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June is a season of celebration, reflection, and new beginnings. As families gather for graduations, Father’s Day, and the start of summer, we are reminded that health and well-being are strengthened by the people, opportunities, and communities that help us thrive. We extend our congratulations to this year’s graduates, including the many future healthcare professionals who will help shape a healthier California for generations to come.
This month, we recognize Men’s Health Month, Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, PTSD Awareness Month, Pride Month, and Juneteenth. Together, these observances highlight the importance of prevention, mental well-being, and early detection, ensuring that every Californian has the opportunity to achieve their best possible health.
As we celebrate fathers, partners, caregivers, and mentors, we also encourage everyone to prioritize their own health. Preventive screenings, physical activity, meaningful social connections, and seeking support when needed are powerful steps that can improve health and well-being throughout life.
As we welcome summer, let's remember to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty California has to offer. Take advantage of the three park pass programs that provide free access to participating state parks for kids and their families. Let's continue together in health!
Juntos en salud,
Dr. Diana Ramos
California Surgeon General
| | California Ranks #1 in U.S. for Supporting Maternal Mental Health | | | California continues to lead the nation in supporting maternal mental health, earning the highest score on the 2026 Maternal Mental Health State Report Cards. This recognition reflects the state’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to care, advancing innovative programs, and addressing maternal mental health as a critical component of overall health and well-being for mothers and families. | | |
This outcome is the product of a multitude of efforts and the state’s prioritization of maternal mental healthcare. The report graded California on criteria such as:
- Medi-Cal requiring Managed Care Organizations to report “prenatal depression screening” and “postpartum depression screening” according to the HEDIS measure, for which the state was a top performer in the country on these scales
- California meeting the ratio of community-based organizations providing direct service for maternal mental health
- California extending Medi-Cal coverage to one year postpartum
- California’s state-sanctioned maternal mental health task force
| | Congratulations, Class of 2026! | | |
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California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos was honored to participate in commencement ceremonies at UC San Diego and UC Riverside, where she delivered remarks welcoming a new generation of physicians into the medical profession and a reminder that medicine begins with human connection. Her message: be the bridge.
Be the bridge between science and humanity, health and innovation, and technology and trust, leading us toward a healthier future for all.
These graduates represent the future of healthcare in California, and their commitment to service, compassion, and improving the health of their communities offers tremendous hope for the years ahead. Congratulations to all 2026 graduates!
| | | Improving Community Health and Well-Being through One Small Thing | | The Office of the California Surgeon General was honored to participate in the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles' Health Equity Summit, highlighting the importance of meeting people where they are and bringing health and wellness into the communities where they live, work, and gather. Health is about more than just medical care—it's shaped by our environment, safety and the relationships we nurture. | | In partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, we are expanding the reach of "One Small Thing" to distribute our coupon books across 29 YMCA centers in LA. This partnership will help connect individuals and families with simple, meaningful ways to support health, well-being, and community connection. | | |
In California, we take pride in working together to support and improve health outcomes for ALL moms and families—because every mother, parent, and baby deserves the healthiest beginning possible to live and thrive.
In celebratation of the creativity, contributions and resilience of our LGBTQ+ community, find health resources available for you and your loved ones this Pride Month and beyond:
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| | Heart Health at Warp Speed | |
Despite being the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., heart disease remains an overlooked cause of pregnancy associated deaths. Throughout the year, we are collaborating with partners across the state to improve early detection and coordination of cardiovascular care in maternal health using existing technologies.
In May, we partnered with the University of California, Irvine’s largest women-centric hackathon that brought together 150 student participants with 16 interdisciplinary teams to create innovative solutions in tech. Throughout the two-day hackathon, teams developed a wide range of technology-driven solutions, including mobile apps, web platforms, AI-powered risk assessment tools, wearable integrations, education platforms, advocacy resources, and clinical support systems.
| | Dr. Ramos sponsored a health-related track using pregnancy and postpartum care as opportunities to improve and protect women’s long-term heart health. These projects focused on helping pregnant and postpartum individuals recognize warning signs, monitor symptoms, communicate with providers, and access care. | | First place was awarded to a maternal cardiovascular health platform that connected wearable devices, symptom tracking, family health history, mental health tools, and self-advocacy resources to support earlier identification of cardiovascular concerns during pregnancy and postpartum care. | | Life's Essential 8 for Pregnancy | | | | | |
Lifelong cardiovascular health starts before birth. A mother’s heart health plays a vital role in shaping her baby’s long-term well-being, and early-life health challenges can carry into adulthood.
That’s why, we teamed up with the American Heart Association to create Life’s Essential 8™ for Pregnancy—guidelines to help support heart health during pregnancy and in the crucial weeks after birth.
This guide helps moms-to-be take small, meaningful steps to support their heart health—and their baby’s future well-being.
| | | National Hispanic Medical Association
Annual Conference | California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos had the opportunity to highlight Strong Start and Beyond at the National Hispanic Medical Association annual conference and innovative efforts to improve women’s health across the life course. The presentation discussed the success of the Preconception Medical Assessment (PreMA), One Small Thing, and Heart Health at Warp Speed. | | Multiple poster presentations were also presented by partners of the Office of the California Surgeon General, including Retrospective Validation of a Patient-Initiated Preconception Screener Against Obstetric Comorbidity Indices to Assess Pregnancy Complications by Gabriela Luna-Victoria, and Ryan Clarke presented and won the poster competition with Patient-Initiated Digital Delivery Summaries: A Usability Study Among Postpartum Patients. | | |
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When men get the care they need, the whole family benefits too. Some health issues are unique to men, and some of the health issues that affect both men and women can affect men differently.
Men of every age and background need to be mindful of caring for their health. From knowing the importance of what screenings are necessary at each age to health issues impacting men most often, it is essential to stay informed.
This Men's Health Month, empower the men in your life to make health a priority because supporting dad also helps mom and kids to thrive.
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| | This Summer, Be Disaster Ready | With summer just around the corner, it's important to be prepared for potential emergencies or disaster, including extreme heat, fast and cold water, wildfires, and power outages. Doing small things today can make sure you, your family, friends, and neighbors are safe and cared for when disaster strikes. Get disaster ready and learn more today at ready.ca.gov. | Events, Webinars & Other Opportunities | | |
Application open until July 15
The Commission’s Youth Advisory Council provides young women and girls* in California (ages 14–20) with a meaningful platform to engage with the Commission’s legislative work and help shape and elevate policies that impact their lives. Youth have the opportunity to connect with other youth across the state, develop advocacy and leadership skills, obtain hands-on experience with California’s policy process, participate in mentorship, and have transformative conversations about the needs of our state’s young people.
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June 18, 2026
The NIH All of Us Research Program is a large and long-term effort to enroll over one million people across the United States to build a diverse health database. This presentation introduces the All of Us Researcher Workbench and highlights the program’s unique strengths, including its diverse participant population and rich longitudinal multi-modal data spanning clinical, genomic, and social factors. Key challenges will be highlighted along with the potential impact of this resource on future translational maternal and pediatric (birth to five) research.
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June 25-28, 2026 | Los Angeles, CA
This event brings together over 1,200 perinatal advocates, healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals from around the world. It welcomes anyone interested in expanding their knowledge and skills in supporting parents’ mental health during the perinatal period.
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On next week's episode of Office Hours with Dr. Diana Ramos, an audio series that highlights innovations in maternal health, Dr. Ramos will discuss MedTech innovation with Ramin Mousavi, founder, chairman and CEO of NovoMed PARTNERS, a portfolio of transformative innovation in cardiovascular, neuro, AI, and digital health. Until then, catch up on our latest episodes, and be sure to check out the audio series on Spotify.
| | Have a suggestion or an interest in collaborating or being featured in an upcoming newsletter or other communication channel? Contact us for consideration at osginfo@osg.ca.gov. | | | | |
