was one of ten counties awarded a CA. Health Care Coverage Initiative three-year award. 2007 CAUSE and the VC Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice co-convened two broad-based Roundtables to finalize the VC Quality Universal Healthcare Declaration. |