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Addressing Undocumented Immigrants' Health Care Needs through Safety Net Systems in California

​A common myth about undocumented immigrants in the United States is that they place an undue burden on the nation’s health care system and particularly the safety net. In 2016, the Center was host to Paul Dourgnon, the research director at the Paris-based French Institute for Research and Information in Health Economics, and a 2016-17 French Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice. Using data from the California Health Interview Survey, as well as county stakeholder interviews, Dourgnon assessed how well immigrants are served by California’s safety net and what the health outcomes are for immigrants who are able to access services. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, Paul returned from Paris to, among other things, talk to us about the results of this research, which could not be more timely in light of current political debates.

Speakers

Paul Dourgnon

Paul Dourgnon

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Webinar // 12:00 PM — 1:00 PM

Navigating Our Future: Launch of the NHPI Social Determinants of Health Dashboard

Join us on Thursday, May 28, as the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Data Policy Lab unveils the new and improved Social Determinants of Health dashboard, featuring detailed data on NHPI health and factors that shape health across all 58 California counties.

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