A newsletter for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) brought to you by the Technical Assistance (TA) Team, Office of Health Equity, CDPH, every first Friday of the month.

Want to offer us a recommendation to improve our services? Please share with us here.

Summer Safety Tips from Tuolumne County Public Health

Summertime means lots of sun, a lot of heat, and lots of opportunities for community outreach! Spending time outside is a great way to get Vitamin D, be physically active, and reduce stress. While we want all of these things for our community members and staff, we also don’t want them to get too much heat or sun. Here are some of our tricks and tips that keep staff and public protected during summer outreach events:

Wear broad spectrum sunscreen that filters out both Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher. Our department has put together outreach “kits” in the form of backpacks that include sunblock, just incase we forget to bring some.
Re-apply sunscreen every two hours, wear a wide brimmed hat, and sunglasses if working in the direct sun. It’s also not a bad idea to invest in some UV protective clothing.
Water! Lots and lots of water! If you know you’re going to be working outdoors start hydrating at least 24 hours ahead of time. Pack extra water for your staff and put some out for the community if you can.
Fans and misters are worth the investment. Our department has purchased simple misters that sit on top of a 5-gallon bucket filled with water to use during outreach events as well as mobile vaccination clinics. To learn more about staying safe in the summer sun visit CDC.gov.

For more information, contact Pablo Lopez at plopez@co.tuolumne.ca.us.

August Awareness Days

All Month: National Civility Month

National Civility Month was created to promote the importance of civility in our interactions with one another in society. Respectful communication and behaviors are especially important when attempting to build trust and collaboration among diverse communities.

All Month: National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) highlights the vital role vaccinations play in protecting public health. This campaign encourages efforts to improve vaccination rates in underserved populations, ensuring that all people have the opportunity to protect themselves against infectious diseases.

9th: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples brings attention to the needs and unique challenges indigenous communities living in voluntary isolation face, including exposure to disease and deforestation. In an increasingly globally connected world, indigenous people retain the right to be isolated from others and to preserve their unique traditions, languages and customs.

19th: World Humanitarian Day

World Humanitarian Day was created to honor humanitarian workers around the globe, who risk their lives to help others in crisis. This day also aims to raise awareness about the importance of humanitarian efforts and challenges faced by marginalized communities worldwide.

26th: Women’s Equality Day

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the certification of the 19th Amendment in the United States on August 26, 1920, which granted women the right to vote. It also serves to celebrate the progress made toward gender equality while also acknowledging the ongoing challenges women face including economic inequality, violence, discrimination and access to healthcare.

31st: International Overdose Awareness Day

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is observed on August 31st each year to raise awareness about the global overdose crisis and serves as a memorial for individuals who have died from drug overdoses, while promoting dialogue about addiction and its impact on families and communities.

Latest News & Program Reminders

Aug 13th, 2024

TA Office Hours: General Office Hour

Office Hours will be held on Zoom from 12:30 to 1:00 PM. Register Here.

Join the TA team for an open office hour session with any questions you and your team may have around the 2024 organizational equity assessment, CERI, or any other topic. There will be no formal presentation for this office hour. Note: If less than 10 people register for office hour, the TA Team will cancel the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE, REGISTRATRION IS REQUIRED

Aug 16th, 2024

2024 Organizational Assessment for Equity Infrastructure Due

The 2024 Organizational Assessment for Equity Infrastructure submissions will be due on Friday, August 16th. This is the third year of the Organizational Assessment, and we are very excited to get an update from the Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) across California! In each of the past two years, 59 out of the 61 total LHJs in California have participated in the assessment and we are hoping that participation continues to stay high for this year!

For questions, please reach out to the Technical Assistance Specialist for your region.

Aug 27th, 2024

Safe Outdoor Site Panel #2: How to Launch a Site

Homebase is hosting another panel on Safe Outdoor Sites, and we hope you can join!

On August 27th from 10:00AM to 11:30AM PST, Homebase will be hosting a panel on How to Launch a Safe Outdoor Site. In this context, safe outdoor sites are mainly outdoor, temporary shelter sites with housing-focused supportive services. You can register for this free event here.

The panel will include leaders from safe outdoor site programs discussing steps for establishing a safe outdoor site, funding and zoning challenges, and strategies securing community buy-in. Panelists will include providers running the following Safe Outdoor sites:

Phoenix, Arizona
Sacramento, California
Duluth, Minnesota

For more information or questions, please email safeoutdoorsites@homebaseccc.org.

Training of the Month

Health Equity & Environmental Justice 101

Brought to you by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), this self-paced 60-minute training provides a broad overview of health equity and environmental justice and the connection between them. Participants who complete the training are provided with a certification of completion at the end of the course.

Learning Objectives

Define the terms equity and equality.
Identify some determinants of health and social determinants of health.
Brainstorm Dr. Camara Jones' “Three levels of racism,” and her proposed solutions to it.
Summarize the meaning of environmental justice.

To register for the Health Equity & Environmental Justice 101 Training, click here.

Resources

Health Equity Performance Measures Toolkit: A Guide for Local Health Departments

The Center for Public Health Systems (CPHS) at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (UMNSPH) and the National Association of City & County Health Officials (NACCHO) have created a Health Equity Performance Measures Toolkit: A Guide for Local Health Departments. This toolkit is intended for all LHDs interested in learning more about performance measures and how they can support local health equity initiatives.

To download the toolkit, and learn more about the development, click here.

Community Health Workers Toolkit: Capacity Building in Local Health Departments

The Center for Public Health Systems (CPHS) at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (UMNSPH) and the National Association of City & County Health Officials (NACCHO) have created a Community Health Worker Toolkit: Capacity Building in Local Health Departments. This toolkit can be used to assist Local Health Departments in creating sustainable recruitment and retention strategies to Community Health Workers.

To download the toolkit, and learn more about the development, click here.

Technical Assistance (TA) Services Available:

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

Rural North | Haley Ni

Greater Sierra-Sacramento | Claudia Medina

Central California | Chantelle Comeau

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.

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