On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the formation of the COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, comprised of nationally acclaimed California physician scientists with expertise in immunization and public health. The workgroup will be tasked with independently reviewing the safety and efficacy of any COVID-19 vaccine that receives approval for distribution from the U.S. Food and…
Read More »The Newsom Administration and legislative leaders this week reached an agreement to allocate an additional $400 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to support Homekey, as well as other social supports including childcare, food banks, and diaper banks. Recall, late last month, the Newsom Administration requested from the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) an additional…
Read More »Earlier this week, the State of California was notified that the Trump Administration rejected the state’s major disaster declaration following a series of recent historic wildfires, including fires in Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Siskiyou counties. According to press reports, the state learned of the Trump Administration’s decision on late Wednesday…
Read More »Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) posted employer guidance and frequently asked employer questions about AB 685 by Assembly Member Eloise Gómez Reyes that was signed into law last month. The measure requires employers to notify employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and to report workplace outbreaks to local health departments….
Read More »According to a new national poll conducted for the de Beaumont Foundation, awareness and recognition of local health departments (LHDs) has risen significantly since the last election season, suggesting public health is a key issue for voters in the 2020 election. In the poll, conducted in July 2020, 73 percent of voters said public health…
Read More »This week, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) released a request for applications (RFA), “Piloting Self-Specimen Collection Outside of Clinical Settings Using a Telemedicine Model for Testing Gonorrhea and Chlamydia.” The opportunity is a program improvement and evaluation effort to identify replicable models and best practices for patient self-collection of specimens…
Read More »Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $147 million in awards for Homekey, California’s $600 million program to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other properties, and convert them into permanent, long-term housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The most recent awards were provided to 12 applicants…
Read More »On Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released details of the state’s new health equity metric which is part of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy framework. According to the state, the equity metric is intended to help guide counties in their continuing efforts to more effectively fight COVID-19, including through more intensive…
Read More »This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched its seasonal influenza vaccination campaign, “Let’s Fight Flu Together.” The campaign includes materials available to assist partners in communicating the importance of a seasonal influenza vaccination, including communications messaging and social media images. Additional campaign materials and resources, including infographics and public service announcements, are…
Read More »This week, the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $137 million in awards to 15 applicants for 19 projects totaling 938 units as part of the state’s $600 million Homekey initiative to purchase and rehabilitate housing – including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other properties – to convert them into permanent, long-term…
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