A Step Forward for Child Welfare in California
by Aditi Das, PhD, Consulting Manager All too often, cases of child abuse are erroneously reported (according to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 82% of cases reported and investigated are unsubstantiated) and families are separated when caregivers and other persons of authority – teachers, school nurses, police officers – see that children…
June 19 — the Birth of Juneteenth
by Ken Lupoff, Associate Director of Business Development This year’s Juneteenth federal holiday falls on June 19 – the date in 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order 3 in Texas, enforcing President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery and called for the freedom of Black people who had long been oppressed by…
“It’s our Fourth of July!” Celebrating Juneteenth When the Rest of the Country Catches Up…
by Charlene Y. Taylor, PhD, VP of Consulting Services Even though I grew up in Alaska, my family has very southern roots. I was born in Miami, Florida where both my parents were also born and raised. Being military, my family had friends from all over the country with varied backgrounds, so although I grew…
This Year’s LGBTQ Pride Month Is More Important Than Ever
by Julia Lang, Consulting Manager and Ken Lupoff, Associate Director of Business Development LGBTQ+ Pride Month (or Gay Pride Month) was first held in June of 1970 to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots that erupted over the long-term discrimination and harassment of New York City’s diverse LGBTQ+ communities by the city’s police force. Those gay…
Implementing Equitable & Collaborative Programs with Social Vulnerability Indices (SoVIs)
Identifying areas with the greatest need for intervention is critical when deciding where to direct limited financial resources, but it can be challenging to do with precision. Social vulnerability indices (SoVIs) offer a solution by simplifying complex policy questions into scores that identify areas with the greatest need for an intervention.
We Cannot Have Women’s Rights Without Abortion Rights
When SCOTUS ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022, many millions of women, other people with uteruses, and the people who love them, were faced with the devastating reality that their rights to bodily autonomy were being gutted nearly 50 years after having been enshrined in Roe v. Wade in 1973.
Out of One, Many. RDA Enters a New Era of Employee Ownership…
We are delighted to announce that RDA Consulting is officially an employee-owned social purpose corporation! After more than a year of planning and solidifying financing and agreements, employees have purchased RDA from our former owner and CEO, Patricia Marrone Bennett, PhD. With this transition, Dr. Bennett has created a lasting legacy for our 38-eight-year old consultancy.
National Indigenous People’s Day
RDA Consulting is committed to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in both its work and community outreach. In that vein, it is our pleasure to announce that we will be making a donation in honor of National Indigenous People’s Day to the Oakland-based organization, Native American Health Center.
Announcing Our New Chapter
Dear clients, colleagues, family, and friends, In 1996 I began working at RDA. There were only two of us then, Bob Bennett who founded RDA in 1984, and me. It hardly seems possible that 26 years have passed. RDA has grown from a 2-person consulting firm to a company that employs 35 staff. We continue…
Juneteenth
2021 marked a pivotal moment in #BlackHistory when President Biden proclaimed June 19, 2021 as Juneteenth Day of Observance. Last year, Resource Development Associates (RDA) made a commitment to add Juneteenth to our roster of paid holidays. Additionally, RDA committed to making a yearly charitable contribution to an organization nominated by our staff.
One Small Planet
It is impossible to look back over the events of the past year and not viscerally feel the interconnectedness between ourselves, our families, our communities, and the rest of the world. The struggles of other countries, even other states, that once felt like distant concerns confined to the evening news now take on a different meaning. The pandemic and its economic devastation; the urgent cries for racial justice; the ever-increasing threat of wildfires, hurricanes, and other climate-change-driven disasters: these challenges belong to all of us.
Moving from Crisis to Chronic
Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are still operating in crisis mode. We are exhausted, and the items we put on the shelf are starting to stack up. It’s time to revisit our triage plans, no matter how planful or ad hoc, and re-evaluate our priorities and resources.
Resources for Providers: Utilizing Telehealth to Provide Behavioral Health Services
For behavioral health providers, telehealth has become essential for addressing the significant stress, anxiety, and depression brought on by the pandemic and its ensuing economic downturn.
The Explosion of Telemedicine – Will it Last?
Shelter-in-place and social distancing mandates to limit the spread of COVID-19 have rapidly shifted telehealth from an underutilized health care option to an absolute necessity. The ability to provide and receive care from home limits the spread of the virus and the burden placed on emergency departments and urgent care centers. Health systems, care providers, insurers, and legislators are continuing to work to expand the accessibility, capacity, and affordability of telemedicine.
California’s Juvenile Justice System Realignment: Key Considerations for Implementation
The 2020-2021 California State Budget will realign the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), transitioning responsibility to local jurisdictions for youth sentenced to DJJ facilities. While details of the realignment are still to be determined, this change represents a major shift in California’s juvenile justice system.