Press Releases

2008

• Governor Schwarzenegger Joins Entertainment Industry Foundation and Major Hollywood Studios to Deliver Anti-Smoking Ads on Youth-Rated Movies (7/11/08)  
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined with the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and major Hollywood studios today to announce an unprecedented agreement that will help protect children around the nation from tobacco use by placing California's anti-smoking ads before tens of millions of viewers watching motion picture DVDs that include scenes with tobacco use.

2007

• New Child Welfare Council Created to Address the Needs of Children (11/14/07)
  California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé and California Supreme Court Associate Justice Carlos Moreno will hold the first meeting of the new California Child Welfare Council on Thursday, November 15 at the Radisson Hotel, 500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento.  
• Statement by California HHS Agency Secretary Kim Belshé Regarding Health Care Reform (11/06/07)
  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshé today released the following statement after Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata announced new health care reform legislation. 
• CHHS Secretary Announces the Establishment of The California Privacy and Security Advisory Boards for Electronic Health Information (10/11/07)
  Secretary Kim Belshé announced today the establishment of the California Privacy and Security Advisory Board (CalPSAB). 
• Statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé Regarding Efforst to Reduce Medical Errors (3/6/07)California Secretary of Health and Human Services Kim Belshé said Tuesday that the report titled "Prescription for Improving Patient Safety: Addressing Medical Errors" outlining potential costs of medication errors underscores the need for reducing medication errors as called for in the Governor's Health Care Reform proposal, as well as broader changes the Governor proposes to reduce all medical errors and promote patient safety.  
• Statement by California HHS Secretary Kim Belshé after Today's Legislative Briefing on the Governor's Comprehensive Health Care Reform (2/15/07)
  California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshé issued the following statement after today's Legislative briefing on the Governor's comprehensive health care reform proposal. 
• HHS Secretary Issues Statement on New State Aging Director (02/06/07)
  Kim Belshé, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, issued the following statement regarding the appointment of Lynn Daucher as the new director of the California Department of Aging. 
• Statement by Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé about PPIC Poll on Health Care Reform (1/24/07)Governor Schwarzenegger's top health advisor, California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé, today issues the following statement regarding a Public Policy Institute of California poll that shows a large majority of Californians support the Governor's comprehensive health care plan.
• Statement by Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé regarding questions about Governor Schwarzenegger's health care reform proposal (1/8/07)
  Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé today made the following statement regarding questions about Governor Schwarzenegger's health care reform proposal. 

2006

• CHHS Secretary Issues Statement on Availability of Mercury-Free Flu Vaccine (11/02/06)
  Kim Belshé, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, today issued the following statement regarding her decision to issue an exemption allowing the use of infuenza vaccine containing mercury for children under age 3 for up to six weeks.   
• Public Health and Safety Officials Work to Strengthen Heat Emergency Response Procedures (08/04/06)
  Dozens of state and local health and safety officials have formed a task force to expand emergency response efforts in anticipation of the next major heat wave.  
• Schwarzenegger Administration Officials Lead Roundtable to Discuss Investments to Expand Access to Health Care (07/28/06)
  Officials from the Schwarzenegger Administration today joined Alameda County officials at Alameda Alliance for Health to discuss investments to increase access to health care and enrollment in the Healthy Families Program and Medi-Cal.   
• Governor Schwarzenegger Directs State Agencies to Redouble Public Safety Efforts During Heat Wave (07/26/06)
  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today directed state agencies to continue efforts to ensure public safety during the statewide heat wave.
• Gov. Schwarzenegger Directs the Department of Health Services to Expand Efforts to Protect the Fiscal Integrity of Medi-Cal (07/14/06)
  Governor Schwarzenegger today directed the Department of Health Services (DHS) to expand ongoing efforts to protect the fiscal integrity of Medi-Cal, based upon findings of a new study on payment errors within the program.
• State Health Officials Promote Health Coverage Programs for Children (06/05/06)
  State health officials joined local children and families at the Beverly WIC Center today to urge parents to sign up their children for free or low-cost health coverage available through state and county programs.
• May Revise Bolsters Health and Human Services (05/12/06)Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's revised budget plan will further strengthen the state's health and social services programs and help protect all Californians, Kimberly Belshé, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency announced today.
• Pandemic Influenza Summit Held to Improve Coordination and Encourage Planning Efforts (03/30/06)
  Today, Kimberly Belshé, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, joined Governor Schwarzenegger, federal, and local leaders at a Pandemic Influenza Summit in Los Angeles to improve upon California's preparedness.  The focus of the summit was to enhance coordination and encourage planning efforts throughout the state.

2005

• California Delegation Heads to Nation's Capitol for White House Conference on Aging (12/12/05)
  More than 120 California residents will travel to Washington, D.C., on December 11-14 to attend the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA), which is held every 10 years to help develop recommendations for the President and Congress on national aging policies.
• Schwarzenegger Administration Vindicated; Judge Drops Contempt Charges (7/21/05)
  Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Judy Holzer Hersher today vacated the hearing for possible contempt charges in an ongoing legal dispute over the Department of Health Services' efforts to keep patients safe and maintain access to care. 
• Budget Bolsters State Health and Human Services (7/11/05)
  California has ushered in a new fiscal year with a budget that protects eligibility for more than 7 million low-income Californians who rely on the state for medical care.
• Governor Secures Hospital Safety Net, Negotiates $18.4 Billion Federal Waiver for Health Care for Poor and Uninsured (6/22/05)
  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reached agreement with the federal government on a new $18.4 billion federal waiver, with $3.3 billion in new federal funds, for safety net hositals to support vital health care services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and the uninsured.
• Medi-Cal Growth Unsustainable at Current Levels (6/14/05)
  A study released today by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) reinforces the need for Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed redesign of Medi-Cal to control the rapid growth of the program and maintain access to quality care.  A cornerstone of Medi-Cal redesign is to expand the use of managed care for seniors and the aged, blind and disabled.
• Secretary Criticizes Legislature for Slashing West Nile Virus Funding (6/6/05)
  Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé today expressed concern about California's ability to protect the public from West Nile Virus (WNV) after the Legislative Budget Conference Committee last week drastically reduced the $12 million augmentation in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's revised budget to fight WNV to $3 million.  
• Secretary Issues Statement on Court Ruling on Emergency Regulations for Nurse Staffing (5/27/05)
  "Unsurprisingly, today's ruling is a mere extension of the court's March 4 preliminary ruling, which the Administration strongly rejects.
• Secretary Applauds Governor's Swift Action to Block Viagra for Convicted Sex Offenders (5/26/05)
  Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshé today released the following statement after Governor Schwarzenegger issued a directive to  immediately halt Medi-Cal coverage of all erectile dysfunction drugs to known sex offenders.
• Secretary Issues Statement on Court Ruling on Emergency Regulations for Nurse Staffing (4/7/05)
  "Patient safety is a top priority of the Schwarzenegger Administration.  A fundamental part of protecting patient safety is ensuring access to health care and maintaining adequate hospital nurse staffing.
• Secretary Issues Statement on Court Ruling on Emergency Regulations for Nurse Staffing (3/4/05)
  "Patient safety is a top priority of the Schwarzenegger Administration.  A fundamental part of protecting patient safety is ensuring access to health care and maintaining adequate hospital nurse staffing.
• Secretary Issues Statement on Tentative Court Ruling on Emergency Regulations for Nurse Staffing (3/3/05)
  "The state's regulatory action on nurse-to-patient staffing ratios is based on a solid legal foundation and is consistent with the Administration's priority of protecting patient safety while ensuring access to care.
• Secretary Announces Drug Discount Plan for Uninsured Individuals (1/6/05)
  California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshé today provided details of the Governor's proposed prescription drug discount program, known as California Rx (Cal Rx), that will provide nearly five million uninsured residents with discounts in excess of 40 percent off retail prescription drug prices.

2004

• Secretary Issues Statement on Nurse Staffing (11/29/04)
  Patient safety is a top priority for this Administration.  A fundamental part of protecting patient safety is ensuring access to health care and maintaining adequate hospital nurse staffing.
• Secretary Announces Budget Highlights (7/27/04)
  California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshé today announced highlights of the 2004-05 Governor's Budget for the health and human services programs and services.