Blog

By Nico Savidge, The Mercury News, April 8, 2020 Even as public health officials cautiously cheer the apparent success of efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus, there is still no end in sight for the shelter in place orders that have upended daily life for millions across the country. That’s because the questions of when and how life in the Bay Area and elsewhere will return to something like normal hinge in large part on the problem that has hampered the United States’ response to...

By Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, April 9, 2020 Roughly half of the people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in California are African American, Latino or Asian, according to data released Wednesday by state public health officials who have come under pressure to provide more details about who is infected and dying in the pandemic. The state’s demographic profile is based on only 37% — or about 6,300 — of all of California’s confirmed cases, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday...

By John Fensterwald, EdSource, April 9, 2020 Four out of 5 parents of California public school students say that school closures from the coronavirus are making them feel stressed, and 9 out of 10 are worried their students will fall behind academically, according to a survey released Wednesday . The survey of 1,200 parents statewide for the nonprofit student advocacy organization Education Trust-West also found that 44 percent of parents said that their child’s teacher had contacted them...

The spread of COVID-19 is impacting everyone, and every corner of life. It is particularly devastating for children and families that were in crises before this pandemic, including: Families with young children – the cohort of our state’s population most in poverty – who couldn’t access essential supports, including sufficient nutrition and quality child care and preschool; Children who were abused and neglected and/or witness to domestic violence; The majority of California students who...

We are in uncertain times. Homelife has changed. School schedules have changed. Our communities are not the same. Work, if we have it, has changed, too. The world is different and we don't know for how long. We don't know what our lives will look like on the other side, either. We are worried about health, housing, security, and our loved ones. We generally have more stress and less support, as we are taking care of our families, ourselves, and each other. It’s a lot, and for those dealing...

Sponsored by Citizens United. The registration link for participants can be found here .

We have been so encouraged to hear how HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) is a natural fit for ACES Connection. Children who grow up in safe, stable and equitable environments are less likely to experience poor mental and physical health as adults. It is crucial to ask caregivers about the types of environments their children are experiencing. Celebrate the positive and work with families to help ensure their child has the opportunity to live, learn and play in safe and...

By Yesenia Amaro, The Fresno Bee, April 7, 2020 Fresno County child welfare investigators worry many child abuse cases may be left unreported while residents shelter amid the coronavirus pandemic – leaving young victims locked inside with their abusers. Tricia Gonzalez, director of child welfare at the Fresno County Department of Social Services, said abuse reports are down about 36% since mid-March when Fresno County began shuttering all nonessential functions. But she said she doesn’t...

From CLASP, April 8, 2020 The bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was passed by Congress and enacted on March 27, 2020, includes resources specifically targeted to individuals and families with low incomes affected by the public health and economic crises. The package includes a number of provisions of particular importance to children and families and those who work with them, including policymakers and other stakeholders in child care and early...

Supported Birth during COVID-19 Are you pregnant/planning to deliver a baby in California in the coming weeks? Have you recently given birth in California? If you originally planned to deliver in a hospital, we would like to know if you have questioned that decision due to COVID-19? If so, have you tried to change your plan to deliver at home or at a birthing center? Have you subsequently experienced any challenges getting your insurance company to verify if your new/alternate birth plan is...

The California Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) is creating a report to be published in the fall of 2020. The report will feature the public health response to preventing and mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress—tentatively titled “ Halving the Burden of ACEs and Toxic Stress in a Generation—California’s Blueprint for an ACEs-Aware Public Health Movement .” An important portion of the report will be dedicated to outlining primary, secondary, and tertiary...

By Danielle Bergstrom, The Fresno Bee, April 7, 2020 On Monday the California Judicial Council approved emergency orders essentially halting most evictions and foreclosures through the summer. The order is a welcome respite for many renters and homeowners struggling to pay their rent and mortgage this month due to job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is no rent forgiveness on the table — and renters are urged to learn their rights in these uncertain times. [ Please...