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Leading the Fight for Healthier Communities
My Values and Commitment to Change
Leadership requires more than courage. It requires a basic understanding of issues, matched with action that produces results. There is no more complicated public policy issue than health care. The ability to preserve the safety net of services to the uninsured and emergency and trauma care for millions of county residents is no easy task. Over the course of my career, I have worked on behalf of a progressive health care agenda focused on delivering quality patient care and comprehensive systemic changes to health care policy and practice. I believe health care is a right not a privilege, not only for the well being of the individual, but also for the welfare of our communities.
My work in this arena has garnered the support of the Los Angeles County Medical Association's-Physician's Committee, LA County's emergency room nurses, the leadership of Community Clinics and the Southern California Hospital Association and first responders including LA County's firefighters and lifeguards. In supporting my candidacy, they recognize the work that has been done over nearly three decades.
Working for Change, My Record of Results
As Executive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference-LA, we developed a one-of-a-kind model for delivery of treatment services to women who were victims of domestic violence or sexual assault in South Los Angeles. In partnership with doctors, nurses and social workers, the Rosa Parks Rape Crisis Treatment Center has served thousands of women for more than 20 years.
While serving on the Los Angeles City Council, I continued to fight on behalf of women who were victims of domestic violence and sexual assault by creating the City's Domestic Violence Task force to increase cooperation among groups providing direct health and counseling services. I also directed the City's Housing Department to set aside $5 million annually for the construction and operation of domestic violence shelters.
Because public safety is a key component of health care, I also led efforts to reduce crime by establishing violence prevention hotlines, fund gang intervention programs, expand community emergency response training and develop a stand-alone model for an educational and community center which included health a community health clinic.
I have continued my comprehensive agenda for the delivery of health services in the California State Legislature, serving as a member of the committee on health, Chairman of the Select Committee on the Los Angeles County Health Care Crisis.
In six short years, I have authored and co-authored landmark policy to create and expand school based health centers throughout Los Angeles County; provide Universal health care; preserve more than $100 million in federal funding that the County of Los Angeles would have lost due to the closure of Martin Luther King Medical Center; create access to low-cost prescription drugs for the elderly; prevent fraud in In-Home Supportive Services; direct the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to develop a Health Care Master Plan for the County; and create the office of Inspector General to conduct audits and investigations of the County's system and improve patient care.
I have also been a leader on the issues of combating homelessness, which is an economic, health care and moral issue. While in the Legislature, I have been proud to serve as a member of the Proposition 63 Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission where we allocate money to counties for homeless facilities, mental health and physical health treatment and counseling. Throughout my service on the Commission, I have fought to ensure that Los Angeles County receives its fair share and that projects that expand health treatment/intervention programs, finance low-cost, affordable housing and create additional shelter beds are funded.
As chairman of Days of Dialogue, I have facilitated city-wide and targeted meetings of health care advocates and patients on issues ranging from the Crisis in LA County's Emergency Rooms to Homelessness and Violence Prevention. I will continue this work on the Board of Supervisors.
My Plan
Nearly 30 percent of the LA County's annual $22 billion dollar budget is dedicated to health care. Yet, communities in the Second District continue to struggle to obtain access to health care. The closure of Martin Luther King Medical Center alone meant the loss of 40,000 emergency room visits a year.
This worsens a problem affecting all of Los Angeles, regardless of where you live, regardless of whether you are insured or uninsured. LA County has a chronic hospital bed shortage and in the last three years, 10 emergency rooms closed in our County, with six hospital emergency rooms closing since 2003 in South Los Angeles.
As Supervisor, I will use the policy experience and relationships I have gained in Sacramento to make sure the County is able to access all available state and federal resources and returns to the business of providing quality care.
On protecting the health and well being of our children and families:
- Work to reform the county's antiquated system of health care delivery governance and fight for universal health coverage.
- Demand accountability for service declines.
More Key Issues
Jobs and Economic Development
Seniors, the Disabled and Foster Care
Public Safety
Sustaining our Communities
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