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Sonoma County PACEs Connection (CA)

Hidden in Plain Sight & Why Eliminating Health Inequalities Should be a Top Priority

Pete Golis wrote an editorial piece in this weekend's paper highlighting a local research brief of sorts many of us might never hear about, but all of us can benefit from reading.  "Hidden in Plain Sight" (scribed by the Sonoma County Community Foundation) paints a picture of the "growing, graying, and diversifying" Sonoma Valley.

The report introduction begins with this compelling invitation to consider the assets and challenges: 

"American philanthropy is in the midst of an historic moment. Greater wealth and greater inequality exist alongside new levels of ambitious philanthropy. Sonoma Valley is a rich region that epitomizes these national trends.

Underneath Sonoma’s beautiful facade, hidden in plain sight, are two growing forces: the stresses of the Bay Area’s boom and its accompanying inequality, alongside the growing need for philanthropic giving and nonprofit leadership."

By page 7, the report pulls us into the current stresses and growing poverty in Sonoma Valley.  While I live in Santa Rosa, I am paying close attention to what the report reveals.  As we discovered with the Portrait of Sonoma, our County's overall health is closely tied to regional and neighborhood level health.  With the high cost of living, even fully employed families are struggling.  Could this be tied to pay disparity? What about other complexities like the high cost of health insurance, school access, and housing? "Hidden in Plain Sight"  begins to answer these questions. 

If Sonoma Valley can use its assets to meet these challenges, there will be lessons for all Sonoma County regions to learn.

In particular, there is a strong case for public health (not just the agency, but all those concerned with the public's health) to continue to highlight these problems and support the community in finding self healing.  

As my colleague Clare Reidy and coauthors explore in the "Expanding the Boundaries Health Equity and Public Health Practice" article published via NACCHO and the CDC in 2014, there is a fresh view on how we might pull apart issues of equity.  "Exploring root causes of health inequities is a way to consider how public health can influence the social inequalities that contribute to the 'unnecessary, avoidable, unjust and unfair' differences in health." (Reidy et al 2014)

"Tax policy, minimum wage, living wage, organizing low-wage workers, foreclosures, education, immigration policy, and other issues related to inequalities of wealth and income are public health matters, although public health will not often be in the lead. Public health will instead more commonly have to align strategically with social movements and political forces that are advocating for policies and practices that will reduce inequalities and improve health, lending public health evidence and perspectives to larger campaigns." (Reidy et al 2014)

In the case of the "Hidden in Plain Sight" report, the Community Foundation nicely assumes the role of reporter, convener and leader calling the community to action in their report.   Could it be that a local movement to address equity is brewing?

Let me know how you feel after reading these two compelling reports.  Please share these with friends to keep the local conversation flowing.  

 

 

 

 

 

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Press Democrat: Cases of child abuse and neglect up 17 percent in Sonoma
County

County officials say the increases occur at a time when the county’s most
at-risk families are struggling with obstacles such the rise in opioid use
and the stress and strain caused by the county’s high cost of housing.
Other hardship factors for at-risk families include unemployment or
underemployment, and mental health problems, said Katie Greaves, section
manager at the county’s Family Youth and Children services.

“The more of those issues you have, the harder it is for parents to provide
stability and the basic needs that children need to thrive,” Greaves said.

That vast majority of allegations CPS investigates are related to neglect
rather than abuse, said Greaves, adding that such cases are often at “the
intersection” of substance abuse, poverty and mental health. She said the
county is currently doing a study of cases to understand what many social
workers have been encountering in cases they investigate — the abuse of
multiple substances including opioids, methamphetamine, alcohol and
marijuana.

“Opioids are definitely the common thread we see,” Greaves said.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/n...s-of-child-abuse-and

------

Jacob Rich, MPH
Community Outreach Coordinator
El Molino High School (elmolino.org) and Russian River Area Resources and
Advocates (RRARA.org)
Office (707) 824 6508 Cell (707) 478 5684
jrich.ehs@wscuhsd.k12.ca.us

"The challenge is to nurture a culture of altruism and empathy, seeking to
imbue an instinct for social engagement." A Path Appears- Nicholas Kristof
and Sheryl WuDunn

On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 11:10 AM, ACEsConnection <
communitymanager@acesconnection.com> wrote:
Thank you for sending this to me. I read the hidden in plain sight report. It was really interesting as I don’t know very much about the area and it appears it’s an area to watch…

Hoping to read the NACCHO report later.

Karyna Mayora-Linzer, RN, MS, PHN
Maternal Child Adolescent Health Coordinator | Sonoma County Department of Health Services
625 Fifth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 | desk 707 565-4553 fax 707 565-4550
karyna.mayora-linzer@sonoma-county.org<mailto:karyna.mayora-linzer@sonoma-county.org> | www.sonoma-county.org/mcah<http://www.sonoma-county.org/mcah>
Achiever Learner Input Futuristic Relator

The well-being of mothers, infants, and children determines the health of the next generation and can help predict future public health challenges for families, communities, and the health care system – HealthyPeople2020.gov

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