ADVISORY/L.A. County's Looming Health Care Crisis Topic of Upcoming Public Forums.

Business/Assignment Editors & Health/Medical Writers

ADVISORY...for Thursday and Friday (Sept. 26 and 27)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Health Foundation Sponsors Forums That Bring State, County

Policymakers and Local Stakeholders Together

WHAT:    To address the looming crisis within L.A.'s health care
         delivery system, The California Endowment, a private,
         statewide health foundation, along with California's Health
         and Human Services Agency, State Department of Health
         Services and Los Angeles County Department of Health
         Services, is hosting a series of public health forums.

WHEN:    Topic:  Inpatient Care and Emergency Services
         Thursday, September 26, 2002
         Noon - 2:30 p.m.

         Topic:  Public Health and overall delivery system structure
         Friday, September 27, 2002
         Noon - 2:30 p.m.

WHY:     The purpose of the forums is to bring together government
         officials and community stakeholders to establish a shared
         set of goals for a redesigned safety-net system in Los
         Angeles County that encompasses the full range of providers
         and services, and that will provide the most efficient and
         optimal level of health services. In addition, the forums
         will seek to assist the State and County in the development
         of a set of principles that will constitute a framework for
         forthcoming discussions with the Federal government on an
         1115 Waiver modification proposal.

WHO:     Confirmed Panelists for Sept. 26 forum include:
         -- Grantland Johnson, Secretary, CA Health and Human Services
            Agency
         -- Thomas L. Garthwaite, M.D., Director and Chief Medical
            Officer, L.A. County DHS
         -- Diana Bonta, R.N., Dr.P.H., Director, California DHS
         -- Samuel Stratton, M.D., M.P.H., Vice Chair of Emergency
            Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
         -- Ronald Kaufman, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for
            Administration, USC
         -- Mark Costa, Chief Operating Officer, Little Company of
            Mary Hospital
         -- Annelle Grajeda, General Manager, SEIU Local 660
         -- Virginia Hastings, Director, L.A. County Emergency Medical
            Services Agency

         Confirmed Panelists for Sept. 27 forum include:
         -- Grantland Johnson, Secretary, CA Health and Human Services
            Agency
         -- Diana Bonta, R.N., Dr.P.H., Director, California DHS
         -- Thomas L. Garthwaite, M.D., Director and Chief Medical
            Officer, L.A. County DHS
         -- Jonathan Fielding, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Public
            Health, L.A. County DHS
         -- Lark Galloway-Gilliam, Executive Director, Community
            Health Councils, Inc.
         -- Yolie Flores-Aguilar, Executive Director, Children's
            Planning Council
         -- Michael Cousineau, Director, Center for Community Health,
            Evaluation & Planning, USC

WHERE:   California Science Center, Loker Conference Center
         Exposition Park
         700 State Drive
         Los Angeles, CA