Funding available to support grassroots organizing for a healthy juvenile justice system

The Positive Youth Justice Initiative is entering its third phase, with up to $750,000 in grant funding available for nonprofit organizations in California to advance positive juvenile justice.

The Center for Health Program Management will fund grassroots organizations to advance the work of the Positive Youth Justice Initiative through community organizing to accelerate a statewide movement toward a more youth development-focused juvenile justice system.

Awards will range from $75,000 to $150,000 over 18 months in counties throughout the state that are poised to transform their juvenile justice system.

Letters of intent are due on Aug. 2 and applications are due on Sept. 1.

Get application materials on the Positive Youth Justice Initiative web page.

The Positive Youth Justice Initiative is funded by Sierra Health Foundation, The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foundation, and is managed by the Center for Health Program Management.

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Respite Partnership Collaborative evaluation reveals lessons for public-private partnerships

Public-private partnerships require careful planning and regular reflection on expectations, according to the evaluation of the Respite Partnership Collaborative Innovation Project, which came to a close last month after four years.

The American Institutes for Research conducted the evaluation, which examined the public-private partnership between the Sacramento County Division of Behavioral Health Services and Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management. The evaluation also assessed the community-driven process of the Respite Partnership Collaborative itself and the implementation of mental health respite services that were selected by the Respite Partnership Collaborative and supported by Innovation Project funding.

The final evaluation report summarizes the strengths and challenges of the project, and identifies lessons that can be used by others interested in public-private partnerships, community-driven collaboratives and mental health respite programs.

For example, the evaluation report found that the partners had a shared vision of expanding the continuum of care for mental health consumers, successfully launched and maintained the project, and facilitated the community-driven process. Among the lessons learned is the need to develop a clear, shared and documented understanding of project goals, partner responsibilities and common vocabulary.

Learn more about the public-private partnership, community-driven process and respite services by downloading evaluation reports and briefs on the Respite Partnership Collaborative web page.

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California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative selects six communities to receive $5.1 million

The California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative (CACHI) announced that six local communities across the state will receive up to $5.1 million in total funding to improve the health of Californians. Each Accountable Community for Health will be awarded up to $850,000 over three years to advance common health goals and create a vision for a more expansive, connected, prevention-oriented health system.

CACHI was established by The California Endowment, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Kaiser Permanente and Sierra Health Foundation to advance innovative health models focused on improving population health and reducing health disparities.

Read the news release.

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Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths in Sacramento County seeks members to fill open seats

Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management is now accepting applications on behalf of the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths in Sacramento County to fill the following open constituency group seats:

• Philanthropy
• Hospital Systems: Sutter Health and UC Davis
• Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Board Member
• Workforce Development
• Housing Advocacy and Policy
• Advocates

The Steering Committee meets on the third Wednesday of every month from 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Sierra Health Foundation.

The membership application is available on the Steering Committee on RAACD web page.

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Oak Park Promise Neighborhood launches community partnership

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and more than 40 organizations and 200 community members launched the Oak Park Promise Neighborhood, an unprecedented partnership of Oak Park, City of Sacramento and UC Davis, with a kick-off event on July 14 at the Guild Theatre in Oak Park. There was a positive turnout from the community, strong press coverage and powerful announcements from the Oak Park Promise Neighborhood partners. Through this partnership, Oak Park will be transformed into a community where every resident can live, learn, work and be healthy.

The Oak Park Promise Neighborhood will apply for a Promise Neighborhood federal grant – a five-year grant providing $20 million to $30 million in funding. Partners made key announcements highlighting resources that will come to Oak Park in four cornerstones: health care, education, employment and housing. Sierra Health Foundation is proud to be a partner of the Oak Park Promise Neighborhood and its work to create a cradle-to-career education pipeline to improve the odds for all children in Oak Park.

Sign up to receive updates on the Oak Park Promise Neighborhood web site.

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California Department of Public Health announces intent to award $13 million to California Reducing Disparities pilot projects

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Office of Health Equity earlier this month announced the intent to award nearly $13 million in grants for capacity building pilot projects to help reduce mental health disparities in communities that have traditionally been underserved.

The funding will be distributed to 11 pilot projects statewide that provide mental health services to target populations including African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning communities. The grant monies, which will be distributed over the course of five and a half years, are part of the California Reducing Disparities Project. This will be the third release of grant funds. In all, the Office of Health Equity will award $60 million to 41 contractors and grantees between 2016 and 2022.

Learn more on the CDPH Office of Health Equity web site.

In 2015, Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management entered into a multi-year agreement to support the Office of Health Equity, providing the public agency with technical support and consultation for advancing strategic goals. A clear alignment of goals and objectives between the two organizations make this a very natural partnership. Staff’s dual connection to both organizations allow for them to develop and maintain the collaborative networks necessary to progress the ambitious agenda of the state, while affording them the opportunity to tap into the broad-based community coalitions that are a hallmark of the Center for Health Program Management and a central strategy for the Office of Health Equity.

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