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October 2024

Message from the Director


Greetings,


National Child Health Day was on October 7th. This day recognizes the care and guidance children need to grow strong and healthy. To observe this day, families are encouraged to go for a walk, play in a park, do some yard work or participate in activities to promote child health.

We are excited to announce the launch of recruitment for our sixth cohort of Champion Provider Fellows! Applications opened on October 1, 2024, and will close on December 13, 2024, at 5:00 pm (PST). Visit our website for more information on the application process. We are hosting a Q&A webinar session for prospective clinician applicants on October 24, 2024 from 12:10 pm to 12:50 pm (PST).

In Health and Solidarity,



Wagahta Semere, MD, MHS

Fellowship Director & Associate Professor

UCSF School of Medicine

Reminder: Find articles and resources related to your area(s) of interest by clicking on the icon(s) that correspond to our five focus areas, below:

Transforming Food Access in Los Angeles County - One Champion at a Time

By: Dr. Saima Khan

Champion Provider Fellow (Cohort 5, Los Angeles County)


My first in-person fellowship meeting in Sacramento brought chills of excitement. What I heard that day from inspiring speakers, including former fellows at the forefront of public health and policy change, was inspiring. I realized this is what I had been looking for to complement my direct patient care by serving my community in a meaningful way.  Read more.

Upcoming Events


October

Thurs. Oct. 24 | 12:10 - 12:50pm | Register

2025 Cohort Recruitment Q&A Webinar for Clinicians



November

Mon. Nov. 18 | 12:10 - 12:45pm | Register

Works-in-Progress Call (Fellows Only)

Thurs. Nov. 21 | 12:15 - 1:15pm | Register

Quarterly Local Health Department Check-In

(LHDs Only)

Fellow Activities

Dr. Redieat Assefa (Cohort 3, Riverside County) and Dr. Maxmillian Chambers (Cohort 5, Imperial County) (left)






Dr. Redieat Assefa (Cohort 3, Riverside County) and Dr. Maxmillian Chambers (Cohort 5, Imperial County) spoke at the media briefing for the California Department of Public Health's "Not So Sweet Side" campaign.

Read More
Reminder! Brown·Miller Communications is here to help you!
Need help with message development, op-ed support, or preparing for an interview? Make sure to contact Mike Miller or Muriel Bañares of Brown·Miller Communications. They provide a multitude of media and communication services to Champion Provider Fellows and local health departments. Send them an email to find out how they can help you!
*Champion Provider Listserv*
Collaborate & communicate with Champion Provider
Fellows across the state about your community change efforts.
Post a message by emailing: champion-providers@googlegroups.com
NOTE: Please do not use the listserv to promote lobbying efforts or to discuss patient care. 
Join Listserv

Policy

Assembly Bill 1975: Medi-Cal: medically supportive food and nutrition interventions


On September 25, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1975, which would have required Medi-Cal to cover culturally relevant and medically supportive foods or nutrition interventions when deemed necessary by a healthcare provider. Authored by Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, the legislation was part of a 14-bill package backed by the California Black Caucus based on recommendations from a state reparations task force.


Read more here.

From the Field

Note: Materials included in this section are for reference and information purposes only and do not imply endorsement by the federal government, California Department of Public Health, or the University of California, San Francisco.

Food as Medicine Survey Findings: How Anti-Hunger Organizations Partner with Health Care Providers to Address Food Insecurity

Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).


The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) conducted a survey to assess how state and local anti-hunger organizations are partnering with health care providers, practices, organizations, and systems to address hunger with an emphasis on learning about partnerships to connect households to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). One key finding from the report is that organizations face an array of challenges in its work, with the most common being related to staff capacity and funding.


Read more here.

#WhatsOnMyPlate Movement

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).


MyPlate is a nationwide campaign by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to highlight how MyPlate fits many lifestyles and can be used adapted for different food preferences, cultural tastes, and budgets. The USDA's MyPlate website includes tools to help individuals incorporate MyPlate in their daily lives and learn how to eat healthy on a budget.


Read more and access the tools here.

Leveraging School Policies to Promote Student Health

ChangeLab Solutions.


ChangeLab Solutions, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has developed two resources to help educators, policy makers, and other school partners understand how they can use school policies to promote student connection, create supportive learning environments, and improve student health.


Read more here.

Household Food Security in the United States in 2023

Rabbitt, M. P., Reed-Jones, M., Hales, L. J., & Burke, M. P. (2024). Household food security in the United States in 2023 (Report No. ERR-337). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. https://doi.org/10.32747/2024.8583175.ers


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released their annual report on household food security on September 4, 2024. The report includes data on food insecurity by household characteristics, trends in prevalence rates, and state-level prevalence of food insecurity. Data shows that 13.5 percent (18.0 million) of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2023.


Read more here.

More Opportunities

Safe Routes to School National Conference

October 22-24, 2024 - Fort Collins, Colorado


Safe Routes Partnership is hosting their annual national conference on October 22-24, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colorado. The theme this year is Safe, Healthy, and JOYful: The Possibilities of our Movement. Attendees can connect with transportation, public health, and Safe Routes champions from across the country. This is an opportunity to network and share best practices.


Read more and register here.

2024-2025 Let's Eat Healthy Community Grants

Application Deadline:

October 31, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT


The Let’s Eat Healthy Community Grant program advances the activation of Dairy Council of California’s Let’s Eat Healthy initiative, engaging champions to empower healthier children and families by investing in great ideas and partnerships to meet the needs of local communities. This funding program advances innovative and collaborative solutions to improve nutrition education, dairy agricultural literacy and access to nutritious foods that include milk and dairy.


Interested in learning more? Join the Let's Eat Healthy Community Grant Q&A Webinar on October 10, 2024, from 2:00 - 2:30 pm. Register here.


Learn more and apply here.

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