APPENDIX
11/15/04, p. 8
LOS ANGELES COUNTY HEALTH POLICY
INTERNET RESOURCE REVIEW
APPENDIX
I. PUBLIC HEALTH DATA (See also County, State & Federal sites, below.)
Annie E. Casey Foundation – KIDS COUNT project (www.aecf.org/kidscount).
Searchable census data online for children & newborns. Also, CLIKS: County-City-Community Level Information on Kids (www.aecf.org/cgi-bin/cliks.cgi).
AskCHIS/California Health Interview Survey (“CHIS”) (www.askchis.org). Allows queries of database derived from most extensive survey of health indicators for California. A collaborative project of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Health Services, and the Public Health Institute.
California Diabetes Prevention & Control Program (www.caldiabetes.org).
California DHS public health program. Has reports available as PDF’s, mostly based on the national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and CHIS.
Child Trends DataBank (www.childtrendsdatabank.org). “National trends and research on over 80 key indicators of child and youth well-being.”
HealthQuery (www.champ-net.org/hqla). “A non-commercial collection of tools to help you or your organization make more informed decisions regarding personal and community health.” Piloted in Los Angeles with support from Good Hope Medical Foundation, California DHS, ESRI, etc. Managed by the National Health Foundation.
Keck Diabetes Initiative – new study of obesity and diabetes in East Los Angeles and South Los Angeles. Funding announced in June, 2004. Press release: (www.wmkeck.org/contentManagement/PR_95271a31-9585-4508-a17c-67d8d0235b41.htm).
Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (“L.A. FANS”) (www.rand.org/labor/lafans). An ongoing study about the effect of neighborhoods on children, including health issues. Focusing on Los Angeles. Funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development.
UC Berkeley Center for Health and Public Policy Studies (chpps.berkeley.edu). Site for the UC Berkeley School of Public Health; contains some reports.
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu). Numerous publications available online. Houses AskCHIS.
UCSF Family Health Outcomes Project (www.ucsf.edu/fhop). Information & reports on analysis of public health data, selection of health indicators, etc. (The organization’s work includes data capacity building of local MCH programs, for purposes of community assessments, for the California DHHS.) Also contains a list of public health data resources.
II. LOS ANGELES COUNTY RESOURCES
Los Angeles Department of Health Services (“LA DHS”) (www.ladhs.org). Includes information on programs, hospitals, public health, consumer health.
LA PublicHealth (www.lapublichealth.org). Under LA DHS; includes data & reports for Los Angeles health districts.
Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (dmh.co.la.ca.us). Basic site that has a list of service providers by location.
Mental Health Community Connection (dmhconnection.lacounty.info). A Department of Mental Health portal referencing information for clients, families, organizations and individuals concerned with mental health issues.
City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator’s Office (www.lacityaids.org). Site contains HIV/AIDS statistics as well as links to services, advocacy, and news.
III. STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESOURCES
California Department of Education, Physical Fitness Testing Data (Dataquest) (www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf). Mentioned in the survey of Collaborative members. It allows review of physical fitness test results (as well as other school and student data) down to the school level.
California Department of Health Services (www.dhs.ca.gov). Includes links to statistical resources; many of the reports are based on CHIS data.
California Department of Health Services - Center for Health Statistics (www.dhs.ca.gov/hips/chs). Main online-accessible information is a “Vital Statistics Query System.”
California Department of Health Services - Medical Care Statistics Section (www.dhs.ca.gov/MCSS). Reports and data files on Medi-Cal enrollments and fee-for-service utilization.
California Department of Health Services – Office of AIDS (www.dhs.ca.gov/aids). Site describes programs, includes statistics, reports and list of resources.
California Department of Managed Health Care (www.dmc.ca.gov). Information about health plans and related laws and regulations.
Health-e-app/One-e-app (www.dhs.ca.gov/health-e-App). Pilot program to allow Certified Application Assistants to submit applications over the internet for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.
Healthy Families (www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov). Low cost insurance for children and teens who do not have insurance and who do not qualify for free Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal (www.medi-cal.ca.gov). Main Medi-Cal web site, with provider bulletins, manuals, regulations, and enrollment forms. Transactions can also be performed at site, including recipient eligibility.
Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development (www.oshpd.cahwnet.gov). information and reports on California’s healthcare infrastructure; includes reports from the California Healthcare Outcomes Program (CHOP). The Healthcare Information Division (www.oshpd.cahwnet.gov/HID) describes the collection of data from licensed health facilities in California.
Office of the Patient Advocate (www.opa.ca.gov). Quality ratings for HMO’s and medical groups.
IV. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (www.ahrq.gov). HHS agency that tracks evidence-based information on healthcare outcomes, quality, cost, use and access.
Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) (www.cdc.gov). Disease and prevention-related information. Morbidity tables available. Annual report on national trends in health statistics available online.
CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (“CDC Wonder”) (wonder.cdc.gov). Single interface to a wide array of public health information.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (www.cms.hhs.gov). Administers Medicare and works with partnership with States to administer Medicaid, SCHIP, and health insurance portability standards. Site contains related publications and statistics, including the Health Care Financing Review.
HHS Data Council Gateway to Data and Statistics (www.hhs-stat.net). Gateway to various statistical and surveillance systems supported by HHS agencies.
Healthfinder (www.healthfinder.gov). A gateway consumer health and human services site. A service of the National Health Information Center at the U.S. DHHS.
Healthgap (www.healthgap.omhrc.gov). Site for educational campaign to increase health awareness for minorities. Collaboration with HHS and ABC Radio Networks.
Healthy People 2010 (www.healthypeople.gov) “Healthy People 2010 is the prevention agenda for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats.” Managed by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, HHS.
National Center for Health Statistics (“NCHS”) (www.cdc.gov/nchs). Housed at the CDC. Many reports and raw data available as PDF’s and data files.
National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) (www.nih.gov). Main site of the NIH.
MedlinePlus (www.medlineplus.gov). Numerous articles on medical topics. Maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and NIH.
National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) (www.ncvhs.hhs.gov)
Public advisory body to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on health data and statistics. Site contains some information on health data infrastructure.
U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov). Much statistical and other demographic information available online.
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) (www.dhhs.gov). Includes consumer health information, policies and regulations, reference collections, including links to databases and statistics maintained at other sites.
V. CALIFORNIA-BASED HEALTH ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS
California Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League (www.caral.org).
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (www.canhr.org).
California Health Advocates (CA HICAP Association) (www.calhealthadvocates.org).
Center for Health Care Rights (www.healthcarerights.org).
Center for Health Improvement (www.cchi.org).
Community Health Councils, Inc. (www.chc-inc.org).
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (www.lchc.org).
National Center for Youth Law (www.youthlaw.org).
National Health Law Program (www.healthlaw.org).
National Senior Citizens Law Center (www.nsclc.org).
Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (www.pai-ca.org).
Western Center on Law & Poverty (www.wclp.org).
VI. HEALTH POLICY & ADVOCACY PROJECT SITES
2004 Guide to California Medicare Options (www.calmedicareoptions.org). CHCF site in collaboration with Consumers Union. Will not be updated for 2005. Refers people to www.calmedicare.org.
AIDS Project Los Angeles (www.apla.org). Site describes the organization and its activities.
California Healthy Cities & Communities Network (www.civicpartnerships.org). Project of the Center for Civic Partnerships at the Public Health Institute to assist cities interested in undertaking an intensive community improvement effort.
CaliforniaKids Healthcare Foundation (www.californiakids.org). Provides health benefits to children of families who do not qualify for State health care programs.
CalMedicare.org (www.calmedicare.org). A project of California Health Advocates supported by the California HealthCare Foundation, the site provides information about Medicare, including eligibility, coverage, billing, and counseling.
Children’s Health and Medical Programs (www.champ-net.org). A training program developed by the National Health Foundation for children’s healthcare advocates and outreach workers. Training materials available online, including an eligibility calculator.
Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles (www.chigla.org). A community partnership working to provide uninsured children and teens in Los Angeles County with health insurance. LA Care health Plan, The California Endowment, and the LA DHS are the three co-conveners.
First5 LA (www.first5.org). Site for project to improve the health of children through age 5. Includes parenting information at www.first5laconnect.org.
Health Consumer Alliance (www.healthconsumer.org). Extensive library of issue briefs and reports for health consumers available online.
Health Policy Guide (www.healthpolicyguide.org). Site provides “evidence-based, peer-reviewed policy guidance and resources to support advocacy and decision-making at the state and local levels.” A project of the Center for Health Improvement (www.cchi.org), based in Sacramento.
Health Rights Hotline (www.hrh.org). Hotline for El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties.
Healthvote2004 (www.healthvote2004.org). A CHCF partnership with the Center for Governmental Studies with facts and analysis of 2004 health ballot measures.
Information for State Health Policy Program (www2.umdnj.edu/ishppweb). A model for the use of electronic communication to disseminate health information by state health agencies. Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
VII. CONSUMER - ORIENTED SITES
CalMedicare.org (www.calmedicare.org). A project of California Health Advocates, provides information about Medicare, including eligibility, coverage, billing, and counseling.
ConnectLA (www.ConnectLA.org). This is “a community web site dedicated to linking underserved neighborhoods to important information and resources,” including health resources. In addition to a web site, the project also coordinates with community computer centers to ensure that low-income communities have access to this information. This is a project of the Center for Governmental Studies, and is sponsored by the California Endowment, James Irvine Foundation, California Community Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the United Way, among others.
Health Consumer Alliance (www.healthconsumer.org). Information about how to contact local health consumer centers
HealthCareCoach.com – www.healthcarecoach.com. NHeLP project to provide consumers “the information they need to get the best out of the system.” A collection of articles. Has simple online surveys. Allows people to sign up for email updates.
HealthScope - www.healthscope.com
A service of the Pacific Business Group on Health (purchaser’s coalition)
California healthcare quality ratings, with options for finding a doctor, health plan ratings, hospital ratings, medical group ratings.
HealthyCity - www.healthycity.org. Using information from INFO LINE and UCLA’s “Asset Mapping Project,” this is an online effort to improve the ability of low-income & underserved consumers “to access services and advocate for critical resources in their neighborhoods and communities.” Funded by W.M. Keck Foundation, Community Technology Foundation of California, California Consumer Protection Foundation, James Irvine Foundation, Achieving America Family Foundation, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
INFO LINE of Los Angeles - www.infoline-la.org. Health and human services information and referral service agency for Los Angeles. Services are also provided in over 140 other languages via a tele-interpreting service. “INFO LINE’s comprehensive database of human services programs is continually updated by a full-time team of professional resource information specialists.”
People’s Guide (www.peoplesguide.org). Project of the LA Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness – online brochure with practical consumer advice about government programs and community services.
What Patients Think of California Hospitals - www.calhospitals.org
CHCF partnership with California Institute for Health Systems Performance. Hospitals that did not participate in voluntary survey not included.
VIII. CALIFORNIA HEALTH-RELATED FUNDERS (From NHLP site):
Alliance Healthcare Foundation (www.alliancehf.org/alliance.htm)
Archstone Foundation (seniors) (www.archstone.com)
The California Endowment (www.calendow.org)
The California HealthCare Foundation (www.chcf.org)
The California Wellness Foundation (www.tcwf.org)
The Healthcare Foundation for Orange County (www.hfoc.org)
Irvine Health Foundation (Orange County) (www.ihf.org)
Kaiser Family Foundation (www.kff.org)
Pasadena Child Health Foundation (www.pchf.org)
IX. LOS ANGELES & CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS/HMO’S
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (www.ccalac.org)
California Primary Care Association (www.cpca.org)
California Healthcare Association (www.calhealth.org)
LA Care Health Plan (www.lacare.org)
Healthcare Association of Southern California (www.hasc.org)
Valley Care Community Consortium (www.valleyccc.org)
X. MISCELLANEOUS
Medical Library Association (mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/topten.html). Includes “top ten” list of favorite internet resources on health issues.
Neighborhood Knowledge Los Angeles (nkla.sppsr.ucla.edu). Site of the UCLA Advanced policy Institute as part of a larger project of the Urban Institute, National Neighborhood Indicators Project (www.urban.org/nnip). Provides information about property and neighborhood data, using a mapping function.
New York Online Access to Health (“NOAH”) (www.noah-health.org. “NOAH provides access to high quality full-text consumer health information in English and Spanish that is accurate, timely, relevant and unbiased. . . . The united efforts combined the resources of various types of libraries with health agencies in an effort to offer health information at public-access computers in public locations.”