SACRAMENTO – California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris on Tuesday launched a statewide listening tour at Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative, or FRCC, in Sacramento to raise awareness about the link between adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress and serious health conditions.
"As California's first Surgeon General, one of my top priorities is to raise awareness that Adverse Childhood Experiences, like emotional abuse or witnessing domestic violence, can increase the risk of major health problems like asthma, diabetes and heart disease. But adversity is not destiny," said Surgeon General Dr. Burke Harris. "The science is clear: early intervention improves outcomes."
Dr. Burke Harris will travel the state to listen to the unique challenges that communities in each region face when addressing the root causes of serious health conditions and health disparities. Bringing together community members, healthcare providers, and leaders to roundtables across the state, Dr. Burke Harris will hear how the Office of the Surgeon General can support communities with prevention and treatment.
The Surgeon General’s listening tour will include stops in Alameda County, Butte County, Fresno County, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.
In Sacramento, joined by First 5 Sacramento leadership, Dr. Burke Harris visited FRCC’s campus and brought together educators, service providers, and community members to discuss the community’s healthcare priorities and challenges.
Dr. Burke Harris visited organizations in the FRCC including Pivot, PRO Youth and Families, Black Mothers United and the River Oaks Family Resource Center to learn about their work to provide access to healthcare services and resources for their communities.
“One of First 5 Sacramento’s priority areas is focused on an alarming statistic: African American children in Sacramento are dying at two to three times the rate of all others,” said First 5 Sacramento Executive Director Julie Gallelo. “These causes of death are linked to multi-generational trauma and systems that haven’t supported our black community. We are changing that in Sacramento through meaningful collaborations, significant financial investments and aligned efforts with a single goal and we welcome the Surgeon General’s partnership.”
“Sacramento Building Healthy Communities is focused on equity and committed to working in collaboration with other community partners dedicated to improving health outcomes for everyone, especially those in most in need,” said Kim Williams, hub director of Sacramento Building Healthy Communities. "We are excited for the Surgeon General's leadership and her work to address toxic stress in our communities."
“PRO Youth and Families is pleased to be part of the collective trauma informed work being provided at the Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative,” said Staci Anderson, president and CEO of PRO Youth and Families. “We welcome collaboration with the new Surgeon General and appreciate her coming to learn about the work we’re doing in the community.”
Dr. Burke Harris also discussed the work that the State is doing to ensure better health outcomes with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s early childhood budget proposals that are focused on developmental screenings, support for home-visiting initiatives and improving infant and maternal health. These programs total more than $200 million in the governor’s 2019-2020 budget proposal.
Gov. Newsom appointed Dr. Burke Harris as California’s first surgeon general on Jan. 21.
SACRAMENTO – Sen. Mike McGuire joined Senator Jerry Hill and 16 other California State legislators on Wednesday to introduce legislation that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco in the Golden State.
“Lured by fruit, candy and other kid-friendly flavors, high school and middle school students throughout the U.S. are vaping in record numbers,” said Senator Hill. “We must stop the appalling epidemic of e-cigarette use among youth.”
“We know that stopping young people from ever picking up a tobacco product is the most effective way to keep them from smoking or vaping later in life,” McGuire said. “It’s crystal clear flavored tobacco products are marketed directly to young people and we’re proud to partner with Senator Hill to pass this critical legislation that will help keep generations of California kids healthy.”
Senate Bill 38, which will prohibit retail stores and vending machines in California from selling flavored tobacco products, will combat the alarming rise of e-cigarette use by teens and other minors as reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report released in November showed that more than 3.6 million middle and high school students are using e-cigarettes – that’s an increase of 1.5 million since 2017 and almost 13 times higher than the number of teens and other young people using e-cigarettes in 2011.
The stunning growth between 2017 and 2018 amounted to a 78 percent increase in e-cigarette use by high school students and a 48 percent increase by middle school students.
The lure of flavored tobacco products for youth is well-documented. 80 percent of young people who have ever used tobacco started with a flavored product, according to figures compiled by the California Department of Public Health. 70 percent of youth who reported current use of a tobacco product said that they use a flavored product, according to the CDC.
In addition to Senators McGuire and Hill, Joint Authors of the bill are: Senators Steve Glazer, D-Orinda and Anthony Portantino, D-Cañada Flintridge. Assemblymembers Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, and Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, are principal coauthors. The other coauthors of the bill are Senators Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, Jim Beall, D-San Jose, Connie M. Leyva, D-Chino, Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Assemblymembers Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, Patrick O’Donnell, D-Long Beach, Mark Stone, D-Monterey Bay, and Phil Ting, D-San Francisco.
SB 38 was approved in the Senate Health committee Wednesday afternoon. It will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Beginning March 15, the Lake County Health Services Department will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to noon every Friday.
This includes the Public Health and Environmental Health Divisions, both of which have managed increasing administrative responsibilities due to recent wildfires and flooding.
Since 2008, Lake County’s government has faced an unprecedented series of challenges brought by recession and disaster.
As of Aug. 28, 2018, the Board of Supervisors authorized many county offices to mirror the practices of the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake and close to the public on Fridays. The Board reauthorized reduced public office hours through September 2019 on Tuesday, March 12.
County staff have continued to work on Fridays, behind closed doors, and reduced public hours have facilitated important training opportunities, more focused staff meetings, and other benefits that enhance County services provided Monday through Thursday.
Faced with understaffing and heavy workloads, Lake County Health Services is now following suit, and reducing public hours on Fridays.
“Our present circumstances demand this change,” said Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy. “Norms established well in the past are not allowing our department to optimally serve Lake County residents, and we are working to implement new practices to support a healthier public and more sustainably strong Health Services Department.”
For more information on the hours of county offices, please visit http://www.lakecountyca.gov/. Office locations and public hours can be found on departmental Web pages.
Lake County Health Services Department can be reached at 707-263-1090.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Spectrum of Light will hold another event offering free medical and dental screenings from 9:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at the Clearlake SDA Church, 14490 Uhl Ave.
The dental services will be light procedures, such as cleanings and fillings.
They will be doing A1C and glucose screening, blood pressure, BMI, health age and vision screenings.
There also will be education and coaching with medical providers for chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, weight loss, etc.
The event will offer health lectures and cooking demonstrations and samples.
Services are first-come, first-served and the dental services will be offered until they are filled to capacity.