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September 2022 A newsletter for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) brought to you by the Technical Assistance (TA) Team, Office of Health Equity, CDPH, every first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to The Equity Scoop!

Madera County Spotlight: "Prepare...and Live" Campaign

Lydia Serrano, Office Assistant, distributing information about tobacco control and WIC programs, as well as "Prepare...and Live" kits at Walmart in Madera, CA.

The Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) launched their “Prepare... and Live,” campaign on July 1, 2022, in response to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. The emergence of the Omicron variant and its subvariants presented a challenge to increase the communities’ capacity to prepare for subsequent surges.

“We cannot make the assumption that a state or local mandate will be followed,” said Sara Bosse, Madera County Public Health Director. “We needed an equitable approach to educating residents to better understand their risks and assess their environment to make the best decision for their health and the health of their loved ones, then making sure everyone has access to the PPE and testing to act responsibly.”

A social media post for the "Prepare...and Live" campaign to help community members assess their risk.

"Prepare… and Live” has expanded access to N95 masks and at-home rapid test kits by distributing resources at all Madera County COVID-19 test sites and vaccine clinics. Since the start of the campaign, over 26,000 N95 masks and over 5,000 rapid test kits have been distributed. This was made possible by partnering with local community-based organizations and coordinating with Optum Serve health services. The success of the campaign is also in part due to the support of the Madera County Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC) who has helped procure additional resources through the state MHOAC system.

“Prepare… and Live” can be adapted to any local health jurisdiction. If other counties are interested in launching a similar campaign, it is important to develop a plan to engage the right support and vehicle for delivering the message, especially to populations that have traditionally lacked access to information and services. MCDPH created promotional materials and endorsed the campaign through social media, billboards, flyers, and radio and digital advertisements in both English and Spanish. Funding for this campaign was made possible by Anthem, Inc.

Visit Madera County’s “Prepare...and Live” campaign or email Brian Gamble for more information.

National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that suicide can be prevented, and healing is possible.

Everyone has a role to play to save lives and create healthy and strong individuals, families, and communities. We can come together to reduce factors that increase the risk for suicidal thoughts and behavior, and increase the factors that help strengthen, support, and protect people from suicide.

The “Know the Signs” campaign outlines the steps to take when talking with someone who may be thinking about suicide:

Know the Signs: Most people thinking about suicide show some signs. Learn to recognize these warning signs and how to respond to them.
Find the Words: Ask directly about suicide. This can be difficult but asking directly allows the person to open up and talk about their struggles.
Reach out: You are not alone in helping someone in crisis. There are many resources available to assess, treat, and intervene.

If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (SMS:988) to speak to a trained counselor. To learn more about Lifeline, visit 988 Lifeline.

It is important to note that this campaign is only available in English and Spanish and that is a limitation. Similarly, the 988 Lifeline is only available in English, Spanish, and there is a section for Deaf and Hard of Hearing on the website.

Latest News & Program Reminders

**Newly Released! CDPH has finally released its much anticipated Guidance on Monkeypox for Homeless Services Providers.**

September 8, 2022:

Reparations as A Public Health Priority

African Americans and Native Americans are two groups that have been most affected by structural racism resulting in consistent disparities in health outcomes. The members of this panel will discuss the role reparation can play in reducing the health gap. Register for the webinar on Zoom.

September 20, 2022:

The Right to Heal: Centering Mental Health Multi-Racial Equity in California

Gather with community members from Black, Indigenous, and communities of color to build connections and discuss methods towards achieving mental health and wellness. Register for the event.

September 22, 2022:

Poverty in California: Mayors for Guaranteed Income

Join Emeritus Mayor Michael Tubbs and Mayor Libby Schaff in a discussion of how California can address the housing and economic insecurity crisis by offering guaranteed income to members of the community most at risk. Register for the webinar on Zoom.

September 13, 2022:

Hiring Challenges & Barriers TA Office Hours

Join us to discuss hiring challenges and barriers with your fellow LHJs and hear best practices from LHJs who have successfully overcome these obstacles. Office Hours will be held from 12:30-1:30pm. Join the Zoom meeting.

September 22, 2022:

Tribal Health & Climate Planning

This meeting will focus on the experiences of Tribal nations as they work to promote and protect health and environment in a changing climate. Register for the meeting on Zoom.

October 3, 2022:

Public Health Institute’s Center for Health Leadership & Impact’s National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health (NLAPH) Applications DUE

Multi-sector teams are now invited to apply to NLAPH and transform their collective impact. Participation in NLAPH is free. See more information and apply.

Learn more about Trauma Informed Care by clicking on the FREE training below! Trauma Informed Oregon

Community Engagement Resources - The Environmental Health Investigations Branch of CDPH developed Engaging Communities for Health Equity and Environmental Justice that highlights practices for effectively partnering with communities to achieve common goals. - The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership charts a pathway to strengthen and transform our local democracies.

Suicide Prevention Resources

- Public health recognizes that violence, including suicide, is preventable and takes a primary prevention approach, working upstream to address underlying causes. View California’s hotlines and resources.

- CDC’s Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policies, Programs, and Practices highlights strategies based on the best available evidence to help states and communities prevent suicide.

Technical Assistance (TA) Services Available:

For general inquiries or to schedule a 1:1 consultation, send an email to your Equity Specialist (below) via EquityTeam@cdph.ca.gov:

Northern California (RANCHO) | Haley Ni

Greater Sacramento | Claudia Medina

San Joaquin Valley | Janis Ho

Bay Area (ABAHO) | Salina Ramachhita

Southern California | Jessica Medina

To share an event, resource, job opportunity, or highlight a success story from your LHJ, please email us at EquityTeam@cdph.ca.gov by the 20th of the month to be featured in the newsletter.