We're Hiring | Why PHI is Supporting Science, Backing Vaccine Requirements & Ensuring Vaccine Equity Access | Five Tips to Combat COVID Misinformation

Why PHI is Supporting Science, Backing Vaccine Requirements & Ensuring Vaccine Equity Access

Earlier this month the Public Health Institute implemented an organization-wide policy requiring that all of our U.S.-based employees, regardless of whether they are working in-person or remotely from home, be vaccinated against COVID-19.

For a leading public health organization such as PHI, that might not be a surprising decision. Science, best practices and research are the foundation of public health work, after all. In a world where science and data are fast becoming political and politicized, though, I thought it was important to share our decision publicly and clearly.

We have reviewed and updated all of PHI’s COVID policies throughout the pandemic, adjusting them as new data and best practices become available. The implementation of PHI’s vaccine policy was made in the aftermath of a deeply concerning split-decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 13. It halted the Biden administration's proposal to implement an emergency temporary standard through the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that would have required large employers?to ensure that their employees are vaccinated, or tested weekly, and wear masks at work.

While the U.S. Department of Labor has withdrawn its emergency temporary standard based on the Court's ruling, we are pleased that the department is continuing to pursue the same standard as a proposed rule through the federal regulatory process and that OSHA is focusing its resources on finalizing a permanent COVID-19 Healthcare Standard.

Promoting and supporting full vaccinations for COVID-19 is one of the most important tools we have to see our way out of this pandemic. We need to do all we can, and use every tool at our disposal, to ensure our employees, their families, and our communities are safe.

That is why PHI has also joined with the California Medical Association, the ProtectUs coalition, and California school districts in supporting SB 871, legislation authored by California Senator Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). It would add COVID-19 to the list of vaccinations required at California’s public schools, eliminate personal exemptions, and make sure that every child in our public schools will be safe, healthy and ready to learn.

Ensuring vaccinations in the workplace and at schools keeps everyone safer—including those who may be too young for vaccinations, the immune compromised, and others at high risk. Every vaccination moves us one step closer to the end of this pandemic. In addition to supporting these policies, PHI will continue our critical partnerships with community-based organizations in 26 states, who are serving as trusted messengers to dismantle vaccine barriers in our country’s most systemically excluded communities.

In community and health,

Mary A. Pittman, DrPH, PHI CEO & President

See the statement on our website →

Five Ways To Combat Misinformation When Communicating About COVID

COVID misinformation and disinformation are fueling vaccine hesitancy and discouraging communities from seeking out other critical resources. Our Berkeley Media Studies Group shares five strategies that public health advocates and practitioners can use to combat misinformation and communicate more effectively. One tip: Lead with shared values. This will help your messages resonate with communities and provide consistency, even if data changes or details shift. See BMSG's five messaging tips to combat COVID disinformation →

Upcoming Webinars & Trainings

Future Global Health Leaders Webinar

Wednesday, February 2 | 10-10:30am PT

Are you a student interested in a career in global health? Join PHI's Global Health Technical Professionals to learn how to find opportunities to work in global health outside of the US. Hear panelists working in global health highlight their unique career journeys, discuss challenges they faced, and share advice and insight. Tune in →

Sustainable Transportation: Healthier Options for Healthier Air

Tuesday, February 15 | 10-11am PT

Transportation policies and investments play a fundamental role in reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases. Join?PHI’s Regional Asthma Management and?Prevention program and partners for updates about California's sustainable transportation and infrastructure-related efforts that will play a key role in shaping air quality and climate for years to come. Register →

Using Online Tools to Network, Partner?& Map Relationships

Thursday, February 17 | 12-1pm PT

There are many different purposes for mapping a network—enabling new collaborations, identifying gaps, building relationships, and more—but knowing the best approach and which tools to use can be a challenge. Join PHI’s Population Health Innovation Lab and Jeff Mohr, Co-Founder and CEO of Kumu, for a demonstration of the network and system mapping platform. Learn how to organize complex data into relationship maps to tell compelling stories about your communities. Join →

Providing Accessible Healthcare for Patients Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Thursday, February 24 | 11:30am-1pm PT

Tune in to a webinar from our Pacific ADA Center to learn strategies to improve healthcare experiences for people who are blind or have low vision. Participants will identify ways providers can operationalize ADA requirements for healthcare accessibility to provide better care. RSVP →

More Covid-19 Resources

See how PHI is working alongside communities to increase vaccine equity, plus find tools, resources and best practices to address barriers in accessing vaccines. Explore our Vaccine Access & Equity Strategy initiative page →

• Reaching Communities in Their Primary Languages: Thanks to support from PHI’s Together Toward Health, the VIDA project and the Monterey County Collaborative are now reaching about 7,000 people each month through phone calls, information distribution and personal outreach—directly sharing information on COVID-19 vaccines, community resources and other materials in English, Spanish, Triqui, Zapoteco and Mixteco, indigenous languages of Mexico. Read more in the Monterey County Herald →
• Disbursing $14.7 to LA's Highest-Impact Areas: Millions of dollars in pandemic-related resources and relief have been made available to communities, but getting them out the door can take time. PHI’s nimble central infrastructure makes it easier and faster to get funds directly where they're needed. In LA County, PHI contracted with the California Government Operations Agency and distributed $14.7 million in just two weeks, so local health centers, mobile clinics, pharmacies and others could boost vaccine access. Learn more →
• Culturally Led COVID Response in Native American Communities: PHI's Together Toward Health helps support seven California, Native-led organizations, who meet monthly to share what's working for their communities, create new projects and share resources to address COVID and vaccine access. "For deep historical reasons, our community is one of the hardest to reach and persuade to get vaccinated, so it’s very important to keep sharing trusted information and images through our own lens and our trusted sources," said Virginia Hedrick, director of the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health. Read the full story →
• How to Reach Youth & Families with COVID Vaccines & Resources: With funding from PHI’s Together Toward Health, the Pasadena-based community organization Day One is using community health workers and youth advocates to connect the community with COVID resources—helping to reach kids, young people and their families. One tip: Make it fun. From costumed bike rides to meditation sessions to beach parties, Day One kept a packed calendar of youth-friendly events that doubled as safe spaces to get information about COVID-19 and vaccines, and answer community questions and concerns. Read the impact story →

More from PHI

• Sea Level Rise & Climate Health Risks: In the Ventura County Star, Dr. Linda Rudolph, director of PHI’s Center for Climate Change and Health, comments on the unequal health risks associated with sea level rise: “Stark health inequities and systems with disproportionate impacts on communities of color will exacerbate the impacts of climate change and compound the effects of historical systemic racism.” Read the article →
• Sacramento County Bans Flavored Tobacco: Beginning in July of this year, the sale of flavored tobacco products will be banned in Sacramento County—including candy-flavored e-cigarettes, hookah tobacco, and menthol cigarettes. On Capital Public Radio, PHI’s Dr. Lynn Silver shares how local jurisdictions have had to take on the issue themselves to protect their communities from tobacco's deadly consequences. See the full story →
• Success Stories & Tools: Community Partnerships to Reduce Obesity: Through a partnership with the USDA FNS Southeast Regional office, PHI’s Center for Wellness and Nutrition supported State Nutrition Action Councils in eight Southeast states—helping to design and launch nutrition education and obesity prevention programs, partnerships, and healthy community and system changes. Explore two resources to find success stories, solutions and tools to help your community build partnerships and increase access to healthy foods and physical activity. See the resources →
• Podcast: Building Resilient Communities for a Changing Climate: Resilient communities—those with fresh food and clean water, air that is safe to breathe, and empowered people—are better equipped to adapt to climate change. On latest Flipping the Table podcast, our Michael Dimock talks with Maricela Morales about PHI's Achieving Resilient Communities project, which brings together residents, government agencies, local groups, businesses and other partners to build health, equity and climate resiliency in California communities. Hear the podcast →
• Training Tomorrow's Leaders in Alcohol Research & Health: Since 1977, PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (ARG) has mentored and supported over 270 scholars in their journey to become researchers, scientists, professors and practitioners—helping to shape the field of alcohol research. One scholar, Christina Tam, is now an ARG associate scientist leading the first longitudinal study to identify factors associated with tobacco and alcohol use among Asian Americans. Read more about the scholars →
• Videos: Advancing Global Gender Equity: Meet five Rise Up Leaders who are fighting for gender equity in their communities around the world. "Rise Up’s trainings made me realize that there can be no real long-lasting change unless you understand the root cause of the problem and try to eliminate it," said Rise Up Leader Prabha Vilas Jadhav. "As long as girls and women do not come forward and raise their voices, we won’t be able to create a gender-equitable society." Watch the videos →

We're Hiring

PHI is dedicated to promoting health, well-being and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. Join us:

• Contract Administrator: Remote, USA. The Contract Administrator will be responsible for the implementation of processes, systems and procedures related to contract administration for PHI’s clinical research portfolio.
• PeopleSoft Business Analyst: Remote (California). This role will act as the business interface between PHI stakeholders and the PeopleSoft technical team, with experience with both PeopleSoft HCM and FSCM implementations.
• Equity and Engagement Specialist: Remote (Sacramento, CA). Located with for PHI's Center for Wellness and Nutrition, this role will provide community engagement expertise in support of organizing and capacity building for policies, systems and environmental change approaches that advance health equity and racial justice.
• Senior Payroll Specialist: Remote (Oakland, CA). This position will provide supervision, direction and training to the Payroll Data Specialist, supervise payroll and payroll tax administration and ensure all deadlines are met, assist the manager with development, implementation and maintenance of payroll procedures and processes and more.
• Program Administrator III: Remote, USA. This position supports the essential financial, operational, and administrative functions of PHI’s new award for the Building a Sustainable Workforce for Screening, Responding to and Preventing ACEs and Toxic Stress Project. This new award will be a project within the portfolio of PHI’s Population Health Innovation Lab.

See all current opportunities →

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With your support, PHI is building community power, advocating for change, training tomorrow’s leaders, and sharing our expertise with the world.?Donate today to support our work →

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