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Health policymakers and practitioners increasingly recognize trauma as an important factor that influences health throughout the lifespan. By incorporating trauma-informed approaches to care into their practice settings, provider organizations can more effectively care for patients and support efforts to improve health outcomes, reduce avoidable hospital utilization, and curb excess costs. This two-part CHCS webinar series will explore innovative strategies for implementing a trauma-informed...

San Diego Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein stopped by the VOSD Podcast this week to talk about his pivotal vote on Sen. Toni Atkins' SB 2, a bill that brings in new revenue to fund affordable housing via a fee on certain real estate documents. On being the lone Republican Assembly vote on SB 2: " It was a big vote. You know, any time you step out you're the only one on something, that's a tough vote. Candidly, I know I did the right thing. I feel very comfortable with it... I mean...

Mental health is at the heart many of the challenges we face, including trauma and adverse childhood experiences, social isolation, institutionalized bias and discrimination, and ‘diseases of despair’ that manifest in depression, suicide, and substance misuse. Addressing social determinants of health is key to helping communities navigate adversity, heal, and flourish. PI’s new report, Back to Our Roots: Catalyzing Community Action for Mental Health and Wellbeing , illustrates how improving...

If you want to be part of educating the faith community about Trauma, ACEs, Addiction and Recovery, then please consider attending this dynamic one day conference in Auburn, CA with Dr. Jessica Rodriguez. CEUs available. Please contact Clay Rojas with any questions: clay.rojas@jessup.edu https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-addiction-trauma-and-recovery-for-christian-leaders-conference-tickets-37279340511?aff=es2

Sometimes, just when you’re about to leave, you see the past in a new way. For My-Linh Le, she was about to fly to Europe when she thought of her mom. Le is 30, about the same age her mom was when she got on a boat to leave Vietnam. “There was no food and no water and people were dying left and right,” Le remembers her mom telling her. “And every time somebody died, they were just thrown overboard.” Le wasn’t born yet. Her mom was divorced and had two young daughters at the time, but only...

Vincent “Vinnie” Pompei is director of the Youth Well-Being Project of the Human Rights Campaign, a national civil rights organization, and the chair of Time to Thrive, an annual national conference about LGBT student inclusion. He spent more than 10 years as a middle school teacher and high school counselor in the Paramount and Val Verde unified school districts in Southern California. Pompei is also a past president of the California Association of School Counselors. On Oct. 5 at the...

From ASM Kevin McCarty: https://a07.asmdc.org/event/daca-renewal-workshop DACA Renewal Workshop As you may know, the Trump administration recently announced plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) federal program which allows immigrants who came to the United States as children to apply for temporary protections from deportation and to receive work permits. As a result of the President's decision, only DACA recipients whose benefits expire on or before March 5, 2018...

While scores of public agencies are working to develop resources and programs to address childhood trauma and toxic stress in their communities, San Joaquin County has been turning itself into a model for how to address the issue. “This is not a new concept for us,” said Barbara Alberson, senior deputy director of policy and planning at the San Joaquin County Public Health Services Department. “It’s in our DNA.” The county performed a Community Health Needs Assessment in 2016 that identified...

Shasta County health officials have released a five-year plan to address the community’s health needs by focusing in on three key issues — harmful substance use, mental wellness, and chronic disease. The Community Health Improvement Plan was compiled by the Public Health Branch of the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency, and was revealed this week. “We chose these (issues) because we thought this was something we could make a difference on together,” said Brandy Isola, public...

A greater share of people live in poverty in California than in any other state, according to a measure used by the U.S. Census Bureau that takes into account the cost of living and government assistance programs. About 20 percent of Californians lived below the Census' "supplemental" poverty measure from 2014 to 2016, according to data released by the Bureau on Tuesday. That was exceeded only by the District of Columbia where about 21 percent of people live in poverty. However, a greater...

Here in California, many people think that it’s only liberal Democrats who have a corner on championing the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and putting it into practice. That might be because people who use ACEs science don’t expel or suspend students, even if they’re throwing chairs and hurling expletives at the teacher. They ask "What happened to you?" rather than "What's wrong with you?" as a frame when they create juvenile detention centers where kids don’t fight, reduce...

California is about to become a so-called sanctuary state. What does that mean? It means California will refuse to help federal agents deport people who came here illegally but are staying out of trouble and contributing positively to the state. But it means ratting out the bad guys to the feds — the convicted robbers, killers, drug traders and other assorted criminals. “If you’re a violent felon, we don’t want you in this country,” says state Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles).