CRLA is now one of The California Endowment’s largest partners in the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Initiative. A recent $1.6 Million grant from TCE positions CRLA to work with local advocates and community members over two years to improve health and health equity for low-income communities of color in six CA regions (see map) . Some of the work that CRLA advocates will assist with over the two years includes:
- Ongoing technical assistance, training and legal education for the BHC partners on land use, water quality, public decision making, civic engagement, education equity, civil rights and safe, affordable housing.
- Coordination strategies to improve school district practices related to discipline and youth development.
- Monitoring policies and practices that contribute to healthy development for rural, LGBT individuals and communities
- Increasing collaboration among working groups on environmental justice.
- Increasing the involvement of immigrant communities in local decision-making that effects personal and public health.
“This partnership is an exciting opportunity to continue CRLA’s mission-driven work in some of the most needy of California’s rural communities” – José Padilla, CRLA Executive Director