September 2021
Better than before
By Chet P. Hewitt
President and CEO
Nearly two years into a global pandemic we find ourselves at an inflection point: State and local governments across the nation are approaching what some call a “New Deal moment” with billions of pandemic relief funds moving from the federal government to state and local jurisdictions. Like the Roosevelt administration’s infusion of New Deal reforms in the 1930s, these funds coupled with policy reform present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address not only the public health crisis at hand but the longstanding inequities that exacerbated its impacts.
By now, we know that the people facing the highest COVID-19 infection and death rates are those with the least access to economic, health, human and natural resources. Today in California, communities with median income below $40,000 a year have a 33 percent higher case rate than the state average; Latino, Black and Pacific Islander people in particular continue to experience significantly higher death and infection rates.
It should come as no surprise that the most historically marginalized people in California are suffering the most from the pandemic. Vulnerable communities are just that — vulnerable to threats others might have the resources to withstand, whether those dangers come from a virus or a changing climate. Yet instead of just bearing witness to the pain, we have an unprecedented opportunity to address it and change course.
In Sacramento County, for example, leaders are evaluating how to spend $300 million in a second round of COVID-19 relief funds, known as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Last year, the county initially allocated the majority of relief funds to law enforcement. After community leaders raised serious concerns, the county adjusted the distribution but missed important opportunities to improve the region’s health equity. We can’t afford to see this happen again, which is why The Center at Sierra Health Foundation joined a coalition of community partners and leaders to request direct community investment in health equity, affordable housing and homelessness prevention, inclusive economic development, community-led violence prevention and youth services. Community-led investment is what’s different here — a much-needed contrast to traditional allocation systems in which money and programs run through agencies and organizations outside of a community, or worse, through systems of control and oppression.
Our work alongside partners in Sacramento County is mirrored in counties across the state. Community by community, partner by partner, we’re building human-scale networks and creating change together. And it’s working. A recent network analysis of the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund found overwhelmingly that network participation improved cross-collaboration, increased access to information and resources, and helped partners address goals that would be unattainable on their own. This is the foundation for resilient communities and health equity, one we look forward to exploring more deeply with our partners in the months and years ahead.
New ways to connect: COVID-19 outreach
Trusted local partners are at the heart of California’s work to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and help people get vaccinated. Through an ongoing initiative with state agencies and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, community-based organizations are bringing the hard work, creativity and insight needed to connect with Californians of all backgrounds. Here are a few recent examples:
In stories: El Sol Neighborhood Education Center launched a new comic book series featuring a hero who works with community health workers and promotores to fight COVID-19 and educate people about the virus. The fun Captain Empath/Capitán Compasión toolkit includes a full comic book story, individual comic strips and a children’s activity book. These materials are available to download in both Spanish and English on the El Sol website.
In pictures: The Vaccinate58 campaign released a series of photo novellas explaining COVID-19 variants and the ways the virus spreads. Download these and other multilingual partner toolkits on the COVID-19 Response Toolkit webpage.
In the field: Líderes Campesinas organized two labor rights caravans for state officials and community partners to speak with agricultural workers directly about their COVID-19-related labor rights and protections. In addition to increasing awareness, these community visits led to tangible outcomes for workers, like assistance with filing worker claims and bringing the labor commissioner and other state labor offices directly to workers to answer questions and address concerns. Such interactions are laying a strong foundation for the state to build and strengthen trusting relationships with communities.
Caravan partners include Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower, the California Department of Industrial Relations, Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Cal/OSHA, the Employment Development Department, the California Department of Public Health and community organizations including Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, California Rural Legal Assistance, Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund and Monterey Bay Central Labor Council. Follow along on social media by searching #farmworkercarvan.
Partner voices
Blue Mountain Coalition for Youth and Families is empowering and employing youth and young adults from upcountry Calaveras County through mentorship, civic engagement, skills building and support to reduce unemployment and drug use. We are pleased to share the following story from Executive Director Terra Forgette about their Elevate Youth California Community Capacity Building grant.
“The idea for this program was inspired by a young woman who applied for a position here two years ago. She had come to our center as a kid, and said it was one of the only things that kept her out of trouble. More than anything I wanted to hire her as our new Youth Coordinator, but she had no skills and no experience. It is our dream to be able to train and hire the kids that come up through our center, and watch them become our next generation of leaders. This grant could make that a reality for us. I am certain that this program could have a huge positive impact on the young people we serve and a long-term impact on our community.”
Photo: Blue Mountain Coalition for Youth and Families Executive Director Terra Forgette
Asthma Mitigation Project is filling a gap in community prevention and mitigation services
Our Asthma Mitigation Project partners continue to provide asthma home visiting services to individuals with poorly controlled asthma throughout California. The project focuses on low-income communities and communities with disproportionate rates of asthma.
The Year 1 Evaluation Report from external evaluation consultants at Harder+Company Community Research shows that the Asthma Mitigation Project is successfully creating a statewide network of asthma service providers to reach families who are members of Medi-Cal or do not have health insurance.
In 2020, with funding from the California Department of Health Care Services, The Center at Sierra Health Foundation funded 22 organizations statewide to deliver culturally and linguistically responsive asthma home visiting services to children and adults with asthma. Since then, project partners have provided services to 757 children and adults, 48 percent identifying as Latinx and 27 percent as Black or African American. More than 200 recipients have completed the program and more than 90 percent report increased knowledge about asthma and confidence in their ability to manage their asthma. The report found that The Center has facilitated partnerships and developed skills that have helped project partners reach and serve these clients.
1321 Garden Hwy, Suite 210, Sacramento, CA 95833
916.993.7701 | impact@shfcenter.org | www.shfcenter.org
San Joaquin Valley Office
1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno, CA 93721
559.992.0670
 |  |  |  |