University of California San Francisco
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded health care insurance for many adolescents and young adults. Among the those not covered by the ACA are teens and young adults who are eligible for or have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA program provides temporary work authorization and relief from deportation for certain undocumented youth immigrants.
Two reports and a journal article highlight health issues of this population and offer solutions to improve health access and outcomes. The research was led by NAHIC’s Claire Brindis with colleagues at the UCSF Phillip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
This report describes health care coverage of DACA-eligible Californians and presents potential policy solutions to expand their coverage options.
This report describes the common sources of care, barriers to care, and health needs for DACA-eligible Californians, and presents potential solutions for health care providers, community-based organizations, and private and public funders to improve health and access to care.
This first study to describe DACA-eligible young adults’ health needs, the article highlight profound mental health challenges and numerous barriers to health care access. This work provides a foundation for evidence-based policy changes to address the health needs of this and other undocumented populations.