Archive for April 19, 2012

California DREAM Act Application Now Available

Approved in October of 2011, applications for the CA DREAM ACT (AB-131). are now open for qualifying students. Similar to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid most known as FAFSA, the Student Aid Application for Dream Act Students (SAADAS) will determine eligibility for California student financial aid. The California Student Aid Commission will have an all day live Webinar on April 20^th to answer questions via IM & Text messages on the California DREAM ACT. There will be specific hour sections in several languages for students, teachers, counselors and parents.

 Students may download the application at: http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp

Lathrop receives $5 million for amphitheater, recreation area, and playground

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Parks and Recreation has announced that it has awarded a $5 million grant for a new community complex in the city of Lathrop that will feature an amphitheater, recreational use area, community complex building, public art courtyard, playground area, skate and BMX park, community garden, and parkour course. Continue reading »

Californians for Patient Care Launches Spanish-Language Healthcare Resource

Website and database of low, no-cost healthcare providers assists Spanish-speaking Californians

SACRAMENTO – April 9, 2012 – Californians for Patient Care, a leading independent patient advocacy organization, announced the launch of its Spanish-language website and online database which provides access to more than 5,000 low- and no-cost healthcare resources in California.

Photo of a California Patient Care Campaign commercial published at http://www.calpatientcare.org

“Nearly 60 percent of California’s uninsured are Latino and we are pleased to offer the Latino community a trusted resource with a variety of information about how to navigate our complicated healthcare system,” said Carmella Gutierrez. “Our Spanish-language website offers culturally and linguistically appropriate information about connecting to affordable healthcare options and many other issues of importance to the Latino community.”

People can access the Spanish-language website by visiting www.calpatientcare.org, then choosing the “Español” option at the top of the page. To access the database of low- and no-cost healthcare resources, web visitors click on the blue button on the left, labeled “Busque Servicios Gratuitos o de Bajo Costo en Su Area.” After typing in basic search information such as city or county and category of resource, Californians can find a comprehensive list of local healthcare providers and programs that provide primary, dental and mental healthcare services to the uninsured and underinsured. Along with information on local dental care and healthcare service providers, CPC also provides information on chronic disease management, how to shop for health insurance, updated information on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and links to helpful organizations and websites.

Recent statistics from the White House show that Latinos will make up roughly 28 percent of the 32 million uninsured Americans projected to gain medical coverage under the ACA.  One of the goals of CPC’s Spanish-language website is to ensure that Latinos in California can access updated and easy-to-understand information and benefits about the new health law.

Annually, Californians for Patient Care assists more than 50,000 Californians locate affordable healthcare in their communities on its English-language site and those numbers are expected to increase significantly with the launch of the Spanish-language site.

“Given there are nearly 8 million people without insurance in California, it is clear  more people need to know about the low- and no-cost healthcare resources in their communities, which is why we are also launching a television public service announcement (PSA) campaign statewide in both English and Spanish,” said Gutierrez. “We want every Californian to know that regardless of their economic circumstances, there are places to get the care they need, when they need it.”

Californians for Patient Care is a non-profit organization based in Sacramento dedicated to protecting the interests of patients and ensuring all California consumers have fair and equitable access to high quality healthcare. For more information, visit www.calpatientcare.org.