HHS Recent News

April 18, 2019

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Hahn joined Governor Newsom in Downey to announce the County’s participation in the Governor’s California Pharmaceutical Collaborative, which allows the state to partner with local governments and other entities to bargain on bulk prescription drug purchases and potentially save on drug prices.

April 4, 2019

The Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 3 will hear a proposal from a coalition of county associations seeking $68 million in State funding to bolster the local public guardian, public conservator, and public administrator workforce to better serve the most vulnerable adults in our communities.

March 28, 2019

Counties are pleased to welcome Michelle Cabrera as the new Executive Director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA). The CBHDA Executive Director Search Committee, which was comprised of behavioral health directors and included CSAC Executive Director Graham Knaus, announced the news this week after 10 months of searching.  

March 14, 2019

The California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and the California Health Care Safety Net Institute released their brief on California’s value-based approach to health care coverage. This value-based approach focuses on the value of safety-net payments over the volume, leading to improved health outcomes.

March 7, 2019

The Governor’s office recently announced the appointment of Dr. Mark Ghaly as the new Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, and the reappointment of Michelle Baass as the undersecretary.

February 28, 2019

Recently the Assembly Human Services Committee, chaired by Assembly member Eloise Gómez Reyes, convened an informational hearing on the Assembly Bill 1299 (Chapter 603, Statutes of 2016) implementation efforts. Over the past four years, the Administration, Legislature, and stakeholders have enacted legislation and program changes to improve foster youth outcomes, such as, AB 403 (Chapter 773, Statutes of 2015 ) the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) and AB 1299 “Presumptive Transfer.”

February 7, 2019

Covered California Releases Options to Improve Health Insurance Market Affordability Report

February 7, 2019

Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase will provide free ATM access to low-income families receiving benefits via their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, joining several smaller banks and credit unions that already provide ATM access without surcharges.

This announcement comes after years of work by a coalition of California advocates and social services providers including counties and in partnership with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).