Center in the News

Center in the News

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Associated Press

College students, stressed about federal food aid uncertainty, look to campuses for support

AJ Scheitler, director of the Data Equity Center at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, provided important context about how college students and their academic success are affected by food insecurity.
young man looking into an empty refrigerator

ABC News

How Affordable Care Act subsidies became a sticking point in the government shutdown

Naomi Zewde, fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, was quoted in this article about explaining who might be affected most by the discontinuation of the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Syndicated on Yahoo, AOL.com, and dozens of ABC news affiliates.
African American boy getting a vaccine while being with his father at pediatrician's office.

AsAmNews

Why 1000’s of Asian American seniors skip basic healthcare

Riti Shimkhada, a senior research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, explained what effects the linguistic and cultural barriers to getting health care can do to older Asian adults, including things like not getting timely appointments, nor getting access to primary care or specialty care.
New report on mental health

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Transvitae

Oct 01, 2025

UCLA report warns of unmet mental health needs in LGBT community

This story cited a recent UCLA Center for Health Policy Research policy brief showing that LGBT adults in California experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges compared to their non-LGBT peers.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), Health Equity Program

Investopedia

Aug 22, 2025

Social Security recipients struggle: Nearly one-third cut back on essentials amid rising costs

Imelda Padilla-Frausto, research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, discussed how a projected 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment to social security could leave many recipients with less buying power.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto

Life Technology

Jul 23, 2025

Study reveals high psychological distress among California Native adults

This piece focuses on a recent study conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research that used pooled data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) to reveal alarming rates of psychological distress among American Indian and Alaska Native adults in California. Also picked up in Medical Xpress and Mirage News.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto

Capital & Main

Feb 18, 2025

The Radio Show Taking on California’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

This story cites 2019 California Health Interview Survey data about differences between girls' and boys' experiences with serious psychological distress.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), Mental Health Program

LAist

Nov 15, 2024

Some immigrants in LA County struggle with post-election fear, anxiety. Here's where to seek help

According to a study published last year by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the percentage of immigrant adults in California with “serious psychological distress” increased by 50% between 2015 and 2021. The study defines serious psychological distress as severe, diagnosable mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), Mental Health Program

CalMatters

Jun 26, 2024

‘Excruciatingly slow’: Delays in workers’ comp payments harm firefighters, frustrate therapists

Imelda Padilla-Frausto, research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, shares how the long delays in receiving payments for treating patients with workers' compensation claims for mental health care treatment have pushed some doctors to no longer accept such patients.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, Mental Health Program

VoyageLA

May 20, 2024

Check Out Imelda Padilla-Frausto’s Story

In this Q&A, Imelda Padilla-Frausto shares her "non-traditional" journey from studying engineering and computer science at community college in central New Mexico to research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, Mental Health Program

California Healthline

Apr 25, 2024

California Is Investing $500M in Therapy Apps for Youth. Advocates Fear It Won’t Pay Off.

Nearly half of California youths from the ages of 12 to 17 report having recently struggled with mental health issues, with nearly a third experiencing serious psychological distress, according to a 2021 study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Also published on KFF Health News.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, Mental Health Program, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)

Los Angeles Times

Mar 21, 2024

How do you help homebound, hungry seniors? These services deliver free meals

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's Kathryn Kietzman and Imelda Padilla-Frausto are cited in this article about hunger among older adults.
Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, Kathryn G. Kietzman, California Elder Index, Food Insecurity

JBHE

Jul 17, 2023

Biracial Black Adults Found to have more mental health needs than monoracial adults

A new study from the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California, Los Angeles finds that adults who identify as Black and at least one other race are more likely to need mental health services than those who identify only as Black.

Features: D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)