Sherry Hirota Receives Minority Health Community Leadership Award
Sherry M. Hirota, chief executive officer of Oakland-based Asian Health Services, has received the Minority Health Community Leadership Award of the National Association of Community Health Centers. The award was presented in January at the 2006 Commemorative National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health. Hirota, a recipient of the 2005 TCWF Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award, has worked for nearly 30 years to improve the health of underserved communities by diversifying the health care workforce. For more information, visit www.nachc.com/press/jan1006.asp
New Book Explains How Organizations Benefit From Workforce Diversity
Effective Philanthropy: Organizational Success through Deep Diversity and Gender Equality, a new book from MIT Press, offers strategies for strengthening organizations through commitment to a diverse workforce. Using demographics, case studies, strategic funding initiatives, theoretical analyses and original research, authors Mary Ellen S. Capek and Molly Mead describe models for building effective foundations that can be applied to all kinds of institutions. TCWF is among the case studies highlighted in the book. For more information, visit: mitpress.mit.edu/
TCWF Launches $1 Million Campaign on Health Workforce Diversity
The California Wellness Foundation has announced a $1 million grant to Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide to implement a public education campaign promoting the benefits of increasing ethnic diversity in the California health care workforce. A significant body of research indicates that a workforce that more closely mirrors the racial and ethnic diversity of California will increase access to care and improve the quality of care that is delivered. For more information on the campaign, visit the News & Resources section.
TCWF grantee L.A. Youth Publishes Story of One Teenager’s Life on Los Angeles’ Skid Row
L.A. Youth, a teen-written newspaper that tackles issues ranging from juvenile justice and foster care to sexuality and racial identity, has recently published a firsthand account of a teenager's life on Los Angeles’ skid row. The young woman describes her four years at a mission and a single room occupancy (SRO) hotel while her mother struggled to keep the family afloat despite drug addiction and poverty. To read the story, visit: http://www.layouth.com/
TCWF Grantee Co-Sponsors 'Taking Action 2006' Conference in March
California Coalition for Youth, a TCWF grantee, and the Western States Youth Services Network will host a conference on March 26-28 in Sacramento to discuss youth-adult partnerships. "Taking Action 2006: Empowering Youth Through Partnerships" will feature six workshop topics, including positive youth development and youth advocacy. Otilio "O.T." Quintero, assistant director of Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos and a 2005 TCWF California Peace Prize honoree, will be the adult keynote speaker. Register by March 3 to receive a discount. For more information, visit: www.calyouth.org/index.asp?pid=21
TCWF Announces 2006 Sabbatical Program for Health Leaders
Applications are now available for The California Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Program. The program offers $30,000 grants to nonprofit health organizations, to provide their executive directors with a paid leave of up to six months. The organizations will also receive up to $5,000 each for the professional development of managers and staff who will assume extra responsibilities in the absence of the sabbatical awardees. Deadline for applications is March 24. read more
Homeboy Industries' Businesses Train Former Gang Members and At-Risk Youth
Established in 1992 by Father Gregory J. Boyle as a response to the civil unrest in Los Angeles, Homeboy Industries offers training and work experience to help at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth to become contributing members of the community. Beginning with Homeboy Bakery, the organization has also launched successful nonprofit silk-screening, merchandising, graffiti removal, maintenance and landscaping businesses. The newest enterprise, Homegirl Café, trains young women for careers in the restaurant industry. For more information, visit: www.homeboy-industries.org/
California Association of Nonprofits 'Policy Days' Conference Scheduled
More than 100 leaders of California nonprofit, government, business and philanthropy sectors will convene on March 21-22 in Sacramento for CAN Policy Days 2006. The event, organized by the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN), will feature a state-wide candidates forum and briefings on state and federal issues of particular importance to nonprofit organizations. A pre-conference "advocacy boot camp" with lobbying experts is offered on March 20. For more information, and to register, visit: http://www.canonprofits.org/
Health Affairs Report Reveals Impact of Hospital Services Pricing on the Uninsured
"The Precarious Pricing System For Hospital Services,” a report in the January/February issue of Health Affairs, examines the reasons for the increasing gap between billed charges for hospital services and underlying costs by tracing the history of pricing systems. According to the article, runaway price inflation has had an adverse impact on the uninsured because they lack the bargaining power of powerful third-party payers. To read the full text, click: http://content.healthaffairs.org/
Applicants Sought for Health Policy Leadership Program
The Central Valley Health Policy Institute invites applications to its Health Policy Leadership Program, which seeks to develop effective health and health care policies and programs in the San Joaquin Valley. The program is open to emerging leaders from diverse sectors, including health care, public health, community organizations, local government, education and business. Participants will learn about cutting-edge approaches to health policy analysis and explore opportunities for improving the health of local communities. The application deadline is March 31. read more
