The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) is encouraged by Governor Newsom’s continued commitment to support measures that expand access to healthcare for all Californians and encourages lawmakers to not delay but rather prioritize implementation of health equity measures in the face of projected deficits.
(Sacramento, CA) Governor Newsom has released his proposed 2023-2024 state budget. California faces a $22.5 billion deficit and critical decisions on how to invest the available resources. In times of constrained resources communities of color like Latinxs often stand the most to lose. This is why California must continue to protect the investments that will prioritize the health and wellbeing of our state’s most vulnerable populations. This budget proposal reinforces the Governor’s commitment to expanding healthcare access to all Californians – regardless of immigration status, but also delays critical investments that may negatively impact the progress California has made towards health equity.
Throughout the pandemic, Latinxs served as the backbone of the world’s fourth largest economy, and sustained California through powerful roles in essential occupations.The role that Latinxs played in keeping the economy open and running while risking their lives to the virus, in turn, allowed California to enjoy surplus budgets the last two years. Yet the pandemic has not ceased to impact communities of color, the disparaging health effects of COVID-19, RSV and MPX exacerbated by socio-economic factors such as job loss, inflation and the rising cost of living continue to plague our communities. As a state, we have the responsibility to continue investing dollars from every possible source to ensure ALL Californians recover equitably.
“California is set to become the 4th largest economy in the world. As such, we must ensure that ALL Californians, regardless of what they look like, what language they speak, where they come from, or how much money they make, can reap the benefits of that great privilege. We must remain committed to expanding and strengthening California’s healthcare and safety-net systems and their responsiveness. The timely funding of these system transformations ensure that ALL Californians are protected during the next crisis, be it a climate change, economic or health emergency.” Said Dr. Seciah Aquino, Acting Executive Director at the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Protecting Progress
LCHC is encouraged by the Governor’s outstanding commitment to protect the following health equity investments:
- Health Care Access and Health Care Delivery —The Governor’s proposed budget maintains a $2.5 billion investment for this year, as part of the multi-year $10 billion commitment, for the continued expansion of full-scope Medi-Cal eligibility to all income-eligible Californians, regardless of immigration status.
- LCHC supports the continued investment into the health of our state’s most systematically disenfranchised groups. For the well-being of our state as a whole, we know Latinxs and other undocumented Californians must be able to rely on stable healthcare access.
Prioritizing Health Equity
While we understand the need to be good stewards, as the state addresses the financial shortfall – it must not compromise the goals and objectives of an equitable recovery and long term well being for ALL Californians. This includes decisions to delay programs and services that are critical to achieve health equity in California. Issues like climate change, housing and food accessibility continue to be priorities for Latinxs. LCHC urges the Governor to reconsider and work with advocates to ensure the following proposed delays remain scheduled for implementation under the previous timeline. Any delays will negatively impact Californians.
- COVID-19 Pandemic—The 23-24 budget reduces investments to COVID-19 relief with a $614 million reduction to the California Emergency Relief Fund. This decision puts lives at risk. As we continue to experience highly infectious variants of the COVID-19 virus, the budget’s reduction in spending towards COVID-19 relief is ill-timed. Latinxs are still the group most impacted by the pandemic with our community making up 44.6% of cases and 42.6% of deaths.
- LCHC urges the administration to increase the current $176.6 million allocation to ensure we are protecting Californians from this ever evolving virus.
- Community Health Workers Program—Delays $130 million General Fund in 2023-24 for the California Community Health Worker Initiative Grants in Health Care Access and Information (California 25X25 Initiative). This program remains fully funded, but the funds would be provided later than initially anticipated including $65 million in both 2024-25 and 2025-26.
- LCHC urges the Administration to work with advocates and community health workers/promotores to ensure that despite delays to funding, implementation of community health worker certification programs will not be negatively impacted including an effective and robust community engagement process to inform the CHW/P certification process, and ongoing community stakeholder engagement.
- California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) —The Budget reflects a delay of the CFAP expansion to all income-eligible noncitizens 55 years of age or older, consistent with the necessary completion of the California Statewide Automated Welfare System migration. Benefit distribution is now estimated to begin January 1, 2027.
- LCHC urges the Governor to reconsider the delayed timeline to implement the expansion of CFAP. Hunger is not delayed. Delaying the expansion directly hurts the physical well-being of Latinxs and immigrants in California.
Equitable recovery will require intentional investment and partnership with the low income, communities of color that have been most urgently impacted. This budget will serve as a tool for all of us to dig deep and continue to fight for funding in the areas that are delayed due to the current projected budget. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor, the Administration and Legislature to ensure we protect the progress we’ve made, and defend the enormous steps we’ve taken towards being health and safety-net leaders in the nation.
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About LCHC:
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC)—the only statewide policy organization with a specific emphasis on Latinx health—was founded by health care providers, consumers and advocates in 1992 to impact Latino health by focusing on policy development, providing enhanced information, and community involvement.
