The Board of Governors for L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, serving more than 2.5 million people in Los Angeles County, has unanimously approved a resolution on gun safety legislation. In the wake of horrific mass shootings recently in Buffalo, New York, Laguna Woods, California, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, the health plan felt a responsibility to take a community leadership role in advocating for responsible gun safety laws and expanded resources for mental health.
The American Public Health Association reports gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the United States. As such, L.A. Care believes gun violence is a public health crisis that must be addressed through a comprehensive public health approach that addresses both gun sales and access to mental health treatment.
The Board resolution says the health plan will strongly advocate for more state and federal gun safety legislation to protect lives. L.A. Care will specifically support a ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and it will support background checks on all gun buyers. The health plan will also advocate for additional funding and efforts to address mental health, which will include increasing the mental health workforce to ensure people have access to the help they need.
L.A. Care is committed to health equity, ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Responsible gun safety legislation is one step toward that goal.