On Tuesday, RCRC, as part of the California Can’t Wait Coalition led by local public health departments, county governments, frontline workers, and community advocates urged the Legislature to remain committed to investing $300M annually to rebuild our public health workforce and infrastructure, with $200M dedicated to local public health departments. Governor Newsom kept his agreement reached with legislative leaders last year and included the $300 million ongoing funding in his January budget proposal.
The next phase of the campaign is quickly taking shape. #CACantWait coalition leaders launched the Public Health Equity and Readiness Opportunity (HERO) Initiative - a set of budget investments needed to help build a public health system that is not just adequate but second to none by directing new investments into the following:
- Expand local health department staffing ($300M included in the Governor’s January proposed budget)
- Recruit and retain public health staff
- Build a pipeline of public health professionals
RCRC member counties are encouraged to support this effort, which directs long-term funding to local county public health department to recruit, hire and retain public health workforce needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; counter infectious disease; prevent chronic illness; and respond to growing public health threats like diabetes, STDs, tuberculosis, syphilis, and disaster response. For more information, contact RCRC Policy Advocate, Sarah Dukett.