County, State Briefs Address Social Causes For Veterans, Immigrants, Native Communities and Funds Scientific Research

County Launches Pilot Program To Reduce Veteran Suicide

LOS ANGELES — On Sept. 29, Los Angeles County officially launches the Veteran Suicide Review Team or VSRT, a collaborative between city, county, federal and private agencies to reduce veteran suicide in LA County.

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health or LACDMH will serve as lead in the project, working closely with Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veteran Affairs or LACDMVA and the US Department of Veterans Affairs or VA, and the Medical Examiner/Coroner to implement a data-driven and a collaborative death review process to collect data, analyze veteran suicides, and identify gaps in service to enhance support structures.

The core team participating in the monthly reviews consists of multiple county agencies, VA VISN 22 and associated VA medical centers, FBI, CalVet, LA City, and suicide-specific veteran community organizations who will work together to review data brought in from each of their departments to best identify trends to shape future strategy.

The LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the pilot program based on recommendations of a study released last year. The study revealed a 16% increase in veteran suicide from 2017 to 2018 in LA County. 

Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Sheila Kuehl co-authored the motion, which was adopted in February, 2022.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/yc5he9ju 

California IDs For All

SACRAMENTO — As other states cruelly target migrants and vilify immigration, Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced the signing of legislation that will support immigrants, advance equity, and expand opportunity.

What Does This Mean?

• Undocumented Californians will be able to obtain a State ID, a critical step for inclusion and meaningful participation in our communities and economy.
• Street vendors can more easily get local health permits, supporting better economic inclusion and opportunity.
• Immigrant students will have improved access to in-state tuition at public colleges and universities, and to ESL courses at community colleges. Additionally, immigrant student borrowers will have more options to finance their college educations.
• Provides low-income Californians, regardless of their immigration status, eligibility for legal assistance in civil matters affecting basic human needs.
• Access to community health workers and promotores who can facilitate and provide culturally and linguistically responsive care.
• Cal/OSHA postings will be provided in various languages to protect workers and support safe workplaces.
• An alternate plea scheme will be created for defendants charged with drug offenses, which mitigates particular harm for noncitizen Californians.

Last month, Gov. Newsom signed SB 836 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), prohibiting the disclosure of a person’s immigration status in open court in a criminal case by any party unless approved by the judge.

Details: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation to Support California Native Communities

SACRAMENTO — On Sept. 23, Native American Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills to support California Native communities and build on the Administration’s work to promote equity, inclusion and accountability throughout the state. In a ceremony joined by leaders of Native American tribes from across California, the Governor signed AB 1314 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) to help address the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Native people from communities across the country.

Under AB 1314, local law enforcement will be able to request that the California Highway Patrol activate an emergency Feather Alert, similar to an Amber or Silver alert, to assist in search efforts for a Native person who has been reported missing under suspicious circumstances.

The state budget this year invests $12 million over three years to fund tribally-led programs to help address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people on tribal lands. This investment built on last year’s investment of $5 million to fund training and guidance for law enforcement agencies and tribal governments to improve public safety on tribal lands and study challenges related to the reporting and identification of missing and murdered Native peoples, particularly women and girls.

Gov. Newsom also signed AB 1936 by Assemblymember Ramos, which re-designates the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law as the College of the Law, San Francisco and advances restorative justice efforts for Round Valley Indian Tribes and Yuki people whose ancestors suffered mass killings and other atrocities funded and supported by college founder Serranus Hastings in the mid-19th century. 

Under AB 2022 by Assemblymember Ramos, the racist and sexist term “squaw” will be removed from all geographic features and place names in the state, and a process to review petitions to change offensive or derogatory place names will be created. The Newsom Administration has launched a series of ongoing actions to identify and redress discriminatory names of features attached to the State Parks and transportation systems.   

Governor Newsom also signed AB 1703 by Assemblymember Ramos, the California Indian Education Act. The measure encourages local educational agencies and charter schools to form California Indian Education Task Forces in partnership with local tribes to develop curricular materials that highlight the unique history, culture and government of tribes in their region.

Details: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Senators Announce Over $43 Million in Funding for Advancement of Scientific Research in California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (both D-Calif.) Sept. 23, announced that seven universities, one nonprofit, and one startup in California will be receiving over $43 million in grants from the National Science Foundation or NSF. This funding will support 14 research projects and fellowships to advance academic studies on wide-ranging scientific topics and increase diversity in scientific fields.

NSF supports research, innovation, and discovery that provides the foundation for economic growth in this country. In FY 2021, NSF awarded over $1.1 billion to California, with over $900 million allocated to fundamental research. By advancing the frontiers of science and engineering, our nation can develop the knowledge and cutting-edge technologies needed to address the challenges we face today and will face in the future.

Details: Find a full list of California projects receiving funding here.