February is a month filled with many different observances and awareness campaigns that invite reflection, celebration, and action. Check out the links below for a glimpse into some of the observances and awareness campaigns taking place this month.

Feb 1st – Mar 1st – Black History Month

Black History Month is an annually observed month-long celebration of African American life, History, and culture. Founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in February 1926, what was formerly known as Negro History Week became a month-long celebration as a way to promote, research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate information about Black life, History, and culture to the global community. 

To learn more about Black History Month, please visit the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) webpage to read “The Origins of Black History Month.”

All Month – American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, a time when all people—especially women—are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. but impacts some communities disproportionately. Join efforts around the country to promote heart health in your communities. 

For available resources, please visit the CDC American Heart Month Communications Toolkit.

All Month – National Cancer Prevention Month

Held annually every February, National Cancer Prevention Month aims to raise awareness about cancer and spread awareness about the importance of early detection, which is paramount to its prevention. The federal government estimates that 2 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) during 2024, and that more than 600,000 died from their disease. Research shows that more than 40% of these cases and nearly half of the deaths can be attributed to preventable causes—smoking, excess body weight, physical inactivity, and excessive exposure to the sun, among others.

Get more information about cancer prevention in the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024, including facts about how modifying behaviors can impact cancer occurrence and outcomes.

Other notable happenings in the month of February include Presidents Day, National Children's Dental Health Month, and National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Latest News & Program Reminders

Climate Change and Health Equity: Public Health Actions

Climate change affects all of us, but as we have seen in recent fires and other disasters, some communities and individuals experience worse health impacts from this crisis than others. People with existing health conditions, people inadequately housed, outdoor workers, certain communities of color, immigrants, the very young or elderly, pregnant people, people with disabilities, those with low incomes, and those who are socially isolated face disproportionate risk of harm from climate impacts. Addressing the causes and impacts of the climate crisis has become an essential task for people and groups invested in reducing health inequities.

CDPH Climate Change Activities

Several CDPH programs are addressing the health impacts of climate change.

As soon as wildfires erupted near Los Angeles in early January, the CDPH Center for Preparedness and Response and the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) began coordinating support to local health jurisdictions, emergency medical services, and healthcare facilities. Using the State’s emergency framework, CDPH and EMSA deployed ambulances to evacuate facilities, distributed personal protective equipment to communities and medical personnel, activated the federal Emergency Prescription Assistance Program, and shared wildfire smoke protection guidance with local health officials. CDPH will support the region – and, in particular, groups that have been disproportionately impacted – throughout the long recovery ahead.

CDPH also acts before wildfires strike.

Last year, CDPH’s Environmental Health Investigations Branch studied how using more intentional “prescribed fire” – a tool used to reduce uncontrolled wildfires – could affect air quality and health in California. They found that prescribed fires produced lower levels of smoke than wildfires, but more frequent smoke exposure could affect health, particularly for communities that experience poor air quality day-to-day.  

From a Statewide perspective, CDPH's Climate Change and Health Equity Branch (with input from other CDPH programs and in collaboration with CalHHS) provided review and key contributions to the 2024 update of the California Adaptation Strategy, the state's comprehensive plan for adapting to climate change and building climate resilience to climate risks including wildfires and smoke (see the draft 2024 CA Adaptation Strategy here). 

Learn about Advancing Health Equity Through Climate Work

The Local Health Jurisdiction Climate & Health Community of Practice (CoP), hosted by the Climate Change and Health Equity Branch’s Local Assistance Unit, welcomes all local health jurisdiction (LHJ) staff interested in climate change and health equity. With more than 40 LHJs participating, the CoP meets monthly to connect California LHJ staff working on climate with each other and with CDPH to share resources, opportunities, strategies, and best practices and to support each other through barriers and challenges. The Local Assistance Unit also hosts quarterly data-focused office hours for epidemiologists working on climate-related issues. 

CoP topics scheduled for 2025 include:

• Climate & Public Health Emergency Preparedness 
• Disaster Epidemiology 
• Resilience Hubs 
• Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases 
• Using CalHeatScore, California’s new heat risk tool 
• And more! 

Special 2025 offerings include:

• Grant Writing Assistance 
  • CDPH is partnering with the Institute for Local Government (ILG) to provide no-cost grant application technical assistance to California LHJs for locating and applying to appropriate grant opportunities that prevent or mitigate health impacts associated with climate change. 
  • A free Climate Health Grant Writing Workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 19, from 2 - 3:30 pm. Register via Zoom. 
  • Following the workshop, ILG will announce dates for bi-monthly office hours sessions where you can ask questions about climate-related funding opportunities and grant writing. 
• Communications Capacity Building 
  • Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) will be hosting four climate & health communications workshops on the following topics:  
    • Communicating local climate impacts on health on Tuesday, March 11, from 10 am-12 pm (PST)
    • Crafting messages that illustrate climate health inequities on Wednesday, April 30, from 10 am-12 pm (PST)
    • Developing talking points for for hesitant, doubtful or disengaged audiences on Thursday, May 15, from 10 am-12 pm (PST)
    • Creating talking points for internal and external decisionmakers on Tuesday, June 17, from 10 am-12 pm (PST)
  • On Wednesday, February 12, from 1 - 2 pm, BMSG will hold an informational session to both prepare you for the upcoming strategic communications training and provide a review of existing climate & health communications resources. Register via Zoom. 

The Local Assistance Unit also offers one-on-one technical assistance with incorporating climate change considerations into your health programs, plans, policies, and communications. To join the CoP or office hours, request technical assistance, or learn more, email climatechange@cdph.ca.gov. 

If you would like to receive the monthly newsletter for LHJ-relevant climate & health topics, you can subscribe here: CDPH LHJ Climate and Health News (powerappsportals.com).

Feb 19th, 2025

NACCHO Behavioral Health 360 State of the Union

As public health professionals we’ve made strong strides over the past year in addressing the mental health crisis our nation is in. Over 200 member communities now use the Behavioral Health 360 platform, powered by CredibleMind, to boost engagement and reduce barriers to helping people find better mental health care. We’ve uncovered needs at the local level, tailored approaches to engage community residents, and overall help de-stigmatize care-seeking, and improve equity and access.

Data has now been aggregated across the U.S. revealing new insight and trends and shows that we have much work left in front of us. This dynamic session will help you learn about a data-driven system you can use in your community to better understand the mental health needs, and how to make evidence-based positive improvement.

To register via Zoom for the upcoming webinar, click here.

Feb 27th- 28th, 2025

APHA'S Climate, Health and Equity Summit

The American Public Health Association (APHA) invites you to the second annual Climate, Health and Equity Summit, a two-day virtual event bringing together APHA members from across sections and disciplines to explore the intersectionality of climate, health and equity; build community; and advance collaborative work in the pursuit of a healthier, more equitable future. This Summit provides a platform for learning, collaboration, and empowerment. 
 
The Summit is a call to action, a platform for every individual to harness their unique expertise and contribute meaningfully to the collective fight against the climate crisis. Together, we can forge a path toward a sustainable, equitable future where health and well-being flourish for all. 
 
All proceeds from registration fees will be used to bring students to the APHA 2025 Annual Meeting.

For more information about the Climate, Health and Equity Summit, including registration, click here.

Training of the Month

Effects of Disasters on Mental Health: Awareness Level

This online, self-paced awareness level course is intended for anyone who will come into professional contact with disaster victims including public health workers. It is brought to you by Training-Source, a collaborative production between the Iowa Department of Public Health, Institute for Public Health Practice and University of Iowa. This course is a prerequisite to Effect of Disasters on Mental Health: Technical Level.

Learning Objectives:

• Define disaster
• Define trauma
• Describe automatic response to trauma: flight or fight, freeze, social engagement
• Describe the epidemiological triangle in relation to the effect of disasters on mental health.
• Describe how various elements of the “agent”, “host” and “environment” of a disaster impacts its effect on the mental health of its victims
• Analyze a disaster and its effect on victims using the epidemiological triangle

To register for the Effects of Disasters on Mental Health online training, click here.

Resources

The Public Health on Call podcast, hosted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, covers public health topics ranging from emerging diseases to health equity. Each episode features in-depth conversations from public health leaders to help you stay informed on public health challenges and best practices and to help you feel empowered in your role.

To listen, please visit the Public Health on Call podcast on Spotify.

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.