March 2021 

Sierra Health Foundation and The Center stand in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in mourning the lives of eight people, including six Asian women, in Atlanta and countless more lost to or harmed by racism and anti-Asian violence locally and across the country. We see you and we will always stand with you against hate.

Read our statement on the Sierra Health Foundation web site and The Center web site.

THE CONVERSATION: Between Us, About Us. is a new campaign to provide Black communities with credible information about the COVID-19 vaccines, co-developed by Kaiser Family Foundation and the Black Coalition Against COVID. Sierra Health Foundation is among the funders supporting this important video series.

Learn more on the Kaiser Family Foundation web site.

Sacramento Parents Advocating for Student Success (PASS) is a parent-led school and community project that connects, supports and empowers parent advocates who have children in Sacramento City Unified School District schools to ensure student achievement, mental health and well-being, and education equity throughout the district.

Community partners, funders and parents developed the project based on research and several frameworks of practice to inform its design and implementation. Their collective goal is to create more timely, equitable and effective responses to educational challenges at the school district and school sites.

Learn more on the Sacramento PASS web site for more information and the project concept paper, as well as resources and registration for a Community Forum on April 29.

Sierra Health Foundation and The Center are accepting applications for the following positions: director of communications, grants and contracts management associate, and senior program associate. Visit our Employment Opportunities web page to learn about the positions and apply online.

Asthma Mitigation Project Round 2
The Center, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, will award grants up to $350,000 to community-based organizations, local health departments, community-based health care providers or Medi-Cal managed care organizations throughout California to support specific culturally and linguistically appropriate asthma home visiting services, education and environmental mitigation activities. Applications are due by April 20. Access the request for proposals for more information and application instructions.

SAMHSA COVID-19 Response funding opportunity for organizations in Los Angeles County and Riverside County
The Center, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, will award $2.5 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide direct treatment and recovery support services for individuals with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including support for health care providers. Applications are due by April 8. Learn more on the Medication Assisted Treatment Access Points Project web site.

Tribal and Urban Indian Community-Defined Best Practices
This opportunity from The Center, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, is for eligible Tribal and Urban Indian organizations to support the planning or implementation of community-defined best practices into substance use disorder services for Tribal and Urban Indian communities throughout the state. A total of $1.9 million is available. The application due date has been extended to April 9. Learn more on the Medication Assisted Treatment Access Points Project web site.

Tribal and Urban Indian Medications for Addiction Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder and Psychoactive Stimulant Use Disorder Learning Community
This opportunity from The Center, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, is for eligible Tribal and Urban Indian organizations to develop, operationalize, enhance and sustain substance use disorder treatment services, with an emphasis on the importance of culture in patient engagement, treatment and recovery. A total of $2.5 million is available. The application due date has been extended to April 9. Learn more on the Medication Assisted Treatment Access Points Project web site.

The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, announced funding awards to community-based organizations throughout California to support outreach to mitigate the health consequences of COVID-19 on disproportionately impacted populations and communities. Community-based organizations have been providing critical services and information to Californians during the pandemic and will be key partners in continuing to provide education and outreach across the state.

Photo courtesy of The Fresno Center.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat, the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund's annual Equity on the Mall event will be virtual this year, with activities spanning the last week of April. Now in its sixth year, Equity on the Mall brings together San Joaquin Valley community leaders, residents and statewide partners to hold policymakers accountable to advancing the health and equity of all San Joaquin Valley residents. This year's Equity on the Mall will highlight the 2021 community-driven San Joaquin Valley Health Fund Policy Platform, with particular focus on the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations, including the Digital Divide.

Equity on the Mall 2021 will kick off with an online rally on Monday, April 26, at 10 a.m., featuring community and policy leaders. The week will be rounded out with discussion panels, policy briefings, youth-led events and diverse entertainment — all organized by San Joaquin Valley Health Fund community partners to highlight the rich diversity, assets and pressing policy issues faced by the region. On Friday, April 30, join partner organizations representing the six Policy Subcommittees of the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund as they host a series of virtual events highlighting the 2021 Policy Platform and lift up the critical work being done throughout the region. These will include briefings, panels, youth-led events and a virtual bus tour. Throughout the week, community leaders also will participate in virtual legislative visits to share the 2021 Policy Platform and educate policymakers on critical issues affecting the region.

We will post additional details and a full calendar of events on the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund web page.

Join the Sacramento County COVID-19 Collaborative for a series of mental health awareness webtalks every Thursday through May 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. The series is free and open to the public.

Following are the dates and topics:

• April 1: Beware of Isolation and Stress: How to Avoid Unhealthy Bingeing and Substance Abuse
• April 8: Compassion Fatigue: How to Fight Back Against Burnout While Caring for a Loved One
• April 15: Identifying and Coping with Strong Emotions
• April 22: Improve Your Sleep and Increase Activity Levels While at Home
• April 29: Managing Parenting Stress and School Closures During COVID-19
• May 6: Raising Resilient Children: How to Teach Kids to Overcome Anxiety
• May 13: Mental Health Impacts of Unemployment, Instability, and Feelings of Insecurity
• May 20: Communication Hacks, Boundaries, and Coping with Stressful Workplace Situations
• May 27: How to Add Structure and New Experiences for Children During a Pandemic

Access the WebTalks flyer and the Mental Health California Sac Collab web page for more information and a registration link.

The Black Child Legacy Campaign, Kaiser Permanente Sacramento and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation have teamed up for the COVID-19 Vaccination Town Hall Series to provide Sacramento’s African American community with information to make informed decisions about vaccination and how to get vaccinated.

“This conversation is so important because we’ve known from the start of COVID-19 that the Black community has been disproportionately impacted and now we’re disproportionately under-vaccinated,” said Kindra Montgomery-Block, associate director of community economic development at The Center at Sierra Health Foundation and lead for the Black Child Legacy Campaign. “We need to give our community the information they need to stay informed and access to the resources to stay safe and healthy.”

The town hall series began on March 25. Upcoming town hall events include:

Focus on Adults and Youth
April 1 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Register for April 1 on Zoom

Focus on Parents and School-Age Children
April 8 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Register for April 8 on Zoom

The Public Policy Institute of California hosted this webinar as part of its 2021 Speaker Series on California’s Future. The March 23 virtual event focused on the COVID-19 vaccine, including a look at distribution problems, and concerns about equity and distrust, which have made for a challenging rollout in California. A panel of experts had a wide-ranging discussion about the vaccine and its implications for post-pandemic life. Learn more and access the recording on the Public Policy Institute’s web site.