“Health” comprises much more than physical or mental health, and is dynamically affected by our complex history of federal and local policies. In order to promote and facilitate health equity, the National Academies, under direction of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health, convened a committee of experts to identify policies contributing to health inequity and…
After a year of community engagement with technical assistance from the Social Policy Institute team, resulting in over 600 encounters via community survey and discussion sessions, the Age-Friendly Solana Beach Action Plan was approved by City Council! This plan includes specific action steps for the community throughout 5 domains: (1) Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, (2) Social Participation with Inclusion, (3)…
Harvard’s National Scientific Council on the Developing Child has published a new working paper, “Place Matters: The Environment We Create Shapes the Foundations of Healthy Development” which examines the role of environmental factors in guiding and nurturing young children’s healthy development. This paper adds to the previous “Working Paper 15” which explored the connection between child development and health over…
We are pleased to present the Social Policy Institute’s 2022 Annual Report
Despite projected budget shortfalls, a Scan Foundation analysis concluded that the budget proposal did not call for significant cuts to health and social service programs serving older adults. Notable exceptions include the temporary elimination of the Accessory Development Unit (ADU) program and the absence of new funding for affordable housing development. Nevertheless, the proposed budget does include some new programs…
In the spring 2022, the Ventura County Interagency Leadership Team collaborated to create the vision presented in this Brief. Review or download the Vision Brief HERE Wellness_System_Vision_Brief_Final2022
What happened to children during the recent global pandemic? The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP)’s, Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative recently addressed this issue in a webinar on “Child Maltreatment-Related Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic in California”. The goal of this webinar was to…
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires each state to convene Citizen Review Panels (CRP). In California, there are three committees that make recommendations to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). One focuses on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, another on Children and Family Services, and the third one on Critical Incidents. During the 2021/2022 fiscal year, these three panels made…
California Children’s Trust, a key SPI collaborator, has released two new briefs that focus on child care coordination and children’s health and wellbeing. These publications conceptualize care coordination, which ensures that children and adolescents receive care at vital points in their life, setting them up for developing a healthy lifestyle. Both resources provide important guidance on child health, including health…