ELEVATING COMMUNITIES, TRANSFORMING CARE. Spring 2024

Happy Spring, CARESTAR Readers! 🌸🌿🦋

Just like the season implies, we are nurturing buds of new ideas and relationships, and seeing what blooms as a result.

In this edition of our newsletter, we are excited to highlight one of our longstanding grant partners, Public Health Advocates (PHA). Our partnership with this organization started in 2019, and as you will read below, we recently renewed our commitment with another three year grant. Our funding aims to support more communities across the state in partnering with local advocacy organizations and establishing community-driven crisis response models in various cities throughout California.

At the CARESTAR Foundation, we work to elevate community voices, but also to ensure that the systems designed to help us and protect us, do so equitably - for everyone. We operate at the intersection of advocacy organizations and the systems they strive to transform, particularly focusing on promoting racial equity. Operating in the space where systems and community members converge can be challenging, but we are steadfast in our commitment to this model as we believe in our ability to serve as a bridge that facilitates communication and inspires positive change.

We understand that our approach might be uncomfortable or controversial for some, and we welcome and value all voices in these conversations. We invite you to visit our website and share your thoughts on our work and the contributions you are making to help promote a more equitable emergency medical services (EMS) system.

Speaking of sharing your thoughts, as many of you know, we recently issued the CARESTAR Foundation's first ever Annual Review! We extend our heartfelt thanks to the supporters and partners who have reached out with feedback, words of encouragement, and recognition to mark this milestone.

Thank you for being a part of the CARESTAR community and for your continued support!

Tanir Ami

CEO, CARESTAR Foundation

2023 ANNUAL REVIEW

Have you heard? We just released our inaugural Annual Review!

This comprehensive report encapsulates our collective efforts, achievements, and milestones from the past year. It stands as a testament to the dedication and hard work of every member of our incredible community, for which we are immensely grateful.

If you haven't had the chance to explore it yet, we invite you to dive in! A special shout out to our partners who contributed powerful quotes and videos for the report. It is an honor to highlight your words and testimonials.

Q&A WITH CA EMSA DIRECTOR

The Director of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), Elizabeth “Liz” Basnett, and our CEO, Tanir Ami recently sat down in Sacramento to discuss the partnership between CARESTAR and EMSA, and the work we are doing together to bring greater racial equity to EMS in California.

Watch and listen to excerpts of their conversation here.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM CARESTAR

CARESTAR Renews Support for Public Health Advocates

We're thrilled to announce the approval of ongoing funding from CARESTAR for Public Health Advocates' groundbreaking initiative, the First Response Transformation Campaign (FRTC).

This vital project aims to revolutionize emergency response systems across California, empowering community-based advocates to lead alternative response efforts.

With a focus on enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity impact, FRTC will provide technical assistance in key areas such as 911 call data analysis, policy advocacy, and local relationship building. PHA will also expand FRTC to encompass five additional regions in California, prioritizing community voices in response models, and addressing policy implications locally and statewide.

EMS Data Equity Conference a Success!

On January 19, several members of the CARESTAR Foundation team attended the EMS Data Equity Conference, hosted by the San Francisco Fire Department and San Jose State University.

It was an inspirational gathering aimed at exploring the role of data in understanding and enhancing equity within the field. Attendees, including EMS agencies and service providers, educators, researchers, and policy advisors, listened to insightful presentations and engaged in lively discussions with speakers including Janet Coffman of the UCSF Healthforce Center and EMS researchers, Drs. Jamie Kennel and Remle Crowe. The event, sponsored by CARESTAR, fostered valuable connections and conversations, and kicked off a new learning community.

Welcome, Dr. Eric Rudnick!

We're excited to welcome Dr. Eric M. Rudnick, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, FAEMS to the CARESTAR Foundation Board of Directors!

Dr. Rudnick brings a wealth of experience and passion for emergency medical services to our team. From his early days in medical school in Milwaukee, WI, followed by an Emergency Medicine residency in Lansing, MI to his current role working as a Wound Care and Hyperbaric physician, Dr. Rudnick has seen it all. His dedication to advocacy and innovation in EMS is truly inspiring.

Dr. Rudnick's impressive background includes board certifications in both Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services, along with numerous awards and leadership positions. He has worked in the private, public and governmental sectors of EMS and has been active at the local and state level, especially advocating for rural Californians. Welcome, Dr. Rudnick!

Opinion: EMTs and paramedics don’t reflect our community’s diversity. Here’s how that can change

'Business as usual' is neither meeting the industry demand for more emergency medical technician personnel, nor the need for a more diverse workforce. San Diego Union-Tribune

Nearly half of health care workers have witnessed racism, discrimination, report shows

A report from the Commonwealth Fund and the African American Research Collaborative, based on interviews with thousands of workers who shared their experiences at hospitals and health facilities, quantifies whether employees see discrimination within their workplace. USA Today

How does a community re-imagine compassion to avoid crisis whenever possible?

Learn about Inside Health 34 – UC Davis Fire’s mobile approach to non-emergent support and service navigation. EMS1