Southern California Doctors Become Non-Partisan Civic Advocates to Improve Community Health in Underserved Communities
MGA Staff • June 19, 2026
AltaMed Health Services White Coats for Change doctors canvassed Santa Ana to speak to residents about the importance of participating in the upcoming elections in a nonpartisan effort focusing on civic engagement.
That’s the idea behind White Coats for Change (WC4C), an innovative initiative from AltaMed Health Services, one of the nation's largest federally qualified community health centers that has more than 60 clinics in Los Angeles and Orange counties, that is training physicians, nurses, and healthcare providers to become advocates for structural change in healthcare policy and improving civic participation in underserved communities.
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The Riverside Transit Agency recently unveiled its new hydrogen fueling station and five of its new hydrogen-powered, zero-emission buses, at its headquarters in Riverside. This marks the beginning of RTA's transition from its compressed natural gas bus fleet to a fully zero-emission fleet, with the five new buses funded in part by a $5.1 million federal grant. RTA aims to grow that fleet to more than 100 hydrogen-powered buses over the next decade. Read more from Madison Hart with the Press-Enterprise here .
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission received reports of 13,000 people being treated in the Emergency room for firework related injuries, last year. Firework injuries are fully preventable, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, 90% of fireworks injuries are caused by legal fireworks. Fireworks of all kinds are dangerous and it is advised to attend a professional fireworks shows instead of buying your own. Dr. Michael Jimenez, trauma medical director for Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, spoke to local media on firework safety. View the coverage below: ABC 7 KTLA NBC KNX-AM Los Angeles Daily News
Retired 55-year-old firefighter and Chino Hills resident George Rojas is looking forward to celebrating another Father’s Day with his family after surviving a stroke last November. George Rojas, an avid cyclist, biked more than 100 miles per week and thought he was in good shape until he woke up to a numb left arm that caused him to collapse on the bathroom floor. George was experiencing a stroke, but he was fortunate that his wife and daughter were home and immediately came to his aide and called 911 where he was then transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. View the coverage below: ABC 7 NBC 4 Daily Bulletin
According to the American Red Cross, children under five years old drown most often in pools owned by family and friends. With summer approaching, Dr. Kevin Goldman, emergency medicine at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, spoke with ABC7 on pool safety tips. Parents are urged to keep watch of their children when they are in the pool at all times as it can only take seconds before a drowning can occur. Dr. Goldman also recommends thinking twice about certain swimwear color choices, since some are harder to spot in the water than others. View the coverage below. ABC 7 La Nueva Voz KNX
Los Angeles Students Present Civic Action Projects at California Endowment hosted by Teach Democracy
More than 150 Los Angeles high school and middle school students shared their Civic Action Project (CAP) that addressed pressing social issues in their community at the California Endowment. The Civic Action was hosted by Teach Democracy, a non-partisan non-profit that develops civic learning materials for K-12 students. The Expo is the culminating event for its CAP participants who presented on topics such as immigrant rights amid ICE raids, preventing gang violence, urban development, affordable housing and improving youth mental health. View the coverage below: ABC7 CBS Santa Monica Daily Press San Fernando Valley Sun Activista Media
CalOptima Health has partnered with AltaMed Health Services and the City of Santa Ana to launch a Street Medicine Program to serve people experiencing homelessness. The program delivers comprehensive health care through a mobile health unit and provides services to create a path to permanent housing. Santa Ana is the fourth city in Orange County to participate in the CalOptima Health Street Medicine Program. View the coverage below: Orange County Register City of Santa Ana Excelsior California (Spanish) NBC4 Los Angeles Telemundo Los Angeles ABC7 Los Angeles KNX Radio
Across the United States there have been many mass shootings in public places. Mt. SAC and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center hosted a mass casualty incident simulation to give health careers students and emergency department staff an opportunity to prepare on how to respond to a crisis. The training event focuses on coordination, triage, communication, and patient care in a high-pressure environment. Watch the coverage from ABC7 here .
March is Sleep Awareness Month, and with nearly 70% of U.S. adults reporting getting insufficient sleep or rest, Project Sleep, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to raising awareness about sleep health, sleep equity and sleep disorders. View the coverage below: Spectrum News 1 SoCal CBS Philadelphia
Through its advanced custom implant technology, MedCAD supports Ukraine war victims on their journey to recovery and healing.
Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange is utilizing artificial intelligence software to support radiologists in detecting tumors in their early stages. Dr. Kenneth Meng, MD, with St. Joseph Hospital Orange uses the ICAD AI algorithm which helped flag a lesion in a patient's mammogram that could have been overlooked. The artificial intelligence software developed by ICAD is able to find cancer two to three years earlier than without using the program. "It does take the AI and the radiologist together to get the best, most accurate reading," Dr. Meng said. View our coverage below: ABC 7 Yahoo! News Becker's Hospital Review