New Jobs | New PHI Study on Sickle Cell Trait and Long-term Health Outcomes | Action and Empathy to Prevent Overdose Deaths

New Study from PHI's Tracking CA Examines Long-term Health Outcomes for Individuals Born with Sickle Cell Trait

Sickle cell trait (SCT) is a hereditary blood disorder and carrier status for sickle cell disease that can cause devastating long-term health impacts, including episodes of severe pain, life-threatening complications and early death. A new study led by the California Sickle Cell Data Collection Program—an initiative of PHI’s Tracking California—examined screening data from more than 94,000 individuals in California identified with SCT at birth between 1991 and 2013, and found that children with SCT had significantly higher mortality rates in early and middle childhood. The study, published this month in Public Health Reports, is believed to be the first effort in the U.S. to use population-based data to examine long-term health outcomes for people with SCT, and underscores the need for an expanded data infrastructure and sustained monitoring of individuals with SCT-positive status to inform counseling, care and policy. “These results highlight what we don’t know about sickle cell trait....That gap limits our understanding and the ability to provide evidence-based guidance to families and providers,” said Susan Paulukonis, principal investigator of the California Sickle Cell Data Collection Program and lead study author. Read More →

New Series from PHI's Dialogue4Health: Building a Movement of Knowledge, Action and Empathy to Prevent Overdose Deaths

Addiction and overdose have a rippling effect that impacts all aspects of community life, and everyone has a part to play to build awareness, combat stigma and help support those who are ready to build a road to recovery. Produced by PHI's Dialogue4Health and sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a new six-part webinar series titled "Building a Movement of Knowledge, Action and Empathy to Prevent Overdose Deaths" aims to set the stage for an informed, responsive and community-led approach to overdose prevention.

Register and join the first webinar in the series next Thursday, September 25, at 11am PT. "Addiction 101: Understanding Lived Experience and the Science to Prevent Overdose" will feature two powerful perspectives. First, hear from someone with lived experience of substance use disorder and recovery, offering a personal look at the challenges and realities of navigating addiction. Then hear from an addiction specialist who will offer a clinical perspective on how substance use disorder develops and the current tools we have for overdose prevention and treatment. Learn more & register →

Upcoming Webinars, Events & Trainings

Lunch & Learn Series: Strategies to Support Mental Health & Resilience: TODAY, September 17, 23, 24  | 12-1pm PT | $15 per session. PHI's Cypress Resilience Project provides training to support the inherent resilience of individuals and communities who are managing trauma, experiencing grief and navigating mental health challenges. Their September Lunch and Learn webinar series will cover topics including incorporating rest as part of mental health wellness, the power of connection and supporting those who are grieving. Register →

Let’s Talk MPTs–Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Product R&D: Thursday, September 18 | 8-9am PT. Multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) combine protection against HIV, other STIs and/or unintended pregnancy into a single product. In the latest session of the "Let's Talk MPTs" webinar series from The Initiative for MPTs—a project of PHI’s CAMI Health—speakers will discuss how partnerships between industry, academia, government and philanthropy can accelerate MPT development. Join to gain insights about opportunities to leverage shared expertise, resources and infrastructure, and hear from thought leaders at the forefront of women’s sexual and reproductive health innovation. Join →

Exploring EMDR for AAAI Children & Families: Thursday, September 18 | 12-1:30pm PT. In this webinar, PHI’s Lotus Project will introduce a trauma-focused psychotherapy—the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)—and its implementation with Asian American and Asian Immigrant children and families. This webinar will provide an overview of EMDR modalities, discuss the advantages and challenges of implementing them with the AAAI population and explore the underlying mechanisms through which EMDR can address trauma-related mental health issues. Sign up →

Culturally Sensitive Trauma-Informed Approach to Suicidal Ideation for Asian Youth: Wednesday, September 24 | 4-5:30pm PT. PHI’s Health Intervention Projects for Underserved Populations/IWAY2 is hosting their first free training on suicide ideation among Asian American & Pacific Islander youth. Join to understand how cultural factors influence emotional expression among Asian youth and identify strategies to assist youth in overcoming potential risks of engaging in suicidal ideation. Register →

QPR Suicide Prevention Trainings: Thursday, September 25 | 2-3:30pm PT | $30. In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, PHI’s Cypress Resilience Project is offering their QPR Suicide Prevention Trainings for 50% off throughout September, bringing the price to $30 for a 90-minute virtual class. QPR is an evidence-based certification from the QPR Institute that stands for Question, Persuade and Refer—three simple steps anyone can learn to prevent suicide. QPR Gatekeepers are trained to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide, offer hope and connect that person to the help they need. Use discount code KEEPSAFE at checkout. Sign up →

PHI's Roots of Change at Terra Madre Americas: September 26-28 | Sacramento, CA | Safe Credit Union Convention Center. Join PHI's Roots of Change at the 2025 Terra Madre Americas international food and wine event, a free weekend celebration featuring food and drink tastings, live music, celebrity chef demonstrations, educational panels, artisan vendors and more. Stop by their Regenerative Meat Pavilion to connect with Roots of Change at a first-of-its-kind gathering of ranchers, producers, policy leaders and food system innovators. Learn more →

From Data to Action: Leveraging Strategic Mapping to Mobilize: Tuesday, September 30 | 11am-1:30pm PT | $85-100. Join this virtual workshop from PHI’s Population Health Innovation Lab (PHIL) to learn how to turn complex relationships into clear, actionable insights using Kumu, a powerful tool for visualizing systems, assets and networks. Whether you’re tackling public health challenges, building community partnerships or aligning teams around shared goals, strategic mapping helps you see the bigger picture—and take better action. Register →

Harnessing AI in Public Health: Applying the Tools and Navigating the Pitfalls: Wednesday, October 1 | 10-11:30am PT. Building on insights from the first webinar in a three-part series on AI in Public Health from PHI's Dialogue4Health, this second webinar takes AI from the conceptual into the actual applications to advance public health. Artificial intelligence has the potential to reshape the landscape of public health—from data modernization and predictive analytics to ethical policy development and community engagement. Join to hear three nationally recognized leaders in public health as they explore how AI can be responsibly and effectively integrated into public health research and practice. Sign up →

Your Rights as a Person with a Disability Under the ADA in Employment: a Deeper Dive: Wednesday, October 15 | 12-1:30pm PT. Join PHI’s Pacific ADA Center for an in-depth look at your rights in the workplace under the ADA. This session will explore reasonable accommodations, the interactive process, disclosure and protections during hiring and employment. Whether you’re a job seeker or currently employed, this session will help you better understand your rights and advocate for yourself at work. Register →

Emergency Preparedness: Integrating Access into Business Resiliency & Adaptation Plans: Thursday, October 16 | 12-1pm PT. Don't miss the final 2025 Lunch & Learn webinar from PHI’s Pacific ADA Center, hosted in collaboration with the California Commission on Disability Access. Speakers will provide information on how to maintain operational resilience while upholding accessibility during emergencies. The event will provide an overview of emergency preparedness considerations, the role of accessibility in business continuity and how temporary changes in business functions might impact access for customers and employees with disabilities. This webinar is intended for business owners, managers and professionals who work in operations, facilities or emergency preparedness. Join →

The Intersection of RCCs and Recovery Housing: Tuesday, October 21 | 11am-12pm PT. PHI's Alcohol Research Group (ARG) hosts the Studying Treatment & Addiction Recovery Residences (I-STARR) webinar series, which explores how to address challenges to providing and conducting research on medication for opioid use disorder in recovery housing. Recovery community centers (RCCs) are emerging as an important component of the recovery support landscape, augmenting professional treatment, mutual-help organizations and other types of recovery support services, like recovery housing. This webinar reviews recent literature on RCCs and explores how they may differ from and complement recovery housing. Sign up →

More from PHI

Transforming EDs Into Critical Entry Points for Addiction Treatment: Earlier this month, UCLA Health highlighted a study co-authored by PHI's CA Bridge that demonstrates the program's success in scaling their model for opioid use disorder treatment in more than 80% of emergency departments (EDs) in California. The study indicates the critical role EDs can play in addiction treatment when provided proper funding, training and patient navigation support. "[CA Bridge] has developed a successful model for scaling ED addiction care across diverse practice settings, with high adoption and services provision," said Dr. Elizabeth Samuels, lead study author and researcher at UCLA. Read more →

The Importance of Mutual-Help Groups for Recovery from SUD: Sarah Zemore, senior scientist at PHI’s Alcohol Research Group (ARG), discussed a recent ARG study with Public Good News last month, which found that people in recovery from alcohol use disorders who attended a peer-led, mutual-help group saw similar benefits, regardless of the group they chose. The study found that group involvement, rather than the specific group chosen, was the main determinant of how a person fared over time: “The findings are pretty clear that we can refer people to a range of empirically supported mutual-help groups.... The bottom line is that all of these groups are highly effective," said Sarah. Read more →

Updated Tool: Federal & State Telehealth Policy: Across the country, no two states are alike in how they define and regulate telehealth. The Telehealth Policy Finder, created by PHI's Center for Connected Health Policy, compiles telehealth-related laws and regulations across all 50 states and Washington D.C., as well as at the federal level. An update published last month shows that multiple states have recently made changes to their telehealth policies in an array of policy areas, including state Medicaid programs, private payer laws, professional regulations and cross-state licensing requirements. See the updates →

Building Support Systems During Emigration: In the latest video from CIRH Academy—an educational initiative of PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health (CIRH)—hear from CIRH health educators Dr. Ruslana Bielousova and Iryna Osadcha as they discuss the personal crisis experienced by Ukrainian immigrants displaced by the war and how this dislocation can serve as an opportunity for growth. Their conversation also covers issues of identity and the journey to rebuilding a sense of self in a new environment. This video is in Ukrainian with auto-generated translation available. Watch the recording →

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:

• Director of Development: Oakland, CA (Hybrid). The Director of Development will collaborate with colleagues throughout the Public Health Institute to co-create the conditions for new business, relationship growth, and fund development for the organization and more than 60 fiscally sponsored programs. The position will identify new opportunities to strengthen and diversify program revenue by expanding philanthropic, corporate, state and federal opportunities, and contribute to new business and funding models.

• Executive Assistant: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid). The Executive Assistant for PHI's Rise Up provides critical administrative, logistical and strategic support to the Executive Director and serves as a key liaison to the Rise Up Board of Directors. 

• PHIG Project Coordinator: Remote, USA. The PHIG Project Coordinator of the PHI Center for Health Leadership and Impact (CHLI) contributes to the organization, coordination and goal execution of the Center and its workforce program, the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) & Region 9 Hub. Primary duties include project management, maintaining communication with internal PHI and external stakeholders, collaborators, as well as planning and coordinating trainings and TA for multiple local and regional health departments, developing and managing databases and engaging and networking with stakeholders. 

See all current opportunities →

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