# The Intersection

> Advanced By Central Valley Journalism Collaborative


## Posts

- [Nurses from across the Valley learn tips, tactics for caring for kids at Valley Children’s Hospital](https://theintersectionreports.org/nurses-from-across-the-valley-learn-tips-tactics-for-caring-for-kids-at-valley-childrens-hospital/): The San Joaquin Valley’s premiere pediatric hospital opened its doors to scores of nurses from across the region to share tips and tactics for caring for infants, toddlers and children, spreading specialized knowledge so kids can receive better care where they live. Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera held its first “Training the Trainers” event on April 10, attended by about 160 nurses from throughout the eight-county region. The host hospital’s nurses served as instructors at training stations covering pediatric issues including insertion of intravenous catheters, feeding tubes, respiratory care, pharmacology and proper transport of infants and children. Nurses were chosen […]
- [Loss of tax credits drive Covered California insurance premiums higher for middle-income Valley residents](https://theintersectionreports.org/loss-of-tax-credits-drive-covered-california-insurance-premiums-higher-for-middle-income-valley-residents/): New enrollments in Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, are down by nearly one third over the past year across the San Joaquin Valley following the expiration of enhanced tax credits that helped subsidize the cost of coverage for buyers. Cancellation of coverage by people who were previously enrolled, particularly middle-income individuals and households who benefited from the expanded COVID-era subsidies, are also up as people encounter higher out-of-pocket costs for premiums. Almost 2 million California residents purchased health insurance through Covered California in 2025. The vast majority of those are people whose employers […]
- [Hundreds rally at Fresno State to support equitable access to health care, insurance](https://theintersectionreports.org/hundreds-rally-at-fresno-state-to-support-equitable-access-to-health-care-insurance/): Health care access and the erosion of programs that provide a “social safety net” for the San Joaquin Valley’s poorest residents were the focus of an event that drew hundreds of community leaders and advocates to rally at Fresno State on April 2. Equity on the Road 2026, spearheaded by the Sierra Health Foundation’s San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, highlighted the challenges confronting the region in the wake of last summer’s passage of H.R. 1, a federal law that sliced hundreds of billions of dollars from the federal Medicaid health program for low-income residents. Other issues included equity in education, […]
- [‘Touch Starvation:’ California Decides Whether Youth in Detention Should Be Able to Hug Visitors](https://theintersectionreports.org/touch-starvation-california-decides-whether-youth-in-detention-should-be-able-to-hug-visitors/): Being a supportive mom can feel impossible when your child is locked up in the Los Angeles County juvenile hall. If he’s anxious, depressed or crying, there’s no reaching over for a tight embrace. But for the past three years, the county has restricted all types of physical contact during visits. When she makes hourslong trips to her now 21-year-old son, that has left Chevonda Perry feeling “worthless” as a mother.  “That’s the worst feeling ever, when you feel like you can’t do anything to help your children,” Perry said in an interview. “One hug is worth a thousand visits.” […]
- [Medi-Cal reduces dental care for undocumented, may force more dentists to turn away low-income patients](https://theintersectionreports.org/medi-cal-reduces-dental-care-for-undocumented-may-force-more-dentists-to-turn-away-low-income-patients/): This year is bringing substantial changes to California’s health-care program for low-income residents, particularly new limitations on Medi-Cal eligibility for enrollees with “unsatisfactory” immigration status. One casualty of those changes will be a loss of much of the dental care available to undocumented adults – care that can prevent a range of broader health problems and have what the California Dental Association called “devastating impacts” for many people and a reduction of access to dental care for Medi-Cal enrollees overall. In the San Joaquin Valley, where about half of the population is enrolled in Medi-Cal and there is already a […]
- [Mercy Medical Center to seek designation as a Level III trauma center – a first in Merced County](https://theintersectionreports.org/mercy-medical-center-to-seek-designation-as-a-level-iii-trauma-center-a-first-in-merced-county/): Eight hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley have emergency departments that are designated as “trauma centers” equipped to deal with varying degrees of injuries, including one Level I facility capable of treating the most serious forms of trauma. But none of those trauma centers are in Merced County. That will change if Mercy Medical Center in Merced succeeds in a quest to be tabbed as a trauma center hospital. Tim Williams, administrator for the Merced County Emergency Medical Services Agency, told the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative that officials at Mercy Medical are in the early stages of the process to […]
- [California’s Planned Parenthood clinics will get a $90 million boost from the state](https://theintersectionreports.org/californias-planned-parenthood-clinics-will-get-a-90-million-boost-from-the-state/): California’s Planned Parenthood clinics will get a $90 million boost in state funding, immediately.  Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Wednesday approving the one-time emergency funds. Planned Parenthood lost federal funding after Republicans in Congress passed H.R.1 last year, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The $90 million will help backfill reproductive care costs for over 100 Planned Parenthood clinics statewide. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who was present with the governor as he signed the state bill, criticized President Donald Trump for last year’s funding cuts. “This man has stripped funding from clinics determining whether women can access care […]
- [Coverage for menopause care could expand in California under new budget proposal](https://theintersectionreports.org/coverage-for-menopause-care-could-expand-in-california-under-new-budget-proposal/): This could be the year California state lawmakers pass new policies requiring insurance companies to cover menopause treatment for women, after similar efforts stalled two years in a row. That’s after Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders announced a proposal in a budget trailer bill this week to expand prescription drug coverage to treat perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause symptoms. It would also mandate insurance-covered screenings for women over 40. “We worked really hard over the two years to not only move legislation on the issue but to do education,” said Democratic Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of Orinda, who chairs the Select Committee […]
- [Valley hospitals, clinics brace for financial ‘tsunami’ threatening health care access](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-hospitals-clinics-brace-for-financial-tsunami-threatening-health-care-access/): Health care leaders across the central San Joaquin Valley fear that federal cuts to Medicaid and state reductions in Medi-Cal benefits represent a “tsunami” of changes that jeopardize the financial stability of hospitals and clinics, and threaten residents’ access to care in the region. A recent San Joaquin Valley market report published by the California Health Care Foundation found that among officials from hospitals, health clinics and public health leaders, “the sense was one of widespread anxiety” after changes that sharply limit eligibility for state and federal health benefits for undocumented residents. Yegian Health Insights regional lead Len Finocchio, who […]
- [More states aim to provide SSI benefits directly to foster youth. What is California doing?](https://theintersectionreports.org/more-states-aim-to-provide-ssi-benefits-directly-to-foster-youth-what-is-california-doing/): Following a directive last month from a top Trump official, a growing number of states have pared back rules that have long allowed child welfare agencies to seize foster youths’ Social Security and survivor benefits — a practice critics say essentially charges kids for their time in foster care. “Child welfare agencies cannot operate on the backs of the children they exist to serve,” said Amy Harfeld, policy director of the San Diego-based Children’s Advocacy Institute and a longtime proponent of such reforms. “At this point, this issue is undeniable, but some states really do need guidance and leadership from D.C.” On […]
- [Kaweah Health graduates nursing staff as shortage plagues county](https://theintersectionreports.org/kaweah-health-graduates-nursing-staff-as-shortage-plagues-county/): VISALIA, Calif. – Kaweah Health has graduated an inaugural class of nurses under a new partnership that seeks to address a shortage in Tulare County. In 2020, the hospital partnered with Unitek College, an institution that offers higher education in medicine and nursing throughout the country. It has physical campuses in California, Nevada, and New Mexico. Thirteen graduates received their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees this month. The new nurses come at an opportune time, as there has been a decline in the number of people working in hospitals across the nation and the Central Valley. The COVID-19 pandemic left […]
- [How long does a visit to a hospital emergency department take? Here’s how Valley hospitals rate](https://theintersectionreports.org/how-long-does-a-visit-to-a-hospital-emergency-department-take-heres-how-valley-hospitals-rate/): A visit to a hospital emergency room is typically no walk in the park. Along with the stress of a potential medical crisis, patients know they’re likely to be there for hours to be poked, prodded, tested, perhaps taken for X-rays – and a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. Data from the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows that nationwide, the median duration of a visit to a hospital emergency department in 2024 – the most recent information available – was 2 hours 41 minutes. In California, the median ER visit duration was 2 hours 58 minutes. The median duration […]
- [Oakdale Joint Unified School District revises immigration policy after community concerns](https://theintersectionreports.org/oakdale-joint-unified-school-district-revises-immigration-policy-after-community-concerns/): Immigration advocates have raised concerns about a new policy that had been introduced by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District (OJUSD) clarifying the district’s immigration enforcement guidelines.  The district is updating its policy for how staff communicate and share information with local and federal officials regarding the immigration status of parents and students. It also outlines guidelines on what staff should do if immigration enforcement were to arrive on campus. The policy emphasizes that staff cannot impede or interfere with any officers conducting immigration enforcement. The discussion comes amid widespread operations by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in […]
- [Enrollments falling as final deadline approaches for Covered California health insurance plans](https://theintersectionreports.org/enrollments-falling-as-final-deadline-approaches-for-covered-california-health-insurance-plans/): Covered California, the state’s insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, is seeing marked declines in enrollment as well as a substantial number of people cancelling their coverage following the expiration of tax credits to help consumers pay for insurance premiums. The final deadline for open enrollment in health coverage under Covered California is Saturday night, Jan. 31, for coverage to start Feb. 1. The next open enrollment period in which people can sign up for coverage won’t be until November. Information and assistance about Covered California open enrollment is available online at www.coveredca.com. “Because of the federal government’s failure […]
- [Proposed California budget cuts Medi-Cal, CalFresh benefits for undocumented people as state copes with federal pressure, rising costs](https://theintersectionreports.org/proposed-california-budget-cuts-medi-cal-calfresh-benefits-for-undocumented-people-as-state-copes-with-federal-pressure-rising-costs/): Undocumented immigrants in California will bear the brunt of reductions in health care and nutrition programs under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initial proposal for a 2026-27 state budget unveiled earlier this month. Joe Stephenshaw, director of the California Department of Finance, said in a Jan. 9 press conference that the state’s Health and Human Services Agency is bracing for about $1.1 billion in impacts on Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid insurance program for low-income individuals and households.  Another $300 million hit will be felt by CalFresh, California’s incarnation of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known […]
- [New Covered California enrollments dip amid tax-credit confusion, cost uncertainty](https://theintersectionreports.org/new-covered-california-enrollments-dip-amid-tax-credit-confusion-cost-uncertainty/): The U.S. Congress adjourned for its holiday break without taking action on legislation to forestall the expiration of tax credits that help subsidize the cost of health insurance premiums under the federal Affordable Care Act. The expiration of those tax credits on Dec. 31, combined with the absence of legislation to take the place of that financial assistance, has created cost uncertainty for health insurance customers.  State officials say that’s a major reason why new enrollments in Covered California, the state’s insurance marketplace under the federal Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), are significantly lower than a year ago. […]
- [New recuperative care center opens in North Sacramento, filling gap for unhoused people leaving the hospital](https://theintersectionreports.org/new-recuperative-care-center-opens-in-north-sacramento-filling-gap-for-unhoused-people-leaving-the-hospital/): With winter fast approaching, Sacramento’s largest recuperative care center opened in North Sacramento in late November. The center is for unhoused people who leave hospital settings and still require more recovery time, filling a major gap in services in the region.   The Community Care Center is for unhoused patients on Medi-Cal who receive medical and behavioral health treatment in a hospital but are discharged back onto the street. It’s the product of a public-private partnership between the city and county of Sacramento, the state, National Healthcare and Housing Advisors, and Basin Street Properties. Local government leaders and health care providers […]
- [Valley has high air-pollution burden, also lags in zero-emission vehicles](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-has-high-air-pollution-burden-also-lags-in-zero-emission-vehicles/): The eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley experience some of the highest levels of air pollution in California, with levels of several pollutants far above the statewide average. All eight counties rank within the top 10 among California’s 58 counties with the highest percentile scores for average pollution burden, according to the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Coincidentally, the region also has a much lower percentage of battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and other zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road than the state as a whole. More than 97% of all on-road vehicles registered to owners in the Valley […]
- [To help improve health of farmworkers, residents are training themselves](https://theintersectionreports.org/to-help-improve-health-of-farmworkers-residents-are-training-themselves/): FRESNO, Calif. – When Norma Lupian Capistran moved to Fresno two years ago, she thought her life would continue along a familiar path. At 35, the mother of three children had spent most of her adulthood moving between jobs that echoed the experiences of her family: long days in the fields, seasonal shifts, and whatever work came next. Fresno didn’t change that at first. She began, as she always had, in agriculture, harvesting under the sun much like her family. Over time, Lupian Capistran cycled through a string of other jobs — cleaning, packing, restaurant work — each offering stability […]
- [How a Kern County community is getting by after public health clinic closure](https://theintersectionreports.org/how-a-kern-county-community-is-getting-by-after-public-health-clinic-closure/): SHAFTER, Calif. – Months after a public health clinic shut down in the city of Shafter, health officials say they are continuing to weigh options for health services in the community. The clinic was operated by the Kern County Department of Public Health, which faced significant budget cuts this year after a vote by the county’s Board of Supervisors. The board approved cuts that amounted to just over $12 million and led to layoffs in addition to diminished services. Some clinics – like Omni Health and Adventist Health – still offer services in the community, but a recent grand jury report highlighted […]
- [Unhoused residents say Sacramento’s weather respite centers work but choose to stay outside](https://theintersectionreports.org/unhoused-residents-say-sacramentos-weather-respite-centers-work-but-choose-to-stay-outside/): As the cold and rain roll in this winter, Ken Diggs at César Chávez Plaza in downtown Sacramento makes a few changes to his menu. Recently, he’s gone with warmer options, a steaming tomato-basil soup and grilled turkey sandwiches he cooked at home.  Diggs comes out most Tuesdays to hand out free food, something he’s done for the past couple of years, to people sleeping near and around the park.  “These people still got to eat,” Diggs said. “Something to keep some of these souls warmed up.” For people sleeping under awnings, in tents, or along the river, the City and […]
- [Fresno pivots on kratom sales, allows natural leaf but bans the plant’s concentrated derivative](https://theintersectionreports.org/fresno-pivots-on-kratom-sales-allows-natural-leaf-but-bans-the-plants-concentrated-derivative/): Two weeks after giving preliminary approval to a law that would outlaw kratom sales, the Fresno City Council pivoted this week, giving a final green light this week to a modified law that restricts, rather than bans, the sale of kratom products to adults. Kratom, a plant in the same botanical family as coffee, is native to Southeast Asia and has a long history of traditional use as a stimulant in that part of the world.  It has gained popularity in recent decades in the U.S. because of the mood-altering effects of two of the naturally-occurring alkaloid compounds found in […]
- [Fresno officials consider prohibiting sale of products containing kratom, sometimes called ‘gas station heroin’](https://theintersectionreports.org/fresno-officials-consider-prohibiting-sale-of-products-containing-kratom-sometimes-called-gas-station-heroin/): Fresno city and county leaders are targeting kratom, a plant that is native to Southeast Asia with a long history of use as a stimulant, with proposed regulations that would either ban or severely prohibit its sale. If those would-be laws are approved in December, Fresno and Fresno County would become the two largest jurisdictions in the San Joaquin Valley to limit the availability of kratom products, in addition to Kern County and some of its cities. But in the respective laws introduced the week before Thanksgiving, the Fresno City Council and Fresno County Board of Supervisors are taking significantly […]
- [‘They still need care': Why California migrant workers are avoiding medical clinics](https://theintersectionreports.org/they-still-need-care-why-california-migrant-workers-are-avoiding-medical-clinics/): This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. On a scorching summer day, dozens of farm laborers paused their work picking banana peppers in a remote field 26 miles from Fresno and filed into a pop-up medical clinic. It was a chance to pick up medication and take basic health assessments, such as blood pressure and glucose monitoring.  For almost a decade, the University of California San Francisco has been fielding mobile clinics like this one in rural Fresno County to support a hard-to-reach population of unauthorized immigrants who otherwise would avoid routine health care.  The […]
- [A Modesto judge has a poor record of assigning a vital service for foster kids. Child advocates wonder why](https://theintersectionreports.org/a-modesto-judge-has-a-poor-record-of-assigning-a-vital-service-for-foster-kids-child-advocates-wonder-why/): About 300 Stanislaus County foster children in the past five years haven’t had adult court-appointed special advocates (CASAs) to help them navigate often-difficult lives because the judge in charge systematically excludes the service. Stanislaus is the only California county with a juvenile dependency judge who regularly declines to provide extra adult eyes, ears and hearts to its most vulnerable youth, says a statewide organization overseeing CASA programs. CASA of Stanislaus County stands ready and willing to provide adult volunteers, but dozens are idle because Superior Court Judge Annette Rees does not assign them to help foster children, the organization says. In […]
- [Covered California enrollment’s open. But without a tax credits extension, will thousands in the Valley be unable to pay?](https://theintersectionreports.org/covered-california-enrollments-open-but-without-a-tax-credits-extension-will-thousands-in-the-valley-be-unable-to-pay/): Fresno barber Juan Gonzalez expects to pay more than three times more for health insurance coverage through Covered California than he did in 2025 because federal tax credits that help subsidize the cost of his monthly premiums are set to expire at the end of December. “It was $44 per month before, and now I’m going to pay $140,” Gonzalez told CVJC through a Spanish-language interpreter in an interview Thursday, Nov. 13, at a Clinica Sierra Vista health clinic in south Fresno. And while he’s optimistic about his ability to afford the higher premium, “it will depend on the income I earn every month,” […]
- [“Big Beautiful Bill” fallout could be “devastating” to Valley health care, Assembly members say](https://theintersectionreports.org/big-beautiful-bill-fallout-could-be-devastating-to-valley-health-care-assembly-members-say/): The chairwoman of the California State Assembly’s Health Committee said changes to the federal Medicaid health insurance program for low-income residents could strip as many as 400,000 San Joaquin Valley residents of medical coverage over the coming decade. Provisions of House Resolution 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” backed by President Donald Trump and passed by Congress in July, Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, said, will be “devastating” to California’s Central Valley region by imposing greater work requirements, higher cost-sharing, and more frequent eligibility checks for enrollees in Medicaid – known as Medi-Cal in California. Bonta was joined by Assemblymember […]
- [Valley Latinos face lower Alzheimer’s mortality rates than whites. The big question: why?](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-latinos-face-lower-alzheimers-mortality-rates-than-whites-the-big-question-why/): November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a reminder that mortality data places Alzheimer’s disease as the fifth leading cause of death across the entire San Joaquin Valley, claiming 9,061 lives between 2019 and 2023. Only heart disease, cancer, COVID-19 and accidents ranked ahead of Alzheimer’s, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The disease, which medical researchers describe as the most common type of dementia among people age 65 and older, is considered an epidemic in the U.S. And five of the eight San Joaquin Valley counties rank among the 10 California counties with the highest rates of death from […]
- [SNAP cuts squeeze local farmers’ market](https://theintersectionreports.org/snap-cuts-squeeze-local-farmers-market/): For the first time in its history, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has had its funding cut, which benefits and provides food to low-income families. SNAP benefits were paused on November 1, but local farmers’ markets are already feeling the effects from the community. In California, CalFresh benefits are delayed due to the federal government shutdown. When the benefits will resume is still unclear. As of Thursday afternoon, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP in November.  One of the farmers’ markets affected by the benefits being paused is the Florin Certified Farmers’ Market, which the Alchemist CDC […]
- [CalFresh delays leave California college students struggling to afford food](https://theintersectionreports.org/calfresh-delays-leave-california-college-students-struggling-to-afford-food/): Californians who rely on CalFresh — the state’s version of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps — are seeing delays in their benefits because of the federal government shutdown. That’s leaving many college students uncertain about how they’ll afford their next meal. Two federal judges on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue funding for the food program. But it wasn’t clear how fast that could take place as reloading the benefits can take one to two weeks. And the White House said on Monday federal contingency funds will pay for only half the amount people normally get.  At Sacramento State’s ASI […]
- [As CalFresh benefits pause, 211 prepares for surge in food assistance calls](https://theintersectionreports.org/as-calfresh-benefits-pause-211-prepares-for-surge-in-food-assistance-calls/): Sacramento County’s 211 helpline is bracing for an unprecedented wave of calls as approximately 270,000 county residents face delayed CalFresh benefits due to the federal government shutdown. With the disruption affecting 5.5 million Californians statewide, information and referral services are seeing call volumes spike even before November’s benefits fail to arrive. “People have already heard that their services are going to be affected and they’re already calling us,” said Tim Giuliani, Executive Director of Connecting Point, which operates 211 services for Placer and Nevada counties. “We’re already receiving an uptick in CalFresh-related phone calls.” 211 is a free, confidential service that […]
- [Nurses at three Valley hospitals plan one-day strike for better wages, staffing conditions](https://theintersectionreports.org/nurses-at-three-valley-hospitals-plan-one-day-strike-for-better-wages-staffing-conditions/): Registered nurses at six Tenet Health hospitals in California, including three in the northern San Joaquin Valley, expect to go on a one-day strike on Thursday as they seek better wages and staffing conditions. Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock and Doctors Hospital of Manteca are being targeted by the nurses, who are represented by the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United. “For nurses and other workers, some of the power that we have is the power to stand together,” said Kristi Carson, an emergency department nurse at the Modesto hospital and a member of […]
- [New poll shows most California voters say next governor should prioritize health care](https://theintersectionreports.org/new-poll-shows-most-california-voters-say-next-governor-should-prioritize-health-care/): A new poll reveals the urgency with which California residents view health care as an issue for the state’s 2026 election for governor, with almost eight out of 10 likely voters concerned about the affordability of health care. The poll, commissioned by the California Wellness Foundation and conducted between Aug. 28 and Sept. 16, also revealed that about nine out of 10 voters believe that capping out-of-pocket costs for medical care is either very important or somewhat important for whoever succeeds Gov. Gavin Newsom to deal with after the 2026 election. “Californians believe in the promise of our state, but […]
- [Latinos in the San Joaquin Valley face higher obesity rates than non-Latinos. That carries broad health implications](https://theintersectionreports.org/latinos-in-the-san-joaquin-valley-face-higher-obesity-rates-than-non-latinos-that-carries-broad-health-implications/): The San Joaquin Valley’s Latino population is experiencing obesity rates that significantly exceed non-Latinos among both adults and children – a disparity that carries with it broader health implications for a demographic that represents more than half of the region’s population. Officials with the California Health Care Foundation issued a report in September that points out a wide range of data insights into Latino health, and bemoaned the myriad challenges faced by the state’s Latinos compared to the rest of the population. Those challenges not only include significant disparities in a number of physical health conditions including diabetes, but also […]
- [Grassroots Modesto effort brings creative, emotional outlets to farmworker families](https://theintersectionreports.org/grassroots-modesto-effort-brings-creative-emotional-outlets-to-farmworker-families/): What began as a simple act of compassion for one Modesto woman — driving around with her daughter to bring water and sombreros to farmworkers laboring in the relentless Valley heat — has evolved into Colores de Futuro (Colors of the Future), a program that uses art to bring healing, creativity and recognition to migrant farmworkers and their families.  For the past year, Veronica Torres has coordinated a series of workshops in the migrant farmworker camps across south and southeast Modesto. Torres, a single mother and artist, has collaborated with several Valley and Bay Area arts groups including the Modesto […]
- [From hotels to homes: How a school district is aiding homeless families](https://theintersectionreports.org/from-hotels-to-homes-how-a-school-district-is-aiding-homeless-families/): FRESNO, Calif. — Veronica Sanchez takes a city bus to pick up her kids from school every day. She can’t use a car because her first one got towed – and she didn’t have the money to take it out – and her second vehicle was totaled. “We’re hoping that we could come up with the money to fix it,” Sanchez said. But that’s not the only thing she’s learned to go without. Up until a few months ago, her family didn’t have a home, either. “Five of my children were in the hotel with me and then my other […]
- [Q&A with Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty on city’s new approach to homelessness](https://theintersectionreports.org/qa-with-sacramento-mayor-kevin-mccarty-on-citys-new-approach-to-homelessness/): As Sacramento heads into the colder months with a new mayor and top executive, the city has been charting a new course to address one of the city’s most contentious questions – how to approach the issue of homelessness.  Last month, the city council voted to go ahead with a number of new initiatives to get people into shelter. Those include a safe camping site, a safe parking site, a couple permanent supportive housing complexes and four tiny home villages focused mainly on housing elderly residents with a total of  160 units.  CapRadio’s Local Government Reporter Riley Palmer recently spoke with Sacramento Mayor Kevin […]
- [Expiration of COVID-era tax credits could spike health insurance costs by more than double for lower-income Valley residents](https://theintersectionreports.org/expiration-of-covid-era-tax-credits-could-spike-health-insurance-costs-by-more-than-double-for-lower-income-valley-residents/): Almost 185,000 lower-income San Joaquin Valley residents – and nearly 2 million statewide – who purchase health insurance through Covered California will see their monthly premiums skyrocket in January after Congress failed to reach agreement on extending “enhanced tax credits” that subsidize a large share of the cost. The result is that thousands of families likely won’t be able to afford health coverage and will join the ranks of the uninsured, said Jessica Altman, Covered California’s executive director.  “In a time when costs are rising in so many places and many people are fighting to just meet their daily needs, […]
- [West Nile virus, spread by mosquitoes, claims a third life in the San Joaquin Valley](https://theintersectionreports.org/west-nile-virus-spread-by-mosquitoes-claims-a-third-life-in-the-san-joaquin-valley/): West Nile virus, a disease that is typically transmitted to people by mosquitos that have fed on blood from infected birds, has so far killed four California residents in 2025, including three in the San Joaquin Valley. In the Valley, West Nile deaths have been confirmed in Tulare, Fresno and Kings counties. The death of another person was attributed to West Nile in Butte County, in northern California. The most recent of the fatalities was confirmed Oct. 2 in Kings County. The San Joaquin Valley has become something of a hot spot for West Nile virus infections in California in […]
- [‘What is everybody going to do?’ Modesto homeless shelter residents fear potential closure](https://theintersectionreports.org/what-is-everybody-going-to-do-modesto-homeless-shelter-residents-fear-potential-closure/): Residents of the Modesto shelter that’s quickly running out of money aren’t sure what they would do if they’re turned away. “We’re worried this time. We’re real worried,” Michael Ballard, 58, told The Modesto Focus on Monday just outside the ACES shelter, short for Access Center Emergency Shelter. The Salvation Army runs the 182-bed low-barrier shelter at Ninth and D streets in a contract with Stanislaus County, which relies on state money that’s drying up. The county only has six more months of funding left for the shelter, after that new funding would be required to keep it open.  “What are they going […]
- [Hospital residencies provide experience, support for new nursing graduates. They also boost retention and improve patient care](https://theintersectionreports.org/hospital-residencies-provide-experience-support-for-new-nursing-graduates-they-also-boost-retention-and-improve-patient-care/): Up and down the San Joaquin Valley, hospital programs for newly-hired registered nurses are providing a year of additional training and experience beyond what they received en route to their nursing degree. CommonSpirit Health, which operates about 30 hospitals in California and 138 nationwide, is in the midst of expanding a nursing residency program in both California and across the U.S. In the San Joaquin Valley, it has hospitals in Stockton, Merced and Bakersfield. CommonSpirit Health is the largest Catholic system of hospitals in the U.S., created from the merger of Dignity Health and Catholic Health initiatives in 2019. The […]
- [Modesto’s largest homeless shelter facing crippling financial crisis, could close in six months](https://theintersectionreports.org/modestos-largest-homeless-shelter-facing-crippling-financial-crisis-could-close-in-six-months/): Modesto’s largest homeless shelter may run out of money in six months, potentially putting more people back on the streets. The sobering news comes on the heels of learning that Modesto Downtown Streets’ parent organization will close at the end of October. That program helps people find housing and jobs in return for picking up trash downtown. Local leaders are scrambling to keep both programs – the homeless shelter and Downtown Streets – going in some fashion, despite huge obstacles. Surveys show that homelessness continues to top Californians’ list of pressing problems. The ACES shelter, short for Access Center Emergency Shelter, faces a […]
- [Court rules large Valley carrot grower discriminated against farmworkers with disabilities](https://theintersectionreports.org/court-rules-large-valley-carrot-grower-discriminated-against-farmworkers-with-disabilities/): CLOVIS, Calif. — A federal court ruled a San Joaquin Valley carrot company engaged in discriminatory practices against farmworkers with disabilities. The ruling Monday from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California comes out of a long-standing battle between Grimmway Farms and the California Civil Rights Department. The agency filed a lawsuit against the farm in 2021. According to the original complaint, Grimmway Farms allegedly forced farmworkers with work-related or other injuries or illnesses into taking unpaid leave and did not provide any accommodations like different job placements or aids. Some employees reported using workers’ compensation benefits, […]
- [Black Women’s Breast Cancer Mortality Gap Addressed By New Project](https://theintersectionreports.org/black-womens-breast-cancer-mortality-gap-addressed-by-new-project/): This story was first published by The Sacramento Observer. The “strong Black woman” stereotype, a deeply ingrained cultural concept, often pressures Black women to suppress emotions and prioritize the needs of others over their own health. This has significant implications for Black women’s breast cancer experiences, leading to disparities in care and outcomes. Project SOAR Awakenings, an innovative intervention, seeks to dismantle this stereotype and promote the well-being and health of Black breast cancer survivors by informing ethnocentric clinical care pathways. Led by Rev. Dr. Tammie Denyse, president and co-founder of Carrie’s TOUCH, and Dr. Annette L. Stanton, a professor in UCLA’s […]
- [Unhoused Sacramento seniors to pay 30 percent of income to live at future tiny-home communities in controversial city council decision](https://theintersectionreports.org/unhoused-sacramento-seniors-to-pay-30-percent-of-income-to-live-at-future-tiny-home-communities-in-controversial-city-council-decision/): At a contentious four-hour meeting, the Sacramento City Council voted 7 to 2 to move forward with a plan to charge unhoused seniors 30% of their income to participate in future tiny home communities the city plans on building. According to the city’s presentation, residents will begin paying after a 90-day grace period. The communities will be referral-only and for those who have proven income.  Brian Pedro, the city’s community response director, said Sacramento  is able to pay to construct the communities in full, which will cost around $85,000 per unit. Each unit will have electricity, air conditioning, wifi and a […]
- [California Bill to Restrict Lawsuits from Childhood Sex Abuse Survivors Fails](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-bill-to-restrict-lawsuits-from-childhood-sex-abuse-survivors-fails/): Legislation that would have limited childhood sexual assault survivors’ ability to sue their perpetrators and the California public agencies that enabled the abuse met a decisive end this week.  Introduced amid mounting claims against schools, juvenile detention centers and a defunct Los Angeles children’s shelter, Senate Bill 577 would have placed a greater burden on alleged victims to prove past harms and tightened the window to file legal claims. But the bill stalled out before reaching a floor vote in the state Assembly, its final hurdle before reaching the governor’s desk. “The majority of our legislators understand that survivors of child sex assault — particularly […]
- [Hospital cuts to labor/delivery threaten to create maternity care 'deserts' in the Valley](https://theintersectionreports.org/hospital-cuts-to-labor-delivery-threaten-to-create-maternity-care-deserts-in-the-valley/): When Madera Community Hospital reopened in March 2025 after being closed for more than two years, it did so without resuming labor and delivery services for expectant mothers that had existed before the closure. The result: Madera County was left as the only county in the San Joaquin Valley – and one of only nine counties statewide – where would-be mothers have no access to birthing services at a local hospital. In an analysis released earlier this year, the Public Policy Institute of California reported that Madera County is the only San Joaquin Valley county in which the average travel […]
- [Empowerment in action: Women overcome homelessness, become property managers](https://theintersectionreports.org/empowerment-in-action-women-overcome-homelessness-become-property-managers/): In the clubhouse of Colonial Estates in Rancho Cordova, five women celebrated a major life transformation.  They completed the Real Estate Networking Education and Work (RENEW) program, a program designed to provide real estate training for women facing homelessness or housing insecurity in the Greater Sacramento area. The program began in 2018 and in its 12th session. RENEW was inspired by the REstart program in San Diego, according to Julia Cochran, Executive Director of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM.) “The goal [is] that they get a job that has housing because a lot of times in the apartment communities, you need […]
- [California Lawmakers May Limit Childhood Sex Abuse Survivors’ Ability to Sue](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-lawmakers-may-limit-childhood-sex-abuse-survivors-ability-to-sue/): California lawmakers will vote on a bill this week making it harder to file child sexual abuse lawsuits against schools, juvenile facilities and foster care agencies that are already buckling under the weight of current and threatened legal action. Among other new restrictions, Senate Bill 577 raises the burden of proof for older plaintiffs, requires costly pre-filing consultation with legal experts, and scales back higher damages awarded in particularly egregious cases.  The bill being heard in the Assembly appropriations committee Friday also sets a Jan. 1 deadline to file claims against Los Angeles County facilities: the MacLaren Children’s Center — a notorious former foster […]
- [Community Health to close pediatric clinics in Fresno, Clovis. Where will parents take their kids for care?](https://theintersectionreports.org/community-health-to-close-pediatric-clinics-in-fresno-clovis-where-will-parents-take-their-kids-for-care/): The largest hospital operator in the San Joaquin Valley plans to close its pediatric specialty clinics over the coming six months, potentially creating a scramble for parents whose children need care for a wide array of health conditions. Community Health System, which operates Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno and Clovis Community Medical Center in Clovis, notified families earlier this month that “we are beginning a six-month process to transition the care of our pediatric specialty clinic patients” at both the Fresno and Clovis hospitals.” The move “will enable Community to primarily focus on adult services,” said Danny Davis, […]
- [Valley hospitals receive mixed scores in federal rating system. See how your hospital fared](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-hospitals-receive-mixed-scores-in-federal-rating-system-see-how-your-hospital-fared/): Three San Joaquin Valley hospitals – one in Fresno, one in Modesto and one in Bakersfield – received the lowest scores among 20 hospitals in the region in annual ratings issued this month by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Downtown Fresno’s 685-bed Community Regional Medical Center, the 394-bed Doctors Medical Center in Modesto and Bakersfield’s 253-bed Adventist Health Bakersfield each got one-star ratings for overall hospital quality from the federal agency also known as CMS.  They were among 31 hospitals across California and 229 nationwide named in the lowest tier of CMS’ five-star rating system for overall hospital quality. […]
- [22% of Valley residents are on CalFresh. Here’s how Trump’s SNAP cuts will affect them](https://theintersectionreports.org/22-of-valley-residents-are-on-calfresh-heres-how-trumps-snap-cuts-will-affect-them/): Hundreds of thousands of low-income households in the San Joaquin Valley are likely to face a reduction in benefits aimed at helping them feed their families – benefits that already fall short of covering the cost of a healthy meal. About 482,000 households amounting to more than 950,000 people across Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties receive assistance through CalFresh, as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is known in California.  That means more than one out of every five Valley residents, or 22% of the region’s population, utilizes the program formerly known as […]
- [Kern County develops plan to prevent youth homelessness with $5.2 million federal grant](https://theintersectionreports.org/kern-county-develops-plan-to-prevent-youth-homelessness-with-5-2-million-federal-grant/): Cynthia Lira-Martinez was just 13 when she first became homeless. She moved in and out of foster homes or stayed with her friends. But some nights she had no place to stay and would fall asleep at school the next day.  “I was going through something that I had no choice but to go through,” Lira-Martinez said. “I wasn’t homeless because I wanted to be homeless. I was homeless because my mom left us.” By the end of her freshman year, Lira-Martinez dropped out of high school and became a teen mother of a baby girl. “A month after I […]
- [Cutting off the base: How Trump’s budget hits his own voters](https://theintersectionreports.org/cutting-off-the-base-how-trumps-budget-hits-his-own-voters/): In rural parts of California’s Central Valley, where sun-baked highways connect towns with few doctors and even fewer hospitals, majorities of voters supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Now, after the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” — Trump’s signature federal budget reform — some of those voters are at risk of losing access to health care. That’s because the bill includes some of the deepest cuts to Medicaid in a generation. In California, where the program is called Medi-Cal, millions of low-income residents could feel the impact. Clinics, hospitals and safety net providers across the state are bracing […]
- [Three Valley hospitals earn rankings among best regional hospitals in the U.S.](https://theintersectionreports.org/three-valley-hospitals-earn-rankings-among-best-regional-hospitals-in-the-u-s/): Three hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley – two in Fresno, one in Modesto – have received places among the rankings of best regional hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings, announced on July 29, recognize Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno, Saint Agnes Medical Center in north Fresno and Memorial Medical Center in Modesto among 64 top hospitals in California and 504 hospitals nationwide. A total of 413 hospitals throughout California were evaluated on their performance and outcomes across a wide range of specialties and medical procedures, including care for cancer, diabetes, neurology, […]
- [California’s Planned Parenthood clinics brace for loss of hundreds of millions in federal funds](https://theintersectionreports.org/californias-planned-parenthood-clinics-brace-for-loss-of-hundreds-of-millions-in-federal-funds/): UPDATE: On Monday, July 28, 2025 a federal judge issued a new protective order, allowing Planned Parenthood clinics to continue collecting Medicaid reimbursements. This includes California’s 114 clinics. The judge found that the policy established in Congress’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act banning Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood likely violates the organization’s first amendment rights. Dr. Laura Dalton walks through a Planned Parenthood clinic in downtown Oakland. It has 19 exam rooms with state of the art technology and a new modern layout. This Bay Area clinic isn’t just the biggest in the state, it’s the biggest in the country. […]
- [Valley Medicaid recipients, providers face ‘worst case scenario’ with One Big Beautiful Bill passage](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-medicaid-recipients-providers-face-worst-case-scenario-with-one-big-beautiful-bill-passage/): San Joaquin Valley residents who rely on Medicaid – either for their own vital healthcare or to take care of loved ones – are facing their “worst case scenario” as they prepare for $1 trillion in cuts to the program now that President Trump has signed the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”  With narrow passage along party lines, the Republican-backed law is estimated to result in some 3.4 million Californians losing coverage, according to numbers from state health officials. Those losses will likely be acutely felt in the Valley, where across the eight-county swath from San Joaquin to Kern more […]
- [Benefit cuts add to ICE concerns for the Valley’s undocumented immigrants, including farm workers](https://theintersectionreports.org/benefit-cuts-add-to-ice-concerns-for-the-valleys-undocumented-immigrants-including-farm-workers/): Undocumented, low-income immigrants in California who are covered by Medi-Cal health insurance are likely to face challenges moving forward – a combination of budget cuts coming down from the state and federal levels. And the ongoing immigration enforcement and mass deportations under the Trump administration are stoking worries among migrants that are keeping some from accessing health care. “The fear, especially in our rural locations, it’s really been at an all time high,” said Justin Preas, CEO of Fresno-based United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley, referring to patient apprehension over the prospect of immigration raids and federal threats […]
- [‘State-sponsored abandonment’ no more: California stops paying for adoptees sent to out-of-state treatment centers](https://theintersectionreports.org/state-sponsored-abandonment-no-more-california-stops-paying-for-adoptees-sent-to-out-of-state-treatment-centers/): This story was originally published by The Imprint, a national nonprofit news outlet covering child welfare and youth justice. Sign up for The Imprint’s free newsletters here. Five years ago, California reversed course on its longstanding practice of sending foster children and teens to far-flung residential centers in other states. Amid mounting scrutiny of abusive conditions at programs professing to provide mental health treatment, the state declared the facilities “lacking.”  But until this month, California continued to pay for hundreds of children adopted from foster care to live in many of these same facilities — a use of public funds […]
- [Group addressing California’s healthcare workforce shortage announces nonprofit status](https://theintersectionreports.org/northern-san-joaquin-valley-organization-addressing-regions-healthcare-workforce-shortage-announces-nonprofit-status/): Population growth. Aging Baby Boomers. More people with health coverage. Together they add up to a healthcare workforce shortage that’s been building in California for decades.     Since 2018, HealthForce Partners California has worked to close the workforce gap under the fiscal sponsorship of United Way of San Joaquin County. Last week, the group announced it will begin operating as an independent nonprofit. “We’re proud of our shared roots and the role we played in supporting HealthForce Partners California’ launch, and we look forward to seeing its continued impact across our region and beyond,” Kristen Birtwhistle, President and CEO of United […]
- [New affordable housing for seniors coming to Oak Park](https://theintersectionreports.org/new-affordable-housing-for-seniors-coming-to-oak-park/): The Sacramento City Council recently approved $1.25 million in funding to support a project that aims to address the housing crisis for seniors on fixed incomes in Oak Park. “This project aligns with the city’s broader efforts to revitalize the Oak Park neighborhood by increasing access to affordable housing, particularly for older adults and individuals with supportive service needs,” the City of Sacramento wrote in an email statement. “By adding new affordable units and integrating on-site services, the development contributes to long-term neighborhood stability, supports vulnerable populations, and enhances the overall quality of life for Sacramento residents.” Donner Field Senior […]
- [Kern County program to prevent suicide and substance use among Native youth faces uncertainty as federal grant ends](https://theintersectionreports.org/kern-county-program-to-prevent-suicide-and-substance-use-among-native-youth-faces-uncertainty-as-federal-grant-ends/): Amid ongoing uncertainty over federal funding of local health services, a project to prevent suicide and substance use among Native American youth in Kern County could be scaled back, or possibly eliminated.  Since 2020, the Bakersfield American Indian Health Project, a nonprofit serving Native communities in Kern County, has used federal money to fund a program that integrates cultural practices into its youth services. Customs such as music, regalia making and medicine gathering are taught and practiced to promote social, emotional and spiritual health.  “To me, it’s a huge concern that the project is going away because, for one, it’s […]
- [Valley health clinics brace for impact to services, patients from Medicaid provisions of Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-health-clinics-brace-for-impact-to-services-patients-from-medicaid-provisions-of-trumps-big-beautiful-bill/): Health clinics that serve more than 1.1 million patients up and down the San Joaquin Valley are bracing for the prospect of budget cuts and other fallout in the wake of the passage of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” budget act, narrowly approved by Congress and signed into law on July 4. The Congressional Budget Office reports that House Resolution 1, which squeaked through the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in rushed votes, includes  just over $1 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years to Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for low-income patients. Throughout the eight […]
- [What the Big Beautiful Bill could mean for some hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley](https://theintersectionreports.org/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-could-mean-for-some-hospitals-in-the-san-joaquin-valley/): MERCED, Calif. — Hospital executives in the San Joaquin Valley are assessing how to take in looming Medicaid changes from the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress and signed by President Trump earlier this month. Health advocates say the bill in several ways will limit health care access in addition to cutting social safety net resources for residents, like food assistance. On the other hand, the bill extended tax cuts passed under President Trump’s first term and increased spending on immigration enforcement and the military. Among the changes for Medicaid – or Medi-Cal as the government subsidized program is known in California […]
- [California Budget Provides ‘Lifeline’ to Private Providers, While Making Cuts to Some Vital Child Welfare Programs ](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-budget-provides-lifeline-to-private-providers-while-making-cuts-to-some-vital-child-welfare-programs/): $321 billion spending plan approved last week by California Gov. Gavin Newsom provided an emergency bailout to private foster family agencies (FFAs) who have been threatened by the skyrocketing costs of liability insurance. The budget for the next fiscal year also preserves a landmark child welfare reform that would enrich the lives of children growing up in foster care. “These funds will serve as a lifeline for FFAs on the brink of shutting their doors and are vital to meeting the state’s goal of a supportive family home, including kinship care, for every foster youth,” California Alliance of Child and […]
- [New UC Merced study would help LGBTQ adults quit smoking. How federal policies are affecting progress](https://theintersectionreports.org/new-uc-merced-study-would-help-lgbtq-adults-quit-smoking-how-federal-policies-are-affecting-progress/): A new UC Merced study aiming to help LGBTQ2S+ adults quit smoking has paused recruitment pending legal challenges to the federal government’s funding decisions.  The study, unfolding in three phases, will generate a 12-week pilot program supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in rural communities who want to stop smoking. It depends on a research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Earlier this year, the Trump administration canceled more than $1 billion NIH grants for diversity-related projects.  That move was challenged in court, and a Republican-appointed federal judge called the action discriminatory and illegal. The NIH funds public health research worldwide, including the project that developed […]
- [Insurance is often a barrier to menopause symptom treatment. California lawmakers want to change that](https://theintersectionreports.org/insurance-is-often-a-barrier-to-menopause-symptom-treatment-california-lawmakers-want-to-change-that/): This story is part of a series produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 California Health Equity Fellowship. Some people experiencing menopause symptoms miss out on treatment because their insurance won’t cover it. That could harm patients and frustrates providers — and California lawmakers are taking notice.  “Absolutely insurance impacts people’s ability to access care,” said Dr. Karen Adams, director of the Stanford University Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging. She said doctors can appeal denials, and often do. “It is really a requirement that the provider go that extra mile to advocate for their patient with the insurance […]
- [Transitional housing program offers Kern County mothers path to stability](https://theintersectionreports.org/transitional-housing-program-offers-kern-county-mothers-path-to-stability/): It had been just a few months since Emily Miranda turned 18 and she was trying to find a place to live with her then 2-year-old son. She had been living with her mother at the time, working and covering household bills. “When I was living with my mom, I was paying all the bills by myself,” Miranda said. “She wasn’t working. She was making it very difficult for me. She didn’t take care of my son, and when I needed her to, she would charge me.” When Miranda’s mother gave her one month to move out, Miranda scrambled to […]
- [Yolo County farmworkers face rising food insecurity](https://theintersectionreports.org/yolo-county-farmworkers-face-rising-food-insecurity/): Tania Garcia-Cadena grew up in Woodland, the county seat of Yolo County, and said she’s always been surrounded by farmworkers. Her father was one and, before that, her grandfather moved his family to the region to work in the fields.  On top of serving as a Woodland councilmember, she is the executive director of the Woodland Food Closet, a nonprofit organization providing three days’ worth of meals a month to food-insecure individuals and families.  She said she wasn’t surprised to learn that the county’s agricultural workers were food insecure, considering their low pay, but was shocked by how bad it […]
- [Menopause research, long overlooked, faces new uncertainty with Trump cuts](https://theintersectionreports.org/menopause-research-long-overlooked-faces-new-uncertainty-with-trump-cuts/): This story is part of a series produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 California Health Equity Fellowship. Denise Pines was sitting at her desk at work when she felt a pounding sensation in her chest and thought she was having a heart attack. “By the fourth one of these things, which was happening every hour, I finally realized, oh my god, I’m having hot flashes,” she said. Pines used to be president of the Medical Board of California. She not only has access to great health care, but knows a lot of doctors. Yet, she was […]
- [Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the San Joaquin Valley. What are the signs? What’s being done about it?](https://theintersectionreports.org/suicide-is-among-the-leading-causes-of-death-in-the-san-joaquin-valley-what-are-the-signs-whats-being-done-about-it/): Over the last seven years, the suicide rate in the San Joaquin Valley has been significantly higher than the statewide rate, according to a review of state and federal data.  Across Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties, the overall suicide rate in the region was 10.8 per 100,000 residents – a rate about 15% higher than the statewide suicide rate of 9.4 per 100,000 residents – from 2018 through 2024. During that period, almost 3,300 Valley residents died by suicide. “It’s a huge problem,” said Amanda Nugent Divine, CEO of Fresno-based nonprofit Kings View Behavioral […]
- [Stockton re-entry service workers “gotta have passion” to help community members coming out of prison, jail](https://theintersectionreports.org/stockton-re-entry-service-workers-gotta-have-passion-to-help-community-members-coming-out-of-prison-jail/): Distancing oneself from gang violence in search of a better life is not easy. Neither is rejoining society after years in prison. But according to Antonio Hernandez, both can be done. “Back then on the east side, if you grew up in a (certain) neighborhood, you start banging,” said Antonio Hernandez, also known as “Tone” or by his stage name as a Christian rap artist, “Nu Tone.” Hernandez, a 37-year-old Stocktonian and father of three daughters, is a case manager at Friends Outside, a Stockton nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated people find their footing once they’re released from prison or […]
- [California legislature passes budget with impacts to public health](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-legislature-passes-budget-with-impacts-to-public-health/): The California legislature passed a budget bill Friday that would keep a controversial aspect of Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal—a freeze on Medi-Cal enrollment for immigrants without legal status.  The freeze would begin in 2026. The plan would also add a $30 per month premium for immigrants without legal status who are already on Medi-Cal, starting in 2027.  Several legislators spoke out against those changes — including Democratic Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula from Fresno, who voted against the budget.  “We need to be a party that stands up for the vulnerable, that stands up for the poor, that stands up for those […]
- [Amid area anti-LGBTQ+ ‘hate incidents’ and hostile federal policy, what Pride means in the Valley this year](https://theintersectionreports.org/amid-area-anti-lgbtq-hate-incidents-and-hostile-federal-policy-what-pride-means-in-the-valley-this-year/): As the Central Valley LGBTQ+ community began its Pride Month celebrations this June, supporters received a stark reminder of why the annual event still matters. The Stockton Police Department confirmed a string of anti-LGBTQ+ “hate incidents” that started the first week of Pride. The city’s two queer advocacy centers – Central Valley Gender Health & Wellness and the San Joaquin Pride Center – were both vandalized, with a brick thrown through the former’s window and a pride flag ripped down at the latter. A pride rainbow flag at a private residence nearby was also reportedly torn down.  The hate incidents […]
- [Alcohol licenses abound in the Valley. How many is too many?](https://theintersectionreports.org/alcohol-licenses-abound-in-the-valley-how-many-is-too-many/): In some neighborhoods in the San Joaquin Valley, it’s challenging to go more than a block or two without finding someplace to buy alcohol. Between liquor stores, convenience stores, neighborhood markets and large grocers – and from the smallest rural outposts to the region’s largest cities across eight counties – 2,140 retailers hold state-issued alcohol licenses to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption. Throw in another 1,709 licensees authorized to sell distilled spirits as well as beer and wine, and it adds up to 3,849 stores to pick up a six-pack of beer, a bottle of wine, or a […]
- [California lawmakers want doctors to know more about menopause](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-lawmakers-want-doctors-to-know-more-about-menopause/): This story is part of a series produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 California Health Equity Fellowship.  If you have a story to share about your own experience with menopause symptom treatment, please let us know by filling out a quick survey.  Former middle school teacher Lorraine Carter Salazar isn’t easily embarrassed. But when she began having hot flashes at school, she worried about how she came off to coworkers, students and parents.  “It doesn’t convey competence,” said Carter Salazar, 62. She recounted how parents could tell  she was uncomfortable in meetings. One time, a student even fanned […]
- [Affordable housing is bustling in Merced, but smaller cities face barriers. ‘It’s not for lack of trying’](https://theintersectionreports.org/affordable-housing-is-bustling-in-merced-but-smaller-cities-face-barriers-its-not-for-lack-of-trying/): Adam Conour took a couple of career detours before finding his calling in real estate development in California’s Central Valley.  Prior to launching Anabasis, a real estate company that houses U.S. armed forces veterans, he tested explosive weapons for the federal government. Before that, the 34-year-old Winton native was enlisted in the U.S. Army.  Conour’s commitment to housing his fellow veterans runs deep, even though investing in affordable housing in the state’s rural areas is challenging.  “The Central Valley is hard. Affordable housing is hard for us,” Conour said.  While the City of Merced has more than 500 new affordable […]
- [This pop-up nightclub is a place of ‘pure happiness’ for Merced’s disabled adults](https://theintersectionreports.org/this-pop-up-nightclub-is-a-place-of-pure-happiness-for-merceds-disabled-adults/): About once a month, the inside of the Merced Senior Center transforms into a dark, thumping night club – complete with a DJ, flashing lights and a snack bar that serves mocktails and nonalcoholic beer. The pop-up event, known as Club 67, isn’t a typical nightclub.  The event provides a “judgement-free zone” for Merced’s adult disabled community to experience a nightclub environment where adults with disabilities can dance and visit with friends without worrying about mixing alcohol with medications or being treated poorly by other club goers who may not understand their disabilities. “If you ever want to see what pure happiness is, […]
- [Valley foster care agencies are facing an insurance crisis, possible closure](https://theintersectionreports.org/valley-foster-care-agencies-are-facing-an-insurance-crisis-possible-closure/): The nonprofit agencies that serve some of the Central Valley’s most vulnerable youth have found themselves stuck between the proverbial rock and the hardest of decisions.  After the largest insurer of nonprofit foster care agencies across California announced it was pulling out of the market and would not renew policies last year, organizations had a choice to make — find new insurance at a much higher rate, or stop placing youth with foster families.  For some agencies, like longtime Modesto-based nonprofit provider Sierra Vista Child & Family Services, the cost increase was too much. So last November, the organization — […]
- [Local in-home support workers at risk due to proposed state budget cuts](https://theintersectionreports.org/local-in-home-support-workers-at-risk-due-to-proposed-state-budget-cuts/): Bernadette Walton is a Sacramento resident who is an in-home support service worker for her daughter. She provides for her 11-year-old daughter, who is autistic and needs support at home. Walton said her daughter needs help with everyday living — hygiene, grooming, schoolwork, and life skills.  According to Walton, she used to work as a behavior technician, going into homes and working with children like her daughter. One day, her doctor said that her daughter needed her more at home, and that’s when she learned about the In-Home Supportive Services program. The IHSS program assists people with disabilities and low-income individuals […]
- [California's undocumented seniors’ food assistance is on hold, possibly forever](https://theintersectionreports.org/californias-undocumented-seniors-food-assistance-is-on-hold-possibly-forever/): Nearly half of undocumented immigrants in California are food insecure, often being forced to skip meals or rely on food banks each month. That’s because they remain excluded from vital state nutrition programs like CalFresh and the California Food Assistance Program The food assistance program offers support to some immigrants with legal status who are barred from CalFresh. The program was supposed to be expanded to include anyone 55 or older, regardless of immigration status later this year. However, that was delayed to October 2027 during last year’s May Revision of the state budget.  On top of that, Newsom tacked on a “trigger-on” […]
- [Governor Newsom spars with local leaders over California’s homelessness funding](https://theintersectionreports.org/governor-newsom-spars-with-local-leaders-over-californias-homelessness-funding/): California is home to a quarter of the nation’s unhoused population, which amounts to around 187,000 people.  Governor Gavin Newsom has been noticeably frustrated over homelessness recently, and a lot of that frustration is being directed at local governments. The governor has criticized cities and counties for not doing enough on the issue, particularly when it comes to encampments.  In the last year Newsom has taken a harder stance. Last summer, he issued an executive order requiring state agencies to adopt policies for clearing encampments. Earlier this month, he released what he called a “model ordinance” for local governments to use as they adopt policies […]
- [Bakersfield family's deportation order puts girl's life-saving medication at risk](https://theintersectionreports.org/bakersfield-familys-deportation-order-puts-girls-life-saving-medication-at-risk/): BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A family in Bakersfield is facing deportation, despite entering the country legally to obtain care for their young daughter. Lawyers said at a press conference on Wednesday that the 4-year-old girl could die if she left the U.S. because she suffers from short-bowel syndrome. The disease requires her to wear an adult-sized backpack that delivers nutrients intravenously – 14 hours a day. This life-saving treatment is only available in the U.S. The girl’s mother, Deysi Vargas, said deportation would jeopardize her daughter’s life “If we return back to our county, she would be at the hospital day […]
- ['I feel betrayed.' Dozens protest after Rep. Valadao votes to cut Medicaid](https://theintersectionreports.org/i-feel-betrayed-dozens-protest-after-rep-valadao-votes-to-cut-medicaid/): FRESNO, Calif. – Dozens of people rallied outside the Bakersfield office of Republican Congressman David Valadao on Friday to protest his vote in favor of significant cuts to Medicaid. Valadao’s vote was among the few that helped get a House spending bill over the edge and which government forecasters predict could pull hundreds of billions of dollars away from the Medicaid program – or Medi-Cal, as it’s known in California. How Valadao would vote on the bill drew speculation since he had stated he opposed major cuts to the health insurance program. His district also contains the highest share of Medicaid […]
- [COVID-19 dangers are diminished, but not gone, in the Valley](https://theintersectionreports.org/covid-19-dangers-are-diminished-but-not-gone-in-the-valley/): Just four years ago, COVID-19 had taken a place among the leading causes of death in the San Joaquin Valley, right along with heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and strokes. In 2021, in the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, the disease claimed nearly 6,400 lives across the eight-county region. The virus, which first emerged in China in 2019, circulated worldwide in 2020, and the first confirmed cases in the San Joaquin Valley surfaced in March 2020. The rapid spread of the virus in California and the U.S. touched off a two-year frenzy of public health measures, including various stages of business […]
- [California foster youth advocates push back on Governor Newsom’s budget proposal](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-foster-youth-advocates-push-back-on-governor-newsoms-budget-proposal/): Foster youth advocates are speaking out about Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, saying some services could be in jeopardy because of funding cuts.  “We don’t think it was appropriate to target such a vulnerable population,” Susanna Kniffen, a child welfare policy director at the nonprofit Children Now, said. “This is one of the only populations the state is directly and legally responsible for meeting their needs.” It’s gotten harder for foster family agencies to stay insured. A major insurer pulled out last fall — and now agencies are asking the state for $42 million to help them pay higher premiums […]
- [Medicaid recipients in key California GOP district express concerns](https://theintersectionreports.org/medicaid-recipients-in-key-california-gop-district-express-concerns/): CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ-DELGADO, HOST: Part of President Trump’s self-described big, beautiful bill includes congressional Republicans’ plans to change Medicaid. The proposal would cut billions from the safety net program. Many Republican lawmakers see this as a needed savings to slash what they see as waste in the system, but recent estimates show millions of Americans stand to lose their health insurance, including in Republican health districts, where KVPR’s Joshua Yeager brings us this report. UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting) “Save Medicaid now.” JOSHUA YEAGER, BYLINE: A large crowd of protesters gather outside Kern Medical Hospital in Bakersfield, California. Some sit in wheelchairs. Others […]
- [Senior population growth in the San Joaquin Valley outpaces available specialists, care resources](https://theintersectionreports.org/senior-population-growth-in-the-san-joaquin-valley-outpaces-available-specialists-care-resources/): Senior citizens make up the fastest growing age demographic in the San Joaquin Valley. And they need more doctors. Members of the Baby Boomer generation – people born in the post-World War II era from 1946 to 1964 – are rapidly joining the ranks of senior citizens. The oldest members of the cohort reached age 65 in 2011, and the youngest Boomers will become seniors before the end of this decade. At the same time, the San Joaquin Valley is confronting a shortage of doctors and other health professionals who specialize in geriatric medicine – the branch of health care […]
- [Menopause symptom treatment bill clears its first hurdle at the California legislature](https://theintersectionreports.org/menopause-symptom-treatment-bill-clears-its-first-hurdle-at-the-california-legislature/): Menopause is having a moment at the California Legislature — lawmakers have filed two bills this year that would make care for symptoms more accessible. One of those bills passed its first committee hearing on Tuesday.  Bay Area Democratic Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan told lawmakers at the hearing her interest in the topic started with her own experience.  “I spoke to my internist who said, ‘Oh, you’re fine.’ And then I spoke to my OBGYN who said, ‘Oh, we just suffer through this. Don’t worry. It sounds good.’ But I was having such brain fog that I was frightened that […]
- [San Joaquin Valley residents have the most to lose with planned federal cuts to food stamps](https://theintersectionreports.org/san-joaquin-valley-residents-have-the-most-to-lose-with-planned-federal-cuts-to-food-stamps/): San Joaquin Valley residents already bracing for possible federal cuts to Medicaid could be hit with a one-two punch as Congressional Republicans plan to slash another $230 billion, much, or all, of which could come from the federal food stamps program.  SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is called CalFresh in California helps low-income residents buy groceries. House Republicans approved a budget that strips $230 billion over the next decade from the Agriculture Committee, which oversees the SNAP program.  As with the proposed cuts to Medicaid, which could total up to $880 billion, the SNAP cuts would offset extensions to […]
- [Fresno County pushes Valley to highest rates of domestic violence calls in California](https://theintersectionreports.org/fresno-county-pushes-valley-to-highest-rates-of-domestic-violence-calls-in-california/): Across most of the San Joaquin Valley, calls to law enforcement to report domestic violence have remained steady – or even gone down – in recent years. But a dramatic spike in Fresno County has given the Valley the highest rate of such calls of any region in the state. Between 2019 and 2023, domestic violence calls to law enforcement more than doubled in Fresno County from roughly 6,500 to more than 13,300, according to data provided to the state Department of Justice by local police and sheriff’s departments across California. Fresno was the only San Joaquin Valley county to […]
- [Kids’ vaccine program ends abruptly with Trump Administration cuts](https://theintersectionreports.org/kids-vaccine-program-ends-abruptly-with-trump-administration-cuts/): In late March, the Trump administration suddenly pulled $11.4 billion in remaining COVID-19 response funds — which were going to state and local governments to help monitor and prevent a variety of diseases.  That complicated local efforts to immunize kids. The California Department of Public Health estimates that the lost federal funds will total at least $840 million in the state. Those cuts hit vaccine programs — covering measles, whooping cough and others in addition to COVID-19 — for hard-to-reach, low-income residents on Medi-Cal. The funds were set to expire at the end of 2026. “Health departments are often starved […]
- [Modesto shelter expands space for men coming out of hospitals   ](https://theintersectionreports.org/modesto-shelter-expands-space-for-men-coming-out-of-hospitals/): Benjamin Lopez said it was a “mental issue” that caused him to give away all his possessions and start living on the streets of Modesto and Turlock.   “I used alcohol so much that I went from one drink to a whole gallon a day of alcohol, which was my demise,” he said. “That’s what made me very low, not caring about anybody else and losing track of what I was doing. One day would go into the next, and the next and the next. Next thing you know, five years went by, numb to the world.”  Near the start of […]
- [Sacramento Public Library adds free pregnancy tests at 12 locations](https://theintersectionreports.org/sacramento-public-library-adds-free-pregnancy-tests-at-12-locations/): The Sacramento Public Library has become one of the first in the nation to offer free pregnancy tests and sexual health supplies through its new Sexual Health Resource Cabinets. The initiative launched in February with self-serve cabinets installed at 12 branch locations. Todd Deck, community engagement services manager for the library, said the program was designed to increase access, reduce cost barriers and protect privacy. Sexual Health Resource Cabinet locations All of the following Sacramento Public Library locations — except Walnut Grove — are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Walnut Grove is open 1 p.m. to […]
- [Longtime Stockton advocate urges community members to ‘Pause,’ take time to address heart health](https://theintersectionreports.org/longtime-stockton-advocate-urges-community-members-to-pause-take-time-to-address-heart-health/): You can rest your limbs, take a breath, and clear your mind, but your heart never gets a break.  Tashante McGaskey found that out the hard way. Last June, she found herself in a hospital bed with an aortic aneurysm, a bulge in the wall of the body’s main artery that typically shows no symptoms until it bursts. In such cases, doctors told her, the survival rate is about ten percent. McGaskey, a 46-year-old Stockton native, is a mother, grandmother, newlywed and, since 2012, a community advocate. Her passion for her hometown and its residents inspired her to promote criminal […]
- [Costa, Gray propose congressional bill to address critical physician shortage in rural areas](https://theintersectionreports.org/costa-gray-propose-congressional-bill-to-address-critical-physician-shortage-in-rural-areas/): Two San Joaquin Valley congressional representatives have introduced a bill that could help address the vast shortage of doctors in the region, particularly in underserved areas.  Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, say the Medical Education Act would, if passed, establish a program of grants to support expanded medical education programs in underserved areas of the nation. The Valley could be one of the key areas that would benefit from the legislation. California has about 90 primary care doctors per 100,000 residents statewide, the federal Health Resources & Services Administration reported in November 2024.  That’s more than the ratio in some states, […]
- [More than half of San Joaquin Valley residents could face ‘devastating’ cuts to health coverage](https://theintersectionreports.org/more-than-half-of-san-joaquin-valley-residents-could-face-devastating-cuts-to-health-coverage/): More than half of the San Joaquin Valley’s population could be bracing for “devastating” cuts to their health insurance coverage as House Republicans decide how to slash some $880 billion from Medicaid.  Among Californians, Valley residents have perhaps the most to lose due to the eight-county region’s high enrollment in Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program for low-income residents. About 51% of people living from San Joaquin County down to Kern County use the program to access medical care, the highest percentage for any region across the state.  “It gives me a lot of stress and anxiety […]
- [California launches nation’s first pesticide alert system](https://theintersectionreports.org/california-launches-nations-first-pesticide-alert-system/): BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – California’s nation-leading agriculture industry pumps more than 180 million pounds of pesticides into fields each year. Now, a notification system will alert residents when some of those pesticides are applied near homes and schools. “Spray Days California” has been under development for the past four years with the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation. The digital notification system is the first-of-its-kind in the United States, according to the agency. Advocates in the San Joaquin Valley – where the vast majority of pesticides in the state are applied – applauded the system’s official release this week. “‘Spray Days’ is […]
- [Congressman Ami Bera responds to federal budget cuts to education](https://theintersectionreports.org/congressman-ami-bera-responds-to-federal-budget-cuts-to-education/): President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week for the United States Secretary of Education to go forward with the closure of the Department of Education. Today, United States Representative Ami Bera held a press conference at Leo A. Palmiter High School alongside Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David Gordon to address the impacts of Trump’s cuts on schools in Sacramento. Bera and Gordon also highlighted the threat of a billion-dollar cut to locally sourced food programs.  Federal education serves as a key function in supporting Sacramento County schools, which serve more than 250,000 students, according to Bera’s press release.  Bera said […]
- [Uninsured in the Valley have limited options for medical attention](https://theintersectionreports.org/uninsured-in-the-valley-have-limited-options-for-medical-attention/): In a region where more than half of the population is on Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for low-income people, there remain more than 308,000 people in the San Joaquin Valley who have no insurance coverage whatsoever – no Medi-Cal, no Medicare for seniors, no VA benefits for military veterans. Who are they? That’s tough to quantify exactly. But KFF, a nonprofit health policy, research, polling and news organization, estimates that most of the 23.5 million uninsured in the U.S. are adults in low-income, working families, and are people of color. Almost three out of four uninsured people had […]

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