Items to include in this newsletter
Welcome Mai Le to the HPP team!
Mai is the new Community Health Planner, and she brings extensive experience in advancing healthy and equitable communities. She will be leading our civic empowerment and health portfolio as well as the Community Collaborative for Children Success. You can reach her at mle@smcgov.org.
Don’t delay; Vote today!
All registered voters have been mailed an Official Ballot with a postage-paid return envelope for the September 14, 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election. To find ballot drop box sites and in-person voting locations in San Mateo County, check here: https://www.smcacre.org/smcvote. Learn more about the link between civic engagement and health on our website.
Stress and Accumulating Difficulties During Pandemic
Over 50% of caregivers in Bay Area counties reported feelings of stress and accumulating difficulties during the pandemic. Source: KidsData
Ensuring a Safe Return to Schools for All
Hello Get Healthy San Mateo readers!
My name is Melissa, and I’m excited to join Health Policy and Planning as a Community Health Planner for the next year. I lead the Safe Return to Schools for All initiative, which aims to enhance the partnership between San Mateo County Health and the San Mateo Office of Education to ensure a safe return to schools for all students and school communities. I will also serve as the School Liaison between the community and San Mateo County Health.
Boards and Commissions Vacancies
County of San Mateo: The Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission is still recruiting adult and youth (14-21 years old) commissioners to advocate for programs and services that prevent youth entry into the juvenile justice system. Apply today!
A Safe Return to In-Person Learning
The 2021-2022 academic school year has started, and we are committed to a safe return to in-person learning. The San Mateo County Office of Education released the Pandemic Recovery Framework.
Universal Meals for California’s Students
Research has shown that when students are hungry, learning in school can be difficult or even impossible. Food insecurity is an issue that affects students across California as well as right here in San Mateo County. In an effort to ensure all students receive healthy, nutritious food, California took the unprecedented step to make school meals free to all students. In response to the pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture temporarily allowed for universal meals.
Apply by September 10 for Safe Routes to Schools implementation!
If your city and/or school is interested in creating safer routes to schools and receiving tailored technical assistance, walk audits, bike and pedestrian maps, and quick build materials for pop-up/demonstration projects near schools, check out this exciting opportunity School Travel fellowship program.
And the Awardees are…
The Safe Routes to School Grant, that was rolled out in June by San Mateo County Office of Education in partnership with the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) of San Mateo, was awarded to 19 grantees across the county, including some schools that are of priority based on the high rates of poverty and/or bike/pedestrian collisions near these schools
Partnering with Philanthropy For Implementation
Health Policy and Planning presented to the Sand Hill Foundation Board of Directors and staff the key findings and strategies of the Community Collaborative for Children’s Success to inform their strategic planning process. The implementation of CCCS’s Neighborhood Plans take multi-sectoral partnerships, and we thank Sand Hill Foundation for their interest in advancing the well-being of children, youth and families in the CCCS priority neighborhoods.
Youth Rapid Community Assessment
A Rapid Community Assessment for youth was conducted in San Mateo county! It was a collaboration between the Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, San Mateo Office of Education and San Mateo County Health. We were all able to learn with the youth what the biggest challenges for vaccine confidence is among this group. Currently, the vaccination rate in San Mateo County Health for 12-15 year olds is 70.1% with 58.4% with a series completed.
Report Back from San Mateo County Economic Roundtable Series
San Mateo County hosted its first session of an Economic Recovery Roundtable Series this month, to better understand how to address the impacts of the pandemic on workers and local businesses to ensure a strong recovery effort. The first session explored robust data analyses led by UC Santa Cruz Professor Dr.
COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Access for Workers: A Training for Public Health Programs
Last month the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and Legal Aid at Work hosted a training for public health departments across the state on informing patients of their rights as workers to paid sick leave for COVID-related needs. Access to sick leave ensures greater equity in vaccination access and preventing disease transmission. Highlights included an overview of the state’s Safer At Work Outreach Toolkit (offered in multiple
Safe Parking Policies Are Good for Health
Affordable and stable housing options are key public health strategies during the pandemic.