California Resources
Supporting Communities and Local Public Health Departments During COVID-19 and Beyond: A Roadmap for Equitable and Transformative Change
Examines strategies to strengthen public health systems in California to create more equitable and resilient communities. Utilizes interview and survey data from community and public health stakeholders as well as reviews of policy and best practices. Includes discussions about collaborating along local, regional, and state levels to improve healthcare in rural and underserved areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Public Health Alliance of Southern California, Public Health Institute
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Examines strategies to strengthen public health systems in California to create more equitable and resilient communities. Utilizes interview and survey data from community and public health stakeholders as well as reviews of policy and best practices. Includes discussions about collaborating along local, regional, and state levels to improve healthcare in rural and underserved areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Public Health Alliance of Southern California, Public Health Institute
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A Spatio-Demographic Perspective on the Role of Social Determinants of Health and Chronic Disease in Determining a Population's Vulnerability to COVID-19
Examines the relationship between potential social determinants of health (SDOH), COVID-19, and chronic disease in San Diego County, California, with comparisons among the county's subregional areas which range from urban in the west to rural in the east. Explores which socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19 and chronic disease rates are potential SDOH. Discusses whether spatial modeling of chronic disease rates can identify communities most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Author(s): Jessica Embury, Ming-Hsiang Tsou, Atsushi Nara, Eyal Oren
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 06/2022
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Examines the relationship between potential social determinants of health (SDOH), COVID-19, and chronic disease in San Diego County, California, with comparisons among the county's subregional areas which range from urban in the west to rural in the east. Explores which socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19 and chronic disease rates are potential SDOH. Discusses whether spatial modeling of chronic disease rates can identify communities most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Author(s): Jessica Embury, Ming-Hsiang Tsou, Atsushi Nara, Eyal Oren
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 06/2022
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Perceptions of the Coronavirus and COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination in Latinx and Indigenous Mexican Immigrant Communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley
Examines social determinants of health (SDOH) and socio-cultural perceptions of COVID-19 spread, testing, and vaccination among Latinx and indigenous Mexican farm-working communities in the rural borderland of Eastern Coachella Valley. Discusses data from 55 focus group participants about themes of misinformation, distrust of institutions, and employment and residency instability.
Author(s): Daniel Gehlbach, Evelyn Vázquez, Gabriela Ortiz, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22
Date: 05/2022
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Examines social determinants of health (SDOH) and socio-cultural perceptions of COVID-19 spread, testing, and vaccination among Latinx and indigenous Mexican farm-working communities in the rural borderland of Eastern Coachella Valley. Discusses data from 55 focus group participants about themes of misinformation, distrust of institutions, and employment and residency instability.
Author(s): Daniel Gehlbach, Evelyn Vázquez, Gabriela Ortiz, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22
Date: 05/2022
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Assessing the Health Outcomes of the Food Access Pilot Project: An Evaluation of a Medically Supportive Food Support Program for People Living with HIV in Rural California Counties
Examines the effect of the Food Access Pilot Project (FAPP), which provided prepared meals or meal kits to food-insecure HIV-positive people, on HIV viral load, CD4 count, and food security among 158 participants in California's Humboldt, Napa, and San Joaquin counties.
Author(s): Linda Yu, Amee Madura, Claudia Gil, Paul Hepfer, Kartika Palar
Citation: AIDS and Behavior, 26, 2613-2622
Date: 02/2022
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Examines the effect of the Food Access Pilot Project (FAPP), which provided prepared meals or meal kits to food-insecure HIV-positive people, on HIV viral load, CD4 count, and food security among 158 participants in California's Humboldt, Napa, and San Joaquin counties.
Author(s): Linda Yu, Amee Madura, Claudia Gil, Paul Hepfer, Kartika Palar
Citation: AIDS and Behavior, 26, 2613-2622
Date: 02/2022
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Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health External Quality Review: FY 2021-22 Statewide Report
Reports on an external review of all 56 county Mental Health Plans (MHPs) that are contracted to provide specialty mental health services to California Medicaid beneficiaries, including breakdowns for rural areas. Discusses challenges meeting demand and recruiting and retaining healthcare providers. Highlights access to services through telehealth; timeliness of providing service and tracking timeliness; quality management; and information systems.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Services
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Reports on an external review of all 56 county Mental Health Plans (MHPs) that are contracted to provide specialty mental health services to California Medicaid beneficiaries, including breakdowns for rural areas. Discusses challenges meeting demand and recruiting and retaining healthcare providers. Highlights access to services through telehealth; timeliness of providing service and tracking timeliness; quality management; and information systems.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Services
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"It's the Relationships": Q&A with Peggy Broussard Wheeler
An interview with Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President of Policy at the California Hospital Association. Covers the challenges rural hospitals face during the pandemic, health equity efforts, workforce issues, and more. Discusses how rural hospitals work together to address concerns.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President of Policy at the California Hospital Association. Covers the challenges rural hospitals face during the pandemic, health equity efforts, workforce issues, and more. Discusses how rural hospitals work together to address concerns.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Experiences of Health Centers in Implementing Telehealth Visits for Underserved Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the Connected Care Accelerator Initiative
Offers an analysis of telehealth implementation in safety net settings with a focus on Federally Qualified Health Centers based on health center-provided telehealth visit data from February 2019-August 2021, as well as interviews with leadership and staff. Covers trends in telehealth use in health centers that participate in the California Health Care Foundation's Connected Care Accelerator initiative, the perceptions of health center leaders and staff, and implications for future policy, practice, and investigation.
Author(s): Lori Uscher-Pines, Natasha Arora, Maggie Jones, et al.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Offers an analysis of telehealth implementation in safety net settings with a focus on Federally Qualified Health Centers based on health center-provided telehealth visit data from February 2019-August 2021, as well as interviews with leadership and staff. Covers trends in telehealth use in health centers that participate in the California Health Care Foundation's Connected Care Accelerator initiative, the perceptions of health center leaders and staff, and implications for future policy, practice, and investigation.
Author(s): Lori Uscher-Pines, Natasha Arora, Maggie Jones, et al.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Creating New Rural Residency Programs: Three Grantees Share Their Stories
Highlights three rural residency programs in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and California. Discusses program accomplishments made possible through funding from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Residency Planning and Development Program.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Highlights three rural residency programs in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and California. Discusses program accomplishments made possible through funding from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Residency Planning and Development Program.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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ACEs Screening in Rural California: Exploring Provider Perspectives and Experiences
Report examining the implementation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening in rural communities in Northern California based on interviews with Medi-Cal providers. Discusses opportunities to support screening, referral, and treatment as well as barriers, including limited time, resources, infrastructure, and skilled staff. Discusses disproportionate rates of ACEs in rural adults and health impacts of ACEs.
Author(s): Kathryn Stewart, Lisa Tadlock, Shauna Olsen, Sue Grinnell
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: California Department of Health Care Services, Northern ACEs Collaborative, Population Health Innovation Lab, Public Health Institute
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Report examining the implementation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening in rural communities in Northern California based on interviews with Medi-Cal providers. Discusses opportunities to support screening, referral, and treatment as well as barriers, including limited time, resources, infrastructure, and skilled staff. Discusses disproportionate rates of ACEs in rural adults and health impacts of ACEs.
Author(s): Kathryn Stewart, Lisa Tadlock, Shauna Olsen, Sue Grinnell
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: California Department of Health Care Services, Northern ACEs Collaborative, Population Health Innovation Lab, Public Health Institute
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Door-to-Door Vaccination Campaign Reaches the Most Vulnerable
Article and video describing the efforts of the Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety (CAPS), a community-based organization, to conduct COVID-19 vaccination outreach door-to-door in rural, at-risk, and immigrant communities in California. Describes the challenges facing public health agencies working in rural areas, vaccine hesitancy, and health disparities in rural areas.
Author(s): Stephen Johnson
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Freethink
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Article and video describing the efforts of the Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety (CAPS), a community-based organization, to conduct COVID-19 vaccination outreach door-to-door in rural, at-risk, and immigrant communities in California. Describes the challenges facing public health agencies working in rural areas, vaccine hesitancy, and health disparities in rural areas.
Author(s): Stephen Johnson
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Freethink
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Additional resources are available. See a full list of California Resources.
Last Updated: 1/21/2025