STATE NEWS

Health and Welfare Symposium

More than 400 people attend first virtual Health and Welfare Symposium

Many CSEA members work for a school district just for the medical benefits for themselves and their family. It’s becoming one of the most important and complicated pieces of the puzzle for members on bargaining teams and Labor Relations Representatives when they go into negotiations. It is important to stay on the cutting edge of the changes with our healthcare systems so that members and staff are knowledgeable and can negotiate the best healthcare for our members.

That is why more than 400 members attended CSEA’s annual Health and Welfare Symposium virtually at the end of January. Now in its fifth year, the Health and Welfare Symposium was created because the Board of Directors saw a need for the organization to take a leading role in the everchanging world of healthcare.

“This was my first time attending, and I was thrilled with all the information I received.”

-- Issel “Izzy” Martinez, Special Education Behavior Technician (Paraeducator) and 1st Vice President, San Diego Paraeducators Chapter 759

The event began as a partnership between CSEA and California Schools VEBA, the health trust on which we hold three seats on their board of directors. In addition to training, the event has also become an opportunity for our benefit partners who provide health and welfare services to many chapters to provide training, consultation and build connections directly with the bargaining teams.

Because the event was held virtually, more than 100 additional people were able to attend in one event over three days (as opposed to a two-day event in Northern California and another in Southern California). Many attendees said they enjoyed attending the event from the comfort of their own home instead of traveling a far distance.

The three-day event had many highlights, beginning with healthcare and bargaining healthcare basics. A lot of the content focused on the pandemic and its impacts to the healthcare system. This included a discussion on the increased use of telehealth medicine and how it will be utilized in the future. There were also presentations about members’ rights with COVID-19 leaves and building strong health benefits committees. For example, how to build a team together that balances competing member interests such as those approaching retirement, looking into starting a family and more.

The biggest changes to this year’s event, other than being held virtually, was the focus on COVID-19 plus attendees having the chance to network with benefit partners between every presentation.

Martinez said the biggest takeaway for her from this year’s event was the importance of staying on top of prevention care. It was discussed several times because the pandemic has negatively impacted people’s normal access to healthcare through a lack of ability to address issues as quickly.

As part of the event, there was a walking challenge sponsored by American Fidelity, putting members to the task of walking up to 1,000 miles collectively over a three-day period. If completed, CSEA would receive a $5,000 donation to the Dorothy Bjork Assistance Fund. Approximately 200 attendees participated, walking together all over the state, and completed the challenge a few hours before the close of the event. Martinez came in third place on the leaderboard, logging 32.86 miles.

This year, CSEA was also able to bring in both CalPERS and Kaiser Permanente to offer more trainings and build more connections with members. It is Member Benefits’ (who plans the event) hope in the future that more benefit partners will continue to provide robust trainings for our members and build those connections in order to evaluate the best services and programs that are specific for their areas and their districts.

Recorded Trainings

This year’s training was arguably more important than ever, occurring in the background of a global pandemic. That is why CSEA is proud to share the recorded trainings below that are chock-full of valuable information for you to use and to share with your union brothers and sisters within your chapters and among your coworkers.

“CSEA will continue to bring these types of important symposiums to you because the healthcare arena is not an arena that you can jump in and jump out and think you’ve learned everything there is to know,” Executive Director Keith Pace said. “It’s a situation and it is an arena that requires your ongoing diligence and attention…”