Blog

By Ana B. Ibarra, Cal Matters, May 28, 2020 In the city of Oakland, when census workers call residents, they’re on a dual mission. Not only do they ask if the individual has filled out a census card, they also ask whether that person wants to get tested for the coronavirus. If so, do they know where to go? “It’s extremely creative,” said Dr. Tony Iton, a senior vice president of the California Endowment. “They’re doing census outreach in populations that are the hardest to reach, which are...

From American College of Preventive Medicine, May 2020 Preventive Medicine Physicians are our nation's first line of defense against pandemic disease. They are responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic with dedication, expertise and unfailing commitment to public health. We are curating a collection of well-vetted resources on COVID-19 for physicians, families and anyone interested in learning more about the coronavirus. Read our new blog, Preventive Medicine Responds to COVID-19 HERE. [...

By Caroline Danielson and Niu Gao, Public Policy Institute of California, May 28, 2020 Food insecurity—either concerns around having enough food or outright hunger— has increased sharply this spring. Nationally, among children age 12 and under, the rate is up 14 points—from about 3% in 2018 to 17% in April 2020. During California’s COVID-19 school closures, even large districts appear to be serving fewer free and low-cost meals than before the pandemic, while rural or small districts face...

From Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, May 2020 The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a source of unexpected stress and adversity for many people. Resilience can help us get through and overcome hardship. But resilience is not something we’re born with—it’s built over time as the experiences we have interact with our unique, individual genetic makeup. That’s why we all respond to stress and adversity—like that from the COVID-19...

By Louis Freedberg, EdSource, May 27, 2020 While educators across the state are struggling over how and when to bring students safely back to school in the fall, teachers in at least one California classroom have already figured it out. At San Jose Middle School, located in Novato in Marin County, Cindy Evans’ class for special education students has been in session for ten days. Educators interviewed by EdSource say they know of no other similar effort in the state. The students in the...

By Renee Gross, JD Health Policy Consultant, Kaiser Permanente Over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused everyone to grapple with uncertainty and manage new stressors at home, at work, and in our communities. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll indicated that 45% of Americans report that the current crisis is harming their mental health. We are facing unprecedented disruption in our daily lives and navigating a world of school and business closures, job losses, social...

By Michelle Cardell, Aaron S. Kelly, and Lindsay A. Thompson, JAMA Pediatrics, May 26, 2020 Parents, empower your adolescents so they can make choices that promote their healthiest self. Teens, getting older means making decisions about what matters to you most. Making healthy choices is a great place to start. Taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health is what makes it possible for you to do all the things you want to do. Fuel Up You are in charge of what you eat and drink.

By JoNel Aleccia, California Healthline, May 26, 2020 Back home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Richard and Denise Victor would get to see their four grandchildren almost every day. One set of kids lives around the block; the others are half an hour away, all close enough for frequent visits and sleepovers. “With the younger ones, we have a routine of stories when they spend the night,” Richard Victor said. But when the coronavirus hit, the couple were at their vacation home in Florida and,...

The California Department of Social Services is supporting Parents Anonymous in the launch of the new California Parent and Youth Helpline, which provides support and resource referrals to parent and youth during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We are requesting your assistance in promoting the helpline by sharing the below information with your contacts and placing the logo on relevant websites: The California Parent and Youth Helpline provides support and resource referrals to parent and...

Please remember and RSVP and tune into this webinar: Lessons from the Past: Yellow Peril in COVID-19 Times Carolee https://www.facebook.com/events/654842191980055/

From Big Ideas, University of California at Davis, May 2020 Dr. Garen Wintemute is a leading expert on gun violence as well as a practicing emergency medicine physician and the director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program. He and his colleagues will discuss the latest findings in developing evidence-based, non-partisan solutions to violence that will enable us to build safer communities. Date of event: May 27, 2020 12:00 PM [ Please click here to register .]

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 Noon – 1 p.m. Register for the webinar This webinar will focus on building understanding and identifying primary care and telehealth strategies and tools to address the secondary health effects of the COVID-19 emergency. Speakers: Devika Bhushan, MD, FAAP – Pediatrician and Chief Health Officer, Office of the California Surgeon General Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP – Pediatrician; Nominee, AAP President-elect; Professor of Pediatrics, Interim Division Chief-General...