TCWF recognizes Juanita Barrena, Ph.D., Sacramento; David E. Hayes-Bautista, Ph.D., Los Angeles; and Linda Squires-Grohe, San Francisco, with its 2008 Champions Award. The three honorees are leaders in higher education who provide vital training opportunities, information and advocacy for students facing challenges that can stand in the way of pursuing careers in the health professions. Each awardee has worked to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the health workforce by addressing institutional bias, reforming admission policies and mentoring students. They have created innovative programs to ensure that Californians have greater access to culturally competent health care. read more
Latina and Latino Nurses: Why So Few?
A new report from the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, “Latina and Latino Nurses: Why are there so few?” cites lack of knowledge about the field and few role models as barriers for Latinos to enter the nursing profession. The report, funded by a grant from TCWF, looks at the critical shortages in nursing and the policies and interventions necessary to increase Latino participation in the nursing workforce. read more
Homeless Youth Speak Out
A new report from the California Research Bureau (CRB), “Voices from the Street: A Survey of Homeless Youth by their Peers,” shares information from interviews with young people, ages 13 to 25, about their experiences on the streets. The report, partially funded by TCWF, provides candid accounts from homeless youth across California regarding their emotional and mental heath, and includes their recommended changes in public policies. Affordable housing and easier access to public services, such as medical care and effective case management, were among the recommended changes. read more
Leadership for Equity and Diversity Recognized
Women and Philanthropy has named Peggy Saika, chairperson of the board for TCWF, as the 2008 Leadership for Equity and Diversity (LEAD) Award winner. The LEAD award honors visionaries in the philanthropic community who have demonstrated commitment to social change by promoting equity and diversity for women and girls. Women and Philanthropy is a project of the Council on Foundations, whose mission is to provide tools and leadership to philanthropic organizations to advance the common good. read more
Teen Pregnancy: “No Time for Complacency”
The 2008 update of Public Health Institute’s “No Time for Complacency” report reveals that California’s 15-year teen birthrate decline ended in 2006 as rates began to climb. The report examines the issue from a statewide perspective and also provides local data, specific to Senate districts. The “No Time for Complacency” report is funded by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation. read more
The Price Tag of Violence
Fatal and non-fatal injuries due to interpersonal and self-directed violence result in large direct expenditures for the health care, law enforcement, criminal justice and welfare systems. Meeting these direct costs diverts huge quantities of money from more constructive societal spending. Larger still are the indirect costs of violence-related injuries that arise from lost productivity and an inability to continue with the activities of daily life. This problem is analyzed in the World Health Organization’s “Manual for Estimating the Costs of Injuries Due to Interpersonal and Self-Directed Violence,” published in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. read more
"Pro-Gun" States Lead the Nation in Per Capita Firearm Death Rate
Research by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) reveals that states in the South and West with weak gun laws and high rates of gun ownership lead the nation in overall firearm death rates, according to the VPC's new analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. By contrast, states with strong gun laws and low rates of gun ownership had far lower rates of firearm-related death. The Violence Policy Center, a TCWF grantee, is a national nonprofit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury. read more
TCWF Honored for Outstanding Communications
TCWF has received two silver awards from the Council on Foundations’ 2008 Wilmer Shields Rich Awards Program for Excellence in Communications, one for its work on the 2006 Annual Report and one for its public information campaign to increase California’s health care workforce and its diversity. The awards program recognizes communications by foundations and corporate giving programs that highlight the importance of foundation accountability and provide models of excellence in advancing their grantmaking goals. read more
Mental Health Program
TCWF is sponsoring a panel discussion on the evening of June 23, 2008 in San Francisco about challenges in meeting the mental health needs of youth in the foster care system. The program will feature Bay Area organizations that are helping young people receive the care they need. The forum is part of a series of events at the Commonwealth Club of California sponsored by TCWF's media and civic partnerships program. read more
