We convene a data equity workgroup in partnership with the California Department of Public Health, to ensure data laws are compliant and best practices are institutionalized. We focus on Assembly Bill 1726 as a case study, which mandates the disaggregation of health indicators into more specific AA and NHPI subgroups.
Key resource:
This policy brief presents key challenges to implementing California Assembly Bill 1726, which passed in 2016 and requires the California Department of Public Health to break down broad demographic data it collects into more specific Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander subgroups.
Featured story
SEARAC Policy Brief Highlights Opportunities, Challenges to Achieve Data Equity for AA and NHPI Communities in California
SEARAC is proud to release “AB 1726: A California Case Study on Disaggregating Public Health Data by Race and Ethnicity,” a new policy brief that presents key challenges to implementing California Assembly Bill 1726, which passed in 2016 and requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to break down broad demographic data it collects into more specific Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) subgroups.
Learn more
“Data disaggregation is a decades-long advocacy issue that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities have fought for and will continue to fight for until our communities are thriving. EPIC understands data disaggregation is one of the critical ways to uncover and address NHPI health and social inequities. AB 1726 would make the health outcomes of additional NHPI ethnic groups including Tongans and Fijians visible.”
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
“Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) experience unique health inequities due to our experiences with war, genocide, and displacement. For example, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for SEAAs in California, potentially linked to toxic chemicals used during the violence in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Almost half of SEAA Californians are limited English proficient and experience linguistic and cultural barriers to accessing care. Community leaders and policymakers need disaggregated data in order to identify disparities various populations face and create evidence-based solutions that improve health outcomes for all.”
SEARAC
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on the SEARAC community, and to learn more about how you can get involved.
Latest related posts
As the government shutdown continues, millions of Americans are left in uncertainty. 4.5 million #AAPIs already stand to lose Medicaid, and many more are afraid they can’t pay for healthcare. With time running out, our voices matter more than ever.
SEARAC wants to know how this shutdown is impacting you, your families, and your community. Tell us at bit.ly/SEARACShutdownSurvey or at the link in our bio.
Oct 6
Last month, SEARAC launched Resources for Southeast Asian Refugees Facing Deportation, a webpage providing resources and answers to frequently asked questions for people facing deportation to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Share with your networks: bit.ly/SEAAdeportationresources.
Please note that it does not provide legal advice.
Oct 4
Last month, SEARAC and our friends at @uccoflongbeach and Families in Good Health hosted the West Coast premiere of Southeast Asian American Journeys, the groundbreaking documentary series now available in its entirety with all five episodes. Thank you to our partners and community for being part of this amazing milestone. We are honored to celebrate Southeast Asian American voices alongside you!
Thuy Do, SEARAC Senior California Program Manager, shared, "Experiencing the screening with long-time community partners and leaders in Long Beach was touching, as we reminisced on our shared histories of resettlement. Witnessing and sharing the emotions with the audience members captured how far we have come as a Southeast Asian American community and how much farther we will go together, even through trying times." Photos courtesy of @mrheng562
Oct 3
At midnight on Sept. 30, 2025, the health, safety, and wellbeing of communities across America were put at risk as Congress and the White House failed to meet their responsibility to keep the federal government running. When our elected leaders choose political gridlock, it is the people who carry the burden.
As we call on Congress to protect the best interests of the people they serve, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Share how the government shutdown is impacting you, your families, and your communities with SEARAC at bit.ly/SEARACShutdownSurvey or at the link in our bio.
Oct 2
Recent reporting from @guardian shines light the devastating human impact of ICE’s deportations targeting Southeast Asian communities — often families who fled war and built lives here. These policies don’t just strip away legal status, they rip apart families, erode trust, and retraumatize generations. Quyen Dinh, SEARAC Executive Director, shared, "We see these deportations as a betrayal of US duty to refugees. When you accept a refugee, you don’t accept them for just three to five years, you accept them for their entire lifetime.”
Read the full article at the link in our bio.
Oct 1
