July 2016

Almost $7 million in funding was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday for a year-long campaign to reach 500,000 people who are eligible to have felonies on their records reduced to misdemeanors under Proposition 47. The money will come out of the county’s annual budget and will help pay for mailers, town hall meetings, and information on the county’s 2-1-1 information line, county officials told supervisors. The goal is to reach 500,000 people involved in some...

In a potential crisis crossing demographic lines, one-third of California's 11th-graders and one-quarter of seventh-graders reported feeling chronically sad or hopeless over the past 12 months, a survey released Monday showed. The California Healthy Kids Survey also found that about 19 percent of both ninth-graders and 11th-graders seriously considered attempting suicide. When it comes to depression and anxiety among high school students, the trend "is not moving in the right direction,"...

Each year, California prosecutors charge hundreds of youth in the adult criminal justice system through a power called “ direct file .” Prosecutors make the decision to direct file behind closed doors without considering a youth’s background, mental health, trauma history, degree of participation in the offense or potential for rehabilitation. Direct file also does not allow for many due process protections — for example, no hearing before a judge and no right to appeal. Prosecutors in...

The Positive Youth Justice Initiative is entering its third phase, with up to $750,000 in grant funding available for nonprofit organizations in California to advance positive juvenile justice. The Center for Health Program Management will fund grassroots organizations to advance the work of the Positive Youth Justice Initiative through community organizing to accelerate a statewide movement toward a more youth development-focused juvenile justice system. Awards will range from $75,000 to...

On July 11, 2016 California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith announced nearly $13 million in grants to help reduce mental health disparities in communities that have traditionally been underserved. The funding will be distributed to 11 pilot projects statewide that provide mental health services to five target populations, including African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and...

When I first met Jennifer Cruz , she was 17 years old. She had recently made the dangerous journey to the United States all by herself to escape extreme violence plaguing her country of El Salvador. Hundreds of thousands of other unaccompanied minors from Central America did the same thing. In Jennifer’s case, gang members were threatening to kidnap and rape her if she didn’t give in to their demands. This teenager was fortunate. Not only did she make it to the U.S. safely, but she also had...

A comprehensive model of building community capacity in Washington helped make dramatic reductions in rates of health issues and social problems. The Issue In the early 1990’s, Washington state set up a program to tackle issues like domestic violence, school dropouts, youth substance abuse, and others that impact families and children. These are issues that typically had been addressed separately, but the team in Washington focused on addressing them collectively. Key Findings Over 10 to 15...