Blog

By Betty Marquez Rosales, EdSource, September 21, 2020 While California school districts and counties confront the learning challenges of the pandemic, education organizations are developing new guides for Spanish-speaking parents to help them navigate distance learning. In California public schools, about 40 percent of students speak a language other than English in their homes, and over 80 percent of those students speak Spanish, with 18.6% classified as English Learners. But, it’s the...

By Agnes Constante, Center for Health Journalism, September 17, 2020 Paul Hoang moved to Orange County in 2007 after a taxing work year as a mental health clinician in Illinois. In the Midwest, he had seen clients who drove up to six hours once a month — even through blizzards — for his services. Demand was high because there was a lack of providers serving the Vietnamese community, he said. It was something he tried to remedy by getting involved in local politics to advocate for more...

By Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, September 21, 2020 Six months into the coronavirus pandemic, the countless stresses are taking a toll on the mental health of many in the Bay Area. Those who were already struggling are likely dealing with even more distress. According to a CDC survey this summer, more than 40% of Americans are experiencing issues related to depression, anxiety and substance abuse because of the pandemic. In the 18-24 age bracket, 1 in 4 report serious suicidal...

From California Community Reinvestment Grants Program, September 21, 2020 The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is excited to announce that the California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) program Grant Solicitation for Fiscal Year 2020-21 is now available! For CalCRG program funding amounts, eligibility, and the application process, please review the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Grant Solicitation at www.business.ca.gov/CalCRG . Please note that the CalCRG Online...

From The Government Alliance on Race and Equity, September 17, 2020 The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) is proud to have selected a series of GARE members to provide funding for projects that encourage government partnerships with local arts organizations focused on eliminating structural racism. The goals of the Innovation and Implementation Fund, Summer 2020 cycle are: To develop the government's capacity to build racial equity within the arts and culture sector To encourage...

The downstream effect of childhood trauma has been well documented regarding the biological and psychosocial impacts. This presentation will highlight the neurobiological changes associated with ACEs that function as a "primer" for the onset of addiction and related behaviors. It will conclude with principles for influencing these same pathways that assist with restoration of the mind and health downstream effect of childhood trauma has been well documented regarding the biological and...

By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, September 18, 2020 Two months after a divided Los Angeles Unified school board slashed funding for its police department by more than a third, the contours of a dramatically diminished force emerged this week. Under a plan presented to the board on Tuesday, police officers would be removed from school campuses and weekend patrols meant to protect schools from vandalism would be eliminated, among other cuts. The debate over the proposed cuts, set for later...

The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) is pleased to announce that funds will be available to community-based organizations providing sexual violence (SV) prevention and intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention in their communities. This program is entitled Prevention in Pandemic Action Program (PPAP). Join us for a presentation on the Prevention In Pandemic Action Program 2020 and how to apply for funds. Accessibility: Interpretation available in Spanish Closed...

September is suicide prevention month and according to a June CDC survey on mental health, 1 in 4 youth ages 18 to 24 said they had "seriously considered" suicide in the past 30 days—more than twice as high as any other age group. The tragic fact is that more youth die from suicide than any other cause. Even before the pandemic, and the headlines that highlight our nation’s history of racial injustice and violence, there was a mental health crisis driven by social determinants tied to...

Legislation SB 803 - Introduced by state Sen. Jim Beall What it does: The Bill will set up a standardized process to train and certify peer support specialists. Why it’s important: Medicaid allows federal dollars to help pay for peer support specialists – but only in states with a process for standardizing training and certifying workers. Passage of SB803 will greatly expand the network of support for people with mental illness, and compensate people who are already providing informal...

Raising Awareness "How will we provide sanctuary for our kids? Protecting children from police surveillance, brutality and violence is critical to their health and well-being." In her NBC News op-ed, Dr. Rhea Boyd, CCT’s Director of Strategy and Equity, explains the life-long impact when children witness violence—in their schools, homes, neighborhoods. 1-click tweet An urgent and vital call to action from @CAChildrenTrust Director of Strategy and Equity @RheaBoydMD "How will we provide kids...

By Xenia Shih Bion, California Health Care Foundation, September 14, 2020 The new school year was already off to an abnormal start for the Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District when the wildfires erupted in Santa Cruz County. The weekend after students started school virtually on August 12, lightning strikes sparked the CZU Lightning Complex fire, putting all learning plans on hold as residents of Bonny Doon fled the area. “ Staff members and students have lost their homes as a result...