Health Net’s Support for California’s First Black Birth Justice Coalition Leads to Release of First Agenda

The company is actively promoting health equity by establishing partnerships at the community level.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Health Net, one of California’s most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, awarded a $150,000 grant to support the creation of the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice (the Coalition). The Coalition is the first entity dedicated to unifying and strengthening statewide collaboration and coordination among Black birth equity and justice efforts. Serving vulnerable Californians for more than 40 years, Health Net has led the charge to improve health equity with multi-faceted, collaborative, and culturally relevant programs and interventions at the statewide and local level.

The Coalition recently released a new agenda, developed by seven members of the Coalition staff and 10 strategic advisors, including Health Net’s Chief Health Equity Officer, Dr. Pooja Mittal. The agenda identifies three action areas to advance Black birth justice in California, including:

• Action Area #1: Institutional Accountability and Data Accessibility
• Action Area #2: Black Birth Justice Workforce Development and Sustainability
• Action Area #3: Expand Access to Community-Based Care

“We are proud to be the first funder to the Coalition, which has never been seen before in the state of California,” said Martha Santana-Chin, Medicare and Medi-Cal president at Health Net. “As we look to make progress with racial birth inequities, we must continue to lead by example, investing in the innovation, collaboration and leadership of Black women.”

The funding for the Coalition is a continuation of Health Net’s ongoing work to address racial health inequities, specifically among Black/African American communities and other people of color.

“To bring about true change, we need long-term investments in Black-led organizations, and more mechanisms for accountability and transparency,” said Dana Sherrod, Coalition co-founder and executive director. “We applaud Health Net for being an earlier supporter of the Coalition and hope others are encouraged to follow their example.”

Other related initiatives from Health Net include:

• A doula program, which resulted in a 50% decrease in c-section rates for Black mothers in South Los Angeles.
• Expanding the doula program by partnering with HealthConnect One and investing in infrastructure and capacity building in Sacramento and Kern counties.
• A Cultural Broker Program, which alongside the Sierra Health Foundation and Black Child Legacy Campaign, provided culturally relevant healthcare to mothers and infants in Sacramento.
• A collaborative partnership with Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies to reduce inequities, inform hospital quality improvement strategies, and ensure Black women have a seat at the table.

Since 2017, Health Net has invested more than $100 million to nearly 500 community initiatives that work to bridge the divide in access, equity and quality of healthcare. To learn more about Health Net’s industry-leading efforts to drive health equity, visit BridgingtheDivideCA.com.

About Health Net
Founded in California more than 40 years ago, Health Net believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. Together with our 90,000 network providers, Health Net serves three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed health care products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. Health Net and Centene employ more than 6,300 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

SOURCE Health Net