Resources

Western Center and Partners Win Another Indigent Health Case: Fresno County’s Unlawful Income Eligibility Cap Invalidated
08/24/2010
In the News

In a decision released today, Fresno Superior Court Judge Jeff Hamilton issued a writ directing Fresno County to stop denying health coverage in its Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP) to low-income people who can’t afford the cost of their medical care. Click here to read more.

One Day Symposium: Harnessing Tax Credits for Working Families, September 27, 2010
08/10/2010
In the News

Western Center encourages participation in this one day symposium to highlight best-practices on what communities, practitioners, community based organizations and individuals can do to inform and to increase the number of eligible low-income and working families eligible for federal tax credits. Register online www.calneva.camp7.org

Sacramento County cuts to indigent mental health and health care services stopped!
07/22/2010
In the News

Napper v. County of Sacramento: Western Center, along with co-counsel Disability Rights CA and pro-bono attorneys from Cooley LLP, filed a federal class action suit on May 6th to prevent the devastating and unlawful termination of essential mental health services to 5,000 residents with severe mental illness by Sacramento County. Click here to read more..

WCLP has long offered a variety of publications. We have been working to provide these resources through the web to enhance their effectiveness. Some publications may require registration.

California Department of Health Services
http://www.dhs.ca.gov The official website of the DHS contains general information on Medi-Cal and other health related services, regulations, All County Letters, forms, as well as policy directives.

Center for Health Care Rights
http://www.healthcarerights.org
California health care consumer advocacy group focusing on improving quality of health care. Focuses on consumer assistance via hotline help.

Health Consumer Alliance
http://www.healthconsumer.org
Good source for healthcare information in eleven different languages.

Medi-Cal Policy Institute
http://www.medi-cal-org
Independent institute focused on Medi-Cal issues, includes research reports and policy recommendations regarding California’s Medicaid program.

National Health Law Program
http://www.healthlaw.org
Good source for information on a wide variety of medical issues and links to other advocacy organizations.

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu
Large collection of research papers on national, state and local health policy issues. Includes data on health insurance coverage in California and policy options to reduce uninsurance.

We have pulled together a large number of helpful links in the housing area. Our Housing Helpful Links page covers the following areas:

Preserving Affordable Housing
These links take you to information on preserving affordable housing from deteriorating conditions, from rising costs, and from conversion of subsidized housing to market rate housing.

1) Housing Conditions
2) Housing Affordability

Producing Affordable Housing
These links will take you to information on federal, state, and local programs that finance the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing, as well as to information on land use issues that relate to the development of affordable housing. These sites are useful if you’re working on issues of housing development or rehabilitation, or if you’re trying to figure out details about existing housing that already has some kind of subsidy.

1) Information on Federal Affordable Housing Programs
2) State and Local Affordable Housing Programs
3) Rural Housing
4) California Land Use and Housing Development

Protecting Individual Rights to Affordable Housing
These sites contain information on fair housing, tenants rights, and housing and homeless advocacy organizations.

1) Fair Housing – Advocacy Groups and Information
2) Fair Housing – Government Agencies
3) Homelessness
4) Landlord – Tenant

Keeping up With Current Events
To keep up with current developments, check out these web sites or subscribe to their publications, many of which are available for free by fax or email.

Click Here to go to our Housing Helpful Links Page

We have pulled together a large number of helpful links in the housing area. Our Housing Helpful Links page covers the following areas:

1) Housing Conditions
2) Housing Affordability

1) Information on Federal Affordable Housing Programs
2) State and Local Affordable Housing Programs
3) Rural Housing
4) California Land Use and Housing Development

Protecting Individual Rights to Affordable Housing
These sites contain information on fair housing, tenants rights, and housing and homeless advocacy organizations.

1) Fair Housing – Advocacy Groups and Information
2) Fair Housing – Government Agencies
3) Homelessness
4) Landlord – Tenant

Keeping up With Current Events
To keep up with current developments, check out these web sites or subscribe to their publications, many of which are available for free by fax or email.

Click Here to go to our Housing Helpful Links Page

California Organizations

California Budget Project
http://www.cbp.org
Get briefing papers on hot state tax and budget issues, copies of the California Budget Project's bimonthly newsletter, summaries of California Budget Project Reports. CBP also maintains an extensive data download page.

California Department of Social Services
http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov
The official website of the DSS contains general information on CalWORKs, regulations, All County Letters, forms, and well as policy directives.

California Food Policy Advocates
http://www.cfpa.net
Information on improving the health and well-being of low-income Californians by increasing their access to nutritious and affordable food. Has action alerts, legislative analysis, and basic information about food programs for the poor.

Legal Aid Society of San Francisco
Employment Law Center
http://www.employmentlawcenter.org
Legal information about all areas of employment law, including welfare-to-work, wrongful termination, discrimination, and domestic violence and the workplace.

Legal Services of Northern California
http://www.lsnc.net
A good place to get comprehensive information on legal issues, this site has flyers, updates, DSS forms, and law and regulations, as well as a great "links" page to get to other organizations and government agencies.

The People’s Guide to Welfare, Health, and Other Services
http://www.lacehh.org/tpg/index.php
An easy to understand online guide to getting food, money, and housing in California. The Los Angeles County edition is available in ten languages. The California edition is available in English and Spanish.

National Organizations

Administration for Children and Families, HHS
http://www.acf.hhs.gov
Good source of information on national welfare reform and state TANF programs.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
http://www.cbpp.org
Publications and legal analyses from the nation’s preeminent research organization and budget policy institute on issues affecting low and moderate-income people.

Center for Law and Social Policy
http://www.clasp.org
Find out more about CLASP’s work in reducing poverty of poor families with children and securing access to our civil justice system. Get the latest issue of CLASP Update, download other CLASP publications, or find out more about audio conferences.

Child Care Law Center
http://www.childcarelaw.org
Publications and other internet resources about child care.

Food Research and Action Center
http://www.frac.org
National organization devoted to food policy and nutrition issues. Website has current news and legal analyses, facts about hunger in the U.S., and publications.

National Center on Poverty Law
http://www.povertylaw.org
Welfare news, archived articles from Clearinghouse Review, and access to reported and unreported welfare cases, and a terrific research links page.

National Center for Youth Law
http://www.youthlaw.org
Publications, legislative analysis, and links to other sites on issues affecting young people, including foster care, child support, adoption, and juvenile justice.

National Immigration Law Center
http://www.nilc.org
General information, community education materials, and publications on issues affecting immigrant, such as immigrants and public benefits, immigration policy, and immigrants and the workplace.

Welfare Law Center
http://www.acf.hhs.gov
This site contains updates on welfare litigation around the country, facts about the national welfare population, recent publications and news articles, and lots of links to other welfare homepages.

The Governor’s Proposed Budget Would Decimate California’s Safety Net for Poor Families and Put Medi-Cal Health Services Out of Reach
05/14/2010
Notes on the Legislature

Click here to download the pdf report.

Sacramento Update
05/12/2010
Legislative Blog

Sacramento budget fight heats up. Click here for WCLP's latest blog on the topic.

The Governor’s Proposal to Eviscerate Medi-Cal to the Federal Minimum Would Cut More Than 1.7 Million Poor People From the Medi-Cal Program.
03/08/2010
Legislative Blog

Western Center released a report showing that under the Governor’s proposal to cut Medi-Cal eligibility to the federal minimum more than 1.7 million poor children, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities would lose their Medi-Cal health coverage.

Recovery Act Roundup
02/23/2010
Legislative Blog

A roundup of updates on the Recovery Act's one-year record of creating jobs and protecting the safety net -- and the advocacy needed in Washington to extend this investment in our economy, families, and state budget.

02/09/2010
Notes on the Legislature