April 7th-13th, 2025 

National Public Health Week: Webinar Events

Each April, the American Public Health Association (APHA) unites communities nationwide to celebrate National Public Health Week (NPHW). Public health starts with each of us making a difference in our homes and communities. It’s how the places we live, work and play affect our well-being. It’s the way we are all stronger—and healthier—together through the efforts of organizations like the American Public Health Association and others that advocate for healthy communities. Join APHA for the 30th anniversary of National Public Health Week to celebrate successes, look ahead to upcoming challenges and create a vision for the future. Explore APHA’s resources, events and other ways to get involved during National Public Health Week below. Check out the webinar events taking place during National Public Health Week below.

April 8th, 2025 – 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Protecting the Health of People with Disabilities

This engaging webinar will explore the potential impacts that federal actions taken earlier this year could have for people with disabilities. As advancements in inclusive policies and public health face challenges, this session will delve into how these setbacks disproportionately affect people with physical and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
 
Participants will gain insight into the intersection of equity, public health, and disability rights and gain an understanding of the urgent need for advocacy and reform to ensure equal access to care and services for all individuals. 
 
By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: 

• Understand the critical link between inclusive policies and public health outcomes for people with disabilities.
• Recognize how policy rollbacks exacerbate disparities in health, education, employment and accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Discuss actionable steps for public health professionals and advocates to protect and promote disability rights amidst changing policies. 

This event is free to attend.

Registration Information

Learn more and register. 

April 10th, 2025 – 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PST

Power in Partnership: Advocacy for a Healthier Future

Join APHA for an interactive NPHW session to imagine a better future for public health, and discuss how advocacy and partnerships can get us there. Attendees will hear from Becca Boulos, Action Board Chair, Paloma Flores from the New Mexico Affiliate, and Will Dominie and Renae Badruzzaman from Human Impact Partners. Attendees will learn practical skills that will improve their advocacy and partnerships, and have the opportunity to share their vision for the future of public health. 

This event is free to attend.

Registration Information

Learn more and register.

April 11th, 2025 – 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Building Resilience to Climate Trauma: A Public Health Approach to Mental Well-Being

As climate change intensifies, so do its effects on mental health. From climate anxiety to trauma caused by extreme weather, communities are grappling with the psychological toll of our changing environment. Extreme heat, in particular, has been linked to increased stress, aggression and cognitive decline. 

Join APHA’s Center for Climate, Health & Equity for a free webinar exploring how climate trauma manifests, who is most affected, and why public health solutions are essential for building mental and emotional resilience. Experts will share insights on public health interventions, policies and practical tools including mindfulness-based strategies to help communities cope. 

Registration Information

Learn more and register.

April 30th, 2025, at 10 AM PST

Climate Health Communications to Advance Public Health: Crafting Messages that Illustrate Climate Health Inequities

Prepared for California Local Health Jurisdictions. Developed by Berkeley Media Studies Group in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health.

Workshop: Weds, April 30: 10am – 12pm (PST)      Register at: https://tinyurl.com/bddanmc7

Low-income populations, communities of color, older adults, and those with preexisting health conditions often face greater exposure to extreme weather events, poor air quality, and other climate-related health threats due to systemic inequities. By using clear, data-driven messaging, public health professionals can raise awareness, mobilize action, and advocate for policies that address these disparities.  

During this workshop, participants will:

• Discuss framing, how it works in the news and in our heads, and what we can do about it.
• Learn and practice how to develop messages that emphasize the solutions you seek.
• Understand how to use a tool (provided during the workshop) that helps users craft evidence-based messages about the health equity implications of climate change for a public audience.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/bddanmc7

Save the Date!

May 13th, 2025, at 1 PM PST

Equity Learning Collaborative

Save the date! The Equity Technical Assistance (TA) Team will be hosting the next Equity Learning Collaborative (formerly known as TA Office Hours) on Tuesday, May 13th from 1:00-2:30pm.

Brought to you by the Equity TA Team within the Office of Health Equity (OHE) at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Equity Learning Collaborative is a statewide technical assistance service for all 61 California Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs). Occurring on a bi-monthly basis, each learning collaborative provides a space for LHJs to deepen their understanding of equity-related topics through presentations, peer networking and resource sharing. 

Learning Objectives:

• Apply Equity Concepts: LHJs will increase their knowledge of equity topics to help them apply equity principles to their programs. 
• Foster Peer Collaboration: LHJs will share insights, best practices, and experiences related to equity. 
• Access and Share Resources: LHJs will gain and share resources that support their work in advancing equity within their communities.

Registration information for the upcoming learning collaborative will be made available soon.

To view the recording from the March Equity Learning Collaborative, click here.

Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Older Adults

Grantor: California Department of Social Services

Per the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget agreed to by California’s Governor and the Legislature, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will oversee a guaranteed income (GI) pilot program serving adults 60 years of age or older residing in California and either eligible for or receiving a means-tested benefit. This pilot program is currently in the early planning stage.

Request For Application and Funding Requirements

The CDSS is now accepting applications to administer the GI Pilot Program for Older Adults. Interested organizations must respond to a competitive RFA no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Friday, April 18, 2025.

RFA respondents must provide all documents outlined in the RFA and complete all documents below to be considered for funding:

• Request for Applications (required responses begin on page 24), including all required documents listed on pages 25-26. 
• Appendix 1: Proposed Funding Request Summary (required responses begin on page 8) 
• Appendix 2: Budget Template 

Interested organizations may also wish to review the sample grant agreement or sample allocation letter for a greater understanding of CDSS funding requirements.

RFA Timeline

• RFA questions accepted until March 12, 2025 and will be answered on or around March 28, 2025.
• The RFA Overview Webinar will be at 10:00 AM PST on March 20, 2025.
• RFA responses due April 18, 2025, by 11:59 pm PST.
• Award announcements are expected on or around June 25, 2025. 

RFA Webinar, March 20, 2025

• Guaranteed Income for Older Adults RFA Webinar Slide Deck 
• Guaranteed Income for Older Adults RFA Q & A No. 1

For questions regarding the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, please email GIPilot.info@dss.ca.gov.

Training of the Month

Public Health Threats and the U.S. Constitution: What Responders Need to Know About Equity, Law, and Public Health Authority

The “Public Health Threats and U.S. Constitution: What Responders Need to Know About Equity, Law, and Public Health Authority” course, brought to you by CDC Train, explains what responders need to know about the law when preparing for and responding to public health emergencies. It provides an overview of laws that affect how government can respond to health crises in ways that advance rather than hinder health equity.

The course introduces the constitutional principles and doctrines that protect individual civil liberties from government overreach. Examples from real-life scenarios include the imprisonment of a mother because she resisted treatment for her tuberculosis, as well as a court order that required parents to violate their religious and philosophical beliefs by having their children vaccinated during a 1991 measles outbreak.

This course is one in the 7-part Public Health Law Academy training plan. 

Learning Objectives

After completing this training, you will be able to:

• Discuss how emergency preparedness relates to health equity;
• Describe the role of law in emergency preparedness and response; 
• Explain the powers and limits that the U.S. Constitution assigns to public health authorities in regard to disease control; and
• Discuss the need to balance collective actions for the common good against individual freedoms.

Learn more about how to register and complete the required trainings in the plan to obtain a certificate of completion.

Resources

Advancing Racial Equity Webinar Series Recordings

Alarming disparities within the COVID-19 pandemic — such as higher hospitalizations and death rates among Black, Latino and Native communities — are sadly predictable and highlight the urgent need to address the root causes of health inequities. This APHA webinar series takes an in-depth look at racism as a driving force of the social determinants of health and equity. 
 
This Discussion Guide (PDF) recaps the content of the webinars and provides discussion questions and activities to invoke meaningful conversations about racism and its connection to health inequities in the United States. 
 
Free access to the webinar recordings is available here.

In Sickness and In Stealth: Threats to America’s CDC (Podcast Episode)

Brought to you by The Economist, The Intelligence is a global news podcast covering current events and emerging issues from around the globe. The first eleven minutes of this episode discusses the current federal administration's disdain for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, referring to it as “the most incompetent and arrogant agency” in the federal government. The correspondent shares insights from CDC staff who are operating under fears of layoffs and scrutiny from DOGE.

To listen to this podcast episode on Spotify, visit The Intelligence from The Economist.

Technical Assistance (TA) Services Available:

For general inquiries or to schedule a 1:1 consultation, submit an inquiry to your Equity TA Specialist (below) via the Equity Technical Assistance Portal:

Rural North | Haley Ni

Greater Sierra-Sacramento | Claudia Medina

Central California | TBD

Bay Area | Salina Ramachhita

Southern California/ Los Angeles | Jessica Medina

To share an event, resource, job opportunity, or highlight a success story from your LHJ, please contact us through the Equity Portal by the 20th of the month.