Prevention Institute

THROUGH A HEALTH EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE LENS, WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, FOUNDATIONS, MULTIPLE SECTORS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES TO BRING CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH, PRACTICE, STRATEGY, AND ANALYSIS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELLBEING. WE APPLY OUR APPROACH TO HEALTHY EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES, LAND USE, SAFETY, SYSTEMS OF PREVENTION AND HEALTH EQUITY, EQUITABLE RECOVERY FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC, SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING, AMONG OTHER ISSUES.

HEALTH: OUR VISION IS THAT ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL FOR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE THROUGH THRIVING, EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES. HEALTH IS MORE THAN THE ABSENCE OF ILLNESS AND INJURY. IT IS A PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL CONDITION THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO THRIVE AND LIVE FULFILLING LIVES. OUR APPROACH TO ENSURING THAT ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN EMPHASIZES EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE, COMMUNITY AND UPSTREAM PREVENTION. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: CALLED FOR INVESTMENTS IN FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR CBOS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ROLE AS VITAL PARTNERS TO GOVERNMENT AS WE CONTINUE TO RESPOND AND RECOVER FROM COVID-19; PROPOSED A NEW APPROACH TO ADDRESSING PARK AND GREEN SPACE INEQUITIES AND LAUNCHED A GROUNDBREAKING NATIONAL INITIATIVE; STRENGTHENED POLICY-ADVOCACY CAPACITY TO ENSURE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTS EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT; SUPPORTED PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS IN EMBEDDING RACIAL JUSTICE AND HEALTH EQUITY INTO THEIR PRACTICES; PARTNERED WITH 7 COMMUNITIES TO SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE LOCAL AND STATEWIDE POLICY; PARTNERED TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK FOR INVESTING HEALTH SYSTEM BOND FUNDS; AND STRENGTHENED SUPPORT FOR EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS TO ADVANCE A JUST RECOVERY IN CALIFORNIA.

WELLBEING: AT PREVENTION INSTITUTE, OUR VISION IS THAT ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE LEVELS OF HOPE AND ASPIRATION, BELONGING AND CONNECTION, TRUST, DIGNITY, SAFETY, AND CONTROL OF DESTINY THAT ARE NEEDED FOR VIBRANT MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON ACHIEVING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, PREVENTING TRAUMA AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL, ADDRESSING DESPAIR, AND REDUCING SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND ADDICTION. OUR APPROACH EMPHASIZES EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE, COMMUNITY, AND UPSTREAM PREVENTION. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: GUIDED COLLABORATIVES THAT ARE CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF COLOR TO HAVE STRONG MENTAL WELLBEING; DEVELOPED AN ONLINE TOOLKIT TO PREVENT SUICIDE AND TRAUMA DURING CATASTROPHIC EVENTS; RELEASED A 'BACKPACK' THAT CURATES COMMUNITY-LED STRATEGIES FOR CREATING SOCIAL CONNECTION; SERVED AS THE CO-LEAD FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH TITLE OF THE HEALTH EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; AND ASSERTED THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALING, JUSTICE, AND CONNECTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH A NATIONAL CONFERENCE.

SAFETY: PREVENTION INSTITUTE DEFINES SAFETY AS THE FREEDOM FROM VIOLENCE AND THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO THRIVE AND LIVE FULFILLING LIVES. OUR WORK ADDRESSES MULTIPLE FORMS OF VIOLENCE (E.G., SCHOOL, COMMUNITY, INTIMATE PARTNER, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND CHILD ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION) AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THEM. OUR APPROACH TO ENSURING THAT ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCE SAFETY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN EMPHASIZES EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE, COMMUNITY, AND UPSTREAM PREVENTION. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: WE PILOTED A MODEL TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PROMOTE SAFE RELATIONSHIPS AND CENTERED RACIAL JUSTICE IN A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO PREVENTING VIOLENCE, INCLUDING RELEASING A NEW FRAMEWORK TO ADVANCE THIS WORK AND CONVENING A PEER LEARNING SERIES ON ADVANCING RACIAL JUSTICE IN COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK.

OTHER: IN OTHER PROGRAM WORK, PREVENTION INSTITUTE PROVIDES ROBUST TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CONSULTATION SERVICES AS WELL AS KEYNOTES AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS. WE PROVIDE TRAINING, CONSULTATION, AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT TO STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BUILD CAPACITY TO CHANGE POLICIES, SYSTEMS, AND ENVIRONMENTS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICE; EMBEDDING EQUITY TO ADVANCE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELLBEING; CHAMPIONING STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS IN SUPPORT OF THRIVING, EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES; AND SUPPORTING EQUITY, SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA).