By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation authored by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-Inglewood) that establishes uniform procedures for handling vote-by-mail ballots cast in person without identification envelopes. Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1420 on Sept. 19 as part of a broader election-protection package. Richardson introduced the measure after her ...

By Dianne Anderson Black parents worried and wondering where to turn next to help their kids dealing with mental health issues, or struggling for equity in school, need not stress any longer. Now, they can access all the resources and professionals that would be hard to find elsewhere. If they turn out. An upcoming free ...

California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) will educate hundreds of new mental and behavioral health professionals to serve South Los Angeles families and youth over the next five years, thanks to a record-breaking $29 million grant from Ballmer Group. Ballmer Group’s commitment will support the launch of Toros Heal L.A. (THLA), an ambitious initiative geared ...

By Bo Tefu California Black Media California is expanding mental health and substance use disorder treatment statewide with a new $1.18 billion funding round, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced March 12. The investment supports 66 new projects across 130 behavioral health facilities, including rural and tribal communities, and creates additional residential and crisis treatment centers. “It’s ...

$1.3M investment expands services for children, families and caregivers The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), in partnership with local early childhood organizations, has launched the Early Childhood Mental Health Program. The program will support the emotional wellbeing of young children by providing resources, training and guidance for families and childcare ...

By Dianne Anderson Growing up low-income in Los Angeles, April Watkins knows firsthand about the impact of poverty on young children, remembering what it was like worrying whether there would be enough to eat or how the rent would be paid. When she participated in a health program about a year ago, even health providers ...

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has announced a citywide expansion of the Community Crisis Response (CCR) team, which responds to a subset of calls-for-service where mental health support, health education and resource navigation could support the safety and health outcomes for community members at the center of calls. The ...

By Dianne Anderson Ever since January, the big buzzword is uncertainty –  in housing, anticipated spikes in food and daily cost of living, threats to medical coverage and proper health care, education and access to vital resources. If mental health wasn’t already a crisis, many are now questioning the widely recognized “Trump Slump” and whether ...

By Dianne Anderson With the mad rush to keep up with festivities, bundles for the best online deals, and the blur of dazzling lights and delectables –  it can be a tough time of year. But more than likely than not, many parents are in survival mode, scraping together a few small presents, keeping a ...

By Dianne Anderson Lots of relatives will choose their words carefully over the holidays, wearing kid gloves in this era of blended families of mixed racial and political backgrounds at the family feast. For those who are blessed enough to have a feast, it could get next level. Local marriage and family therapist, Marty Sellers, ...