SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo announced that she secured led efforts to secure over $250 million dollars in statewide investments to protect healthcare access, support crime survivors and strengthen community-based healthcare. This in addition to the $18 million for critical projects in Assembly District 40 and brings the total amount she has delivered for local community projects to more than $111 million dollars since being elected in 2022, a record amount of state investment for our community.
“People are struggling right now. These investments help solve real problems that families in our community are facing,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “We are bringing state dollars home to make our schools and communities more affordable, healthier, and safer. As a nurse advocate, I was proud to deliver results for people who need healthcare they can afford, support survivors after being a victim of crime, and expand access to critical services. This is what it looks like to make sure our state budget delivers for people.”
Assembly District 40 Budget Wins
$5 Million for Chatsworth Park Elementary School
Schiavo secured $5 million for mold mitigation, HVAC upgrades and other needed health and safety improvements at Chatsworth Park Elementary School.
The funding will help address ongoing facility issues and provide students, educators and staff with a safer and healthier learning environment.
“Parents of Chatsworth Park Elementary School students reached out, and I knew it was my responsibility to help,” Assemblywoman Schiavo said. “Our kids deserve to learn in classrooms that are safe and parents should not have to worry about whether the condition of their child’s school building could harm their health. This investment will help address these serious facility needs and improve the learning environment for students and staff.”
$5.14 Million for Chiquita Canyon Landfill Response
Assemblywoman Schiavo advocated for $5.14 million in state funding for landfill support and response, continuing efforts to address the ongoing impacts of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill disaster on residents in Castaic and Val Verde.
The funding builds on the Assemblywoman’s continued work to secure resources and stronger protections for families impacted by the landfill crisis.
“For years, our neighbors in Castaic and Val Verde have carried the health, financial, and emotional costs of this disaster,” Assemblywoman Schiavo said. “We have a responsibility to continue bringing every available resource to the table while fighting for the long-term protections these communities deserve.”
$5 Million for Castaic Lake Boat Ramp Repairs
Assemblywoman Schiavo secured $5 million to repair the Castaic Lake Boat Ramp to help update aging infrastructure with long-standing safety and accessibility concerns at one of the region’s most important recreational destinations.
Statewide Budget Wins
$50 Million to Keep Victim Services Available
Due to Schiavo’s leadership, the state budget includes $50 million to backfill federal Victims of Crime Act funding, helping victim service organizations continue providing critical assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes.
This marks the second year in a row that Assemblywoman Schiavo has successfully secured funding to replace shortfalls in the federal program and helped prevent organizations serving crime survivors from being forced to reduce services or close their doors.
$197 Million to Help Californians Keep Medi-Cal Coverage
Assemblywoman Schiavo successfully advocated for $197 million for county eligibility workers who will help Californians navigate new federal work requirements and paperwork necessary to maintain Medi-Cal healthcare coverage.
With changes in federal requirements, the Department of Health Care Services estimates that 2.8 million currently enrolled in Medi-Cal cannot be automatically renewed and will require intensive county eligibility support to keep their coverage, making this expanded workforce a lifeline for millions.
Assemblywoman Schiavo also helped delay implementation of the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit, which could otherwise cause seniors and people with disabilities to lose access to health care coverage they depend on.
“People should not lose their health care because they missed a form, could not get through to someone for help, or had modest savings in the bank,” Assemblywoman Schiavo said. “At a time when decisions by the federal government are making it harder for people to stay covered, California has to do everything we can to keep people connected to care.”
$7.7 Million to Keep Community-Based Health Facilities Open
The budget also includes $7.7 million in bridge funding for Congregate Living Health Facilities, another priority championed by the Assemblywoman.
Congregate Living Health Facilities provide residential medical care for individuals who require more support than a skilled nursing facility or nursing home can provide, but do not need to remain in a hospital.
These facilities are facing significant financial strain while the Department of Health Care Services works to transition their services into managed care. The bridge funding will help prevent additional closures until those financing changes take effect.
“These wins came directly from listening to our communities, health care providers, advocates, and families about where the greatest needs are,” said Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo. “That is what the state budget should be about: bringing resources home while making sure California is there for people when they need it most.”
###
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 and re-elected in 2024 to represent the 40th Assembly District, representing the Northwest San Fernando Valley, Val Verde, Castaic and the Santa Clarita Valley. Upon her election, she was appointed as Assistant Majority Whip by the Speaker of the Assembly and now serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. During her first term she brought back a record $100 million district investments in school and community safety, seniors meal programs, veteran housing, domestic violence services and creating local jobs. Prior to her election, Assemblywoman Schiavo was a Nurse Advocate and Small Business Owner who worked in the labor movement for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, Assemblywoman Schiavo helped deliver healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, to more than one million people. In the Northwest San Fernando Valley, she co-founded an organization that helped secure housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, has delivered more than 50,000 meals to people in need, and increased resources to help keep our communities safe. Assemblywoman Schiavo lives in Chatsworth with her creative kid where they love to hike in the Santa Susana Mountains.