In LA County, Mental Health Tax Money is Making a Difference
Los Angeles County, the most populous county in California, is successfully using money from a state tax on millionaires to fund programs that help the mentally ill, according to a new report. These...
View ArticleAre We Asking the Wrong Question About Medi-Cal?
Health care advocates are always working on ways to make sure Medicaid is around to help people living in poverty. This is a good thing, but I also think it’s important to ask: Why do so many people...
View ArticleCoalition Pursuing Package of Laws to Expand Health Care Access, Reduce Cost
Disgusted with federal attacks on Obama-era health reforms, a broad coalition of organizations and advocacy groups is pushing the state legislature to enact a series of bills designed to expand health...
View ArticleCalifornia’s Budget Should Support Efforts to End Domestic Violence
With the constant stream of tragedies stemming from domestic violence people often ask, “What could have been done to prevent this from happening?” The reality is that a staggering 5.78 million...
View ArticleBlack Men in White Coats, a New Video Project, Urges Young Black Men Towards...
Rock star was never Olawale Amubieya’s career goal. Nevertheless, a recent video about him has gotten thousands of views in just a few weeks and fans are seeking him out. Amubieya, a fellow in the...
View ArticleMost Homeless People Are Sober, But I Wasn’t
Four out of every five homeless people are sober. Drugs are one reason why many people end up homeless, but they aren’t the only one. Whenever I tell my story, people are always amazed at how easy it...
View ArticleCalifornia’s Mental Health Providers Need to Try Harder to Reach Diverse...
California’s mental health providers need to work more closely with schools, communities and faith groups to make sure all residents get the care they need, according to a new report. The California...
View ArticleAmidst Threat of Deportation, California Immigrants Are Mobilizing to Resist ICE
In the face of escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies since the 2016 election, immigrant rights groups across the state have been developing innovative strategies, such as cell-phone warning...
View ArticleAfter Centuries of Discrimination, We Need to Help Native American Victims of...
Partially because of the systemic injustice and discrimination we have faced over the past century, American Indians and Alaskan Natives are at greater risk of being victims of violence then any other...
View ArticleLow-Income Californians Most Vulnerable as Climate Change Exacerbates Air...
California's air pollution levels are among the worst in the country, and climate change is making the situation worse, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. Despite the state's...
View ArticleDoctor’s Notes: Children Shouldn’t Have to Endure Homelessness
Working in South LA, I see a lot of children living on the fringes and whom, at times, society wishes they could forget. Many of the kids are poor, hungry, mistreated, immigrants and minorities. Some...
View ArticleGun Violence Increasingly a Rural Problem, Study Finds
Deaths from gun violence have declined in California's urban counties over the past 15 years, but the problem is now more pronounced in rural and central parts of the state, a new study shows. The post...
View ArticleBill to Reign in Health Care Prices Advances in the Legislature
A California Assembly committee has advanced a bill that aims to reign in soaring healthcare costs by giving the state authority to regulate prices charged by hospitals, doctors and other providers....
View ArticleWhy We Should Be Treating Gun Violence Like Every Other Epidemic
Gun violence in this country is an epidemic, and it needs to be treated like every other epidemic—as a public health crisis. The first step to finding a “cure” for any public health crisis is research....
View ArticleNewly Released State Data Spurs Concern About Pesticide Use
Advocates for pesticide reform are demanding that the state beef up efforts to reduce California's dependence on toxic chemicals in agriculture after newly released data showed pesticide use at...
View ArticleSeeking Free Dental Care, Californians Pack Anaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim event resulted in mixed feelings for the volunteer dentists, who came from all over the state to participate. Many were elated to be able to provide care that alleviated pain and enhanced...
View ArticleThe Silent Faces of Homelessness are People with Severe Disabilities
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are among those who need affordable housing—and they’re much less likely to find it. We believe that people with I/DD should have the same...
View ArticleAudit Slams State Oversight of Nursing Facilities
California's skilled nursing facilities are increasingly putting their residents' health in jeopardy, yet the state is failing to adequately crack down on the problem, according to a report released...
View ArticleDepartment of Public Health Fines Hospitals and Clinics Millions For Patient...
The penalties were made public earlier this year but received little attention, though they were the first issued by the agency for privacy breaches since 2016. The California Department of Public...
View ArticleFor Many Homeless Families, a Tough Choice: Separation, or a Shelter Bed?
In addition to finding housing, homeless families must also find accommodations that keep the family intact, which in many parts of the state leaves them with few—if any—options. The post For Many...
View Article