College of Health, Human Services and Nursing Officials Pay Visit to State Legislature

California State University, Dominguez Hills was one of nine campuses that participated in CSU Health Professions Advocacy Day last Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the State Capitol in Sacramento.

The focus of the visits was to educate California lawmakers about the CSU’s varied academic programs related to the health industry and the important role campuses have in educating, training and providing a pathway to careers in those fields to individuals in their communities.

The day provided the CSU Dominguez Hills College of Health, Human Services and Nursing an opportunity to showcase the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program, the only degree and certificated program at a California public institution and the only one housed at a VA medical center (in Long Beach), and the Master of Social Work program. The delegation included Acting Dean Anupama Joshi, Scott Hornbeak, O&P program coordinator, and Brian Rhue, an O&P certificate alumnus (’10) who now teaches in the program, Victor Manalo, Master of Social Work interim chair, and David Gamboa, director of government and community relations.

The CSU Dominguez Hills delegation met with State Assembly members Rocky Chávez (R-Oceanside, 76th District), Isadore Hall (D-Los Angeles, 64th District), Cheryl Brown (D-San Bernardino, 47th District) and Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles, 54th District), State Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles, 26th District) and Appropriations Committee staff.

“It was really an excellent opportunity for us to have a chance to meet with representatives face to face and to talk to them specifically about the programs we offer,” Joshi said. “It also was a great learning experience for us, as it gave us an insight into what is on their minds and the big picture concerns they must consider.”