The MolinaCares Accord Hosts Panel on Promoting Health Equity and Whole Person Care
Assembly member Mike Gipson highlights California Health Equity Fund and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on California’s Black and Latino residents
Media Contacts: Justine dela Rosa, Justine.delaRosa1@MolinaHealthcare.com, 562-528-5090 Roger Salazar, rsalazar@alzamedia.com, 916-284-1255
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 16, 2021 – The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), in collaboration with
Molina Healthcare of California (“Molina”), hosted a virtual panel on Promoting Health Equity and Whole
Person Care. State Assembly member Mike Gipson (D-Carson) offered welcoming remarks before a panel of experts moderated by Sacramento Bee reporter Kim Bojórquez discussed the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color. The panelists focused on strategies to address the systemic disparities magnified by the pandemic as California enters the next stage of its reopening. Participants focused on social determinants of health and vulnerable communities. They discussed the impact of COVID-19 on an essential workforce predominantly staffed by communities of color, and higher rates of job loss and chronic health conditions making them more susceptible to severe impacts of the virus.
Assembly member Gipson opened the panel by highlighting his efforts in Sacramento to pass the California Health Equity Fund, stating, “It takes sustained and significant investment to change the nature of our communities. The governor’s proposed $300 million ongoing allocation of budget dollars for health equity starting in 2022 is a good first step. This funding will help disrupt the patterns of structural racism and social injustice that lead to poor health outcomes.”
Carolyn Ingram, executive vice president of external affairs for Molina Healthcare, followed Assembly member Gipson’s remarks. “Our ongoing commitment to providing access to quality care for California’s underserved communities is paramount,” she said. “Molina connects with members where they live with a focus on preventative care to position Medi-Cal recipients for better health outcomes.” The panel of experts included Rachel Rios, executive director of La Familia Counseling Center in Sacramento; Kiran Savage-Sangwan, executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network and Rhonda M. Smith, executive director of the California Black Health Network.
About the MolinaCares Accord:
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities.
About Molina Healthcare of California:
Molina Healthcare of California has been providing government-funded care for 40 years. The Company
serves members through Medi-Cal, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Covered California
(Marketplace). Molina’s service areas include Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San
Diego, Orange County and Imperial counties. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 4.6 million members as of March 31, 2021. For more information about Molina Healthcare of California, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.