– As Congress weighs devastating cuts to Medicaid, DAP Health is joining community health centers across California to activate supporters for “United for Medicaid Access” on May 14, a critical day of advocacy to protect health care access for millions of Californians.
At stake are the lives and well-being of over 70,000 DAP Health patients who depend on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, for essential medical services. Proposed federal budget reductions threaten to upend care for 80% of DAP Health’s 88,000 patients, which include hardworking families, women, children, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and seniors in rural and underserved communities.
“These budget cuts aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re an existential threat to the patients we serve,” says DAP Health CEO David Brinkman. “If Congress moves forward with these reductions, it will decimate a system that sustains the health of mothers, children, seniors, veterans, and working-class Californians — many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet amidst rising costs and low wages.”
A Legacy of Advocacy: From the AIDS Crisis to Today’s Medicaid Fight
DAP Health’s focus on advocacy is rooted in its history of lifesaving action during the AIDS epidemic. In the face of government inaction, DAP Health was built by the community, for the community, to fight for access to care, dignity, and justice. That same spirit drives today’s Medicaid defense campaign.
As Brinkman has noted, “The urgency to stand up and fight for health care access today is no different than it was during the darkest days of the AIDS crisis. We learned back then that silence equals death — and we will never be silent again.”
DAP Health’s system of care is grounded in equity and built to reflect the values, culture, and priorities of the communities it serves. Services extend far beyond primary care to include:
- HIV specialty treatment and prevention (PrEP and PEP).
- Gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
- Maternal and reproductive health, including OB-GYN and prenatal services.
- Behavioral health and psychiatry.
- Pediatrics, chronic disease management, and dental care.
- Infectious disease and harm reduction services.
- Social support, housing navigation, and benefits enrollment.
These essential services remain available to all — regardless of income, insurance status, or ability to pay — but now they’re in jeopardy. Cuts to Medicaid threaten to unravel this comprehensive safety net.
Why This Matters
More than 15 million Californians — including veterans, low-income families, and half of all children in the state — rely on Medi-Cal. Two-thirds of community health center (CHC) patients are among them. These proposed cuts would destabilize clinics like DAP Health by forcing:
- Staffing reductions and service cutbacks.
- Increased ER visits due to loss of preventative care.
- Permanent closures of rural and urban community health centers.
California voters have made their support for Medi-Cal clear. In November 2024, Proposition 35 passed with 68% approval across every congressional district, reinforcing a bipartisan commitment to protecting Medicaid. Now, Congress must follow suit.
How DAP Health Is Taking Action
On May 14, DAP Health is asking its supporters to join advocacy efforts as part of the statewide Medicaid Day of Action, including:
- Text Banking for Change: Volunteers will send live texts urging constituents to contact their congressional representatives.
- Digital and Social Media Mobilization: Using the #IStandWithMedicaid campaign.
- Media Outreach: Done to explain what’s at stake for residents of the Coachella Valley.
How You Can Help
Your voice can make a difference:
- Create a Text Bank Account: Sign up here and help reach voters in key districts.
- Contact Your Representative: Urge them to protect Medi-Cal via the CPCA campaign portal.
- Use Your Platform: Post on social media using #ProtectMedicaid, #SaveMedicaid, and #IStandWithMedicaid.
- Send an Email or Call: Let Congressman Ken Calvert know you oppose cuts to Medicaid and demand protection for community health centers that serve one in five Californians. Use his website to send a message.
The Stakes Are Too High to Ignore
Health care is not a partisan issue — it’s a human issue. DAP Health calls on the community, its supporters, and elected officials to use their voices in defense of our shared values and for every Californian who depends on Medi-Cal.
About DAP Health
Since 1984, DAP Health has remained committed to protecting and expanding health care access. Guided by the voices and needs of the members of the communities it serves, the nonprofit’s more than 950 employees provide critical medical and social services to more than 88,000 patients of all ages, genders, ethnicities, orientations, and socioeconomic statuses at 25 fixed locations, eight mobile units, and one Sprinter van from the Coachella Valley to the San Diego coast.
