Category: Announcements

CDPH Issues Updated COVID-19 Masking and Testing Guidance

Ahead of the state’s anticipated June 15 retirement of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) this week issued updated COVID-19 guidance for the use of face coverings and testing requirements. Masking Guidance Under the updated face covering guidance which takes effect on June 15, masks are not required…

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Cal/OSHA Withdraws Recently Approved COVID-19 ETS, Will Reconsider Next Week

On Wednesday during a special meeting, the Cal/OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) backtracked its revised COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS), unanimously voting to rescind the rules adopted last week that would have relaxed many workplace preB cautions against COVID-19. Recall, the standards adopted by the board last week would have still required…

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Newsom Conducts Second “Vax for the Win” Drawing

Governor Gavin Newsom today conducted the state’s second “$50,000 Fridays” drawing as part of the “Vax for the Win” incentive program to encourage California residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 15 winners were randomly selected, each winning $50,000, for a total of $750,000 in cash prizes. Today’s winners are from the following counties: Monterey, Sacramento,…

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BCC Announces Changes to Cannabis Billboard Regulations

Late last year, the Superior Court of San Luis Obispo ruled that California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) exceeded their authority in allowing cannabis advertising on billboards along California highways. The BCC had interpreted provisions of Proposition 64, which legalized cannabis in California, to ban cannabis billboards from being located within a 15-mile radius of…

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DHCS Releases Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Procurement Draft RFP

On Tuesday, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released a draft request for proposal (RFP) to solicit feedback from interested parties regarding the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan contract and upcoming plan procurement process. Interested parties may include, but are not limited to, health plans, counties, providers, advocates, and other stakeholders. DHCS is conducting…

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Newsom Conducts First “Vax for the Win” Drawing

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom conducted the state’s first “$50,000 Fridays” drawing as part of the “Vax for the Win” incentive program to encourage Californians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 15 winners were randomly selected today out of 21 million eligible residents, each winning $50,000, for a total of $750,000 in cash prizes. Winners from today’s…

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Cal/OSHA Board Adopts Updated COVID-19 Workplace Regulations

On Thursday, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) narrowly adopted, after initially rejecting, a new COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) for California workplaces. Recall, Cal/OSHA previously proposed a revised ETS but then delayed action on the standard after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and…

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CHHS Releases California’s $5.2 Billion Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Spending Plan

On Thursday, leaders from the California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Agency, including CHHS Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, unveiled a $5.2 billion spending plan to expand home and community-based services (HCBS) for California’s most vulnerable and at-risk residents through the state’s Medicaid program. Recall, in March, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed into law the…

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HHS Announces Venture Capital Partnership to Combat Future Pandemics and Health Emergencies

This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new type of public-private partnership that enables investments using venture capital practices. Through the BARDA Ventures program, the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will partner with the nonprofit organization Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC) to accelerate the development and commercialization…

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