Public Health Institute

04/09/2026

Fellow applications are now open for PHI's CivicSpark Fellowship Program. This 11-month fellowship places emerging leaders who are interested in gaining skills and professional experience by partnering with public agencies and nonprofits across California, Colorado and Washington. CivicSpark fellows contribute to projects addressing public safety, disaster preparedness, transportation, public health and more. The deadline to apply for the 2026-27 program is Friday, May 22.

Interested in learning more? Find answers to frequently asked questions and watch a recording from a fellow info session: https://civicsparkfellowship.org/fellow-faq/

Learn more about the program and how to apply: https://civicsparkfellowship.org/

CivicSpark is an award-winning and evidence-based fellowship program that builds local workforce capacity to address community planning priorities and challenges such as public safety, disaster preparedness, water resource management, power and electricity, parks and outdoor recreation, transportati...

04/03/2026

Asthma home visiting is an evidence-based intervention proven to reduce healthcare costs and improve asthma outcomes. Next month, PHI's RAMP - Regional Asthma Management and Prevention program and the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) will host a panel webinar exploring pathways for achieving sustainable home-based asthma services. This webinar will feature success stories from across the country, highlighting both state Medicaid policy advances and stories about local partnerships, and other innovations that create a groundswell for statewide change — all serving as models for new community action. Join them on Wednesday, May 13, from 11-12:30PT.

Learn more and register: https://rampasthma.org/blog/sustainable-financing-for-home-based-asthma-services-snapshots-of-innovation-and-progress-across-the-country-webinar/

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04/02/2026

Later this month, digital accessibility requirements set by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II will go into effect for state and local government entities serving populations of 50,000 or more. Join PHI's Pacific ADA Center on Wednesday, April 15 to learn fundamentals of digital and web accessibility from experienced experts.

This foundation-level course will provide practical tools and resources you can use right away meet Level AA Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Build the skills needed to meet legal requirements, learn best practices for creating digital content, and identify common barriers in digital documents, web pages, and social media content.

The training costs $40 per person; group rates are available. Learn more and register: https://web.cvent.com/event/c4097d59-1b6d-43d2-a4b4-385d3f3becc9/summary

03/30/2026

PHI's State of Equity is now accepting applications for their Capitol Collaborative on Race & Equity (CCORE) Transformative Leadership Cohort through April 30 (or until filled).

The CCORE Transformative Leadership Cohort is an advanced learning space designed with the intention of centering the experiences of leaders and learners of color working in California state government or in community-based organizations. Over the course of five months, learners from a diverse array of backgrounds & organizations will come together for comprehensive learning and peer-exchange experience that supports participants' individual growth as public servants. Organizations may apply to participate as a team made up of 8-12 members.

Learn more about the CCORE Transformative Leadership Cohort and apply:

03/27/2026

PHI's Cypress Resilience Project hosts trainings and workshops to support the inherent resilience of individuals and communities who are navigating mental health challenges. Join them next Thursday, April 2, for a lunch and learn webinar on rest. The webinar will explore Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s work on the 7 types of rest the brain needs, and share practical strategies that you can build into your everyday life to promote healing.

Learn more and register:

Register here for classes that are currently available and open to the public. Please use the registration links provided below.

03/26/2026

Earlier today, California lawmakers voted pass legislation renaming the state’s March 31 holiday to Farmworkers Day, following allegations of abuse by one the Farmworker movement’s most visible leaders. The aftermath of this news has left many asking: how do we think of movements beyond the individuals who lead them?

A new blog from PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group explores how we can tell fuller stories of movements and advocacy. They provide practical communication guidance for acknowledging complexity in the aftermath of tragic news, centering survivor voices, and expanding the frame beyond individuals. “Moments like this can shake our understanding of history and the people we’ve looked to for inspiration. But they also offer an opportunity to tell fuller, more honest stories, to center those who have too often been overlooked, and to build movements that are stronger because they hold the people involved, including leaders, more accountable.” Read the full blog: https://www.bmsg.org/one-statistic-that-should-change-how-journalists-cover-domestic-violence/

03/26/2026

Join PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (Public Health Institute) on Tuesday, April 21, for the next webinar in the I-STARR series, which explores how to address obstacles and challenges to providing and conducting research on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in recovery housing.

Guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR), this webinar will present findings from a study identifying factors affecting implementation of MOUD in recovery residences. Learn more and register:

Join PHI's Alcohol Research Group for the I-STARR webinar series, which will explore how to address obstacles and challenges to providing and conducting research on…

03/26/2026

Last month, PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) in partnership with the Blue Shield of California Foundation released an analysis of news coverage on domestic violence (DV) published in California outlets between May 2023 and May 2025. Researchers used the Journalist Playbook—a toolkit developed by journalists and survivors of DV, and produced by the Blue Shield of California Foundation to offer practical guidance for reporting with accuracy, empathy, and impact.

This blog from BMSG features a conversation discussing the findings from this report, the implications of those findings on DV news narratives, and how the media can tell a more complete story by including survivors safely and responsibly.

Most journalists want to report on domestic violence in ways that inform the public without causing further harm to survivors and their loved ones. But doing that well isn’t always straightforward — especially when it comes to centering survivor experiences. This tension may underlie a key gap i...

03/26/2026

For over 20 years, PHI's FACES for the Future Coalition has provided high school students in-depth, hands-on opportunities to explore a future career in health and medicine through their Summer Medical Academy program. Students earn certifications to boost their resume, while also learning lifesaving skills in responding to crises, such as performing CPR and administering Narcan for overdose prevention.

The program runs June 15-26, 2026 in Oakland, Ca. Find more details, including how to apply:

FACES Summer Medical Academy For 21 years, the FACES Summer Medical Academy (FSMA) has offered high school students in-depth, hands-on opportunities to explore their interests in health, clinical skills, and the art of medicine. Students participate in a variety of project-based learning, simulation...

02/24/2026

Join PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (Public Health Institute) on Tuesday, March 17, for the next session in the I-STARR webinar series, which explores how to address obstacles and challenges to providing and conducting research on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in recovery housing. Using data from sober living house (SLH) residents participating in two longitudinal studies in Los Angeles, this webinar will present results from analyses examining whether lapses (any substance use) and relapses (return to regular use) have different risk and protective factors for SLH residents.

Learn more about the series and all upcoming I-STARR webinars:

Join PHI's Alcohol Research Group for the I-STARR webinar series, which will explore how to address obstacles and challenges to providing and conducting research on…

02/24/2026

PHI's Lynn Silver was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition this past Saturday, sharing recently published research in JAMA Health Forum on the link between cannabis use in teens and the development of mental health disorders in early adulthood. The study, conducted by researchers from PHI in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, University of California, San Francisco, and University of Southern California, found that teens who reported using cannabis could face a significantly higher risk of developing psychotic, bipolar, depressive, or anxiety disorders within a few years. The study of nearly half a million adolescents showed researchers the potential sensitivity of younger children's brains to the effects of cannabis, said Silver.

"The brain is still developing. The effects of cannabis on the receptors in the brain seem to have a significant impact on their neurological development and the risk for these mental health disorders," said Dr. Silver, study co-author and program director of PHI's Prevention Policy Group and Getting it Right from the Start.

Listen:

Researchers followed more than 400,000 teens until they were adults. It found that those who used ma*****na were more likely to develop serious mental illness, as well as depression and anxiety.

02/20/2026

Thanks to Michelle Burroughs and Black Voice News for highlighting the Healthy Places Index—a powerful data and mapping tool developed by PHI’s Public Health Alliance of Southern California and designed to identify and guide investments, programs, and policy changes to where they will have the strongest impact on health and life expectancy. To date, California’s HPI has guided over $4.2 billion in equitable investments and has been used by diverse sectors across the state to support under-resourced communities:

New study reveals that living conditions in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including air quality, access to healthcare, and proximity to warehouses, are significantly impacting life expectancy. The data underscores the need for equitable development and investment in underserved communities....