This week, the California Senate Democrats released “Build Back Boldly: Senate Democrats Budget Priorities for 2021-22 and Beyond” detailing priority investments for the state as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The overall goals of the Senate Democrats include a more equitable economy that supports and improves pathways out of poverty, a stronger middle…
Read More »On Thursday, California expanded its COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all residents ages 16 and older. The eligibility expansion comes as nearly half of all residents ages 16 and older in the state have already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including nearly three-fourths of residents ages 65 and older. Recall, the state…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released proposed new regulations governing the Title X Family Planning Program. Title X, enacted as part of the 1970 Public Health Service Act, provides individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services including breast and cervical cancer screening and STI/HIV testing. The…
Read More »Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on Thursday announced an agreement reached to provide $536 million in funding to help improve California’s preparedness for and resilience to wildfires. The package consists of investments in forest health, improvements on defensible space, home hardening, fire prevention grants, and prevention…
Read More »Today, the California Can’t Wait Coalition, led by CHEAC, HOAC, SEIU California, CSAC, Urban Counties of California (UCC), Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and Public Health Advocates, convened a legislative staff briefing to educate members of the Capitol community of the critical role of our local public health departments and essential workers. The event…
Read More »On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state will retire the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and “fully open its economy” on June 15, 2021, if COVID-19 vaccine supply is sufficient for Californians 16 years and older who wish to be inoculated and if hospitalization rates are stable and low. According to the Governor’s Office,…
Read More »Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced his selection of Christine Siador as the next Assistant Director for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). This past year, Siador has been Acting Director for the Population Health Division at the San Francisco Department of Public Health where she also served as Deputy Director from 2012-2020. Siador…
Read More »Following a similar agreement to continue operations at a mass vaccination site in Los Angeles County, Governor Gavin Newsom this week announced the state reached an agreement with Alameda and Contra Costa counties to continue to operate the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the Oakland Coliseum. Recall, the Oakland site was one of two sites…
Read More »Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced updates to the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy framework allowing additional activities to resume with modifications to reduce risk. According to CDPH, increasing vaccination rates and a near-record low statewide COVID-19 test positivity rate is allowing the state to make additional modifications to the reopening…
Read More »On Thursday, as eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines expanded to residents ages 50 and older, Governor Gavin Newsom toured a COVID-19 community vaccination site in Los Angeles County and received his Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine administered by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. The Governor was joined by various state, community,…
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