Breadcrumb
Rural North Resource Library
Supporting Health Equity Recovery in Rural North California
CCRP's role as the regional contractor is to assist the Rural North region to achieve an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and advance health equity across the region. Part of CCRP's work as the regional contractor includes identifying and addressing data equity concerns in the Rural North.
This resource library supports opportunities for resource sharing across the RANCHO region and includes resources shared from The California Department of Public Health and RANCHO Local Health Departments. The intent of this page is to provide foundational resources on topics that influence health equity in the Rural North and beyond.
Explore Each Resource Category:
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| ALIGN for Health and Well-Being Toolkit | Toolkit/ Guide | The ALIGN (Advancing Local Insight, Generational Investment, and Narrative) for Health and Well-Being Toolkit is intended to assist community leaders in their efforts to promote health, address social contexts, and tackle equity issues that are critical to health. It also aims to embed the concept of health within a broader understanding of well-being, which encompasses the full variety of assets and capabilities necessary for individuals and communities to thrive and create meaningful futures. |
| UCLA Data Equity Center Series: Applying a Data Equity Lens to Data | Video | A video produced by UCLA with an introduction to data equity and the implications of data equity all throughout the data lifecycle (from collection to analysis to dissemination). Additionally, the video give a good background on how data is powerful for communities to have, and why a lack of access to data impacts vulnerable communities. |
| Baseline Organizational Assessment for Equity Infrastructure (CDPH, 2022) | Toolkit/Guide | The purpose of the Baseline Organizational Assessment for Equity Infrastructure is to provide Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) with a streamlined tool to gather baseline data on their current equity infrastructure. The results from the assessment will inform future equity capacity planning in each jurisdiction and across the state. |
| Health In All Policies: A Guide for State and Local Governments (CDPH, TCE, APHA, PHI, 2013) | Toolkit/Guide | “Health in All Policies: A Guide for State and Local Governments” was written by the public health facilitators of the California Health in All Policies Task Force and is geared toward state and local government leaders who want to use intersectoral collaboration to promote healthy environments. There are many different ways to support intersectoral collaboration for health, and the guide provides a broad range of perspectives and examples. |
| Supporting Communities and Local Public Health Departments During COVID-19 and Beyond (The Alliance, 2022) | Report | This report is informed by many firsthand accounts from community-based organizations, local public health departments, health systems, philanthropy and other sectors who were on the frontlines or served as intermediaries for groups experiencing the most inequitable impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of the seven content areas outline ways that the nation’s systems both supported, and failed, the communities most impacted by COVID-19 and other longstanding health inequities and racial injustices. |
| Portrait of Promise: The California Statewide Plan to Promote Health and Mental Health Equity (CDPH, 2015) | Report | This report on the California Statewide Plan to Promote Health and Mental Health Equity is the first biennial report of the new Office of Health Equity (OHE). This report is to improve the health status of all populations and places, with a priority on eliminating health and mental health disparities and inequities. |
| Advancing Health Equity in Health Department's Public Health Practice (Human Impact Partners, 2018) | Report | This paper is intended for PHAB staff, advisors, and others involved in making decisions related to the accreditation process, standards, and measures. The authors presume that readers have an intimate familiarity with the accreditation process and are also familiar with terms and concepts related to health equity. This paper is not intended to “make the case” for why health equity is needed in public health practice, but rather to offer insights, examples, and recommendations to inform discussions about further advancing health equity in the accreditation process. |
| Practitioner's Guide for Advancing Health Equity (Center for Disease Control, 2013) | Report | The “Practitioner’s Guide for Advancing Health Equity: Community Strategies for Preventing Chronic Disease” provides lessons learned from evidence- and practice-based strategies. The innovative ideas highlight how to maximize the effects of policy, systems, and environmental improvement strategies—all with the goal of reducing health disparities and advancing health equity. |
| Health Equity Resource Series (IFDHE, 2021) | Report Series | AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) prpared four new guidance and resource toolkits to share evidence-based practices to inform organizational steps. Health Equity resources Series focus on data collection, training, diversity and inclusion, and community partnerships. |
| Health Equity Guide (Human Impact Partners, 2019) | Webpage | HealthEquityGuide.org is a resource with inspiring examples of how health departments have concretely advanced health equity — both internally within their departments and externally with communities and other government agencies. This website includes: A set of Strategic Practices to advance health equity in local health departments Key actions health departments can take to advance their current practice towards health equity 25+ case studies from local health departments that describe how they advanced the strategic practice, factors that enabled the work, impacts, and advice for others 150+ resources from allied organizations and others to advance the strategic practices Human Impact Partners developed this resource in consultation with national health equity leaders and with support from The California Endowment. |
| Evidence-based Resources (HHS OASH, n.d.) | Webpage | Evidence-based resources (EBRs) are published reviews of intervention evaluations and studies to improve health. Healthy People 2030 organized health equity topics - health conditions, health behaviors, populations, setting and systems, and social determinants of health - according to relevant resources that can help you work to achieve Healthy People 2030 objectives. |
| What makes us healthy? Understanding the Social Determinants of Health (Let's Learn Public Health, 2018) | Video | The Social Determinants of Health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live and age. They have a large influence on our health. It also determines health inequities, which is the unfair and avoidable health difference between different groups of people. This video takes a look at the social determinants of health, what they are, how they impact health, and a useful framework to understand it. |
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Community Vaccination Barriers During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Article | Research on vaccination rates have suggested a stark reduction in vaccine uptake in rural areas relative to urban areas. Having a better understanding regarding factors influencing lower vaccination rates in rural areas could help public health officials prepare for future vaccination efforts. This research article analyzed key informant interview findings from university extention workers in Washington State and found attitude-related barriers, subjective norm-related barriers, and barriers related to a loss of perceived behavioral control. |
| Rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States, 2018-2021 | Article | Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and within the Rural North. Understanding differences in suicide rates informs the development of priority areas for policy implementation. Prior research has found that crude suicide rates (deaths/population *100,000) differs by sex, with men having higher risk over recent periods of time. Additionally, suicide related mortality rates have increased in rural areas more than in their urban counterparts. Findings indicate that crude suicide rates in rural areas are higher than in urban areas across the variety of demographic characteristics and regions. |
| About Rural Health (CDC, 2017) | Article | This brief article from CDC introduces rural health challanges and provides suggestions on how to improve health for rural Americans. |
| Rural/Urban Differences in Children's Health (HRSA, 2020) | Article | The article shows a snapshot of differences in rural and urban chidlren's health in terms of mental and behavioral health, weight status and physical activity, ACEs, and overall healthcare. |
| Rural Community Health Toolkit (RHIhub, 2022) | Toolkit/Guide | This toolkit provides rural communities with the information, resources, and materials they need to develop a community health program in a rural community. Each of the toolkit's six modules contains information that communities can apply to develop a rural health program, regardless of the specific health topic the program addresses. |
| Rural Health Equity Toolkit (RHIhub, 2022) | Toolkit/Guide | The toolkit compiles evidence-based frameworks and promising strategies and resources to support organizations working toward health equity in rural communities across the United States. |
| Social Determinants of Health in Rural Communities Toolkit (RHIhub, 2020) | Toolkit/Guide | This toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations implementing programs to address social determinants of health in rural communities across the United States. |
| Defining Rural Population Health and Health Equity (NOSORH, 2020) | Report | This brief reports aims to define population health and health equity. It can be used to educate rural health and clinical care partners on their approaches to population health and health equity. |
| State Approaches for Addressing Rural Social Determinants of Health (ASTHO, n.d.) | Report | The report by Association of State and Terrotorial Health Officials outlines social determinants of health that impact rural communities and provides a list of state and federal considerations. |
| Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Screening in Rural Northern California: Exploring Provider Perspectives and Experiences (PHI, PHIL, NAC, & Aces Aware Chapter, 2021) | Report | This report identifies key opportunities to support successful screening, referral, and treatment processes for ACEs in rural Northern California. |
| Substance Use in California: Prevalence and Treatment (California Health Care Almanac, 2022) | Report | The report uses the most recent data available to provide an overview of substance use and addiction in California. Topics include prevalence of substance use, emergency department visits, deaths, and treatment. |
| Health Workforce Strategies for California: A Review of the Evidence (CHCF, 2021) | Report | This report reviews evidence for health workforce policy interventions such as pipeline programs, scholarship programs, loan repayment programs, funding of graduate-level health profession training programs, and residency funding. |
| Resources for Rural Community Health Needs Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans (NOSORH, n.d.) | Report | This fact sheet for rural health stakeholders interested in systematically improving population health and health equity in rural communities. This compilation of resources provides clarification on the differences between a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) as components of the community health improvement process. |
Community Health Workers (CHWs) is an umbrella term for positions whose role is to empower communities, address health disparities, and enhance health outcomes. Learn more about Community Health Workers (and similar positions) by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lawmakers Discuss the Future of Community Health Workers in California | Article | An article elevating the broad benefits of CHWs/P/R positions in California, underscoring the long history of these positions in centering social well-being across diverse communities, and provding policy priorities for the future of these positions. Demand for these positions is growing, with health care and social services agencies indicating that it would be ideal to hire up to 10 times the number of current positions already held in California. However, the stability once anticipated through Medi-Cal reimbursement has not materialized: providers and community-based organizations report confusion over which services are covered, reimbursement rates that are too low to sustain positions, and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) unable to expand their CHW/P/R workforce due to restrictive payment models. |
| Promotoras de salud: Helping community health workers care for older adults | Article | Article covers how promotoras de salud provide help to older adults in Texas Spanish-speaking communities. The article underscores how Community Health Workers/Promotores/Community Health Representatives (CHWs/P/R) can have large impacts on rural areas, where populations typically skew older. The article discusses an evidence-based framework utilized by promotoras de salud tailored to caring for older adults called the 4Ms (What matters, Medication, Mind, & Mobility). |
| Retention of Community Health Workers in the Public Health Workforce: Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, 2017 and 2021 (Kirkland, Dill, & Karnik, 2023) | Article | The objective of this study was to investigate organizational factors that contribute to the intent of community health workers to quit their jobs in local and state health departments in the United States. PH WINs survey data from 2017 and 2021 was used to predict CHW's intent to leave. CHWs dissatisfied with organizational support, pay, or job security had double the probability of reporting their intent to leave relative to satisfied or neutral workers. This study shows that these predictors, which typically are important predictors of retention in the Public Health workforce, also show high predictability for retention particularly for CHWs. |
| Preserving a Transformative Community Health Worker/Promotor Workforce: El Sol’s CHW/P Training Center Approach (El Sol Neighborhood Education Center, n.d.) | Report | The report explains how a community-based CHW/P training center applied popular education throughout the CHW/P capacity-building process in order to advance and maintain the roots of the CHW/P movement. By describing the interrelated components of El Sol CHW/P TC theory of change and explaining the application of this guiding principle, this case study generates implications for organizations that aim to integrate CHWs/Ps into their operations. |
| Together Leaning Toward the Sky (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 2018) | Report | This report offers a review of findings from the Community Health Worker Core Consensus (C3) Project for work carried out from 2014-2018 in two phases. The C3 Project’s reports and graphics are intended to support Community Health Workers (CHWs) and other stakeholders working to foster the growth and development of CHW practice and related policies, ultimately increasing the capacity of CHWs to promote health equity and access to systems of care. |
| Community Health Worker Resources (Envision Equity, n.d.) | Webpage | Envision Equity's resource library is continually updated with CHW-curated content to support programs, CHWs, allies, and partners. Resource categories include advocacy, chronic health conditions, COVID-19, community building, and program implementation. |
| Mental Health and Self Care (NACHW, n.d.) | Webpage | Self-care recources for CHWs through series of webinars on self-compassion, self-care strategies, learning collaboratives, and suicide prevention. |
| CHW Roles and Competencies Checklist (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | The toolkit provides a checklist to assess how CHW role and skills linked to CHW trainings, practice, and/or policies align with the Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project. |
| Advancing California's CHW & Promotor Workforce in Medi-Cal (Center for Health Care Strategies, 2021) | Toolkit/Guide | This Resource Guide is designed to support Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans in effectively integrating this valuable workforce into their programs. This Resource Guide can also inform organizations that employ Community health workers and Promotores such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, community-based organizations, and other health and social service organizations. |
| Training Approaches for CHW & Promotores to Support Medi-Cal Members (Center for Health Care Strategies, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | This guide covers the roles of Community Health Workers / Promotores in depth and presents approaches to trainings, infrustructure barriers and solutions to integrating the new workforce. |
| Advocacy Tool Kit for Peer Support (UnidosUS, 2015) | Toolkit/Guide | This tool kit was designed to help promotores de salud, community health workers, lay health advisors, and other peer supporters to harness their individual and collective voices to educate decision-makers about the successes they have had in helping Americans become healthier. |
| Community Health Workers: Evidence of Their Effectiveness (ASTHO, NACHW, n.d.) | Factsheet | This document summarizes research studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of CHWs across multiple settings and health issues. |
Data is a crucial tool used to advance health equity. Data helps uncover disparities in the experience of health outcomes and the factors that lead to poor health. Learn more about the secondary data sources that CCRP uses by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ten Core Concepts for Ensuring Data Equity in Public Health (Wang, et al. 2026) | Article | This article proposes 10 core concepts to improve data equity throughout the operatioinal arc of data science research and practice in public health. The framework integrates computer science principles such as fairness, transparency, and privacy protection, with best practices in public health data science that focus on mitigating information and selection biases, learning causality, and ensuring generalizability. These concepts are applied together throughout the data life cycle, from study design to data collection, analysis, and interpretation to policy translation, offering a structured approach for evaluating whether data practices adequately represent and serve all populations. |
| PH WINS Data Dashboard | Webpage | Built on data from the latest Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs (PH WINs) Survey, the PH WINs Data Dashboard enables users to break down national survey results by HHS Region and local health department (LHD) size. Participating agencies and departments can also access their own organization-specific results through the dashboard |
| Live Well Humboldt Community Health Data Dashboard | Database | Live Well Humboldt's Community Health Dashboard is a free, one-stop online resource for access to community quality-of-life data and resources, like funding opportunities, promising practices, and reports. Live Well Humboldt is a network of community health improvement collaborators committed to aligning actions to improve health across Humboldt County, centralizing data collection and analysis to drive change, identifying shared measures and targets for community health improvement, engaging the community and creating broad ownership for local health, mobilizing support to advance health equity and improve community health. |
| Lead Service Line Replacement Cost Calculator (LSLRCC) | Webpage | The LSLRCC helps communities plan and budget for lead service line replacements, which will lead to improved drinking water quality. California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool shows that children the Rural North region are moderately susceptible to lead poisoning through drinking water, compared to statewide estimates. The LSLRCC is designed to support local governments, rural health agencies, and community partners working to advance safe water infrastructure and health equity, particularly in underserved and rural regions. |
| United States Census Bureau Database | Webpage/Database | The census database aims to count every person living in the United States and collect various demographic, social, and economic data. The database includes a wide range of information, such as population counts, demographic characteristics, housing statistics, and more. This data is crucial for government decision-making, resource allocation, and understanding the changing dynamics of the population over time |
| County Health Rankings and Roadmaps (CHR&R) | Webpage/Database | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) is a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The CHR&R program provides data, evidence, guidance, and examples to build awareness of the multiple factors that influence health and support leaders in growing community power to improve health equity. The Rankings are unique in their ability to measure the health of nearly every county in all 50 states, and are complemented by guidance, tools, and resources designed to accelerate community learning and action |
| COVID-19 Vaccination Data | Webpage/Database | The database provides vaccination data in California. |
| CDE DataQuest | Webpage/Database | DataQuest provides meaningful data and statistics about California's K-12 public educational system that supports a wide variety of informational, research, and policy needs. |
| Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) | Webpage/Database | The HRSA Data Warehouse website provides maps, data, reports, and dashboards to the public about HRSA’s health care programs. The data integrates with external sources, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, providing information about HRSA’s grants, loan and scholarship programs, health centers, and other public health programs and services |
| Kidsdata.org | Webpage/Database | Kidsdata.org, a program of Population Reference Bureau (PRB), promotes the health and well being of children in California by providing an easy-to-use resource that offers high quality, wide ranging, local data to those who work on behalf of children. The database allows users to easily find, customize, and use data on more than 1,000 measures of children's health and well being. |
| Employment Development Department (EDD) Data Library | Webpage/Database | The EDD Data Library provides access to view and download data and information related to California industries, occupations, employment projections, wages, and labor force. The data can be used to better understand California’s economy, to make informed labor market decisions, as a tool to direct efforts to promote the state’s overall economic health, support workforce development and much more. |
| Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Data | Webpage/Database | SAMHSA collects data through multiple sources and surveys and provides access to public-use data files and documentation to support a better understanding of mental illness and substance use disorders in America. |
| CalSCHLS Data Dashboard | Webpage/Database | Access state, county, and district-level CalSCHLS results for elementary and secondary schools. Data are publicly released each December following the academic year that the surveys were administered (e.g. 2022-23 data will be released in December 2023). |
| Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Data Tools | Webpage/Database | The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) promotes a better understanding of the U.S. economy by providing the most timely, relevant, and accurate economic accounts data in an objective and cost-effective manner. BEA is an agency of the Department of Commerce. |
| Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Data & Statistics | Webpage/Database | DHCS is the backbone of California’s health care safety net, helping millions of low-income and disabled Californians each and every day. The mission of DHCS is to provide Californians with access to affordable, integrated, high-quality health care, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services and long-term care. |
| Index of Relative Rurality (IRR) | Webpage/Database | The Index of Relative Rurality (IRR) is a continuous, threshold-free, and unit-free measure of rurality. The IRR has three major advantages over typology-based rurality measures. (1) It is spatially flexible in that it can be designed for any spatial units; (2) it is a relative measure and thus embeds rurality in the broader system of settlements; (3) it is analytically more easily handled than threshold-based typologies. |
| CDPH California Community Burden of Disease Engine | Webpage/Database | The California Community Burden of Disease and Cost Engine (CCB) is a tool to explore data on burden of disease in multiple levels of geographic granularity in order to answer and generate questions, both simple and complex, about the intersection between health disparities and place. This tool is designed for use by CDPH programs, local health departments, and community partners for epidemiologic analysis and to provide systematic scientific insight to inform public health planning, evaluation and action. |
| CalEnviroScreen 4.0 | Webpage/Database | CalEnviroScreen is a screening methodology that can be used to help identify California communities that are disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution. |
| Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Indicators | Webpage/Database | CCHVIz is the interactive data visualization platform for the Climate Change & Health Vulnerability Indicators for California (CCHVIs). It is produced by the Climate Change and Health Equity Section -- CalBRACE Project, part of the California Department of Public Health. |
| Household Pulse Survey (NCHS/Census Bureau) | Webpage/Database | Household Pulse Survey is 20-minute online survey, which was designed to complement the ability of the federal statistical system to rapidly respond and provide relevant information about the impact of COVID-19 in the United States. Data collection began on April 23, 2020 and currently follows a two-weeks on, two-weeks off collection and dissemination approach. |
| Social Vulnerability Index | Webpage/Database | Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. Such stresses include natural or human-caused disasters, or disease outbreaks. . The CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (CDC/ATSDR SVI) uses 16 U.S. census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters. |
| Health Equity: Data and Statistics (Berkeley Library) | Webpage/Database | Berkeley Library Data and Statistics compiles databases on Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Indicators Vosualization, California Department of Education, Health Research and Statistics Unit, Office of Health Equity, LGBTData, Race Counts. |
Climate impacts health in many ways. Extreme weather events (wildfires, heatwaves, and floods) can have intense health-related consequences such as exacerbating mental health issues, disruption of food-systems, and an increase in infectious diseases. Learn more about the connection between climate and health by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| A Guide to Building a Climate Ready Rural Workforce | Report | This guide supports rural LHDs in their efforts to build a climate-ready workforce. Rural LHDs can refer to this guide when building a climate and health program for the first time, or when scaling up their programs to increase their climate response and adaptation capacity. This document provides tiers of program development and staffing activities, from baseline to advanced, for staffing, training, and climate and health program development tailored to rural LHDs. Local health departments (LHD) are on the frontlines of climate change. A resilient and climate-ready rural workforce can help curb potential risks to public health, including risks to food and water safety, air quality, and mental health disorders caused by a changing climate and extreme weather. |
| Health Impacts of Climate Change Fact Sheet Series | Fact Sheet | Climate change influences human health and disease in numerous ways. The Health Impacts of Climate Change Fact Sheet Series offers healthcare providers clear, evidence-based information to help them communicate potential health risks associated with climate change to patients. The series provides takeaways for healthcare providers, hospitals, and clinics. However, due to the subject matter, these takeaways are also useful for public health practitioners to easily and quickly communicate on the relation between climate and health. The series covers the health impacts of extreme weather events, climate sensitive infectious diseases, water-related health impacts, food safety, and mental health and wellbeing. It also discusses which populations are at higher risk of climate impacts. |
| Wildfire Safety Fact Sheets (CDPH) | Fact Sheet | A compendium of fact sheets and videos around fire safety from the California Department of Public Health Office of Communications. Examples of fact sheets available: Coping with stress from natural disasters, reduce exposure to ash, protecting your health from wildfire smoke and ash. |
| Community Engagement in Fire Preparedness (OSU Extension Fire Program) | Report | This short report from Oregon State University's Extension Fire Program provides helpful insights around public outreach, community engagement, and communication related to fire preparedness. The report covers what engagement looks like, guides practitioners on understanding and working with diverse communities, explains multiple ways to work with social context, creating long term partnerships and tips for engaging and teaching about fire safety and resilience. |
| Climate Change Readiness in California: Findings and Recommendations (BARHII, The Alliance, 2022) | Report | The purpose of this report is to assess the capacity of local health departments to advance adaptation to the health impacts of climate change and synthesize recommendations to increase local health department capacity to prevent and prepare for the health impacts of climate change. |
| Wildfire Smoke: Considerations for Public Health Officials (CDPH, 2022) | Report | This report contains information about wildfire smoke and its health effects on sensitive populations, strategies to reduce exposure, and other public health considerations to support community response in California. |
| Climate Change, Health, and Equity: Guide for Local Health Departments (APHA, PHI, 2018) | Report | This guide connects what we know about climate impacts and climate solutions with the work of LHDs, and provides examples of how LHDs can put climate change into public health practice. |
| Climate Change and Health Profile Reports (CDPH, 2017) | Report | The reports present projections for county and regional climate impacts, the climate-related health risks, and local populations that could be vulnerable to climate effects. The information is based on available science compiled from previously published, state-sponsored research and plans. |
| CalBRACE Climate Adaptation Toolkit (CDPH, 2021) | Toolkit/Guide | This collection of tools, reports, and guides helps local health departments and communities understand, and plan to address the health risks of climate change. |
| Climate and Health - Local Health Departments Points of Engagement (CDPH, 2020) | Toolkit/Guide | The actions/activities and points of engagement in the toolkit were the result of the October 31, 2019 CA Climate Action Team Public Health Workgroup meeting discussions and input, and were compiled by the Climate Change and Health Equity Program, California Department of Public Health (Revised: Mar. 2020). |
| Case Studies (US Climate Resilience Toolkit, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit presents case studies of communities, businesses, and individuals who are taking actions to document their vulnerabilities and build resilience to climate-related impacts. |
| Ready-to-Fund Resilience Toolkit (American Society of Adaptation Professionals, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | The Ready-to-Fund Resilience Toolkit was created through a partnership between the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) and Climate Resilience Consulting (CRC). This toolkit was developed for: Small- and-mid-sized local government practitioners working on resilience; Small- and-mid-sized local government department leads with power over, and a stake in, climate resilience funding and finance; Organizations and government bodies with the capacity and jurisdiction to support local government climate resilience funding and finance through policy, resources, technical assistance, partnerships, or process change. |
| Resilience Planning Resources (CREW, n.d.) | Webpage | The resources presented help communities prepare for climate change. The webpage explores five themes: gathering data to inform assessment and planning; preparing families for extreme weather events; assessing neighborhood's climate vulnerability; developing a strategy to build local resilience and facilitating a resilience planning workshop. |
COVID-19's impact on the health and wellbeing of our communities continues to persist. For those whom have contracted the virus, many recover within a week or month's time, however some don't. Some community members continue to experience symptoms long after they become sick. Learn more about Long-COVID by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| RECOVER: Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery | Webpage | NIH's RECOVER Initiative's purpose is to address the widespread and varied impacts of Long-COVID. Taking a multidisciplinary, large-scale approach allows them to address the complexity of Long-COVID and find solutions for everyone. The scientific aims are to understand the range of recovery from Long-COVID and changes it can cause in people over time, define risk factors to understand Long-COVID better, to study how Long-COVID changes over time, and to identify possible treatments. RECOVER hosts research updates every few months and gives high level summaries of what the initiative is learning about the disease. |
| Diagnosing, managing, and studying long-COVID syndromes in children and adolescents in rural and underserved populations (Snowden & Weakley, 2024) | Article | An article discussing the impact of COVID-19 on rural and other historically hard-to-reach populations, and how that impact leads these populations, especially children, to be at risk of disproportionate impacts of Long-COVID. The article also discusses the factors that must be considered in designing evidence-based Long-COVID solutions for children and adolescents in rural areas. |
| Post-COVID Conditions (CDPH, 2023) | Webpage | The California Department of Public Health provides information about Post-COVID conditions (Long COVID), long COVID communications toolkit and resources for people with Post-COVID conditions. |
| Long-COVID and Workers (CDPH, 2022) | Webpage | The California Department of Public Health provides information about accomodating employees with long Covid in English and Spanish languages. |
| Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (CDC, 2024) | Webpage | This webpage has the definition of Long-COVID, lists symptoms and how people may contract it. The webpage also briefly describes health inequities such as lack of access to care as underlying risk factors for Long COVID. |
| The Long-COVID Alliance Resources (Long-COVID Alliance, n.d.) | Webpage | A support group and resource page for people with Long-COVID. Includes research, articles, and patient and advocate resources. |
| Research in the USA on COVID-19's long-term effects: Measures needed to ensure black, indigenous and Latinx communities are not left behind (Medeiros, Edwards, & Baquet, 2022) | Article | This article discusses the gaps in equitable care for communities of colour and urges to include Long Covid affected communities in planning and implementation of research. |
| Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations (Davis, McCorkell, Vogel, & Topol, 2023) | Article | This article is a literature review published by Nature Reviews Microbiology that covers symptoms, onset, overlap with other conditions, and other key findings from current research. |
| Educational Toolkit (Long COVID Kids, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | Long COVID Kids is a foundation providing resources and support for kids with Long-COVID. The foundation developed a toolkit including videos and case studies to empower educators to support children, young people, and their families on a variety of different topics. |
| Long COVID and Significant Activity Limitation Among Adults, by Age — United States, June 1–13, 2022, to June 7–19, 2023 (CDC) | Article | This report, published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), describes the rates of people with Long Covid in the United States over a year. This report also briefly covers why staying up to date on Covid vaccines is so important. |
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated local public health workforce challenges that have persisted over the past two decades. Supplying our governmental public health workforce with sufficient and consistent support is crucial for the health and well-being of our communities. Learn more about efforts to support the public health workforce by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Expanding options to recruit, grow, and retain the public health workforce (Beatty et al., 2024). | Article | This study introduces the concept of career ladders and succession planning and explores their role in strengthening the public health system. Using qualitative interviews with representatives from local health departments (LHDs) of varying sizes and regions across the United States, the analysis found that career ladders support staff retention, foster organizational longevity, and help preserve institutional knowledge amid turnover. At the same time, their implementation in governmental public health remains constrained by systemic factors, including dependence on fluctuating state-level funding. |
| PHWINs Findings 2024 | Webpage | The de Beaumont Foundation and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) have released the 2024 results of the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs (PH WINs) Survey, now in its fourth cycle. The survey captures the perspectives of the U.S. state and local government public health workforce, with insights spanning workforce demographics, characteristics, engagement and satisfaction, retention, workplace well-being, training, flexibility and benefits, and community engagement. |
| Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PHWINS) (de Beaumont Foundation, 2024) | Webpage | PH WINS is the only nationally representative source of data about the governmental public health workforce. They measure demographics of public health workers, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the public health infrastructure. This webpage has links ot their findings from each of the three years it was conducted. |
| National Consortium For Public Health Workforce Development (de Beaumont Foundation, n.d.) | Webpage | Over 30 national public health membership associations, federal agencies, and public health workforce peer networks got together to strengthen and improve the support for the governmental public health workforce across the federal, state, and local lines. This webpage has lists of resources that this consortium produced. Resources include reports on pathway programs, required skills for the public health workforce, and emerging ideas around recruitment for state and local health departments. |
| Workforce Development Resources and Tools (PHF, n.d.) | Webpage | This webpage, published by the Public Health Foundation (PHF), aims to improve health outcomes by enhancing the training, skills, and performance of public health workers. They offer several free resources that are meant to provide information and training for public health workers. |
| Center for Public Health Workforce Development (ASPPH, n.d.) | Webpage | The Center for Public Health Workforce Development, sponsored by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), focuses on academia and current public health workers to identify disparities in the workforce and provides training in related areas. |
| Workforce Calculator (PHAB, n.d.) | Webpage | This calculator, created by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), is meant to help local health departments with workforce planning by using information they provide to estimate the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) needed to ensure the provision of the Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS). It is intended for use in decentralized public health systems with a jurisdiction size of 500,000 or less. |
| Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (PHF, 2021) | Report | Developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages), the Core Competencies reflect foundational or crosscutting knowledge and skills for professionals engaging in the practice, education, and research of public health. These competencies are organized into eight domains, representing skill areas within public health, and three tiers, which describe different types of responsibilities within public health organizations. |
| Competency-Based Workforce Development Plans (PHF, n.d.) | Webpage | The Public Health Foundation (PHF) use this webpage to post examples of Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are playing a role in workforce development planning in several different areas. |
| Recruitment and Retention: What’s Influencing the Decisions of Public Health Workers? (Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, 2016) | Report | In 2010, the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice conducted a survey to explore recruitment and retention within the US public health workforce. This report summarizes the findings from over 11,000 participants from the public health field. |
| Health Care Workforce Resources (NCSL, 2024) | Toolkit/Guide | This toolkit compiles resources from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on recruitment and retention related to health care professionals as well as training, education, licensure and certification. The resources don't all directly focus on public health positions, however workforce development strategies for general health care workforce issues can be applied broadly. |
The workload of the public health workforce increased exponentially during the pandemic, a period characterized by extreme levels of uncertainty and stress throughout society (Dent & Chen, 2023). According to the PHWINS, many public health employees cited stress and burnout as central to considering leaving their jobs. Learn more about burnout and the importance of mental health care in the workforce by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rural Healthcare Workers' Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Support Interventions | Article | A literature review to identify existing research on the types of interventions specifically designed and utilized to support the well-being of healthcare workers practicing in rural settings. The review found limited research in support interventions for rural healthcare workers and a need for more robust studies on interventions to promote the wellbeing of the rural healthcare workforce. However, the review does highlight insights from the current body of research. Any intervention strategy for the rural healthcare workforce should consider several factors including their impact, cost-effectiveness, acceptability, and context. Literature suggests there aren't enough robust rural healthcare workforce interventions in place, but suggest that the interventions that are in place are well received. Lastly, a common theme among successful programs are supportive supervision training and strong social relationships between staff and supervisors. |
| The Time For Change is Now: Organizational Solutions For Burnout in Public Health (McMillin & Kovach, 2024) | Webpage | A webpost elevating shifts that public health leaders (+ staff) can make to create cultures of well-being in public health organizations and across all organizations. Strategies are built out for different roles such as organizational leaders, public health system leaders, and team leaders and supervisors. |
| The Workplace Change Collaborative Podcast: Confronting Burnout and Moral Injury | Podcast | A six part podcast series identifying the drivers and consequences of burnout and moral injury among health workers, outlining practical strategies to improve their well-being, empowering those looking for change, and pointing listeners towards the Workplace Change Collaborative’s national framework and offer actionable strategies on this topic. Specific topics include: why burnout and moral injury are getting the attention of the US government, and why people should care about the well-being of our health workers, the impact burnout and moral injury have on health workers and those they serve, how we can empower this vital workforce, create change on an organizational level, and support leaders in those spaces, and ways that patients, health workers, or policy makers can advocate for change. |
| Understanding and Preventing Burnout among Public Health Workers: Guidance for Public Health Leaders (CDC, NIOSH, 2023) | Online Course | The Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published an online course for supervisors and managers in public health to help them reduce burnout in their employees and better structure their workplace. |
| It’s More Than Burnout: Moral Injury In The Public Health Workforce (Dent & Chen, 2023) | Webpage | A webpage published by the de Beaumont Foundation that describes burnout and moral injury in the context of the public health workforce. Offers some statistics and some possible solution recommendations for managers and spervisors in the public health workforce. |
| The Role of Minority Stress in Health Disparities (Boskey, 2020) | Webpage | This webpage defines Minority Stress, which is the stress derived from a minority status. Click on the webpage for more details. |
| Mental Health First Aid (National Council for Mental Wellbeing, n.d.) | Webpage | This webpage has links and resources to recieving training in mental health first-aid, as well as a newsletter and other resources to increase education and awareness of mental health first-aid. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) can teach public health staff to recognize and respond to coworkers who may be experiencing a mental health challenge. MHFA trainings can help departments integrate mental health and substance use support into their workforce culture. |
| Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training Program (NAMI, n.d.) | Webpage | This webpage has details about an adult and youth mental health first-aid training session offered by the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Urban LA. The course is held online, and is available for individuals or companies. |
| Conflict Management: Definition, Strategies, and Styles (Coursera, 2024) | Webpage | This webpage defines conflict management, and provides five different conflict management styles. It also goes on to provide strategies and tips for effective communication and conflict management. |
| Mental Health First Aid Guidelines (Mental Health First Aid International, n.d.) | Toolkit/Guide | This toolkit has evidence-based guidlines for providing mental health first-aid that are specific for several mental health problems and crises, as well as for people of certain backgrounds and ethnicities. |
| Experiences of minoritized, marginalized physicians in U.S. during COVID-19 (AMA, n.d.) | Report | This report, published by the American Medical Association (AMA), surveyed physicians to asked how the COVID-19 pandemic affected them. The results from the report details the experiences of racially and ethnically marginalized physicians, and provides important data in the effort to increase health equity. |
| Addressing Health Worker Burnout (U.S. Surgeon General's Office, 2022) | Report | This advisory was published by the Surgeon General to address burnout in the public health field. It provides general reccomendations to change the culture and structures around public health care in order to better serve healthcare providers, and therefore patients. The advisory also provides helpful resources connected to the topics of transforming cultures, reducing administrative burdens, preventing suicide and moral injury, supporting health workers, and ensuring health care safety and preventing violence. |
| National Framework for Addressing Burnout and Moral Injury in the Health and Public Safety Workforce (Workplace Change Collaborative, 2023) | Report | The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded Workforce Change Collaborative (WCC) was tasked under the aware to develop a "national framework that supports the rapid deployment of evidence informed or evidence-based strategies to reduce and address burnout, suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders and enhance resiliency". This report focuses the evidence-base towards the public health and safety workforce. |
Research has shown that childhood experiences have profound and lasting effects on health behaviors and outcomes later in life (Kirsch, 2024). Those with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have greater risk for behaviors such as depression, substance use, and tobacco use. Learn more about ACEs and their prevention and intervention strategies by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program in Rural America: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary | Policy Brief | The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program is a proven model for preventing and reducing the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Home visiting typically includes three core activities: assessing family needs, educating and supporting parents, and connecting families to community services. These interventions have demonstrated positive impacts for children and parents, while also helping families build protective factors against ACEs. This policy brief not only highlights the effectiveness of these services but also offers clear policy recommendations to strengthen and expand them in rural areas. It emphasizes the unique policy challenges rural communities face—barriers that too often prevent them from fully leveraging federal and state support. |
| Evolving Ties: Tracking Changes In a Rural ACEs Network Over Time (Lawlor, Puma, & Leiferman, 2025) | Article | An overview of a study tracking an ACEs-focused interorganizational network of care in the San Luis Valley (SLV), Colorado over three years. Between the two data collection periods, researchers implemented a targeted network-building intervention to enhance collaboration among service organizations. Key findings includes that organizations played a stronger leadership role in improving network connection, organizations had more connections, and those connections were also connected to each other, creating a trusting environment where organizations shared social norms and work, and information and resources needed to cross shorter distances to move through the network due to elevated connectivity. More research needs to be done to evaluate the impacts of network connection on real-world benefits for children and families. |
| ACEs Factsheet (CDC, 2019) | Factsheet | This factsheet provides basic information and data about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's), and what can be done to mitigate the risk in children and harm to adults. |
| Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) (CDC, 2023) | Webpage | The Center for Disease Control (CDC) published this webpage that lists important resources about ACEs. They have links to webpages that have information on ACEs, such has what they are, how to prevent them, and how they affect children. |
| ACEs Aware (n.d.) | Webpage | ACEs Aware is an organization based out of the University of California school system to raise awareness and help people heal from ACEs. They also provide resources for health care workers to become trained in screening for ACEs, including a step-by-step guide on how to implement ACEs screening in a medical practice. |
| ACEs Too High (n.d.) | Webpage | ACEs Too High is a nonprofit webpage that reports on news and research in regards to ACEs. They also cover how people, organizations, agencies and communities are implementing practices and policies based on the research. |
| Toxic Stress (Center on the Developing Child, n.d.) | Webpage | This page was developed by Harvard University to educate people on toxic stress, and the differences between the toxic stress response, the tolerable stress response, and the positive stress response. |
| California Resources (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.) | Webpage | The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides free resources for healthcare providers and parents. They provide research, databases, and websites that cover a variety of topics involved in child welfare, include fostercare and adoption agencies, information based on state, territory or tribe, legislation, and a directory of terms in English and Spanish. They also provide contact information for reporting child abuse or neglect. |
| ACEs Toolkit (Center for Child Counseling, n.d.) | Toolkit | The Center for Child Counseling published this toolkit to help people find information and resources regarding ACEs. They included background information on ACEs, information that is important for educators and healthcare professionals, and free resources. |
| ACEs Toolkit (CDC, Kaiser, National Crittenton Foundation, 2015) | Toolkit | Published by the National Crittenton Foundation, Kaiser Permanente and the Center for Disease Control, this toolit includes data and research on ACEs. It is intended for agencies to use to inform them of ACEs and to help create change at the individual and community levels. |
Historical trauma originates from major events that oppressed a particular cultural, racial, or ethnic group and can have significant impacts on the physical and psychological health of communities. Learn more about historical trauma and its impacts by exploring the resources below.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural trauma as a fundamental cause of health disparities | Article | A peer reviewed article that presents a model detailing that cultural trauma impacts affected groups through social disadvantage and exposes them to pervasive stress, stigma, and diminished resources, perpetuating health disparities across generations. Authors pose that cultural trauma fundamentally lead to health disparities through damaging three health-protective cultural resources such as cultural modes, institutions, and lands. Additionally, it is proposed that these health disparities are reinforced over time through replaceable mechanisms of cultural trauma. |
| Unearthing Historical Trauma to Advance Health Equity for Survivors of Human Trafficking | Article | Strategies to cultivate a health equity approach often include ongoing organizational discussions on concepts such as cultural competency, cultural responsiveness, or cultural humility. Unfortunately, for many organizations, this translates to education for healthcare staff limited to specific topics, such as language access. While this topic is important, it isn't enough. Advancing health equity neccesitates a deeper historical perspective. Educators must address how historical trauama affects the health outcomes of patients, especially those who are marginalized. This article provides solid information on foundational studies focused on historical trauma. The article focuses on connecting historical trauama insights to current discussions around human trafficking, however, the discussion can apply to many different inequities and disparities that marginalized groups experience. |
| Fact Sheet: Historical Trauma (SAMHSA, n.d.) | Factsheet | This factsheet, compiled by the SAMHSA's Gains Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, details symptoms of historical trauma, and also goes into detail about certain racial and cultural groups that may experience historical trauma. |
| What is Historical Trauma (Administration for Children and Families, n.d.) | Webpage | This page, published by the Administration for Children and Families, details what historical trauma is, symptoms, who may experience it, and why it is important to understand. |
| Historical Trauma and Cultural Healing: Video Series (UoM, 2023) | Webpage | The University of Minnesota Extension published this video series that goes over what historical trauma is, how it is perpetuated, and how to heal from it. They also provide links to other free resources on historical trauma. |
| What We Do (Tribal Youth Resource Center, n.d.) | Webpage | This webpage covers historical trauma in relation to the Native American populations. They also provide a self-assesment tool for community workers looking to implement a trauma-informed approach, and contact information for more information. |
| Historical Trauma and Healing (University of Denver, 2024) | Webpage | The University of Denver library published this webpage that contains videos on historical trauma and cultural healing. |
| Historical Trauma and Cultural Resilience (Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, n.d.) | Webpage | This webpage describes what historical trauma is, and offers a chart showing the impact of one generations trauma on another generation. They also describe cultural resiliance, and provide several informational videos. This webpage is part of a larger toolkit on the topic of Public Health and Tribal collaborations. |
| Historical Trauma and Microaggressions: A Framework for Culturally-Based Practice (CECMH, 2010) | Report | This report summarizes a presentation given by Dr. Karina Walters titled “Historical Trauma, Microaggressions, and Identity: A Framework for Culturally-Based Practice”, which was part of the Center for Excellence in Children’s Mental Health (CECMH) Lessons from the Field seminar series. The presentation focuses on American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people, specifically children, and the historical trauma they have faced. |
| Article List - Historical Trauma (UoM, 2015) | Report | This list of research articles, compiled by the University of Minnesota Extension, focuses on historical trauma in a wide variety of cultures or racial groups. |
The Rural North faces disproportionately severe behavioral health challenges. The region experiences elevated mortality rates from suicide and substance use–related deaths, occurring at significantly higher levels compared to the rest of the state. It is central to the health of all rural communities to address the underlying factors leading to health disparities.
| Resource Title & Link | Resource Type | Resource Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Southwest Rural Opioid Technical Assistance (ROTA-R) Regional Center | Website | The Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (ROTA) is a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that develops and disseminates training and technical assistance for rural communities on addressing opioid issues impacting communities. Training and Technical Assistance includes: media toolkits, brochures, courses, fact sheets, webinars, and posters. There are 10 regional centers that conduct this work over the United States. The Pacific Southwest ROTA-R covers rural counties in California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesisa, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. |
| Rural Community Action Guide | Toolkit/ Guide | A guide offering recommended action steps intended to create a roadmap for action in addressing substance and opioid misuse in Rural America. Recommended action steps are built upon research from different agencies and partners such as NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, National Association of Counties, The Rural Broadband Association, USDA, and more. Action steps are widespread and focus on topics from addiction stigma and prevention to impacts on the economic propsperity of rural communities and recovery for community. |
| Shasta County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan 2024-2028 | Report | Shasta Suicide Prevention Collaborative developed a five-year (2024-2028) strategic plan aligned with California's strategic plan. It uses a comprehensive approach and outlines strategies to collectively prevent suicide in our community. The goal of the strategic plan is to be of use to 1) monitor data to understand local needs, best practices, and inform local prevention efforts 2) provide education on how to approach, support, and refer those who are at risk for suicide 3) develop evidence-based or promising practice local suicide prevention programs and activities and 4) create opportunities to lead and/or collaborate on outlined goals and objectives. Activities outlined in this strategic plan can be modeled for other rural areas. |