Celebrating 30 years of partnership

As our 30th anniversary year continues, this month we’re highlighting human services grantmaking and partnerships.

One of our best-known programs that serves our 26-county funding region is the Responsive Grants Program. Launched in 2008, the program promotes health and well-being in Northern California communities by asking nonprofit organizations and public agencies what the health needs and concerns are in their communities and how a Responsive Grant can help address them.

In response to the economic downturn and resulting increase in demand for basic human needs in early 2009, we awarded grants totaling $1 million to 42 nonprofits and agencies to support efforts to get food, clothing, shelter and other emergency services to the growing number of people who needed them. Funded programs served residents in 23 counties.

Responsive Grants Program funding continued through 2014 and totaled $6.5 million. The program currently is being evaluated and we will announce any future funding opportunities in Partnerships and on the Responsive Grants Program web page.

#SHF30Years

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Employment opportunities available

We’re currently accepting applications for three positions:

• Program Manager – California Executives’ Alliance
• Program Officer – San Joaquin Valley Health Fund
• Program Associate – San Joaquin Valley Health Fund and Respite Partnership Collaborative

See the job descriptions and application instructions on our Employment web page.

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Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approves $1.5 million for five years to reduce African American child deaths

On June 16, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved County Executive Brad Hudson’s recommendations of $1.5 million annually for five years in support of the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Death’s strategic plan, African American Children Matter: What We Must Do Now.

Nearly 300 advocates from throughout Sacramento joined the “Get on the Bus for Black Lives Matter Sacramento” campaign, an effort organized by local community leaders to reduce the number of deaths among African American children. The bus ride ended outside of the Sacramento County offices for a celebration rally prior to the board’s budget hearing.

“The sheer magnitude of the number of community members present shows that in Sacramento, black lives matter,” said Chet Hewitt, Sierra Health Foundation president and CEO, and Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths co-chair.

The Steering Committee is funded by the County of Sacramento and First 5 Sacramento, and is managed by the Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management.

Read the news release.

Learn more about the Steering Committee and read the strategic plan on the Center for Health Program Management web site.

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Positive Youth Justice Initiative counties share reform strategies at learning community

To promote cross-site learning and advance the Positive Youth Justice Initiative’s work, each year we offer three learning communities for teams from the four counties involved in the initiative. Vallejo City Unified School District hosted the latest convening on June 16 and 17, and we asked county teams to present on a reform strategy that they’ve excelled in implementing. Following are brief recaps:

• The Alameda County team highlighted the county’s process in identifying crossover youth and better understanding their needs.
• San Diego County gave a broad overview of the county’s pilot project through PYJI and highlighted successful outcomes already achieved.
• San Joaquin County highlighted the unique partnership between the probation department and four community-based nonprofits in engaging youth and their families.
• The Vallejo/Solano County team presented a broad overview of the county’s pilot project through PYJI, including best practices in leveraging the Local Control Accountability Plan to sustain juvenile justice reforms.

Participants also heard from Dr. Peter Leone from the University of Maryland and Lilly Chen, staff attorney from Public Counsel, on their work to assess the educational opportunities provided to youth engaged in the juvenile justice system in the PYJI counties. In addition, participants received an update on the PYJI evaluation process from the external evaluation team, Resource Development Associates. Counties will come back together in October for the next learning community.

Learn more about the initiative on the PYJI web page.

Photo: San Joaquin County Probation Department Management Analyst Kimerli Sawyer presented the department’s youth and family engagement strategy.

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Positive Youth Justice Initiative partners help lead Stockton to All-America City designation

Congratulations to the city of Stockton for being recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League! A 38-member delegation represented the city at the awards event in Denver earlier this month and included partners in our Positive Youth Justice Initiative – Fathers & Families of San Joaquin, Community Partnerships for Families, Sow a Seed Community Foundation and the San Joaquin County Probation Department. We were pleased to provide funding for five young people to attend, and to have Senior Program Officer Matt Cervantes there to support the Stockton delegation.

During the three-day event, delegations of community activists and leaders from 15 finalist cities presented their stories of positive civic change to a jury of leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. This year the competition was focused on communities that support vulnerable boys and men.

Read the article in the Record.

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Chet Hewitt named American Diabetes Association Father of the Year

Sierra Health Foundation President and CEO Chet Hewitt accepted a much-deserved Father of the Year honor from the American Diabetes Association at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento on June 17. He was one of three community leaders honored at the event, which raises funds to benefit diabetes research, education and advocacy. The other honorees were Darrell Teat of The Nehemiah Companies and Dominic DiMare of DiMare, Brown, Hicks & Kessler LLC. Congratulations to all three Fathers of the Year!

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