Mental illnesses have long been among the most common health conditions faced by Californians. Nearly one in seven California adults experiences a mental illness, and for one in 26 adults, a mental illness is serious enough to make it difficult to carry out daily activities. One in 14 children has an emotional disturbance that limits functioning in activities. Despite changes that have helped strengthen California’s mental health system, a majority of Californians who need care fail to receive it. Two new CHCF Almanac products illustrate the landscape of behavioral health in California. Mental Health in California: Waiting for Care provides an overview of mental health statewide, including disease prevalence, suicide rates, and supply of treatment providers.
Quality of Care: Behavioral Health details a limited set of quality measures focused on mental health and substance use.
Earlier this year, CHCF also published Substance Use in California: Prevalence and Treatment.
In California, close to two-thirds of adults with a mental illness and two-thirds of adolescents with major depressive episodes did not get treatment.
California’s 2022–23 state budget represents one of the most significant investments in health care in a generation.
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A conversation with Sarah McNeil, family medicine doctor and family planning specialist focused on expanding health care access.
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More than two million seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in Medi-Cal will be affected by CalAIM. This issue brief describes transitions related to CalAIM implementation and outlines challenges and opportunities to ensure a smooth transition for enrollees, their caregivers, and providers.
California’s 337 general acute care (GAC) hospitals discharged 2.8 million patients and had 40.1 million outpatient visits in 2020. This quick reference guide provides an overview of the state’s GAC hospitals, including number of beds, use of services, and selected financial measures.
This webinar will present key findings from recent focus groups with Latino/x, Chinese, and Korean residents in Los Angeles who are newly eligible for Medi-Cal, including what messages and information motivated them to apply.
Stories That Caught Our Attention
- How the Inflation Reduction Act Aims to Lower Drug Costs (PBS)
The bill passed by the Senate and set to be considered this week by the House puts a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. The cap would have major implications for people needing expensive drugs used to treat cancer and other complex illnesses.
- Homeless People Wait as Los Angeles Lets Thousands of Federal Housing Vouchers Go Unused (Los Angeles Times – paywall)
The vast majority of the more than 3,000 people and families who have received emergency housing vouchers from the housing authority in Los Angeles remain in limbo. Although the agency has distributed all of its vouchers, it has had little success getting recipients into permanent housing.
- Skin Cancer May Be Overlooked in People With Dark Skin (California Healthline)
Fewer than 3% of dermatologists nationwide are Black. Orthopedics is the only medical specialty with a smaller share. Related: This CHCF blog post reports on two Black dermatologists in California who have established and direct clinical practices in major institutions that specialize in serving patients with pigmented skin.
- The Debt Crisis That Sick Americans Can’t Avoid (California Healthline)
An estimated 100 million people in the US, or 41% of all adults, have health care debt, compared with 42 million who have student debt. Medical debt is a uniquely unfair form of predatory lending that has devastating ripple effects on American families. Related: One in four Californians had problems paying at least one medical bill in the last year, according to CHCF's statewide survey.
- A State Program to Provide Children’s Hearing Aids for Uninsured Families Falls Short (CalMatters)
A program intended to provide hearing aids and services to thousands of children without health insurance has delivered devices to only a tiny fraction of those who need them. Parents complain the application process is cumbersome, while doctors say the state is reimbursing slowly or not at all.
- Mirna Martinez, Proud Queer Bilingual Oaxacan Therapist in California (CALÓ News)
The story of a Los Angeles therapist highlights the need for a diverse workforce. Related: The California Medicine Scholars Program seeks to shepherd students of color from community college to medical school and beyond as this article in The CHCF Blog reports.
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