National Hispanic Health Foundation
Members of the 2024 NHHF Leadership Fellowship cohort are building skills to help shape healthcare policy in California.
Centene Foundation and Health Net are partnering with the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) to help strengthen California's healthcare workforce through the Overcoming Health Disparities by Developing Future Leaders program. The partnership supports physicians interested in advocacy and policymaking while helping expand leadership opportunities within the healthcare profession.
At a Glance
INVESTMENT
TIMELINE
Launched in 2024 - 2027
PARTNERS
- Centene Foundation
- Health Net
- National Hispanic Health Foundation
PROGRAM
Overcoming Health Disparities by Developing Future Leaders
REGION
California
FOCUS
Education, healthcare workforce development, leadership development
About The National Hispanic Health Foundation
The NHHF was established in 1994 by Dr. Elena Rios and a group of physicians to address the underrepresentation of Hispanic healthcare leaders in national healthcare policy discussions. As the philanthropic arm of the National Hispanic Medical Association, NHHF supports leadership development, research and education to improve health outcomes in Hispanic and underserved communities across the United States.
The NHHF works to improve health outcomes through leadership development, research and education. Through partnerships with public and private organizations, it raises awareness of healthcare challenges and supports the next generation of Hispanic healthcare leaders through scholarships, clinical research and health communications initiatives.
The Centene Foundation Partnership
Centene Foundation and Health Net, Centene’s California health plan, awarded the NHHF a grant of more than $1 million to strengthen physician leadership development and expand opportunities for physicians interested in shaping healthcare policy.
The investment supports the Overcoming Health Disparities by Developing Future Leaders program, a new career development initiative for talented mid-career physicians interested in future roles in advocacy, leadership and policymaking. Participants gain a deeper understanding of healthcare policy while building the skills needed to help influence healthcare systems and improve patient outcomes.
By supporting physician leaders, the partnership aims to strengthen the connection between healthcare policy and the experiences of patients and providers.
Why National Hispanic Health Foundation's Work Matters
Many regions across California face shortages of primary care physicians and specialists. Nationally, the Association of American Medical Colleges projects the United States could face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. In California, Latinos make up 40% of the state's population but account for only 6% of the physician workforce. These challenges highlight the importance of strengthening leadership pathways and expanding opportunities for healthcare professionals from underrepresented communities.
Building a healthcare workforce that reflects the communities it serves can help strengthen leadership pipelines and ensure healthcare decision-making is informed by a broader range of experiences and perspectives. NHHF works to address these challenges by investing in physician leadership development, education, and professional advancement opportunities.
Services Provided
Through the Overcoming Health Disparities by Developing Future Leaders program, participating physicians receive:
- Leadership development training
- Exposure to healthcare policy and advocacy
- Education on current healthcare issues and policy challenges
- Professional development opportunities for future leadership roles
- Opportunities to apply clinical experience to healthcare improvement efforts
The program is designed to prepare mid-career physicians for future roles in healthcare advocacy, public policy, and organizational leadership.
Community Impact
The program helps create opportunities for Hispanic healthcare professionals to bring frontline clinical experience into policy discussions and future leadership roles. These efforts support a stronger healthcare workforce and help ensure provider perspectives are represented in decisions that affect patient care and community health.
"Health Net recognizes that physician input is essential to creating healthcare policies that are both clinically sound and focused on patient care. By investing in leadership and advocacy skills for practicing physicians, we are helping to ensure that the voices of healthcare providers are heard and valued in shaping the future of California's healthcare landscape."
— Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP, President, National Hispanic Health Foundation