The Third Annual Innovation in Coverage and Access Forum,
November 16, 2006 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento
Children’s Health Initiatives (CHIs) continue to expand children’s health coverage in localities around the State of California. CHIs currently cover roughly 86,500 children in 22 counties. In the last year alone, seven additional CHIs spanning ten counties have launched comprehensive health coverage programs. There have also been efforts to improve access to all children’s health coverage programs, including Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, through enhanced outreach, enrollment and retention strategies. At the same time, the landscape for children’s health coverage continues to evolve. Potential changes at the local, state and national level could have a significant impact on children’s health coverage in California. What lies ahead for children’s health coverage in California? How will these potential changes affect the current and future efforts to provide coverage for children? The forum provided an early opportunity to discuss the impact of these and other potential policy changes and what they could mean for the future direction of children’s health coverage in California.

Conference Materials

Innovation in Coverage and Access Forum, November 16 & 17, 2005
Many of California’s counties are creating and improving health coverage programs to address children and families’ access to care needs through innovation and collaboration. In the last five years eleven counties have launched comprehensive coverage programs for children with many more localities moving forward in their expansion plans with commitment, courage and discipline. This year's IHPS Forum provided and opportunity for two days of interaction with these pioneers, as well as other innovators outside California, as we seek to develop and build sustainable systems of care for California’s children and families.

Conference Materials

Children’s Coverage Policy Forum, November 8, 2004
This forum included a discussion between CHI leaders and organizations involved in statewide policy change on policy options to cover all children in California; and information-sharing on statewide communication strategies and community organizing activities.

Meeting Program (pdf)

Children’s Health Initiatives: Local Solutions Creating Policy Change, June 1, 2004
This expert forum for children’s health initiative innovators included: briefings from an array of CHIs on best practices/lessons learned; smaller roundtable discussions on key policy and financing issues; an update on the Santa Clara and San Mateo CHI evaluations; and a conversation between local CHI experts and key advocacy organizations on policy options and priorities heading into and beyond FY04-05.

Meeting Summary (pdf)