Staff Perspectives
Staff Perspective
The Health Policy & Planning staff at San Mateo County Health offer their perspective on public health issues featured in our newsletters.
Supporting Anchor Mission Work
My name is Sonali, and I am excited to join the Health Equity Team as a Community Health Planner to support County Health’s Anchor Institution strategies. Through the CalFresh Healthy Living Program, I supported many partners to advance health equity, making healthy food choices and active school travel more accessible to high-need communities. It was fulfilling to proactively engage with the diverse teams that influenced institutional policy changes.
Back with HPP!
Hello! My name is Liz Sanchez and I am excited to be rejoining the CalFresh Healthy Living team and HPP as a Community Program Specialist II. Over the past several years, I have been working out of class in various roles supporting San Mateo County’s COVID response. In the beginning stages of the pandemic, I worked as the education liaison, assisting in helping schools reopen.
Voting For Our Health
Staff perspective by Mai Le
For many people, voting is not top of mind when they think of public health interventions. But there is a body of growing research to suggest that civic engagement, which includes voting, volunteering, and joining community groups, is associated with better mental and physical health. These are community-oriented activities that improve individual health. To me what this data says is that what we do together matters.
This Is “See You Later,” Not Goodbye
Staff Perspective by Tania Perez
Dear Get Healthy SMC Partners,
SMC Pride 2022—STILL HERE, STILL PROUD!
Staff Perspective by Nupoor Kulkarni
From Indigenous land ceremonies to COVID test kit distribution, Inclusive Pride flags flying and community partners advocating for LGBTQ+ folks of all ages, SMC Pride 2022 is care in action. San Mateo County (SMC) Pride Celebration is hosted by our SMC BHRS Pride Initiative who partners with numerous agencies, including the SMC Pride Center, SMC LGBTQ Commission, Outlet, SMC Fair, and many others throughout the years to bring our communities this special event.
Meet the New Health Equity Community Health Planner, Nupoor Kulkarni!
Dear Get Healthy SMC partners,
Meet the New Healthy Equity Community Health Planner, Deandra Lee
Dear Get Healthy SMC partners,
Continuing to Collaborate for Children’s Success
Hello! My name is Mai (pronounced like “my”) and I am so happy to introduce myself as a new Community Health Planner with San Mateo County Health Policy and Planning (HPP). I’ll be working to move the Community Collaboration for Children’s Success (CCCS) forward and support our civic empowerment and health initiatives.
Ensuring a Safe Return to Schools for All
Hello Get Healthy San Mateo readers!
My name is Melissa, and I’m excited to join Health Policy and Planning as a Community Health Planner for the next year. I lead the Safe Return to Schools for All initiative, which aims to enhance the partnership between San Mateo County Health and the San Mateo Office of Education to ensure a safe return to schools for all students and school communities. I will also serve as the School Liaison between the community and San Mateo County Health.
Leading the Healthy Retail and Safe Routes to School Work
Dear Get Healthy SMC partners,
Meet Our New Senior Community Health Planner, Tania Perez
Dear Get Healthy SMC partners,
Here to Strengthen Equity Outcomes
Greetings Get Health SMC Partners and Friends!
A Year of Change
The start of a new decade hit us with a pandemic that no one saw coming. An abrupt economic crisis followed, along with anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty. The pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the existing inequities within our county and country. To say that it’s been a challenge is an understatement. Families have lost so much – from loved ones, to jobs, financial security, and their normal family and community connections.
My Final Post with Deep Gratitude
Greetings, GHSMC partners! I write my final post with deep gratitude and optimism during one of the more challenging years in recent memory. As I wrap up my transition this month working for the County of San Mateo, I am encouraged by all the great health equity work that I was fortunate to be a part of during my three years with the Health Policy and Planning team. We were able to advance policy efforts such as Daly City being the first city in the county to adopt a Vision Zero Action Plan to eliminate traffic deaths, which disproportionately affect our most vulnerable communities.
Forging Ahead with a Stronger Framework
Dear Get Healthy SMC,
It’s hard to imagine that we are in the home stretch of our 2015-2020 Get Healthy SMC Strategic Plan. Five years ago, you told us that being healthy wasn’t just about getting to the gym, having vegetables with lunch, and cutting out soda for kids. You shared your experiences and those of your families and communities that demonstrated that we can’t be healthy in isolation – we need healthy, equitable communities for all.
Local Produce Promotes Health, Economic Well-Being and Sustainable Agriculture
Justin and Grace here combining forces to talk about anchor strategies, which is a framework for building health and wealth in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Across the country, hospitals and health systems are using their economic power to improve community well-being. These large place-based enterprises, also known as “anchor institutions”, are using their resources to create economic opportunities for excluded and low-income residents through inclusive workforce programs, equitable procurement policies, sustainability efforts and mission-aligned investments.
Improving Health through Equitable Fee Policies
Dear Get Healthy SMC Partners,
One of my favorite things about this job is the chance to learn about issues impacting our most vulnerable in our County and ways we can advance health equity by building financial security for all people. One issue we’ve been researching recently is the impact local fines and fees can have on residents’ ability to grow their assets and savings.
That’s a Wrap: Lessons from the Community Collaborative for Children’s Success Planning Process
Over the last year and a half, four communities in San Mateo County have been hard at work looking for solutions to overcome barriers to youth success. Despite busy schedules and competing priorities, over 1,000 community members showed their investment in young people’s futures by taking surveys, attending night meetings, knocking on doors, talking to neighbors and digging deep with their communities to come together around top priorities.
Engaging for Community Health
Greetings Get Healthy SMC partners,