Celebrating 30 years of partnership

During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re looking back at some of the foundation’s partnerships and funding for domestic violence prevention and support for women and children.

We’ve been proud to partner with nonprofit organizations such as Alternatives to Violence (Tehama County), The Center for Violence-Free Relationships (El Dorado County), Domestic Crisis Services of Tehama County, Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus, Human Response Network (Trinity County), Lassen Family Services, My Sister’s House (Sacramento County), Native Alliance of the Sierra Nevada Foothills (Placer County), One SAFE Place (Shasta County), Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center (Yolo County), St. John’s Program for Real Change (Sacramento County), Stand Up Placer, United Iu-Mien Community (Sacramento County), W.E.A.V.E. (Sacramento County), Wild Iris Women’s Services of Bishop, and The Women’s Center of San Joaquin County.

We applaud the work of these organizations and others throughout our region.

#SHF30Years

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Who would you like to see at our 2016 Speaker Series?

Each year we bring a number of nationally known experts in a wide variety of fields to share their knowledge and insights with community partners at our Speaker Series. We’re now planning the 2016 Speaker Series and we would like to get your input.

The series will focus on mental health and related topics that take into consideration the social determinants of health and health equity. We invite you to suggest potential speakers and/or topics. If you have suggestions, please complete our online poll.

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San Joaquin Valley Health Fund grant applications due Dec. 1

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. Application materials and the proposers’ webinar are available on the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund web page.

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Study to inform future projects in the San Joaquin Valley

W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Sierra Health Foundation have commissioned a study of the status of vulnerable children ages 0 to 8 in the San Joaquin Valley. In addition to describing how children are doing, the study will include an assessment of existing resources and opportunities to improve the conditions that create disparities in children’s health and well-being, including issues related to food systems.

The study will inform plans for future projects of the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, which was created to strengthen the capacity of communities and organizations in the Valley to advance programs and policy changes that promote community health and health equity for all.

The UC Davis Center for Regional Change, with colleagues from the Pan Valley Institute and UC Cooperative Extension, will conduct the study. The study team has extensive experience working with diverse communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley and shares the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund partners’ deep commitment to increasing opportunities for children, families and communities to thrive.

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City of Sacramento urged to support efforts to reduce African American child deaths

Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna and the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths (RAACD) on Oct. 20 presented the Sacramento City Council with a set of strategic and implementation plans detailing action that will be taken to reduce the number of African American child deaths in Sacramento County. Following the presentation and public comment, council members voiced their desire to take action and to schedule a meeting to determine their investment.

Tragically, in Sacramento County, for the past 20 years, African American children died at two times the rate of other children. In 2013, following the Blue Ribbon Commission report, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors established the RAACD Steering Committee, a community-driven body, to reduce deaths among African American children by 10 to 20 percent by 2020. RAACD is funded by the County of Sacramento and First 5 Sacramento, and is managed by the Center for Health Program Management. Learn more on the RAACD web page.

Read an opinion column by Erika D. Smith, All lives must matter in Sacramento, in The Sacramento Bee.

Sacramento County Executive Brad Hudson, Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, RAACD Co-Chair Wendy Petko and RAACD Co-Chair Chet Hewitt present the RAACD implementation plan to the Sacramento City Council.

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Op-Ed: Community solution on mental health was born from crisis

Last week Chet Hewitt and TLCS, Inc. Executive Director Michael Lazar were featured in The Sacramento Bee’s opinion section discussing the importance of respite services and the work of the Respite Partnership Collaborative. Read the op-ed in The Sacramento Bee.

Learn more on the Respite Partnership Collaborative web page.

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Positive Youth Justice Initiative concept paper looks at next phase of county implementation

Now in the second year of implementing their juvenile justice reform plans, the four counties funded through the Positive Youth Justice Initiative – Alameda, San Diego, San Joaquin and Solano – have made notable advancements in system and policy change, interagency collaboration and professional development. As our grantee partners continue their work, the goal is to fully integrate positive youth development, trauma-informed care, wraparound service delivery and improved operational capacity throughout their juvenile justice systems.

We recently published a concept paper that looks at the work to date as well as what’s ahead in the initiative’s next phase. Download the concept paper on the Positive Youth Justice Initiative web page.

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