July-August 2022 

With grants up to $1 million over three years, this funding opportunity will support community-based organizations and Tribal organizations throughout California that strive for health equity, focus on youth ages 12 to 26, and work on culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate prevention, outreach and education projects. Applications are due by Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. Visit the Elevate Youth California website for funding opportunity and application submission details, and to sign up for an overview webinar and office hours.

In 2018, Sacramento young people increasingly got into violent confrontations at Arden Fair Mall. Community groups united to support youth by giving them something to do and someplace to be. “We realized that recreation centers were closed during the holiday season, not open on Saturdays, and young people had no place to go,” said Chet P. Hewitt, president and CEO of the Sierra Health Foundation.

Read more at The Observer.

On the evening of July 28, the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund Policy Committee held their first (in a series) of regional community conversations titled, “Regional Community Discussion: The California State Budget and the Impact on the San Joaquin Valley.” The talk focused on bringing to light the historic investments made by the State of California in the recently passed 2022-2023 state budget, how they can have an impact in the San Joaquin Valley, and the importance of residents’ engagement at the state, regional and local level to ensure the investments make their way to the areas of greater need in the San Joaquin Valley.

The gym at the Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy in North Sacramento is packed with students. Though it's a hot July morning, the campus is alive with music echoing through the halls. A crowd of kids chant in unison: “Go Danii! Go Danii! Say, Read Aloud! Read Aloud!”

Read more at Capital Public Radio.

In partnership with the Sacramento Kings and the G-Unity Foundation, approximately 300 youth from the Kings and Queens Rise program dined with musical artist and entrepreneur Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent.

During the dinner at the Golden 1 Center, Jackson delivered a heartfelt and motivational speech about his humble beginnings on his path to stardom and the importance of working hard toward one’s goals and dreams. The youth were invited to ask questions, take photos with him and play games in a family-friendly environment.

Kings and Queens Rise is a co-ed youth sports and mentoring league that provides an opportunity for young people to engage in intercommunity sports activities. In partnership with the Sacramento Kings Jr. Kings basketball program, youth from the fourth through the 10th grades learn a sense of community in a fun, meaningful summer while building valuable learning experiences and memories.

Learn more about the program on the Sacramento Kings website.

On July 1, Los Angeles County launched its new Department of Youth Development to provide job training, mentoring and violence-prevention services to tens of thousands of young people living in under-invested neighborhoods. The path to creating this new care-first focused department was first imagined in 2000 by youth organizers at the Youth Justice Coalition.

Over the last few years, California Funders for Boys and Men of Color’s Southern California partners have reimagined the Los Angeles County youth justice system by realigning more than $200 million to support education and health equity for youth of color, and reduced the size of the youth justice system by 63 percent. Hence, the creation of the Department of Youth Development, which now centers around prevention and healing.

Learn more about the Los Angeles County Department of Youth Development.

Pastor Les Simmons of South Sacramento Christian Center and director of the Simmons Center, and Julius Thibodeaux, director of Movement 4 Life, joined President Biden as he prepared to sign a bipartisan gun safety bill into law on Capitol Hill in July.

Learn more in our press release and read this story from the Observer.

Photo: Pastor Les Simmons (left) and Julius Thibodeaux (right) with Melvyn Hayward formerly of Urban Peace Institute (center) during their visit to the White House.

The Center gathered Healing the Hood Crisis Intervention Workers, Restorative Youth Justice Diversion Case Managers and Movement 4 Life Neighborhood Change Agents in Santa Cruz for restoration and re-centering after a traumatic spring. Each night, partners dined together and shared success stories as well as strategies to help them cope with and understand how to best help their communities.

Beginning July 1, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will allow Medi-Cal to cover asthma preventive services. This new benefit covers clinic-based and home-based asthma self-management education and in-home environmental trigger assessments provided by non-licensed professionals such as community health workers, promotoras and other individuals meeting specified qualifications.

Learn more on the Regional Asthma Management & Prevention website.

The Center, in partnership with the Employment Development Department (EDD), announced the award of $2 million to 11 community-based organizations throughout California to help limited-English-speaking communities and the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to better access unemployment insurance and other EDD services and benefits. Learn more in our press release.

Recovery is possible
“When individuals with mental and/or substance use disorders seek help, they are met with the knowledge and belief that anyone can recover and/or manage their conditions successfully.”
— Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Recovery and Recovery Support

The Center is pleased to announce the launch of the Behavioral Health Recovery Services Project, a statewide effort to increase the number and quality of culturally responsive behavioral health recovery services programs tailored to local needs. Health Equity in Access to Behavioral Health Recovery Services (HEAR US) Phase 1 is the project’s first round of funding, which is by invitation only.

Learn more on the project website.

In July, we welcomed Nilda Valmores to our team as the Senior Program Officer for Stop the Hate. Nilda brings more than 35 years of regional, state and local nonprofit experience to Sierra Health Foundation and The Center. Most recently, and for almost 18 years, she served as Executive Director of My Sister’s House, the Central Valley’s only culturally responsive organization assisting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. Prior to that, she served as Community Development Director for Mercy Housing California.

We also recently welcomed two new staff members:

Noah Penley — Conference and Education Center Manager
Sonia Valadez — Program Associate, Stop the Hate

Visit our Employment Opportunities page to learn about the positions and apply online.

• Executive Assistant (Sacramento)
• General Accountant (Sacramento)
• Grant Accountant (Sacramento)
• Managing Director for Community Economic Development (Sacramento or Fresno)
• Program Associate (Sacramento)
• Senior Program Officer (Sacramento)