Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

Health

California To Spend $41 Million To Combat Monkeypox

A health care worker in blue scrubs and gloves administers the monkeypox vaccine into an arm with a tattoo near the shoulder.
A health care worker administers a dose of the JYNNEOS Monkeypox vaccine at a pop-up vaccination clinic in L.A. last month. Additional money from the state will be aimed at expanding access to vaccines, treatment and testing.
(
Patrick T. Fallon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

Governor Gavin Newsom authorized more than $41 million to fight the spread of the monkeypox virus in an emergency budget package signed Tuesday.

The goal is to make access to monkeypox treatment, testing and vaccinations easier. For months, LGBTQ leaders have criticized the public health response to the outbreak that started in May and has predominantly affected men who have sex with men. Nationwide, more than 20,700 people have tested positive.

Where the money will go

Most of the $41 million will go to state and local health departments, with $1.5 million earmarked to reimburse vaccine administration at community clinics such as APLA Health, which provides care for low-income LGBTQ Angelenos.

Support for LAist comes from

Craig Pulsipher, APLA's associate director, said the clinic and other federally qualified health centers need to be reimbursed for the thousands of monkeypox vaccinations they’ve administered to Medi-Cal recipients since July.

“It's our understanding that this funding is specifically to help address a gap, essentially, from mid July through mid August, when the state will not be able to provide a reimbursement through the state's Medi-Cal program," Pulsipher said. "And then the state will be able to kick in ongoing reimbursement through Medi-Cal for vaccine administration at community health centers.”

Since the money is part of the state’s final budget for the current fiscal year, grants can begin immediately, though Pulsipher said the process is likely to take at least six months.

“We ask and plead with the state to act with all urgency and really make sure this funding moves through the process and out to community partners as quickly as possible,” he said.

Who the clinics serve

Community health clinics have been the backbone of monkeypox vaccination efforts in L.A.’s low income neighborhoods. Statewide they’ve administered a quarter of the 29,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine. The clinics are subsidized by the federal government and provide care regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

Support for LAist comes from

More than 1,700 people in L.A. County have tested positive with monkeypox, though new cases appear to be slowing. Monkeypox vaccine eligibility remains restricted to high risk groups due to short vaccine supply.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist