As part of its ongoing campaign to improve the delivery of health services throughout Los Angeles, health and public policy advocates affiliated with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will submit 103,093 petition signatures today for a ballot initiative to allow Los Angeles voters to weigh in on creating a Los Angeles City Health Commission. 67,635 valid voter signatures are required for certification of the measure by City election officials. The signatures will be delivered to the Los Angeles City Clerk’s office Monday morning. Los Angeles County provides health services in 85 of the 88 cities in the County—including the City of Los Angeles—which represents 40% of the population of the County.

According to the petition language to be submitted by the proponents of the measure to City election officials, the proposed ordinance, titled, ‘Creation of a Los Angeles City Health Commission. Initiative Ordinance,’ would:

“…create a Los Angeles City Health Commission composed of 15 members appointed by the members of the City Council. The proposed ordinance requires the new Commission to publish an annual health services plan regarding the health needs and goals of the City. The proposed ordinance requires the City Council to consider and respond to the Commission’s annual health services plan at a public meeting. The County of Los Angeles now provides public health services in the City. The proposed ordinance requires the Commission to review and report on a sample of the County’s contracts for health services in the City. The proposed ordinance requires the City Council to evaluate whether the City should continue to contract with the County for public health services and to study the feasibility of creating an independent City health department.”

“This is a straightforward and prudent measure to allow voters to weigh in on having more of a voice in the delivery of health services provided to residents of the City of Los Angeles,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation and one of the five named proponents of the ballot initiative.

WHAT:		MEDIA AVAILABILITY
		Health advocates file signatures for ballot initiative to allow Los Angeles voters to weigh in on creating a Los Angeles City Health Commission.
WHEN:		MONDAY, April 14th 2014
CONTACTS:		Ged Kenslea, AHF Dir. of Communications, (323) 791-5526 cell

About AIDS Healthcare Foundation

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to nearly 300,000 individuals in 32 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare.