Child Care Providers and Advocates Rally Outside of Clinic, Call on Governor Newsom to Make Good on Promise of Affordable Health Insurance for Providers

Dozens of child care providers, child care assistants, health clinic workers, and children, from across the Central Coast, along with Cabrillo College Trustee Felipe Hernandez, gathered at Salud Para La Gente clinic on Thursday, April 28 to demand Governor Newsom deliver on his public commitment to improve access to quality, affordable health care for child care providers. Under the current structure, many providers are underinsured and left to choose between mammograms, business expenses, or paying their mortgages. 

After nearly a year of meetings with the Newsom Administration, providers are calling for urgent action to meet providers basic needs. 

“I take care of people every day who are suffering from devastating consequences of falling through our broken health care system. So often, access to basic and preventative primary care can be life saving to my patients.” – Jason Johnston, Primary Care Provider at Watsonville Health Center. 

Child care providers shared moving stories of delayed health care due to lack of action from the Newsom Administration.

Remarks from the press conference: 

“[Childcare providers representing our union] have been meeting with the Newsom Administration to address this urgent need, and we need our neighbors to know that child care is in crisis. When early educators must travel out of state for affordable healthcare options – that risks the quality and availability of local child care programs.” Veronica Diaz, Family Child Care Provider of Watsonville and CCPU member.

“Ten years ago, my doctor told me the scariest words I’ve ever heard: You have aggressive Stage 4 Cancer and six months to a year left to live. My medical provider recommended I leave my home, my community and my country to find affordable health care in Mexico. That advice alone, coming from a health care professional, tells you everything you need to know about the health care system for child care providers in California: it’s nonexistent.” Maria Sanchez, Family Child Care Provider of Watsonville and CCPU member.

You can view NoticiasYa Costa Central media coverage here: https://fb.watch/dOcxdh3yyn/