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Demand up for United Way's tax-preparation service

Vallejo Times-Herald
March 20, 2011
Staff Report

The United Way's free tax help program for low- and moderate-income Bay Area residents has already seen a 25 percent increase in demand over last year, agency officials announced.

The agency's nine-year-old Earn It! Keep It! Save It! program for those who earned less than $49,000 in 2010, served more than 51,000 clients last year. This year it continues through tax day, April 18.

Taxpayers are encouraged to call 211 to find their nearest free tax preparation site, United Way officials said.

Children Ready to Succeed Thanks to First 5 San Bernardino

Inland Empire.US
March 19, 2011

First 5 San Bernardino granted Arrowhead United Way (AUW) $100,000 to continue their Born Learning program. The program increases awareness in parents/caregivers about the importance of early learning and helps them engage their young children in learning during everyday activities to better prepare them for school. The program also provides information to parents/caregivers about the developmental stages and health needs of young children. Research shows that disadvantage children come into school years behind their peers in pre-literacy skills, and rarely catch up. The partnership between AUW and First 5 San Bernardino is to support children and families.

Bay Area residents concerned about radiation should call 211

Vallejo Times-Herald
March 19, 2011
Staff Report

San Francisco Bay Area residents concerned about radiation from Japan's nuclear emergency can call 211 for updates, United Way of the Bay Area officials announced Friday.

Bay Area departments of public health officials Friday morning were stressing there is no danger to local residents from Japan's nuclear emergency, United Way officials said.

They also discourage taking potassium iodide, which can have serious side effects and should not be taken unless recommended, they said.

Sacramento-area parents fear Healthy Families cuts

Sacramento Bee
August 3, 2009
By Bobby Caina Calvan

kolster Monique Kolster and her children are in a tense waiting game. Her daughter Elle is a healthy 2-year-old, but 4-year-old Tadd has a chronic ailment requiring frequent visits to doctors and specialists.

Sometime soon Kolster will learn if the children can keep their medical coverage from California's budget-ravaged Healthy Families program, the safety net for hundreds of thousands of children.

Kolster and her husband don't earn much money. Their budget would be stretched thin if they had to turn to private insurance for Tadd and Elle. Yet the family isn't poor enough for the children to qualify for Medi-Cal.

"I just don't know what we're going to do, what all these other families are going to do," Kolster said.

Families urge lawmakers to save insurance program

The Bakersfield Californian
June 16, 2009
By Sarah Reinecke, Californian Staff Writer

Tracey Poteet can't afford private health insurance for her 9 and 11-year-old sons.

Her husband is covered by his employer, but adding the boys to that plan was "outrageous" given the size of his full-time salary and her part-time wages.

Their other option was Healthy Families, a health insurance program for low-income children that serves about 26,000 Kern County kids. It's for people who make too much to qualify for no-cost Medi-Cal but can't afford private coverage.

Governor's budget ax poised over children's health care programs

Sacramento Bee
May 28, 2009
By Kevin Yamamura

In a much different environment two years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger kicked off his second term by pledging to reshape health care in California.

The governor is on the verge of doing so – but hardly in the way he envisioned.

To shrink a $24.3 billion deficit, Schwarzenegger this week asked legislators to make California the first state to eliminate government health coverage for low- to moderate-income children. Schwarzenegger hopes to save $305 million in 2009-10 by closing the state's Healthy Families program, which provides medical, dental and vision care to more than 900,000 children.

Three digits connect those in need

2-1-1 is a little-known hot line that helps people in crisis find shelter, food and other assistance

The Orange County Register:
December 31, 2008
By Erika Chavez

The calls come every day and at all hours, ebbing in the middle of the night and peaking on Monday mornings.

An overwhelmed woman needs help paying the electric bill. A reluctant single man needs information on how to apply for food stamps and find a job. A frightened family is homeless and needs a motel voucher, or the name and number of the nearest shelter.
In a physical emergency, people dial 9-1-1. People in economic need — of shelter, food, health care or a job — can dial 2-1-1, a federally mandated service that's available nationwide to provide callers access to social services.

Despite deficit, Steinberg sure he can get all state's kids insured

The Sacramento Bee:
Sunday, Dec. 07, 2008
By Aurelio Rojas

In his inaugural session as head of the California Senate, Darrell Steinberg singled out health care for all children as one of the issues he plans to tackle in his first 120 days.

The ambitious effort comes as the state is sinking under the weight of an $11.2 billion deficit, state officials are preparing to freeze enrollment in the Healthy Families program and local Children's Health Initiatives are teetering on insolvency.

Health care program prepares for freeze

The Modesto Bee
November 20, 2008
By Ken Carlson

Efforts to close an $11.2 billion state budget deficit have shaken up the state's Healthy Families program, which provides health care to about 13,300 children and pregnant women in Stanislaus County.

Next month, the state is preparing to freeze enrollment in the program, which provides medical, dental and vision care to children whose families earn too much to receive Medi-Cal but can't afford private insurance. If the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board approves the proposal Dec. 17, families trying to enroll children will be placed on a waiting list at least until June 30.

Healthy Families Child Care Program in Jeopardy

KXTV-10
November 19, 2008

California's budget deficit may soon have a big impact on health care programs for low-income children.

The Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board is considering cutting off new enrollees into the state's Healthy Families insurance program, a decision that could put more than 160,000 low-income children on a waiting list for care.

"It just doesn't make sense," said UC Davis pediatrician Dr. Richard Pan. "The illnesses will still come."

California considers capping enrollment in poor children's health program

Los Angeles Times:
November 14, 2008
By Jordan Rau, LA Times staff writer

State officials are considering capping enrollment in California's health insurance program for children of the working poor, as an influx of new clients overwhelms it.

If the Healthy Families Program were to be restricted, it would be the first such drastic action in its 10-year history, advocates said. As many as 162,750 children could end up on a waiting list within six months, according to a memorandum from Lesley Cummings, the executive director of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board.

Health plan for California kids may end new enrollment

The Sacramento Bee:
November 14, 2008
By Aurelio Rojas

As California sheds jobs at an alarming rate, increasing the ranks of the uninsured, the state-run Healthy Families program for children is preparing to close enrollment for the first time in its 10-year history.

New enrollment in the program, which provides medical, dental and vision care to more than 900,000 children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medi-Cal but not enough to buy insurance, has averaged more than 27,000 a month during the past year.

2-1-1 calls reflect economic uncertainty

Victorville Daily Press
October 31, 2008
Ryan Orr, Staff Writer

The United Way 211 help line has seen a significant increase in call volume, with Victor Valley requests focusing on help with utility bills or rent — an indicator of how the economy is affecting local communities. Food assistance also ranked as one of the top reasons for calling, while requested assistance for mental health care experienced a huge increase.

Report: California children's health is at risk

Los Angeles Daily News
October 21, 2008
By Susan Abram, Staff Writer

Many of the state's 3 million children ages 0-5 "grow up in environments where their health may limit their social, emotional and academic development," said the authors of a report released by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

US News & World Report: Family Income Impacts Children's Health

Big gaps exist between states, and between poor, middle- and upper-class families, study finds

October 8, 2008
By Steven Reinberg

For American children, the state they live in and their family's income and education may help determine how healthy they are, a new survey shows. Among children aged 17 and younger, 16 percent are in less than optimal health, according to the state-by-state survey from the nonprofit Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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