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Sierra Health Foundation Partnerships

Celebrating 30 years of partnership

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As part of our yearlong 30th anniversary celebration, we invite you to visit our Conference and Education Center to see a special photo exhibit highlighting the foundation’s current and past programs. The exhibit features 20 photos, from early programs such as the Prenatal Care Access Initiative to the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, which launched last year. The photos will be displayed through November.

#SHF30Years

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San Joaquin Valley Health Fund grant opportunity focuses on community health

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Application materials for the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund 2015 funding opportunity are now online. Grants of up to $20,000 are available for nonprofits and public agencies working in eight San Joaquin Valley counties – Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare. Grants aim to strengthen the capacity of communities and organizations in the San Joaquin Valley to improve health and well-being by advancing programs and policy changes that promote community health and health equity for all.

Applications are due by Dec. 1 and awards will be announced in March. Applicants are encouraged to participate in a proposers’ conference or webinar. Learn more and register on the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund web page.

Earlier this year, 30 organizations received nearly $630,000 to improve health and reduce health disparities in the San Joaquin Valley through policy and systems change. The San Joaquin Valley Health Fund is supported by Sierra Health Foundation, The California Endowment, Rosenberg Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

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Amparo Cid joins Sierra Health Foundation

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We’re pleased to welcome Amparo Cid as the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund Program Officer. In this position, Amparo will be based at the Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management’s office in Merced and will be responsible for implementing and managing the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund grant program. She also will work to develop and advance programming with partners throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

Before coming to the Center, Amparo was the Director of the Sustainable Rural Communities Project at California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, where she worked with advocates on systemic solutions involving health, environmental justice and other issues in rural and disadvantaged communities.

Amparo is the proud daughter of hardworking immigrant factory workers. She graduated magna cum laude from Santa Clara University and was the first Mexican American to receive the Saint Clare Medal, which is based on academic performance, personal character, school activities and constructive contribution to the university. She received her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California.

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Funding goes to Calaveras County nonprofits for fire relief services

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In response to the devastating fires in Calaveras County, we recently announced funding for five organizations working tirelessly to provide emergency fire relief services to those affected. Among many other organizations working in the region to provide emergency services, these organizations include Blue Mountain Coalition for Youth and Families, Blue Mountain Community Renewal Council for its Friends of Rail Road Flats School project, Murphys Senior Center, Resource Connection Food Bank and Calaveras Community Foundation.

All five organizations are expanding their current services to include emergency or recovery fire relief services in their communities. Funding included $25,000 for the Community Foundation and $5,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations. Read the news release.

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Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman shines light on adolescent brain development at Speaker Series

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The decisions young people make sometimes get them into serious trouble, which can lead to lifelong consequences. Research on adolescent brain development and psychological studies of human development are showing a much clearer picture of why smart adolescents make those poor decisions. That was the message from Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman at our Speaker Series event earlier this month.

A professor and chancellor’s fellow in the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior in the School of Ecology at the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Cauffman explained how cognitive and emotional maturation follow different developmental trajectories, and how risky behavior, including delinquency, can be seen as a consequence of the differing timetables of development. She also presented preliminary findings from her research studies entitled, Pathways and Crossroads, which examine the impact of the juvenile justice system on development and behavior.

The event included introductory remarks from David Gordon, Sacramento County Office of Education Superintendent and Sierra Health Foundation Board Chair. Brandon Harrison from Fathers and Families of San Joaquin presented a short film that he and other youth produced as part of the Stockton Youth Film Project. Participants also heard from a panel of local, state and national leaders, including Dr. Cauffman; Alex Johnson, Executive Director at the Children’s Defense Fund–California; Frankie Guzman, Juvenile Justice Attorney at the National Center for Youth Law; Daniel Hahn, Roseville Chief of Police; and Judge Donna Quigley Groman, Supervising Judge in the Los Angeles Juvenile Delinquency Division.

A video from the event is on YouTube.

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Healthy Sacramento Coalition relaunches

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The Healthy Sacramento Coalition relaunched this month with a refined vision to eliminate health inequities in Sacramento, with special attention on the neighborhoods in 15 focus zip codes. During a recent coalition meeting, members discussed opportunities to promote community policies and strategies using an asset-based approach.

Pastor Joy Johnson of Sacramento ACT presented opportunities to collaborate around the organization's Healthy Communities efforts. Tyrone Roderick Williams from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency presented an update on the Sacramento Promise Zones designation, whose application used Healthy Sacramento Coalition data.

Background information about the coalition and a membership application are available on the Healthy Sacramento Coalition web page.

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Respite Partnership Collaborative evaluators release second report

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We’re pleased to announce the release of the Respite Partnership Collaborative Innovation Project Year 2 evaluation report. The evaluation is being conducted by the American Institutes for Research, a nationally and internationally known research and evaluation company.

Drawing on interviews, surveys, document reviews and site visits, the Year 2 report summarizes findings about the Respite Partnership Collaborative Innovation Project partnership of the Sacramento County Division of Behavioral Health Services and the Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management, the community-driven process of the collaborative, and the implementation and outcomes of the grantees who provide respite services.

Interviews and site visits with Round 2 grantees confirmed the four dimensions of respite identified in the Year 1 evaluation report of helping clients take a mental or physical break, giving clients a safe physical and emotional space to spend time, supporting clients in not feeling alone, and preparing clients to look forward beyond the time in respite. In addition, the Year 2 evaluation identifies key issues in implementing respite services, such as staff training, networking and outreach. For more information on the Year 1 and Year 2 evaluation reports, visit the RPC Evaluation web page.

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Hundreds convene to develop plan to address challenges for boys and men of color in Sacramento

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Sacramento’s My Brother’s Keeper efforts continued on Sept. 25 with a community convening at Sacramento State’s Harper Alumni Center. Earlier this year, the City of Sacramento announced it would join nearly 200 cities, tribal nations and counties across the nation in answering President Obama’s call to action with the My Brother’s Keeper initiative.

At the recent community convening, more than 300 youth, parents and local leaders participated in discussions on education, employment and public safety for Sacramento’s youth. Participants worked toward developing an action plan to promote the success of young people of color, particularly boys and young men.

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