All Californians should have the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential for health. CHCF is working with a wide range of partners to remove structural barriers to care and build a just and equitable health care system that is designed to redress, not perpetuate, the inequities that too many of our fellow Californians face.

The burden of untreated behavioral health conditions — encompassing mental health and substance use disorders — is both a major public health problem and a delivery system challenge. CHCF works to improve systems of behavioral health care and to focus on integrating mental health, substance use, and physical health services to achieve the best outcomes for Californians with low incomes.

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health insurance landscape changed dramatically in California. Fewer Californians are uninsured, more than one in three is now enrolled in Medi-Cal, and over a million purchase insurance through the ACA-mandated health insurance marketplace, Covered California. CHCF reports analyze and track trends in health insurance coverage, how much that coverage costs, and who remains uninsured.

Over the next decade, California faces a number of health workforce challenges, including a population that is growing, aging, and becoming more diverse. To meet these and other challenges, California must develop a modern health workforce that delivers smarter, more affordable care. That will require a new generation of health professionals with roles, skills, and workflows that match our latest understanding of how best to deliver high-quality, high-value care.

Too many older adults with complex health issues face multiple obstacles to getting the care and support they need. There are nearly three million Californians over age 50 who struggle to make ends meet while also facing significant health challenges. These adults, who get their care through Medi-Cal and, in some instances, Medicare, describe themselves as being in fair or poor health, and two-thirds report a disability due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the percentage of Californians with insurance has hit an all-time high. However, much work remains to ensure that all Californians can get and stay covered. CHCF produces data and analyses to inform efforts to protect coverage gains and further expand coverage so that all Californians can get the health care they need.

Telehealth is the use of technology to better harness providers’ time and expertise and connect patients to the care they need more quickly and conveniently. For over a decade, CHCF has worked to expand the use of telehealth in the California safety net. This work takes on new urgency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.