LCHC Responds: Read LCHC’s Letter to Gov. Newsom on Impact of MPX on Latinx Community
August 30, 2022
Governor Gavin Newsom 1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Governor Newsom and Members of the Administration:
The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) writes to thank you for your leadership in response to the emerging Monkeypox (MPX) outbreak. We want to acknowledge the Administration’s previous and ongoing response to protect and secure the health of Latinxs during the early and current stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and thank the Administration for considering and implementing several of our recommendations for an equitable COVID-19 response. In the same effort to equitably respond to this latest emerging disease outbreak, LCHC respectfully urges you to advance additional measures to protect the health and wellbeing of Latinxs and other marginalized communities most disproportionately impacted by MPX. The State’s health and economy is dependent on an equitable response.
LCHC is the oldest health policy advocacy organization with a specific focus on the Latinx community in California. In 1992, LCHC was founded by advocates, consumers, and providers to raise awareness of Latinx health issues in health policy debates at the national and state levels. Over the past 30 years, LCHC has uplifted community voices at the Capitol and has achieved multiple policy victories that have protected and advanced health equity for Latinxs and, ultimately, all Californians.
LCHC was supportive of the state’s development of the SMARTER plan– drawing on the lessons learned over two years of the COVID-19 pandemic response. The plan is robust including key population health indicators ranging from testing, vaccinations, treatments, prevention behaviors (i.e. masks), education and awareness via trusted CBOs. Many lessons should be taken from the state’s COVID-19 Health Equity Playbook for Communities to address the current MPX response plan including prevention, testing, treatment and vaccination for the Latinx community. Currently Latinxs represent the largest number of MPX infections among any ethnic group in California – accounting for over 40% of cases – and are only second to white Californians in terms of overall infections.1 Furthermore, protecting vulnerable populations in the state, including low-income undocumented Californians, is of the utmost urgency to effectively prevent the spread of MPX into the general population. Latinxs face structural determinants of health making them more prone to the virus including higher likelihood to work in essential occupations without appropriate sick pay and multi-generational, mixed-status households, and lower healthcare access; systemic drivers of increased opportunities for MPX transmission.
The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California recommends the following to effectively and equitably respond to and protect Latinxs and vulnerable communities from the MPX virus:
- Approve the $41 million as proposed by the Senate Select Committee and other legislators on MPX: LCHC is especially supportive of $15.75 million for a “community response to MPX” which includes both county health departments and community-based health providers to deliver vaccinations. LCHC recommends that the appropriation also be used to evaluate and monitor the MPX response, particularly data collection for hard to reach populations, to better assess whether the deployment of resources are meeting emerging community needs. Furthermore, in light of what are now more common viral health emergencies, LCHC strongly recommends that there be ongoing investment in public health and community health infrastructure for long-term preparation for robust emergency responses to health crises.
- Allocate the appropriate amount of testing and vaccinations to Latinx- dense communities throughout the state: Understanding the disproportionate impact on Latinx communities, the State should allocate an appropriate level of resources to stop infections and treat cases among Latinxs in California.
- Start planning for community vaccination sites – not relying on the larger county sites to get shots into arms, where transportation and stigma can be barriers to Latinx community members seeking care. LCHC’s ¿Andale Que Esperas? Campaign worked with community clinics across California to put together community vaccination sites that effectively serviced indigenous, Spanish monolingual, and Latinx communities.2 These community clinics are long-standing institutions in communities that can deliver care and information to communities in-language and in-culture. Additionally, providing more direct vaccine allocation to community health centers will be critical to get local community vaccination sites operational and ultimately shots in arms of hard to reach communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many looked to their community health centers for vaccines, but had to wait for the State and counties to allocate vaccines to these centers. Let’s acknowledge the valuable role community health centers play and allocate the appropriate amount of vaccines and resources to combat the MPX virus amongst our most vulnerable communities.
- Incorporate community-based outreach and education strategies such Community Health Workers/Promotoras who can deliver public health messaging to hard to reach communities: Trust is critical to be able to deliver public health messages, particularly for groups that historically have been wronged or damaged by the government and medical system. Community Health Workers or Promotoras are community-based and proven workforce strategies that deliver timely and accurate information to communities that have historically experienced health disparities and disproportionately negative health outcomes – such a Latinx and immigrant communities. Many have ties or are directly from these communities and have long-standing relationships and local networks that make them effective and trusted messengers.
- Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and education on MPX to Latinx communities: California must effectively combat misinformation and disinformation about MPX in ways that are most culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate and combat stigma in order to prevent the ongoing spread.
- Create intersectionality-informed outreach and educational materials: Latinxs are diverse not only ethnically, but also in terms of gender, sexuality, immigration status, and education. Knowing that the LGBTQIA+ is also disproportionately being impacted by the MPX outbreak, outreach and education materials should also take into account the intersectional nature and vulnerability of individuals who are acutely vulnerable to the MPX virus. As discussed in LCHC’s Los Angeles Times Op-Ed, there are about 60,000 undocumented LGBTQ individuals in California.3 California must appropriately disseminate information and resources to these populations for an effective public health response to the outbreak.
Latinxs remain the ethnic population most impacted by COVID-19, both in terms of infections and deaths.4 We cannot allow health disparities to continue to be compounded for Latinxs in California with the current MPX outbreak. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Reynoso, DrPH, MPH Executive Director
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Sources:
- https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Monkeypox-Data.aspx
- https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/pubs/docs/chw_evidence_assessment_report.pdf
- https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-08-06/monkeypox-california-latinos- public-health-messaging
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About LCHC:
Founded in 1992, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) is the only Latinx-led statewide policy and advocacy organization protecting and advancing Latinx health equity. We are a cross-sector coalition of community leaders, advocates, policy advisors, administrators and providers united by our common belief in protecting Latinx health and advancing health equity for all. Our work consists of community-centered programming, policy and advocacy development, and strategic communications.
