Policy & Advocacy
on Healthcare Interpreting &
Language Access

Subject: Health Disparities Legislative Briefing

The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), in collaboration with Assembly Majority Leader Wilma Chan, will be hosting a legislative briefing on racial and ethnic health disparities. The briefing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2003 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento. Lunch will be provided.

The goal of this briefing is to educate legislators on health disparities issues in the African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino/a, and Native American communities. We will explore how issues related to data and research, disease prevention, health care access, and the lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate care impact our communities. We hope to impress upon legislators that their votes on budget and legislative issues can either exacerbate or improve the health of communities of color.

Featured speakers will include:
Assembly Majority Leader Wilma Chan (invited)
Ellen Wu, Executive Director, CPEHN
Denise Adams-Simms, Executive Director, California Black Health Network
Gilbert M. Ojeda, Board of Directors, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Ho Tran, Executive Director, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
James Allen Crouch, Executive Director, California Rural Indian Health Board

Please contact Martin Martinez, CPEHN Policy Director, at (510) 832-1160 for more information.

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Reports from the Field:

From: Paulo [mailto:paulo@perryconsultants.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 8:28 AM
To: CHIA Sacramento Advocacy Committee
Subject: [CHIA Advocacy] Report on "Language Access" Seminar

Advocacy Committee,

I was in Oakland on 9/17/02 for the "Language Access for Limited  English-Speaking Patients" conference (see Northern Chapter page) and am happy to report that the Sacramento chapter was well represented. There were seven of us, I believe, and it made a huge difference for the participants' mix.

The Agenda was terrific, including a presentation by the Office for Civil  Rights, a discussion on financing for language services, and a superb presentation by CHIA Vice President Terry Bautista on ethics, privacy, and quality in interpreting. Also, there was a demonstration on video conferencing for medical interpreting, which showed how much progress has been made in this area, making it accessible and economically feasible. Finally, there were two representatives from the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center describing the tremendous work they are doing there in terms of providing language access to LEP persons.

All in all, the seminar was certainly worth the trip--especially for seeing friends and networking among colleagues.

Have a good day.
Paulo

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Support California Assembly Bill AB 2739

Write California Governor Davis and urge him to sign A.B 2739
Wilma Chan's Assembly Bill 2739 has passed the California Legislature and is now on Governor Davis's desk to sign into law.

-For more information click here

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