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To some, California is seen as a Nirvana of healthy living and millions of dollars in government funding — after all, the Golden State is the world’s fifth-largest economy. But the state’s healthcare system isn’t effectively meeting the needs of many residents, particularly Black children.
That’s the finding of a new report by Children Now, an Oakland-based nonprofit organization focused on improving children’s health and education.
This is a result of multiple systems failing Black kids.
MIKE ODEH, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF HEALTHY POLICY AT CHILDREN NOW
From ages zero to 18, children need dozens of preventative care screenings. Which range from developmental screening to autism screening to immunizations to vision screening — all to protect the health of a child.
However, of the dozens of screenings pediatricians recommend, California kids are not getting enough preventative care screenings. Of children with Medi-Cal — the state’s Medicaid health insurance program that provides free or low-cost coverage to low-income residents, including families— only 25% receive blood lead and developmental screenings.
Failing to Consistently Screen for Lead
Black children are more likely to be harmed by toxins like lead, which can lead to development delays. Yet, Black children are only screened 12% of the time for blood lead and 22% of the time for developmental delays.
Mike Odeh, senior director of healthy policy at Children Now, says he isn’t surprised by the findings. “We know that there’s no safe level of lead for kids, but some kids are more exposed to the dangers of lead — as a result of housing injustice and environmental racism,” he says. “This is a result of multiple systems failing Black kids.”
Part of the barriers Black families face in California, and in many states across the country, is the accessibility of providers and the availability of appointments. Odeh says many families struggle with transportation to health appointments.
The nearly 110-page bi-annual report doesn’t just touch on preventative care for children. It grades how well the state is providing health insurance, health care access, mental health care services, oral health care, birthing health, and sexual health care. Overall, health in California was graded on average a D or C.
When examining how well the state is supporting mental health care services, Lishaun Francis, senior director of behavioral health, weighed in.
A Need for More Mental Health Services
All children are impacted by mental health, whether it be short-term issues, environmental issues, or a chemical imbalance, she says. But, there’s a key difference between the way Black children are impacted in comparison to non-Balck children.
“What we see with Black children… they are living in a world that was not created to support their emotional wellness,” Francis says. For example, “police violence negatively exacerbates the mental health of Black children.”
Although the report didn’t specify demographic information on its behavioral health data, it did highlight how much California youth are struggling. Of 10-25-year-olds, girls had nearly three times higher rates of self-harm than boys. However, boys were more likely to die by suicide, in part because of the use and accessibility of firearms.
The state of California is responsible for providing accessible mental health care services to children and families. But, Francis says, it’s not that parents aren’t sharing their individual responsibility of meeting their children’s needs. It’s that parents are asking for help and not getting it.
The organization proposes more statewide investment, beyond one-time funds, to better ensure the health of the state’s most vulnerable and at-risk children.
“California … has a willingness to do better for children and families in a way that other states, you might not see that,” Francis says. “There are individuals here who are really committed to making sure that children and youth have really positive outcomes.”
