Healthy Families Enrollment Tops 400,000
Healthy Families has enrolled more than 400,000 low-income children, California First Lady Sharon Davis and state health officials announced last week, the Orange County Register reports. Gov. Gray Davis (D) signed legislation to expand Healthy Families in October, when 300,000 children were enrolled in the program statewide. The "sharp" enrollment increase is attributed partly to a collaboration between the state and the private sector, including the California Association of Health Plans and school and community organizations (Howard, Orange County Register, 4/22). In addition, officials credited the increase to a multi-language, "aggressive" education and outreach effort that includes ads to educate parents about the availability of no-cost and low-cost insurance programs. Davis' budget proposal for 2001-2002 includes $42.2 million for Healthy Families outreach efforts (Office of the Governor release, 4/19).
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