Blue Shield of California Foundation

This month's Intersections features our work to break the cycle of domestic violence. Senior program officer Carolina Morales, MSW shares that the grantees featured in this month's newsletter are "making change happen." Inside this issue you'll learn more about: 🔵The UCLA Pritzker Center's work on identifying harm caused disproportionatley to Black children and families by the Los Angeles County child welfare system. They're solution was a pilot project for blind removal – a process that conceals race information from the people making decisions about a child’s welfare. 🔵Intimate partner violence in California carries a staggering annual economic burden of $73.7 billion. The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence study by Center on Gender Equity and Health at UC San Diego and Tulane University's Newcomb Institute underscores the need for preventive measures and support systems to reduce the economic and emotional toll of IPV across California. 🔵The Culturally Responsive Domestic Violence Network (CRDVN) is a trusted policy leader in violence prevention and in supporting public systems to be more responsive to community needs.  🔵The Foundation is partnering with Impact Justice to evaluate the effectivness of restorative justice programs across California, lead by a cohort of foundation grantees. We're excited to continue to learn from these grantees. Learn more about these topics: https://lnkd.in/gZpze6q3

We are committed to ending domestic violence! On a recent webinar hosted by The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), our policy director, Richard Thomason, spoke about our Foundation’s 20-plus-year journey funding initiatives to break the cycle of domestic violence. He stressed the necessity of a robust safety net that includes both domestic violence organizations and law enforcement, while acknowledging the limits of these traditional approaches. Richard highlighted the critical role that restorative justice plays in disrupting the cycle of violence in a way that is community-centered and promotes healing and safety for survivors and their families. He elevated the Collective Healthing And Transformation (CHAT) Project as a success in Conta Costa county, helping to build the evidence base for restorative approaches. As we continue to support these practices, we salute the many organizations working alongside us in this movement. Together, let's encourage everyone to play their part in breaking the cycle of domestic violence. Domestic violence is everywhere, but it is also healable and preventable. #EndDomesticViolence #RestorativeJustice

How do we improve maternal health through violence prevention? Our Director of Policy Richard Thomason will join a panel of experts on Tuesday, August 27 from 12-1 pm PST to discuss the significant consequences domestic violence and other forms of violence have on maternal and infant health. Hosted by Futures Without Violence, this webinar will dive into effective strategies for healthcare professionals to address intimate and sexual violence and promote prevention in maternity care settings as well as policy recommendations for improving maternal health outcomes in the MediCal program. Register: https://lnkd.in/dE5VGKMj

Did you know we have a newsletter? Sign up today for our newsletter, Intersections, to stay up to date on our grantees' work across California, issues we care about related to health equity, domestic violence prevention, and the way these two issues intersect, and also find information on foundation events, resources, and funding opportunities. Subscribe now: https://lnkd.in/gk3W2jGY

Appreciation post for two of our Foundation team members advancing their skills, knowledge, and networks in philanthropy. We're so excited that our Policy Program Officer Karen Ben-Moshe will be joining Grantmakers In Health's Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy and our Communications Officer Jenna Lane will be part of SoCal Grantmakers' evolve: Emerging Leaders Peer-to-Peer Network. Both Karen and Jenna contribue such vital expertise to our foundation's work and we're excited for them to continue to grow their leadership in philanthropy. Join us in congratulating them!

Last month, we celebrated 20 years of California's Paid Family Leave policy. Our grantee partner, Jenya Cassidy, reflects on her work over the years supporting paid leave policy, the wins she has helped secure with the California Work & Family Coalition, and the work that still needs to be done. "As we celebrate our progress [this month] and look toward the future, it’s a great time to shine a light on our work as part of a larger, national movement. We’re part of the national Family Values @ Work network. As part of this network, every successful campaign, every improvement, helps build momentum toward our shared, ultimate goal: winning an inclusive federal Paid Family and Medical Leave law that truly leaves no workers out." https://lnkd.in/gcYBUiXF

Our CEO Debbie Chang shares her experience at this year's Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)'s national conference, where she found herself deeply reflecting on the commitment of philanthropy to center community and humanity. If you attended the conference, we would love to know your major takeaways! https://lnkd.in/gcgCHYSm

Domestic violence and homelessness are linked issues, and we cannot solve one without addressing the other. This Thursday at 12 pm PST The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is hosting a webinar where researchers and lived expertise advisory board members from UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative will share findings from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness. Our CEO Debbie Chang along with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will discuss the research and policy recommendations. Register: https://lnkd.in/dQsC_njF

Last month we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the USC Center for Health Journalism. 20 years is a huge accomplishment and if that wasn't enough to celebrate on its own, we're also seeing major systems changes come out of the impactful reporting of the journalists. One recent example: through the center we support the Domestic Violence Impact Fund for journalists to write in-depth stories on domestic violence that elevate solutions. The director of the USC Center for Health Journalism, Michelle Levander, shard that one journalist's reporting led to $3.7 million in permanent new funding to support domestic violence survivors in Alaska. "[The series] is a testament to the investment that all of you have made to advance journalism as a health intervention," she said. Legislators cited the series, written by journalist Claire Stremple, to argue for increased funding to victim's services in a legislative session. This led to this permanent funding increase. "These grants help carve out precious reporting time and open up travel across the vast distances in our state. Women and children here are $3.7 million better off for it," Claire shared. To say we're proud is an understatement. Keep up the amazing work, USC Center for Health Journalism! Rachael Kagan Jenna Lane Marco Alejandro Flores Jordan Reese

When we talk about building a more economically just world, we have to bring intimate partner violence into the conversation. Financial insecurity a major obstacles to safety for survivors, and we need to develop solutions that support survivors' asset building and economic security. Join us with Asset Funders Network on July 17 for Collaboration Beyond A Crisis: Partnership Models to Advance Economic Justice and Systems-Level Change. Our senior program officer Rachel Wick will have a discussion with Sonya Passi of FreeFrom and Jo Christine M. about innovative approaches to philanthropic partnerships that inspire and sustain systems-level strategies and policy advocacy efforts. Register: https://lnkd.in/g5vCPqGF