October Advocate: ACHD Members Gather at ACHD's 71st Annual Meeting

ACHD Advocate

October 2023

What's New This Month:

Members Gathered at ACHD's 71st Annual Meeting
Advocacy Update
LeadingAge offering dementia care toolkit webinar

Greetings from the other side of ACHD’s annual conference! This year, members gathered in Olympic Valley from September 13^th-15^th to learn, network and share best practices. Thank you to all of the members who made the journey to be with us. Your attendance was an integral part of our success! The ACHD website has been updated with some great photos from the event, so be sure to check them out! Mark your calendars for our 72nd Annual Meeting, September 25-27, 2024, in Sacramento!

It is finally feeling like fall in the Capitol City, not only because of cooler weather, but because law makers have returned to their districts having wrapped up legislative business on September 14^th. The Governor has until October 14^th to sign or veto legislation that made it to his desk this year. At that time, ACHD’s Sarah Bridge will issue an update to the membership regarding the Governor’s final actions. As a reminder, SB 784, ACHD’s sponsored legislation, which would allow district hospitals to employ physicians directly, is a two-year bill and is eligible to be taken up again in January.

ACHD is currently seeking member CEOs or district trustees to serve on the ACHD Board of Directors. Apply to serve on the board by submitting a resume or statement of qualifications to ACHD by October 31^st. The Governance Committee will review and recommend candidates to be approved by the full ACHD Board on November 15th. Please note: The district board of directors' chair and/or the CEO must support the nomination in writing at the time of submission. Individual directors serve three-year terms, up to two terms, and their appointment becomes effective upon approval by the ACHD Board.

The ACHD Annual Meeting marks the “new year” for the Association. We look forward to another active and engaging 2023-24 with all of you. Please feel free to reach out to the ACHD Team if we can be helpful or supportive in any way.

The Governor has until October 14, 2023 to sign or veto bills that have made it to his desk. Though he has already signed and vetoed a number of bills, hundreds remain to be acted upon in the next nine days. For updates on bill actions you can visit Governor Newsom’s website. Note that bill results are posted in batches unless noticed in a larger press release.

Sarah Bridge will provide a supplement to the October ACHD Advocate as soon as the deadline passes, updating members on priority issues. In the meantime, if you have questions for Sarah, please do not hesitate to contact her directly.

Appointment of Laphonza Butler:

Following the death of Senator Diane Feinstein, Governor Newsom struggled to find a replacement for her Senate seat, given its short-term nature and the desire to find a “caretaker” for the Senate seat. Honoring his previous commitments, Governor Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler, who was sworn in on Tuesday. This choice will have significant impacts on the already crowded Senate race. Polling data from an October 1^st poll shows most voters supported Governor Newsom’s appointment of Butler. The polling data includes additional insights as well.

ACHD Partners with CSDA on Special District Tour:

In the final week of September, ACHD embarked on a tour of special districts hosted by the California Special Districts Association. The tour aimed to educate legislative staff from critical legislative offices and committees on the important role special districts play in the community. This year’s tour featured El Camino Healthcare District, with a tour of their newly renovated neonatal intensive care unit. Pictures of the tour are featured below.

Visit LeadingAge Website to Register for their Webinar

The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) represents Healthcare Districts throughout the state's urban, suburban and rural areas. California is home to 76 Healthcare Districts that play a profound role in responding to the specialized health needs of local communities by providing access to essential health services to tens of millions of Californians while also having direct accountability to the communities that Districts serve. In many areas, Healthcare Districts are the sole source of health, medical and well-being services in their communities.

Learn more at www.achd.org.

Association of California Healthcare Districts

www.achd.org