Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Care Under the Mental Health Services Act: A Qualitative Case Study in Orange County, California.

Despite progress made under California's Mental Health Services Act, limited access to care for cultural and linguistic minority groups remains a serious issue in community mental health. In this qualitative study we report findings from a large-scale community-level assessment that explored barriers to accessing care from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders including county advisors, advocates, community members, and consumers representing a range of cultural and linguistic communities in Orange County, California. We conducted 14 focus groups with N = 112 participants.

Universal Lead Screening Requirement: A California Case Study.

Objectives: To estimate potential impacts of California Assembly Bill (AB) 1316: a requirement for universal screening and insurance coverage for child blood lead testing.

Methods: In April 2017 the California Health Benefits Review Program (Oakland, CA) analyzed AB 1316 for the California legislature, including a systematic review of lead screening effectiveness, commercial insurer surveys regarding screening coverage, and actuarial utilization and cost implication assessments.

Results: Universal screening requirements would increase child lead testing by 273%, raise affected populations' premiums by 0.

Addressing discriminatory benefit design for people living with HIV: a California case study.

Concern is growing in the United States regarding the potential for health insurance benefit designs to discriminate against persons living with HIV as research demonstrates that such practices are occurring. A recent complaint filed against health insurers in seven states alleges that some health insurance companies have been using benefit designs that discourage enrollment of people living with HIV either by not covering essential HIV medications or by requiring cost-sharing for these prohibitively expensive medications. Legislators across the country have reacted by introducing legislation to address these growing problems.

Implementation of Age-Specific Services for Transition-Age Youths in California.

Objectives: This study examined the implementation of age-specific services for transition-age youths in California under the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

Methods: This study employed a sequential, exploratory mixed-methods design. Qualitative interviews with 39 mental health service area administrators in California were analyzed to develop an understanding of how the MHSA has facilitated the development of youth-specific programs or services.

Prevalence and characteristics of abuse experiences and depression symptoms among injection drug-using female sex workers in Mexico.

This mixed methods study examined the prevalence and characteristics of physical and sexual abuse and depression symptoms among 624 injection drug-using female sex workers (FSW-IDUs) in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; a subset of 47 from Tijuana also underwent qualitative interviews. Linear regressions identified correlates of current depression symptoms. In the interviews, FSW-IDUs identified drug use as a method of coping with the trauma they experienced from abuse that occurred before and after age 18 and during the course of sex work.

Social support and recovery among Mexican female sex workers who inject drugs.

This qualitative study describes social support that female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs) receive and recovery efforts in the context of relationships with family and intimate partners. We conducted thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 47 FSW-IDUs enrolled in an intervention study to reduce injection/sexual risk behaviors in Tijuana, Mexico. FSW-IDUs received instrumental and emotional social support, which positively and negatively influenced recovery efforts.

Circular migration by Mexican female sex workers who are injection drug users: implications for HIV in Mexican sending communities.

Circular migration and injection drug use increase the risk of HIV transmission in sending communities. We describe female sex workers who are injection drug users' (FSW-IDUs) circular migration and drug use behaviors. Between 2008-2010, 258 migrant FSW-IDUs residing in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico responded to questionnaires.

A qualitative view of drug use behaviors of Mexican male injection drug users deported from the United States.

Deportees are a hidden yet highly vulnerable and numerous population. Significantly, little data exists about the substance use and deportation experiences of Mexicans deported from the United States. This pilot qualitative study describes illicit drug use behaviors among 24 Mexico-born male injection drug users (IDUs), ≥ 18 years old, residing in Tijuana, Mexico who self-identified as deportees from the United States.