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Of all the questions I get asked every day, the one that crystallizes just how simplistic and uninformed the conversation about immigration is this: “Why can’t you just get legal?” You ask what you don’t know. When it comes to immigration, most Americans I’ve met across the country—online and offline, from people calling for my deportation to people who want me to stay—don’t know a whole lot. Even journalists who cover the issue struggle to report and frame it outside a largely partisan,...

SAN DIEGO — Migrants who are allowed to remain in the United States to pursue asylum are usually given a choice when they are released from detention in San Diego: Go to the Greyhound bus station and fend for themselves, or try to find a cot and a shower at a local shelter. One way or another, once the migrants have been dropped off by discreet white Immigration and Customs Enforcement vans in border towns across the Southwest, they are no longer the federal government’s problem. President...

When I was 15, my mother died in a car accident. Not knowing how to deal with the enormity of my loss and grief, I threw myself into homework and activities, never missing a day of school and trying to control everything in my life. This strategy succeeded in some ways—I was able to get good grades, for example. But the inner cost of pushing away my grief and sadness showed up in other ways. I became anxious around things I couldn’t control, like unexpected changes of plans and minor...

For someone born in 2017, the odds they'll die of an overdose on an opioid drug—including heroin, prescription painkillers, and certain street drugs—are higher than for any other cause of unintentional, preventable deaths in the United States, according to new work from the National Safety Council. The council is a non-profit organization that publishes statistics on preventable deaths in the U.S. every year. That means deaths that aren't due to natural causes, such as disease, or...

Erie County legislators, in their infinite wisdom have passed legislation outlawing the sale of tobacco products in drug stores and their host stores they may operate in. "There is no such thing as responsible smoking" is their war cry, which is an attempt to demonize smokers. I felt the need to write an opinion in our local paper.

I was thrilled to have Lucia Giovannini join me for a beautiful and enlightened conversation about her upcoming book release in the United States, her life mission, soul work, animal advocacy, and so much more!

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site -- abuseresearch.info -- that focuses on the health effects of abuse, and includes research articles on ACEs. Every month, she will post the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs. Thank you, Harise!! -- Jane Stevens] Houtepen LC, Hardy R, Maddock J, et. al. Childhood adversity and DNA methylation in two population-based cohorts. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Dec 3;8(1):266. PMID:...

photo: Rolf Schweitzer/CCO Dr. Arnd Herz, a self-described champion for ACEs science, would like nothing more than to witness a greater appreciation of how widespread adverse childhood experiences are. Herz, a pediatrician and director of Medi-Cal Strategy for the Greater Southern Alameda Area for Kaiser Permanente Northern California, would also like to encourage more people in health care to engage in a trauma-informed care approach, a change in practice that he says not only benefits...

Policymakers increasingly recognize that social and emotional development plays a critical role in students’ ability to learn, and are enacting policies to encourage the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) into school curricula. Many state policies already provide a foundation for including SEL in schools; however, policymakers should also consider policies that incorporate a holistic vision of SEL that creates healthy learning environments for all children. Child Trends, in...

On December 4, 2018, SPARCC hosted a national convening that called on more than 300 activists, researchers, policy-makers, physicians, artists, investors and others from across the country to come together in conversation. We, the people, have the power of collective action to build inclusive communities. That was the message in Los Angeles at SPARCC’s national convening, Investment Without Displacement. The convening began by acknowledging the historical legacy of displacement and policies...

Culture of Health Leaders are people working in every field and profession who want to use their influence to advance a Culture of Health where every resident has a fair opportunity to live a long, healthy life. This kind of leader isn’t defined by a fancy title or a corner office. They’re working on the ground, applying their skills and experience to solve urgent issues that impact their community and beyond. They get their hands dirty—running a business, leading a nonprofit, building things.

Innovative Partnerships Grant (PDF) : The Innovative Partnerships grant provides funding for up to six qualified Applicants to implement projects that develop regional collaborative networks between Child Abuse Prevention Councils (CAPCs) and community stakeholders, in an effort to improve child abuse prevention outcomes. To read more, go to http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/OCAP/Grants Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/deapeajay/2597109669