Local

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

On Monday, October 17, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the COVID-19 emergency in California will end Feb. 28, 2023

The governor’s powers to suspend constitutional laws and procedures in the event of eminent danger – authority that has been criticized as overreaching by critics – will come to an end.

The pandemic highlighted racial disparities in the health care delivery system for Black people and the lack of representation in health care occupations – considering Black people only made up about 3% of California’s active patient care physicians in 2020 despite making up roughly 6.5% of the state’s overall population.

The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) has taken a huge step toward a remedy for this issue by launching an independent, 4-year medical degree (MD) program.

This is the first and only program of its kind in a historically Black institution west of the Mississippi. It is one of four U.S. historically Black medical colleges.

CDU is in South Los Angeles. It was founded on the heels of the Watts Rebellion in the mid-60s. LA’s Black population is about 9% of its residents, totaling about 1 million people.

“Our community, and in fact the entire Western United States, has for too long been deprived of an MD program built from the ground up with diversity, equity, and inclusion fused into its very bones. No more,” said David M. Carlisle, CDU President and CEO, in an address to the campus. “It is a great honor and achievement to announce to you today that CDU will finally remedy this once and for all.”

After a turbulent couple of years, California now has a 7-day average of 562 for COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people and a 7-day average death rate of 29.

Up until recently, the Black community was more likely to suffer more severe symptoms due to COVID.

CDU – a nonprofit institution committed to cultivating future health professionals and leaders “who are dedicated to social justice and health equity” – is partnering with UCLA by educating medical students through a joint MD program.

Funds for the program came from the University’s five year, $75 million CDU Rising Campaign.

According to the Dean of CDU’s College of Medicine, Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, the MD program is designed to aid underserved communities.

“The benefits of having more doctors of color in the mix are abundantly clear and supported by research. Doctors of color are more likely to practice in underserved communities, and patients of color have better health outcomes when attended to by a physician of the same ethnicity,” said Prothrow-Stith.

Prothrow-Stith noted that because the program encourages more doctor of color to practice in communities of need, it could help solve the “root cause of many inequities in healthcare” across California that were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the end of the pandemic emergency status has an expiration date, officials with California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) assure citizens that this does not mean the State will be abandoning them.

“California’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has prepared us for whatever comes next. As we move into this next phase, the infrastructure and processes we’ve invested in and built up will provide us the tools to manage any ups and downs in the future,” said Secretary of CalHHS Dr. Mark Ghaly in a statement. “While the threat of this virus is still real, our preparedness and collective work have helped turn this once crisis emergency into a manageable situation.”

As state officials and community members tackle these issues, they hope that the state will have the infrastructure and personnel to provide an adequate response should another public health crisis arise.

By Solomon O. Smith | California Black Media

There are four Black candidates running for statewide office in California. Three are contenders to win as they fight it out with their opponents in the final days of the election.

Dr. Shirley Nash Weber (D), the incumbent Secretary of State (SOS), is the front-runner in her race against Robert Bernosky (R). Weber was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in December 2020. She is California’s first Black Secretary of State and only the fifth African American to serve as a state constitutional officer in California’s 170-year history.

Since her appointment, Weber has led successful public information campaigns resulting in more Californians going to go to the polls. She conducted a tour of state schools and local communities as part of an ongoing initiative by her office. SOS is the third highest office in California and is responsible for establishing and implementing voting rules as well as the logistics of bringing the vote to a little 20 million voters.

In Weber’s race, she has a lengthy list of supporters and endorsements including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Controller Betty Yee, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Attorney Gen. Rob Bonta, and Chair of the California State Board of Equalization Malia Cohen. In addition, several papers like the Los Angeles Sentinel, San Diego Voice and Viewpoint, the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union Tribune have also endorsed her candidacy.

Her opponent has a bit of a different opinion on the vote, as per his platform which lists “cleaning up” California’s voter rolls as number three on his to-do list. Many claimed that illegal immigrants were scattered throughout the voting rolls of Western states, all of which has been debunked by fact checkers like PolitiFact.

Tony Thurmond, a student of the public education system and a graduate of the foster youth system, is running for a second term as Superintendent for Public Instruction (SPI). Thurmond attributes the lag in the performance of Californian students to insufficient funding, an opinion which the teachers’ unions support.

“I’m honored to be supported by teachers. I’m in a race where I am supported by teachers and my opponent is supported by billionaires,” Thurmond said.

Although Thurmond is a favorite to retain his office, he has gotten some criticisms about how he handled public schools during the pandemic. Those angry about the school closures blame Thurmond and some studies show that children may have been held back academically by the shutdowns, particularly children of color.

Thurmond’s opponent, Lance Christensen, works for a California Policy Center, a right-leaning think tank. Christensen’s push for more control for parents and local communities is in line with Republican policies. SPI is a non-partisan elected position.

Christensen has called out teachers for “indoctrinating” children and has endorsed many right-wing views. “I’m a religious person, I’m a conservative, I don’t make any bones about that,” he said. “I don’t try to excuse it. I don’t hide it.”

Thurmond says that he wants to invest more in education, at least an amount that is commensurate with California’s standing as the fifth wealthiest economy in the world. His opponent is focused on removing bad teachers and giving parents more control.

Although Thurmond is the favorite and garnered a larger share of the vote during the June primary, Christensen appeals to some parents and his right-leaning language about school choice could make Thurmond’s race more difficult in some conservative areas.

The race for state controller is a bit more complicated. The previous occupant of the position, Betty Yee, a Democrat has termed out of her position. Malia Cohen is the Democratic choice to replace Yee. Cohen has dedicated her career in public service focused on making public dollars work for all Californians, her campaign says.

Her opponent Lanhee Chen (R) is a self-described “conservative in the vein of Mitt Romney.”

In the primary, Cohen placed second, behind Republican Yee, 36.9% to 26.8%. However, the electorate favors Cohen in November. 46.8% of voters are registered Democrats while just 23.9 % of voters are registered Republican.The LA Times refers to this as the only open race this year.

Chen has been an aggressive underdog in the race attacking Cohen on several issues. To date, Cohen has yet to directly debate Chen, who taunted her on Twitter with images of herself, alone, on the debate stage.

Angela Underwood Jacobs is vying to be the first Black woman to serve as Lt. Gov of California.  She is a Republican.

Underwood’s experience includes service as deputy mayor of Lancaster where she was the first Black woman on the city council. Jacobs received 19.9% of the vote in the primaries, a distant second to incumbent Eleni Kounalakis’ 52.7%. Her platform includes many of the conventional Republican issues like smaller government and less regulation, but there are also some differences.

Her brother Dave Patrick Underwood, a federal security officer in Oakland, was shot and killed by a member of a far-right extremist group called the Bugaloo Bois — some members of the organization reportedly participated in the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Jacobs sued Facebook for promoting and facilitating the activities of these types of groups.

Jacobs’ “Make California Gold Again” motto, is emblematic of her mildly Trumpian platform.

INDIO, CA— California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday joined Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and officials from College of the Desert and FIND Food Bank for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Indio campus student food pantry and a check presentation to College of the Desert for the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program.

“Meeting community needs through the invaluable service of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Fellows, who are earning scholarships to help pay for school, is a win for all of us,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. “We are thrilled to see the benefits of this program already coming to life.”

The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program is a new opportunity for thousands of California college students to serve their communities in critical issue areas such as climate action, education, and food insecurity.

“College of the Desert is doing an excellent job engaging students, expanding partnerships, and being at the forefront of innovative opportunities to provide financial support for students. We are grateful to California Volunteers, the Office of the Governor and the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps for this $1.8 million investment in our Coachella Valley,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. “Together with local partners, this program will build a new generation of young leaders willing to step up and serve the community, alleviate food insecurity, and help make the dream of a college education more attainable for our students.”

Fellows in College Corps at College of the Desert will work with community leaders to address food insecurities in the Coachella Valley while achieving their college goals.

“Food insecurities are a real problem for many college students. College of the Desert is grateful to collaborate with community partners to help students struggling with food insecurity on a local level. Students participating in the program will also learn skills that relate to the working world.” said Dr. Martha Garcia, College of the Desert Superintendent/President.

Students who complete a year of service will be eligible to receive up to $10,000. College of the Desert’s year-long service opportunity will be with FIND Food Bank. Fellows will learn about the efforts to address food insecurity in the Coachella Valley as well as take part in direct service activities.

“This program is an opportunity to engage students with the issues affecting our community that also teaches transferrable leadership skills from working in warehouse logistics, retail, and programmatic development,” said Debbie Espinosa, Food Bank President & CEO.

“Food insecurity impacts college students too. By having this pathway to lessen the burden of student debt while giving a platform for students to share their voices and address local problems, we’re cultivating our future leaders to make a lifetime of impact.”

Students can learn more by visiting www.cacollegecorps.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble will be performing This Sunday, November 6th at 2 p.m. at San Bernardino Valley College North Hall.

Themed “INNOVATE”, the repertoire will include Fanfare to the Stars by Chandler Wilson, a transcription of African Dance by our own Dr. Nicholas Bratcher and Kevin Day, and Southern Hymn by Sam Hazo, among other works.

Now in its second season, the ensemble is an auditioned group of students ages 14-21 from schools throughout the Inland Empire. The San Bernardino Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble is conducted by Dr. Nicholas Bratcher, associate professor, and director of bands at California State University, San Bernardino.

The San Bernardino Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble is a music education initiative from the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra providing a nurturing and creative environment where young musicians can grow musically and holistically through performance spotlighting the work of traditionally underrepresented composers.

The event will be held on the campus of San Bernardino Valley College in the North Hall.

For more information about the San Bernardino Symphony’s music education programs, including the Youth Wind Ensemble, please visit the Symphony website at www.sanbernardinosymphony.org. Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased at the door

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Thousands of students participated in the annual Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP) conference, referred to this year as STEPCon22.

This conference focused on exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) with various exhibits that sparked students’ interest.

“STEM-based education provides our students with connections to grasp difficult concepts,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “STEPCon22 is giving students the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning with real-world applications that will strengthen our region’s workforce for the future.”

This annual event is designed to ignite student interest in STEM related career fields.

Through this conference, students became familiar with how STEM can be leveraged in careers such as first responders, law enforcement, military, engineering, manufacturing, environmental and healthcare sectors.

“There are not a lot of women in the STEM area,” said Nia Hoghs, a Yucaipa High School student. “I think it would make a big impact on people if we can get more women in this field because then they will see if she can do it, then maybe I can, too.”

Students had the opportunity to engage with college educators and industry professionals one-on-one. They also participated in hands-on science experiments, interactive technology exhibits, presentations, breakout discussions and a science showcase.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

The California Hawaii Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted elected officials, activists, organizers, faith leaders, and entertainers at its 35th Annual State Convention held in Los Angeles from Oct. 21 through Oct. 23.

Workshops and discussions were held that covered pressing issues confronting African American and other communities of color in California and Hawaii.

Activities included “Stop the Hate” and discrimination training, a Health Forum, a Reparations Townhall, an economic development panel discussion, workshops for youth and college-aged members, an environmental justice workshop and the Annual Gwen Moore Utilities Workshop.

The convention highlight was a fireside chat featuring Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, NAACP California Hawaii President Rick Callender Esq., and the Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at California State University Los Angeles, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, on Saturday night.

For the last two weeks, the LA city council has been embroiled in a scandal centered around the release of a recorded conversation involving former City Council President, Nury Martinez, and City Councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and former LA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera made disparaging comments about several groups including Blacks, Mexicans, LGPTQIA+, as well as several individuals, including Bonin, who is White, and his adopted son Jacob, who is Black

“The attitude that they had of contempt and racism did not surprise me,” Bonin said.  “This was about the three of them holding power…They said, because I voted with Marqueece [Harris-Dawson], Curren [Price Jr.] and my other colleagues, I was the fourth Black member… They went after the organization that Karen Bass founded, The Community Coalition, which is based on a Black-Brown coalition. They went after KIWA, the Korean Immigrant Worker Association, which is based on multiracial collaboration. They were against the idea of people working together, their whole thing was about divide. Their whole thing was for them to win. Somebody else had to lose.”

Martinez and Herrera resigned within days after the meeting tape was leaked, but despite public outrage and pressure from across the political spectrum, including Pres. Joe Biden, Cedillo and De León are refusing to step down.

“One of the things that I think we should be actually calling for is the official censure of these offending council members, and we need to take away their pay,” said Callender.  “If they want to sit there, if they want to do something, they should do it without receiving any money… They refused to resign, refused to pay them… They took Mark Ridley-Thomas’ pay the exact same way.”

“We’re literally looking at every possible thing,” said Bonin. “There is no one on the council who wants them there.”

The President awards dinner honored the activism and achievements of high preforming members and NAACP branches. Honorees included D’Adrea Davie of Stockton, a real estate agent and advocate for building generational wealth, and Yusef Miller of San Diego, a leader of Racial Justice Coalition. Jeanette Ellis-Royston of Pomona, an appointee of the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission, was also honored for her volunteer work. The Butte County, Hayward and San Francisco NAACP branches were honored for their advocacy and programming.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump gave the keynote address at a youth-focuseddinner Friday night. Crump has a national reputation as an advocate for social justice and is known for his representation of clients like the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Jacob Blake, and Daunte Wright. The Rev. Al Sharpton calls him “Black America’s Attorney General.”

The NAACP was founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country. The NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. There are over 2,200 units and branches across the nation with over 2 million activists. Its mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

More information about the NAACP California State Conference is available at www.CAHINAACP.org.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media  

California voters are being asked to decide on whether or not language in the California Constitution should be changed to explicitly ensure the right to reproductive health.

Proposition 1, proposed by Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), amends the California constitution to prohibit the state from interfering with one’s right to choose to have an abortion or refuse contraceptives.

The Reproductive Privacy Act passed in 2002 guarantees these protections, however Prop 1 supporters are concerned that the act could be interpreted in a way that would put them at risk of misinterpretation and new limitations could be placed on reproductive freedom.

If Prop 1 fails to pass, the constitution won’t change, and the Reproductive Privacy Act would continue to guarantee one’s right to an abortion up to the point of viability.

“We are on the precipice of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could topple Roe v. Wade and erode the right to abortion that was secured nearly 50 years ago — altering reproductive freedom in America as we know it,” said Atkins in a statement made before the Supreme Court decided in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the Constitution does not confer the right to abortion, overturning Roe v Wade and a half-century of legal precedent

According to Akins, “[Proposition 1] would make it undeniably clear that in California, abortion and contraception are health care and are a private matter between a patient and their medical provider.

“I have seen what is at stake when people don’t have access to abortion—the real lives and real families that are at risk. In California, we are resolute in our determination to protect women and families, no matter who happens to be wielding power at the federal level,” she continued.

Current state law places some restrictions on abortions. California courts have interpreted the right to privacy so that the state can only restrict abortions when needed to meet certain state interests such as public health and safety. For example, California law requires abortion providers to be licensed.

Abortions can only be performed on a viable fetus if the pregnancy puts the health or life of the person who is pregnant at risk. Under state law, a fetus is considered viable if the fetus likely would be able to survive outside the uterus.

Failure to expand Constitutional language could shift the grounds for physicians to deny reproductive freedom affecting Black Women, some experts say.

Monica McLemore, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, told Bloomberg.com about the distrust and negative experiences Black Women have when it comes to medical professionals.

“The health system we have in the US isn’t functioning well for Black and brown communities. But it’s a more nuanced discussion; there are a whole lot of other things that can go wrong than just death,” she said.

“When we talk about maternal mortality, we aren’t even talking about the 50,000 near misses, [the women of all races who had] serious pregnancy-related complications, like a hemorrhage, an infection, a C-section wound coming apart,” McLemore continued.  “We’re not talking about people like Serena Williams and Beyonce who live but had trauma. Black women are less likely to be believed by their health-care providers, and they are undertreated and under-diagnosed.”

Opponents of Prop 1 believe that it is unnecessary and written so broadly that it could face years of protracted court battles to clear up the language, costing the state millions of dollars in legal fees. They raise particular concern that the measure would override state regulations that now limit abortions after the point when a fetus is viable on its own outside of the womb, at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. These late-term abortions are currently only legal if the health or life of the mother is threatened.

Catherine Hadro, Media Relations Director for the No on Proposition 1 Campaign, spoke with California Black Media about the cost that could come from Prop 1.

“Everyone knows that abortion is and will remain legal in the state of California. The California Legislature has already set aside $220 million to expand abortion access in the state of California. $20 million of that is specifically to pay for women coming from out of state into California to get abortions. The California Legislature has said they expect it’s going to cost an additional $100 million dollars within the next 5 years to pay for women coming into California for abortion. This is only going to increase and cost California taxpayers even more if abortion is legalized up till the point of birth … This is just another example of politicians throwing money at another problem that does not exist.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom has begun airing ads supporting Prop 1 using least $2 million of his own campaign funds to pay for them.

“Fundamental freedoms are vanishing. Women are under attack. This November, we say NOT here. Prop 1 will enshrine reproductive rights in the CA constitution,” Newsom says in the ad.

Prop 1 is on the November 8^th General Election Ballot.

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—-The University of California Board of Regents today (Oct. 18) approved Katherine S. Newman, a nationally renowned academic leader and scholar, as UC Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Newman is currently the System Chancellor for Academic Programs and the Senior Vice President for Economic Development in the Office of the President of the University of Massachusetts. She also holds the Torrey Little Chair of Sociology at UMass Amherst where she previously served as Provost.

Effective Jan. 9, 2023, Newman will serve as the University of California’s chief academic officer and help lead the University’s efforts to advance academic opportunity and inclusive excellence across the 10-campus system. She replaces veteran professor and administrator Michael T. Brown, who is stepping down at the end of 2022 after serving five years in the role.

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., selected Newman following an extensive nationwide search that included consultation with a UC-wide advisory committee with representation from faculty, students, staff and senior leaders

“I’m deeply grateful to Provost Brown for the many significant contributions he has made to the University over these past five years. With his leadership on the 2030 goals, UC has charted a bold path for the years ahead,” President Drake said. “Dr. Newman is an excellent choice for helping us realize the vision of those goals. She is a talented academic leader who cares deeply about public higher education and the vital role it plays in helping communities thrive. I look forward to working with her to advance our shared academic priorities, including the important work underway to close equity gaps across the University of California and to diversify our professoriate.”

A California native, Newman has deep UC roots. She earned a B.A. degree in Philosophy and Sociology from UC San Diego, then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology at UC Berkeley. She began her teaching career at Berkeley Law in the then newly-formed Ph.D. program in Jurisprudence and Social Policy.

She has since held numerous academic leadership positions, while continuing to teach and publish scholarly works in her field.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to return to the University of California, my alma mater twice over as an undergraduate and a graduate student. I lost count at 9 in totaling up the number of people, across three generations of my family, who have completed their degrees within the UC system. Its excellence in all spheres — from its remarkable faculty to its extraordinary students — is recognized the world over. I am excited to join President Drake and thank the Regents for this welcome.”

Susan Cochran, Chair of the Academic Senate, said that she believes Newman is the right person for the position.

“I’m pleased that UC will have someone of Dr. Newman’s caliber in the role of Provost during such a critical time for California and its leading research university,” Cochran said. “Provost Michael Brown has done so much to advance student opportunity and equity at the University of California, and I’m confident that Dr. Newman will be equally passionate about continuing that important work.”

Richard Leib, Chair of the Board of Regents, also praised Newman’s selection, noting that she has a long track record of success both as a scholar and an academic administrator.

“Dr. Newman has devoted her professional life to academia because she understands its significant value,” Leib said. “Higher education is transformative for individuals and for our communities as a whole. Dr. Newman recognizes that and is committed to helping more students come to UC and thrive. I look forward to working with her to lead UC’s efforts in innovation and entrepreneurship as I know that she is the right person to truly make strides in this area. She will help us in advancing the important work of the University of California.”

Among her many accomplishments, Newman worked as the James Knapp Dean of the Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins, the Director of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Princeton, and was the founding Dean of Social Science at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard. She was the Forbes Class of 1941 Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton and the director of Harvard’s Multidisciplinary Program on Inequality and Social Policy, where she served as the Malcolm Weiner Professor of Urban Studies in the Kennedy School of Government.

Marty Meehan, President of the University of Massachusetts, celebrated Katherine Newman for her service to their university system.

“Katherine has served the University of Massachusetts at both the campus and system levels with distinction in many different leadership capacities, always focused on leveraging the power of public higher education to drive the upward socio-economic trajectory of individuals and communities,” said President Meehan. “We wish Katherine all the best with her new adventure.”

An elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Newman is also the author of 15 books on topics ranging from a sociological study of the working poor in America’s urban centers to middle-class economic insecurity under the brunt of recession.

Her forthcoming book, “Moving the Needle: What Tight Labor Markets Do for the Poor” (co-authored with Elisabeth Jacobs at the Urban Institute), will be published by the University of California Press in April 2023.

Newman’s base annual salary will be $508,000 with a 20 percent signing bonus. As background, UC’s top executives comprise less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all employees. Their combined earnings equate to less than one-half of 1 percent of UC’s systemwide gross compensation. More details on Newman’s appointment may be found here.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

In August, The Children’s Partnership hosted a mental health panel centered around the voices of young girls and women of color. The session was organized as part of the organization’s Youth of Color initiative.

“I had never been surrounded by a group of people with the same experiences and the same struggles regarding mental health, regarding being a person of color,” said Samantha Giles.

Giles, a California teenager, is one of the Children’s Partnership’s youth panelists.

 “I even got to go into a breakout room where we talked about how our parents don’t necessarily recognize our mental health struggles and I never really talked with someone else my age about my personal experience and their personal experience,” the teenager intimated.

Giles described the interactions she had with her peers as “eye opening.”

That same month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his “Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health,” an initiative that pumps $4.7 billion into the super-system providing mental health services to the state’s youth

See the Video: California African American Teens Speak Out

Some advocates and public health officials say the governor’s announcement serves as an appropriate policy response to what experts are calling a mental health crisis in the state. They see it as a positive step the state is taking to address the under-treated and often-overlooked challenges that youth like Giles are trying to overcome.

According to the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), one in 14 children have experienced a mental or emotional disturbance that disrupts their day-to-day life.

Of the California adolescents who experienced major depressive episodes, 63.6 % did not receive treatment for those incidents.

Newsom touts California’s response to the national mental health crisis over that of other states.

“As other states take away resources to support kids’ mental health, California is doubling down with the most significant overhaul of our mental health system in state history,” Newsom said. “We’re investing billions of dollars to ensure every California child has better access to comprehensive mental health and substance use services.”

Some notable organizations have praised the state’s commitment to children’s and young adults’ mental health.

“The state has made some incredible and historic investments in children and youth mental health and well-being – both with the $4 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and with the $3 billion Community Schools Initiative,” Angela M. Vázquez, Policy Director at the Children’s Partnership, stated.

However, Vázquez raised concerns about many of these funds being one-time investments that might not fully address the needs of children of color.

Vázquez’s concerns, which mirror those of several mental health advocates in communities of color, extend to Newsom’s pledge to add 40,000 more mental health workers to California.

“Still, the reality is that the clinical workforce is and will likely remain for some time largely White and middle-class – not at all reflective of the diversity of our state’s children,” Vázquez stated.

The Children’s Partnership is currently working on a solution to the existing inequity that the organization says involves peer-to-peer interactions.

“Youth of color from The Children’s Partnership’s own youth policy council, the Hope, Healing, and Health Collective shared that greater investments in peer-to-peer programs would improve the opportunities for youth of color to connect and heal with members of their own communities and identities,” Vázquez stated. “Peer support is an essential evidence-based strategy for young people’s mental health that has the potential to build interest and foundational professional skills that lead to future opportunities for mental health career paths for more students of color.”

Contributing to the state’s youth mental health crisis are other factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say.

According to research published by the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, the state of mental health among Black people worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic with anxiety and depression being the main issues.

“These recent events have layered on additional psychological and emotional stress on children and youth of color, particularly Black youth,” Vázquez stated “In considering what serves young people well, it is imperative that we address the systemic barriers that have contributed to historic mental health disparities in youth, and develop innovative strategies, leaving space for healing outside of and in tandem with the traditional mental health system.”

The CHCF found that Black people had the hardest time amongst all other ethnic groups finding a doctor, especially a specialist.

In 2019, Black children in California were the most likely to experience serious emotional disturbances amongst children of all other racial groups at a rate of nearly 8%.

From 2017 to 2019, roughly 30% of Black 7th graders were projected to have experienced feelings of depression or depressive episodes.

These trends are not just documented among today’s Black children. African American adults are reported to have experienced more adverse childhood experiences that negatively impact their mental health more than any other ethnic group that self-reported, according to the CHCF.

In August, Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2508, authored by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton). The new state law, Newsom’s office says, reimagines youth mental health services by strengthening care systems in schools and focusing on intervention and prevention instead of crisis care.

The governor says the legislation will “better define the role of school counselors.”

But Vázquez has some reservations about that bill, too. She feels it does not fully address the mental health needs of all of the state’s children.

“One thing that AB 2508 does not address is the urgent need for greater investments in California’s youngest learners’ mental health – children ages 0-5,” Vázquez stated. “The state needs to invest significantly more resources in community-based infant and early childhood mental health services, such as early childhood mental health consultations – an evidence-based model that reduces the number of preschool suspensions and expulsions, an issue that has significant disproportionate impacts on young Black children.”

California Black Media’s coverage of Mental Health in California is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.

By Lue Dowdy | LUE Productions

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— This holiday season, LUE Productions is searching for community singers that want to bring some cheer to seniors. Singers will provide a holiday performance servicing the elderly by sharing songs and music through a collective of popular Christmas carols. Some songs will be meshed into a medley and others will be sung by a soloist, duo, or trio. Practices will take place in November on Thursdays beginning November 10 at 7:30 p.m. at 555 N. Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino. If you are interested, please inbox LUE Productions on Facebook or text (909) 567-1000.