The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) urges the Governor to continue protecting public health investments and not delay safety net programs that will save lives. A balanced budget ensures fiscal responsibility and the protection of all Californians. California must prioritize the health and wellbeing of low-income and systematically disenfranchised communities to ensure a stable future.
Today, Governor Newson presented his revised proposal for the 2023-2024 California State Budget. According to the governor’s budget office, California continues to experience a $31.5 billion deficit. We are heartened to see that this administration has continued to protect health investments. At the same time, we are concerned by concessions and delays in implementation that have continued to be made for initiatives designed to protect the most vulnerable Californians. Additionally, we are disappointed that after a third year of asking for direct investment into a health equity and racial justice fund, we still have not seen a commitment from this governor.
“In the face of this deficit we keep hearing about the impossible – about what we can’t do. While we understand the impacts of economic uncertainty, we don’t see this moment as a barrier to progress, but as an opportunity; an opportunity to truly define health equity as a priority for California and as an opportunity to secure funding for essential Safety Net programs and policies that will have a deep impact on low income and undocumented Latinxs in California. A true vision for public health addresses both acute AND future needs. Acute needs will always exist but if we don’t intentionally invest in preventive measures to avoid these same outcomes in the future, then we are throwing billions into a black hole. We have to break this cycle. Deep intentional investments are needed in order to address root issues to the crises we are witnessing in the State. You want to address mental health, behavioral health and homelessness, then invest in the safety net. Only by boldly and steeply investing in – healthy food access, dignified pay, good education, economic justice and quality health care for ALL – will we see the relief we desperately seek.” said Dr. Seciah Aquino, Executive Director, LCHC
LCHC continues to advocate for policies that address issues that Latinx communities throughout California have identified as priorities through LCHC community listening tours and our annual policy summit.
Prioritizing Health Equity
While 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 rescinding decisions to delay programs and services that are critical to achieve health equity in California.
To tackle the upstream factors that produce inequities in the first place, health equity and racial justice must be included in all aspects of our government and institutions. This is why we are asking the Governor to invest in future-focused and community-based solutions that empower communities for equity and justice at the root.
- Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund: We remain disappointed to learn the Governor has still not included the Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund in the 2023-24 Budget. Over 200 community-based organizations across the state overwhelmingly support the Fund. Our community-based organizations have continued to show up to assist their own communities and their work ensures public health systems are efficient. Health equity and racial justice must be approached with community as partners – not as occasional participants in top down band-aid strategies.We must fund these organizations to continue to build trusted relationships between communities and public agencies for health equity and racial justice.
- COVID-19 Pandemic: The May revision continues to reduce investments to COVID-19 relief. The pandemic is not over for communities of color and this decision puts lives at risk. Latinxs 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 the SMARTER Plan proposed in January to ensure we are protecting Californians from this ever evolving virus.
In this budget revision, we remain encouraged by the continued investments in the following areas:
Protecting Progress
- Health4All: The Governor’s proposed budget maintains investments for the continued expansion of full-scope Medi-Cal eligibility to all income-eligible Californians, regardless of immigration status.
- LCHC supports the continued investments to extend health access to 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, both through state sponsored health care and Covered California.
Equitable and Diverse Workforce
- The May Revise restores $49.8 million General Fund over four years for various public health workforce training and development programs.
- Community Health Workers/Promotorxs/ Community Representatives: LCHC urges the Administration to include community health workers, promotorxs, and community representatives in the restored funding to ensure the 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.
Immigrant Health and Justice
- California Food Assistance Program (CFAP): The May Revise Budget reflects an October 2025 CFAP expansion to all income-eligible noncitizens 55 years of age or older – a critical improvement from the proposed 2027 delay announced by the Governor in January.
LCHC urges the Governor to expedite CFAP expansion implementation, regardless of immigration or age. Denying a further expansion directly hurts the physical well-being of Latinxs and immigrants in California. - LCHC also urges the Governor to invest in a Safety Net for All. Worker assistance programs cannot continue to exclude the contributions of all workers, regardless of immigration status. We encourage the Governor to join the Senate and invest in compensation relief for all workers.
For questions or comments regarding our statement on Governor Newsom’s 2022-23 Revised Budget contact Director of Policy Mar Velez at mvelez@lchc.org.
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About LCHC:
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC)— is the leading statewide policy organization with a specific emphasis on Latinx health. For over 30 years, LCHC has worked on transforming systems to achieve Latinx health justice. We pride ourselves in translating community solutions into equitable policy and lasting change.
