The Children’s Health Initiative (CHI) of Greater Los Angeles is a public-private coalition seeking to provide a meaningful health care option for all low-income children from birth through age 18 residing in Los Angeles County. The Coalition includes healthcare providers, private employers, business leaders, advocacy groups, foundations, public health officials, labor unions and educators. Leadership and support is provided by the co-conveners of the Coalition, who are L.A. Care Health Plan, The California Endowment, and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The California Community Foundation (CCF) serves as the CHI’s fiscal sponsor. L.A. Care Health Plan performs management and other related functions on behalf of the Coalition. Both CCF and L.A. Care Health Plan provide these services as in-kind contributions to the CHI. Any group that supports the Coalition’s mission may participate, and there is no financial commitment to join.
The Coalition meets monthly, and meetings are open to the public. In addition, the Coalition has a Steering Committee and three workgroups that meet regularly and report back to the full group.
Steering Committee: The committee provides strategic direction, guidance, and support for the CHI Coalition and the workgroups. It also provides oversight to the CHI management team. The committee oversees the budget and finances for the CHI, including fund development. It assumes fiduciary responsibility for funds held by CCF. The steering committee develops and implements policy/advocacy agenda to ensure coverage of all children in LA County. The committee regularly reports to the broader CHI Coalition.
Committee members are made up of key representatives from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, First 5 LA, LA Health Action, Insure The Uninsured Project, L.A. Care Health Plan and The California Endowment.
Program Integration Workgroup: This workgroup makes recommendations on strategies and opportunities to integrate any potential local health insurance programs with existing health insurance programs. The overall goal is to create a seamless system for eligibility determination and enrollment. A component of the work involves efforts to streamline and coordinate outreach, enrollment and retention activities. This group also examines: (1) health care system capacity, (2) safety net providers and (3) efforts that encourage families to seek care for their children.
Workgroup participants are made up of representatives from a variety of organizations, including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, L.A. Care Health Plan, Maternal and Child Health Access, University of Southern California, Community Health Councils, National Health Foundation, First 5 LA, Los Angeles Unified School District, Neighborhood Legal Services, The Children’s Partnership and LA Health Action.
Fundraising Workgroup: This workgroup identifies the sources of funds needed to expand health care coverage under a local health insurance product. Activities include outlining a fundraising strategy/plan, making presentations to potential funders, determining the level of funding that can be sought, etc.
Workgroup participants include representatives from The California Endowment, First 5 LA, L.A. Care Health Plan, and California Community Foundation.
Policy Change Workgroup: This workgroup identifies the necessary elements to broaden political and public support to promote expansion of health care coverage for children. Activities include: (1) creating political and public will – including community organizing; (2) leveraging state/federal funds; (3) monitoring legislative/policy proposals; and (4) examining the costs and financing issues related to expanding health care coverage. The workgroup’s long term goal is to identify policy options that the Coalition can pursue toward providing health insurance coverage to all uninsured children in Los Angeles County.
Workgroup participants include representatives from the following organizations: Insure The Uninsured Project (ITUP), L.A. Voice/PICO, The Children’s Partnership, Maternal and Child Health Access, Neighborhood Legal Services, First 5 LA, Community Health Councils, The California Endowment, LA Health Action, United Way, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and University of California Los Angeles.
For more information on the Coalition or Workgroup meetings, please contact Shawnalynn Smith Thomas at L.A. Care Health Plan, (213) 694-1250, x4349 or ssmith@lacare.org.
Updated: 9/09