Public Health Institute

As the year comes to a close, PHI is sharing impact stories from staff and partners who are working alongside communities to improve health and equity. Thank you for celebrating our 60th anniversary year with us! Today, we're kicking off our series by introducing Dr. Priscilla Martinez, Deputy Scientific Director at PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (ARG). “Perhaps now more than ever, I think we need evidence about alcohol's effects on health and to find accessible, non-judgmental ways to talk about what we know about its health effects,” says Dr. Martinez. “My work aims to continue to produce rigorous data on alcohol through my work co-leading the National Alcohol Survey, and to better understand how we can communicate alcohol's health effects so people can make informed decisions about their alcohol use. “

Across the country, no two states are alike in how they define and regulate telehealth. PHI's Center for Connected Health Policy has released an updated Telehealth Policy Finder tool, which compiles related laws and regulations across all 50 states and D.C., as well as at the federal level. One finding: Since fall of 2023, several states have implemented new rules around prescribing via telehealth, especially for controlled substances. Explore the tool and see the report summary, infographic & more: https://lnkd.in/gshsBvKr

We know that the impacts of climate change affect already systemically excluded communities worst and first, and yet solutions for adaptation and mitigation often don’t incorporate community input or leadership. Join a virtual conversation next Thursday, Dec 12 at 11am PT/2pm ET hosted by PHI's Dialogue4Health on "Community Rooted Approaches for Climate Change Equity." The panel discussion, moderated by PHI's President & CEO Melissa Stafford Jones, and will feature speakers from PHI's Pacific ADA Center, BIG VALLEY BAND OF POMO INDIANS, and Central California Environmental Justice Network. Register:

New Jobs | Register: Community Rooted Approaches for Climate Change Equity | New Study Reveals Hidden Suicide Risk Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Youth | PHI's Build Healthy Places Network Announces CIRE Awards to Five Community Development Orgs Advancing Racial Equity -- all that and more, in our latest updates:

PHI's Population Health Innovation Lab is offering an additional session January 22-24, 2025 for their virtual workshop through the PHIL Collective to help health departments enhance and accelerate outbreak response and prevention in healthcare settings. By the end of the workshop, participants will have actionable frameworks and strategies for integrating health equity into outbreak response, possess enhanced skills in data management to inform decision-making processes, and be equipped to establish and strengthen partnerships that support community health initiatives. Find more information, including a recorded Q&A information session, and register: https://lnkd.in/gnEk73uc

Last month, PHI's Michael Dimock, executive director of our Roots of Change program, joined The Leading Voices in Food podcast for a conversation about transforming food systems through innovative policies. Topics discussed include pioneering projects, insights into policy influence, and the future of agricultural practices. Watch a video recording of the podcast to learn about how Roots of Change collaborates with various stakeholders to create nutrition incentive programs and support sustainable agriculture, focusing on community-first approaches.

A new research study conducted by PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (ARG) Group and published in JAMA Network Open examined nine distinct Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA+NHPI) subgroups and revealed significant differences in suicidal ideation risk. The findings build on previous studies that found AA+NHPI adolescents are not a monolithic group, and that those who identify with marginalized or multiracial or multiethnic groups often face unique challenges. “We hope our study will guide future research and data equity strategies that genuinely reflect the diversity of AA+NHPI communities, and in turn, lead to stronger prevention and intervention efforts to reduce suicide among AA+NHPI adolescents,” said PHI's Camillia Lui, PhD, scientist & the study's lead author.

PHI is doing a study to learn more about how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities feel about their health care and the doctors or nurses who help them. If you are living with disabilities or a family member or caregiver of a person with disabilities, please take this survey to share your experiences with health care. This information will be used to create a tool for doctors and nurses to check how inclusive and helpful their services and offices are for people with disabilities. Learn more:

Earlier this month, PHI's Build Healthy Places Network hosted their Network Commons virtual conversation: "Self-Determination and Community Investment: How Native Leaders and Multi-Sector Partners are Investing in Health while Strengthening Self-Determination." The live conversation, which aired on November 18, 2024, delved into how partners can cultivate trust with Tribal and Native organizations, ensuring that efforts are rooted in the principles of Native self-determination. Watch a recording from the event:

Indigenous-led environmental planning can help build more inclusive, just and sustainable communities. The Clan Mothers Healing Village--an Indigenous-led development in Manitoba that engages and supports women and two-spirit individuals who have survived trafficking and sexual violence--provides an example of what this can mean in practice for communities and urban developers. From the beginning of the project, the Clan Mothers lead every step of the development process--ensuring that everything from design to execution reflects Indigenous principles. The physical layout of the village promotes accessibility and safety, both psychological and physical. It celebrates Indigenous culture and a deep connection to the land. By honoring Indigenous communities’ wisdom and sovereignty, the Clan Mothers Healing Village is helping to promote equity, reconciliation and healing: