Draft:Cástulo De La Rocha
Cástulo De La Rocha
[edit]Cástulo De La Rocha is a Chicano healthcare executive and the President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Corporation, one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the United States. De La Rocha has dedicated his life to addressing healthcare inequities, particularly in underserved communities in Southern California. Under his leadership, AltaMed has grown into the largest community healthcare system in California funded under the federal Health Care Consolidation Act.
Early Life and Education
[edit]Castulo De La Rocha was born in an impoverished mountain area in Chihuahua, Mexico. His early life experiences in poverty deeply influenced his later commitment to serving the less fortunate. In the 1950s, his parents, Moises and Consuelo, immigrated to the United States, where his father worked in construction, landscaping, and furniture making, and his mother worked as a seamstress.[1]
De La Rocha attended Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles before enrolling at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). During his time at UCSB from 1967 to 1971, De La Rocha was a vocal Chicano student activist. He played a key role in organizing the United Mexican American Students group, which focused on recruiting more Latino students to the university.[2] He later pursued a law degree at UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor (JD).[3]
Career
[edit]After completing his law degree, De La Rocha interned with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) for three years. His career took a significant turn in 1977 when he became the executive director of a small East Los Angeles free clinic, later renamed AltaMed Health Services. At the time, the clinic operated on a modest budget of $55,000 and lacked sufficient resources to employ a full-time doctor.[4]
De La Rocha's vision and leadership transformed AltaMed from a single storefront clinic into the largest FQHC in California, with approximately 50 accredited sites, including 21 clinics and six senior care centers. AltaMed serves over 300,000 patients annually, providing care regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status. The organization also expanded its financial sustainability by transitioning from a free clinic to a community health center, allowing it to charge patients on a sliding fee scale and bill insurers.[5][6]
Philanthropy and Advocacy
[edit]Beyond his work with AltaMed, De La Rocha has been involved in numerous philanthropic efforts. He is known for his commitment to improving access to education and healthcare for Latino communities. De La Rocha serves on the boards of several organizations, including National Medical Fellowships and America’s Physician Groups. His advocacy work extends to supporting initiatives that promote diversity in the healthcare workforce and address the social determinants of health.[7]
Awards and Recognitions
[edit]Cástulo De La Rocha's contributions to healthcare and his community have earned him numerous accolades. In 2017, he received a Medallion of Excellence from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the organization's highest honor.[8] In 2018, he was a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year program for Greater Los Angeles. Additionally, the Los Angeles Business Journal named him the Health Care System/Network Executive of the Year in 2019. These awards underscore his significant impact on the healthcare industry and his dedication to serving marginalized populations.[9][10]
Personal Life
[edit]De La Rocha has five adult children and has been married to Zoila Escobar for more than eight years. Escobar serves as AltaMed’s senior vice president and chief administrative officer, as well as president of the AltaMed Foundation.[11] Over the course of his career, De La Rocha amassed a collection of more than 1,000 pieces of art, many of which chronicle the Chicano civil rights movement. He has shared parts of this collection throughout AltaMed’s facilities to enhance the patient experience.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Chicano Student Activist Builds a Health Empire". UC Santa Barbara Alumni. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Cástulo de la Rocha, '73". UCSB Social Sciences. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ Roosevelt, Margot (October 14, 2018). "How Cástulo de la Rocha built AltaMed into a health care giant". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Leadership". AltaMed. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ Roosevelt, Margot (October 14, 2018). "How Cástulo de la Rocha built AltaMed into a health care giant". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Cástulo de la Rocha, '73". UCSB Social Sciences. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ White, Ronald D. (October 14, 2018). "How I Made It: This student activist graduated to fighting healthcare inequities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
External Links
[edit]- [AltaMed Health Services](https://www.altamed.org/)