CalMatters

NOTE: The Q&A starts at the two-minute mark. In our fourth "Future of Work" event, CalMatters economy reporter Lauren Hepler asks mayors around the state about how they plan to confront their communities’ most pressing issues in housing, healthcare, education, and jobs displacement. What are the greatest challenges and opportunities they're facing in getting people back to work during this COVID-19 crisis? How are cities communicating with one another to share best practices? And how can regional collaboration help alleviate major economic disparities as we enter a new year? SPEAKERS * Rusty Bailey, Mayor of Riverside * Jerry Dyer, Mayor-Elect of Fresno * Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach * Libby Schaaf, Mayor of Oakland WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 2 minutes - CalMatters and the Milken Institute introduce this event * 5:35 min - Moderator Lauren Hepler sets up the Q&A and introduces our four Mayors * 7:10 min - Mayor-Elect Dyer tested positive for COVID-19: Has that changed his priorities for his first term starting in January 2021? * 8:35 - How can cities play a role in addressing the pandemic? * 10:25 min - Does Mayor Schaaf worry about an "urban exodus" in the Bay Area and job centers like Oakland? * 12:45 min - Will some pandemic-induced changes to cities, like telework, parklets and outdoor dining, stick around for the long run? * 17:45 min - How have people's thoughts about where to live impact California's smaller cities, like Riverside and Fresno? * 22:45 min - What is the city's role for bracing against evictions and homelessness, and retaining its workers? * 26:50 min - Mayor Garcia explains how community colleges and state universities can play a role in economic recovery * 29:55 min - Mayor Bailey's take on continuing education and job retraining * 33:10 min - Mayor-Elect Dyer explains how a city's high unemployment rate can be an opportunity * 35:55 min - The future of "Universal Basic Income" and "Guaranteed Income" in California cities * 50 min - What are cities doing to address the coronavirus's impact on working-class employees and essential workers? * 55:05 min - With more counties moved back to the red and purple tiers, what does that mean for cities' finances and revenues?

California expats changing Texas politics by CalMatters

Workforce development is more important than ever as California faces a hollowing out of middle-class jobs, the rise of robots and automation in more professions, an evolving gig economy, a growing discussion about social justice and racial discrimination in the workplace, and a deep recession. CalMatters higher education reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn leads this virtual conversation about the California economy’s workforce needs, and what state and local authorities, universities and private employers are doing right now to reform workforce training in a rapidly changing world. SPEAKERS * Soraya Coley, president of CSU Pomona / Member, California Future of Work Commission * Jessica Ku Kim, senior director of Workforce Development, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation * Greg Nosal, senior director of talent acquisition, Northrop Grumman Corporation * Abby Snay, deputy secretary for the Future of Work at California Labor & Workforce Development Agency WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 min to 5 min - Introducing the event, and the speakers * 5 min - Are there enough good jobs out there for college graduates and the current workforce? * 10:30 min - How does a polytechnic school like CSU Pomona do hands-on training during this time of pandemic? * 15:25 min - Is Higher Ed still the best way to train current and future workers, or are there other pathways? * 24 min - How are diversity and inclusion considered in workforce training programs? * 32:30 min - How serious is a risk of automation to workers' jobs? * 35:45 min - What's being done to retrain workers over age 45? * 42 min - How can government agencies participate in these programs to replace their retiring workers? * 44:10 min - How can the tech industry start and utilize apprenticeship programs? * 46:30 min - How can people with disabilities be part of the current and future workforce? * 49:50 min - Are there ways to marry workforce development programs with the building of more affordable housing? * 54:15 min - The speakers' final thoughts

* This event was recorded on August 20, 2020 * NOTE: The conversation starts at the 5:55-minute mark How will this continued state of isolation during the pandemic affect the long-term mental health of children in California? CalMatters mental health reporter Jocelyn Wiener moderates a conversation about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health, what behaviors to watch for in your child, and how to help them cope with the stress of the pandemic. PANELISTS * Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Director, UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities * Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris, Surgeon General of California * Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California Thanks to our sponsor, First 5 LA, for their help to make this important conversation happen. WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 5:55 minutes - CalMatters CEO Neil Chase and reporter Jocelyn Wiener open up the event and introduce our panelists * 10:30 min - How have children been impacted by these unprecedented times? * 16:25 min - The Surgeon General explains "Adverse Childhood Experiences" * 20 min - Will more children be diagnosed with mental illness in the future? * 24:15 min - What are childcare centers and parents saying, especially low-income families dealing with other difficulties like job losses or housing? * 27:45 min - What signs should people look out for in their children to know if something more concerning is going on? * 42:55 min - What can you do to help your depressed and secluded child get out of this pandemic funk? * 46:15 min - How will this prolonged isolation affect toddlers' development and ability to socialize -- and what can parents do to help? * 54:45 min - How do you keep from passing along your stresses to your kids? * 59:30 min - How are schools going to screen, identify and counsel students who are anxious, stressed and potentially unable to engage in virtual school? * 1 hr, 1:40 min - What are the mental health impacts we may see once students go back to their physical schools? * 1 hr, 4:05 min - The panelists share what they're telling the kids in their lives to help get them through these tough times

* This event was recorded on August 19, 2020 * NOTE: The conversation ends at the 7:08-minute mark Listen to this virtual discussion on how California State University campuses are addressing students' and parents' concerns during the pandemic, from the cost of tuition to remote learning. The discussion was moderated by CalMatters College Journalism Network Editor Felicia Mello, along with student journalists. Special thanks to the College Futures Foundation and Walter S. Johnson Foundation for sponsoring our Student Town Halls. WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 7:08 min - Felicia Mello introduces the event and Chancellor Tim White * 10:40 min - How ready the Chancellor is to take on the 2020-2021 school year * 14:20 min - How many students have tested positive for coronavirus, and is CSU tracking that number? * 16:30 min - What are you doing to keep on-campus students safe and healthy? * 20 min - What support is CSU giving to students struggling with mental health issues? * 23:20 min - What's the process for COVID-19 testing in students living in the dorms? * 27:40 min - What kind of enrollment changes are happening on CSU campuses this year? * 31 min - What has Cal State done to improve the quality of education for this new school year? * 41:30 min - Will Cal State cancel student fees for services that are unavailable to students during the pandemic? * 46:35 min - How is Cal State getting WiFi access and hardware access to the students that still don’t have it? * 53:10 min - Will the CSUs consider asking its executives to take pay cuts? * 1 hr - What changes, if any, has CSU made in the past few months to be a more equitable and safe place for students of color?

* This event was recorded on August 18, 2020 * NOTE: Conversation starts at the 5:45-minute mark What will community college classes be like in the fall? Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley answers students' questions during this CalMatters discussion, moderated by CalMatters Higher Education Reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn and CalMatters intern/College Journalism Network Fellow Omar Rashad. This event was sponsored by the College Futures Foundation and Walter S. Johnson Foundation. WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 5:45 min - Welcome to CalMatters, and why/how we're doing this event * 8:30 min - How many of the 115 community colleges will be online this fall? And how will County rules on opening up affect that schedule? * 10:25 min - What does enrollment look like? * 11:45 min - How many colleges can get by financially, and how likely are cuts to classes? * 19:05 - How will colleges manage tutoring, counseling, transfer support and other student services? * 23:40 - Face time between faculty and students: How will instructors be held accountable? * 27:10 min - Question from San Joaquin Delta College student Tami Nawabi: How to prevent professors from imposing unreasonable challenges on students? And how can students voice their concerns overall? * 32:45 min - Question from Bakersfield College student Gian Gayatao: Will you commit to creating a program to help students with mental health care resources and services? * 39:25 min - Question from Grossmont College student Cadence Dobias: How will the colleges support disabled and immunocompromised students during this time of remote learning? * 45:05 min - Question from Laney College Feke Tutu’ila: How will you address accessibility to online learning for students who have a language barrier? * 49:40 min - How is the CCC system responding to the U.S. Department of Education appealing a court ruling that allowed community colleges to give Emergency Cares Act Aid funds to undocumented students? * 50:55 min - How will the rise of remote learning impact plans to innovate how we learn -- what can tech allow us to do differently? * 53:20 min - Will part-time students ever get access to grants and financial aid? * 56:40 min - What options do low-income students have for internet access, and how are you helping them? * 58:55 min - How will students feel a part of the college community during this pandemic time? * 1 hr, 2:10 min - Can community college students get Premium Zoom accounts? * 1 hr, 3:30 min - How are you reducing your costs?

NOTE: The conversation starts at the 6:25-minute mark As schools across California begin virtual instruction, students, parents and teachers have many questions and concerns after enduring a hectic spring semester. How will California’s 6 million students and their parents navigate this crisis — and when will students be able to safely return to some form of in-person learning? CalMatters' K-12 education reporter Ricardo Cano moderates a discussion that addresses the current problems, and some of the plans that teachers and districts are implementing to improve distance learning programs for the upcoming fall semester. PANELISTS * Don Austin, superintendent of Palo Alto Unified School District * Heather Hough, executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education * Lakisha Young, parent and founder/exec director of Oakland Reach * Elijah Tsai, a senior at Lincoln High School in Stockton, and state president of the California Association of Student Councils WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 4:25 min - Intro to CalMatters, and why we're having this conversation now * 7:30 min - Ricardo introduces the panelists * 8:25 min - How they're all feeling about the upcoming school year, and how they're preparing for it * 17:05 min - What's a "normal" day of remote learning like right now for student Elijah Tsai * 18:55 min - How are younger students in grades K-6 going to handle remote learning? * 25:30 min - Lakisha Young explains how the Oakland Reach is helping its families navigate through virtual learning * 29 min - Don Austin explains how his school district will transition to the hybrid-learning model he's planning for once it's allowed * 35:40 min - How are school districts addressing the needs of students with disabilities? * 38:50 min - Elijah explains how remote learning has affected his social and emotional well-being, and what can schools do to help? * 46:45 min - Ideas for how teachers can implement interactions, feedback, communications, and collaborating online together in this environment * 49:30 min - Is holding classes outdoors a viable way to educate students? * 52:30 min - Is California doing enough to help schools with their distance-learning programs, and reopening schools? * 1 hr, 2:20 min - What can we learn right now that we can use to improve public education after this pandemic is over? * 1 hr, 5:45 min - Part II of panelists answering the question above

** This event was underwritten by the California Health Care Foundation ** NOTE: The conversation starts at the 1:50-minute mark Before the pandemic and recession, California was already struggling with a mental health system widely considered to be dysfunctional. Gov. Gavin Newsom promised “an aggressive agenda to lift California’s approach to mental healthcare into a national model.” What have the pandemic and recession done to this issue and these plans? What are the mental health impacts of the virus and how is a struggling government system, now facing budget cuts, responding? Moderator: Jocelyn Wiener, CalMatters health care reporter Welcome by Sandra R. Hernández, M.D., president and CEO of the California Health Care Foundation SPEAKERS * Dr. Rhea Boyd, pediatrician practicing at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and University of California San Francisco's Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and public health advocate * John Connolly, Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health at California's Health and Human Services Agency * CW Johnson, outreach coordinator at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco * Jonathan E. Sherin, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 1:50 min - Introduction to the event by California Health Care Foundation CEO Sandra R. Hernández, M.D. * 3:35 min - CalMatters reporter and moderator Jocelyn Wiener explains why we're having this conversation right now * 7:35 min - Speakers describe the biggest impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of the people they serve * 18:20 min - CW Johnson talks about how the people he helps who had mental health issues before the pandemic are navigating through it right now * 22:30 min - Rhea Boyd shares what concerns her most about the mental health conditions for children, and families overall * 26:15 min - Jonathan Sherin explains how his department is preparing to meet people's increased health needs despite big budget cuts * 30:30 min - John Connolly talks about California's strategy on mental health care services, how the pandemic has revised it, and whether Governor Newsom still considers it a priority * 36:55 min - Dr. Sherin talks about two mental health-focused bills currently going through the Legislature (SB 854 and SB 803) * 40:20 min - What's the role of private health insurers right now, and are they rising to the challenges of the pandemic? * 47:30 min - How do we keep people who lack access to technology and traditional services from falling through the cracks? * 58:35 min - How can schools help students with mental health services right now? * 1 hr, 3 min - How California is handling the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion, which prohibits the use of federal Medicaid financing for care to patients in many mental health and substance-use treatment facilities * 1 hr, 4:30 min - The status of "board and care homes" during the pandemic * 1 hr, 7:55 min - How can we use the coronavirus to create more compassionate methods and responses to mental health crises?

NOTE: We start talking at the 50-second mark. CalMatters economy reporter Lauren Hepler moderates our second “Future of Work” discussion about, during this Pandemic Time, how much of the remote work revolution is here to stay, what policy barriers will have to be overcome to reap the benefits, and what this all means for employers, their workforces, and urban/rural regions around California. SPEAKERS * Kome Ajise, Executive Director at the Southern California Association of Governments * State Senator Anna Caballero, representing the 12th Senate District * Lili Gangas, Chief Technology Community Officer at the Kapor Center WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 5 minutes : Intros by the event sponsors, CalMatters and the Milken Institute, and why we're doing this event * 5 min - Kome Ajise explains how Southern California cities are adapting to the pandemic in real time * 8:20 min - Senator Caballero shares how the state's legislature is thinking about what comes next in its response to the pandemic * 11:45 min - Lili Gangas opines on what this shift online has taught us about remote work being the long-term future * 16:30 min - What will cities and towns look like in the New Normal, and how are they planning for it? * 20 min - Will urban "tech hubs" spread out geographically? * 26 min - How the housing market will be affected * 35 min - What's the future of transportation (NOTE: Audio gets glitchy at the end) * 39 min - How Gangas got into tech, and how her experience shows the pathways into tech, and systemic reform * 47 min - The challenges of getting broadband access into rural markets * 52: 25 min - Should the Internet be a public utility? * 56:40 min - Will cities shift their regulatory environment, i.e., rethinking zoning and considering CEQA reform?

NOTE: The audio starts at the two-minute mark. CalMatters higher-education reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn moderates our first “Future of Work” discussion, about how the Golden State can better connect students to employers, develop strong cross-sector skills and career pathways in its public colleges, and innovate workforce development programs for jobs of today and the future. PANELISTS - Lance Hastings, President of California Manufacturing & Technology Association - State Senator Connie M. Leyva, representing the 20th Senate District - Eloy Oakley, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges - Omar Rashad, CalMatters Reporting Fellow and Editor of El Camino College Union Newspaper WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * O to 5:50 min - CalMatters and the Milken Institute introduce this discussion * 5:50 min - Mikhail introduces the panelists, and asks them what's the role -- and the future -- of California's community colleges preparing their students for employment * 14 min - What employers want, and need, from community colleges * 17 min - A student's take on how community colleges are doing in workforce development * 19 min - What types of jobs -- and wages -- are we talking about? * 30:05 min - Lessons learned from the Great Recession about job training and placement * 43 min - How the coronavirus has changed learning, workforce development and hiring trends * 55 min - How do we overcome the bias of "a four-year college degree required" in job hiring? * 56:20 min - How are schools and employers addressing biases, racism, and inequity? * 1 hr, 2:20 min - How can we close the technology gap? * 1 hr, 6:10 min - Why can't the community colleges hire more instructors? * 1 hr, 7:40 min - How to get employers to go to community-college students rather than vice-versa * 1 hr, 12:05 min - How quick and easy is it for colleges to create courses that meet workforce demands? * 1 hr, 15:55 min - Can colleges guarantee employment upon graduation -- and how?

NOTE: Audio starts at the 10-second mark. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, residents at nursing homes are at the highest risk of being impacted by the coronavirus. Despite taking precautionary measures, these facilities have accounted for nearly half of all deaths related to COVID-19 in California, and data released by the state suggests there have been many more outbreaks than previously disclosed. Barbara Feder Ostrov, CalMatters' contributing writer, hosts a conversation with experts on nursing homes during the pandemic to answer these questions: * How are California's nursing homes dealing with this outbreak? What past problems and current issues reveal how prepared these facilities are to care for this high-risk population? * What needs to change about nursing homes overall going forward in the new normal? * What should Californians and their loved ones expect if they have to interact with a nursing home? PANELISTS * Craig Cornett, CEO of the California Association of Health Facilities * Michael Dark, staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform * Michael Wasserman, M.D., President of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * O to 3:45 - Intro to CalMatters * 3:35 min - The differences between nursing homes and other types of care facilities for seniors * 10:20 min - Addressing the lack and lag of coronavirus testing in nursing homes * 20:45 min - Is there also testing in assisted-living facilities? * 28:55 min - The conflict of federal guidance and state regulations for nursing homes * 34:45 min - Improving conditions and pay for nursing home staffers * 41 min - What can the state of California do to improve conditions? * 49:30 min - Should liability protections from COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes be allowed? * 54:55 min - What does the timeline for opening up nursing homes -- and guaranteeing they're safer -- look like?

* This event was recorded on May 7, 2020 * Local governments across California have seen their budgets gutted by the pandemic-induced recession, but they aren’t likely to have much luck turning to voters for a handout. A new Public Policy Institute of California poll found that voters are not in a giving mood when it comes to new bond and tax measures. That follows an unprecedentedly bad year for city and school fiscal measures in the March election, with voters rejecting more than half of ballot box fundraisers for the first time in decades. So just how bad a situation is this for California’s cities and what other options do locals have? CalMatters reporter Ben Christopher moderates a virtual discussion about how the pandemic is gutting California cities' budgets. PANELISTS * John Dunbar, Mayor of Yountville in Napa County, and board president of the League of California Cities * Kevin Faulconer, Mayor of San Diego WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 5:15 min - Intro to CalMatters, and the depressing-but-important reasons why we're holding this conversation * 5:15 min - When the Mayors realized the pandemic was going to hit their budgets -- and what's the current "horrific" situation * 13 min - What city services will be affected first -- and when residents will feel the impact * 16 min - Will budget cuts affect public safety and wildfire resources? * 20 min - How the pandemic is affecting tourism and city life in the Mayors' towns * 26:35 min - How many California cities have reserves to cushion the budget blows? * 28:20 min - A big roadblock of the federal CARES Act that hamstrings the big cities receiving relief funding * 31:40 min - What are the smaller cities and towns that didn't get CARES funding going to do? * 34:25 min - Will state legislators and city officials work together better now that we're entering this economic crisis? * 39:30 min - Can cities turn to voters in November for help? * 43:40 min - The long-term outlook for city budgets

** This Q&A was recorded on May 1, 2020** The coronavirus has forced the entire world into disarray, and the food industry in particular. With restaurants closing or reshaping business models around slimmed-down take-out menus, the dominoes are starting to fall for the farmers who suddenly have nowhere to take their food. At the same time, food banks are teeming with hungry families. But getting food from fields to the families that need it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Manuela Tobias, Fresno Bee reporter and contributor to CalMatters' statewide "California Divide" collaboration, moderates a conversation about the state's food supply chain -- where it’s breaking down, why that's happening, and how it can be fixed. PANELISTS * Cannon Michael, president of Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos * Jaclyn Pack, food acquisitions manager for the Central California Food Bank in Fresno * Anja Raudabaugh, CEO of United Western Dairies WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 4:50 min - Intro to CalMatters, and why we're doing an episode about this issue * 4:50 min - How the pandemic, and the shutdown of much of the food industry, has affected farmers growing crops and raising cattle * 9:30 min - Are essential workers in the agriculture industry taking a hit from COVID-19, and is that affecting the supply chain? * 14:55 min - How shutdown of the meatpacking plants is leading to the "depopulation" of cattle, swine and poultry * 17:55 min - How the coronavirus has affected food banks, and the major challenges they're facing right now * 22:35 min - Is federal aid currently allotted for farms enough to keep them from shutting down? * 30:20 min - And are food banks getting enough state and federal assistance to feed their clients? * 33 min - Why it's so hard for farmers to get their products directly to food banks * 41:50 min - Lessons learned over the past few weeks about the dysfunctional food supply chain -- and thoughts about how to fix it * 49 min - Will prices go up on these affected foods in the grocery stores? * 50:45 min - Do vulnerable in-the-field workers have a say about these matters, and a voice in the conversation for changing things? * 55:40 min - How Californians can help and support the ag industry right now

In mid-March, public schools across California closed en masse to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But while schools remain physically closed, educators and students are in the thick of the new reality of distance learning. How are California’s teachers navigating the most significant disruption to education in modern history? How can parents help their child during these unprecedented times? CalMatters K-12 education reporter Ricardo Cano talks with three California teachers who’ve been at the forefront of leading remote instruction. SPEAKERS * Larry Ferlazzo, an English teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, author/editor of 12 educaiton-focused books, and a columnist for Education Week * Jesus Galindo, 3rd grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Richmond, and a winner of the "Teacher of the Year 2020" award by West Contra Costa Independent School District * Mandy Kelly, 6th grade teacher at Trabuco Mesa Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita, and a 2020 Teacher of the Year awardee by the California Department of Education WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 3:40 min - Intro to CalMatters, and why we're having this conversation * 3:40 min - What distance learning looks like for the teachers and their students, and how this situation has affected them * 12:15 min - What's the focus of content they're covering with their students * 19:20 min - How to handle the digital divide when 1 in 5 California students don't have Internet access * 26:20 min - How much distance-learning training the teachers got beforehand, and how that affected their ability to teach effectively * 33:45 min - How are English language learners faring during this change? * 40 min - Will students be ready for their next grade level when school starts in the fall? * 46:10 min - The one thing teachers have tried in the past month that they'll keep on doing when school reopens * 52:40 min - Engaging students who have ADHD or are easily distracted * 55:45 min - How will schools operate differently when they're back open again? RESOURCE LIST Need some tools and ideas for making distance learning easier? Check out a list of resources from the panelists here: https://bit.ly/3f1pWHi

NOTE: The conversation starts at the 10-second mark. CalMatters housing reporter Matt Levin moderates our latest virtual discussion on what help is available for homeowners and renters struggling to make mortgage payments and rents, and what can be done to help homeless Californians while shelter-in-place orders are in effect. SPEAKERS * Sasha Harnden, Housing Policy Advocate at Western Center for Law and Poverty * Tomiquia Moss, founder and chief executive of All Home * Lisa Sitkin, Senior Staff Attorney, National Housing Law Project WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 4:10 min - Intro to CalMatters, and why we're having this conversation * 4:10 min - If I am a homeowner who is afraid I can't pay my mortgage next month, what should I do? * 5:45 min - Same question for concerned renters: What should they do on May 1? * 9:05 min - How people can help the unhoused * 16 min - Specific help for homeowners, and who qualifies for it * 22 min - What if I don't have a federally-backed mortgage? * 26:10 min - What public health and safety issues would allow an eviction to go forward? * 28:45 min - Why is it taking so long for hotels and motels that were acquired for getting people off the streets to actually do that? * 33:25 min - Will the federal government do something significant about loan payments, and what will that look like? * 38:35 min - Are there protections for those who want to terminate/get out of their lease due to fear of not being able to pay back rent due to the pandemic? * 44:55 min - What's the post-pandemic plan to end homelessness? * 53 min - What happens when the shutdown ends -- and people are unable to pay several months of back rent? * 56 min - Final thoughts -- and the most important info to remember from this Q&A Our compiled list of useful resources mentioned during the Q&A is at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RtQJA2st_oeaelTbPueKXASuJMjc1m4IJCnh3f61A90/edit

NOTE: The conversation starts at the 12-second mark. *** Before the coronavirus pandemic, many Californians were struggling to make ends meet in a state with a high cost of living. The outbreak has left millions without jobs — but there's a lot of financial help available in California. CalMatters income inequality reporter Jackie Botts moderates this Q&A on how people can get help paying for food, making rent or covering their bills -- and also how people with more financial means can help others in their communities. SPEAKERS * Jessica Bartholow, policy advocate at Western Center on Law and Poverty * Armando Hernandez, community programs director at The Unity Council in Oakland * Cathy Senderling-McDonald, deputy executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * 0 to 4:30 minutes - Intro to CalMatters, and what this Q&A is about * 4:30 min - Speakers tell us the most urgent needs for Californians seeking help right now * 10:10 min - Food resources available to individuals, families and children * 15:55 min - Can you use CalFresh benefits to buy food online? * 18:25 min - Resources offered at county welfare departments * 24:40 min - Help for undocumented workers and for immigrants with uncertain status * 28:20 min - How to help farmworkers in need * 30:40 min - Getting financial-stimulus checks from the Federal CARES Act * 39:50 min - The best ways for people with time and money to help people in their communities right now * 44 min - Resources for worried landlords and renters * 47:40 min - Jobs and childcare assistance for sheltering-in-place parents, and advice for unemployment benefits and work assistance A LIST OF USEFUL RESOURCES DISCUSSED IN THIS Q&A https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HBiuRFZYzJPWjE78C6H-XccbQ6VxkoAV9odRQVUJ1Dw/edit

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down, and the fear and anxiety of living during these unusual times is taking a toll on Californians’ mental health. That's why it’s more important than ever to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves. CalMatters health reporter Jocelyn Wiener talks to Dr. Amy Ahlfeld, clinical psychologist, and Dr. Mark Levine, psychiatrist, about tips and strategies for how to get past the coronavirus without losing your mental health. WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * O to 4 min - Intro to Cal Matters, and about this event * 4 min - What are the biggest stressors: Drs. Ahfeld and Levine list those felt by their patients and the people they know * 8 min - Good coping tools: What they're recommending for this shelter-in-place situation * 15 min - Working parents with kids: How can families, all together at home all the time, keep it together? * 21 min - Children and teenagers: How can parents, teachers and caregivers help them stay more upbeat and less stressed? * 30:20 min - Singles and people living solo: How can they feel less alone right now? * 36:50 min: Volunteering: What are ways people who want to help can do it effectively? * 40 min: People on the financial brink: What advice to offer those who are struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet? * 48 min - Essential workers: How can they manage anxiety when their daily jobs put them at higher risk? * 52 min - Substance abuse and addiction: How to prevent self-medicating with drugs or alcohol when you're required to stay at home? * 54:25 min - Seeking professional help: When do you know you'll need it, and how can you find the help that suits you best? GET MORE HELP For resources on mental health, ranging from meditation apps to hotlines for victims of domestic abuse, check out this Google Doc of resources from Drs. Ahlfeld and Levine - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N2anShWWcNAjSEx9eaWDycz1BTNsiIX0g8UFy1vYAog/edit

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many small businesses across California to close their doors or drastically change their operations. As the crisis continues to batter the economy, CalMatters reporter Laurel Rosenhall talked on April 2 with Isabel Guzman, the director of the office of Small Business Advocate at GO-Biz, and Dilawar Syed, chair of GO-Biz's Entrepreneurship Task Force and CEO of healthcare AI startup Lumiata, about what the state of California is doing to help struggling entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Are you a college student whose semester has been turned upside down by the pandemic? Are you a professor who is getting acclimated to teaching your students via video conference? CalMatters College Journalism Network Editor Felicia Mello and fellow Aidan McGloin moderated a conversation with California State University Chancellor Tim White on April 2 to discuss how CSU is transitioning to online learning, and he address questions that students, families, administrators and educators have about this new reality.

NOTE: Audio starts at the 1:05 minute mark School districts across California have closed their doors as communities go on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, and instructional time for millions of the state’s K-12 students is now spent at kitchen tables instead of classrooms. This new reality has created obstacles for teachers who are experimenting with distance learning on a massive scale, parents who are juggling homeschooling with working remotely and other stressors, and students who are used to face-to-face instruction. CalMatters K-12 education reporter Ricardo Cano talks to Linda Darling-Hammond, president of California’s State Board of Education, and Cindy Marten, superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, about what the state is doing to prepare parents, students and educators for homeschooling and distance learning during this unprecedented chapter in California’s history. A written summary of Darling-Hammond and Marten's advice is at: https://calmatters.org/education/2020/04/how-to-help-students-during-coronavirus-lockdown Photo Credit: Sharyn Ortega

CalMatters healthcare reporter Ana Ibarra interviews two people tasked with making sure the state’s hospitals are prepared for this public health crisis. GUESTS * Carmela Coyle, CEO of California Hospital Association * Stephen Lockhart, M.D., chief medical officer at Sutter Health WHO SAID WHAT WHEN * O to 1:45 min - Intro to CalMatters, and to this podcast * 1:45 min - What do California's hospitals look like today, and what are they expected to look like in a few weeks? * 9 min - The process for turning a standard hospital bed into a ICU bed for critical care * 13 min - Hospitals usually have disaster plans in place - why weren't they prepared for this pandemic? * 18:10 min - Why it's so hard for hospitals to get ventilators * 22 min - Will the newly-created California Health Corps be enough to relieve the pressure on hospital workers? * 26 min - What's the status on protective gear for medical workers: do they have enough? * 32:35 min - How hospitals are getting creative in getting the supplies they need * 34:25 min - How hospitals are handling higher-risk patients: the elderly, the homeless and those with mental illness * 39:30 min - Is this pandemic leading hospitals to the financial brink? * 44:40 min - And how is this pandemic hitting patients in their wallets? * 48:50 min - Who gets tested for COVID-19, and when? * 54:35 min - How will this pandemic change hospitals once it's over? * 58:35 min - Coyle and Lockhart's advice for how Californians can handle the surge

During this pandemic, you or someone you know might be asking: How do I file for unemployment? Can I get paid sick or family leave? Will I be fired if I refuse to go into work because of my age or a chronic health condition? CalMatters assistant editor Judy Lin and California Divide reporter Nigel Duara moderated a discussion on March 26 with Loree Levy, Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Employment Development Department, and Lilia Garcia-Brower, California Labor Commissioner, about filing for unemployment and figuring out sick and family leave. during a time when COVID-19 is dealing a serious blow to the economy and jobs in California.

CalMatters' healthcare reporter Ana Ibarra and economy reporter Judy Lin moderate a discussion with Kim McCoy Wade, the director of California’s Department of Aging, about what senior citizens can do during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo credit: Anne Wenikoff for CalMatters

After police killed an unarmed black man in his grandparents’ backyard, activists set out to change California law by making it easier to prosecute police who kill. It’s sparked a heated debate in the state Capitol between the powerful police lobby and families whose loved ones have died at the hands of law enforcement. Reporter Laurel Rosenhall explores whether California politicians will approve the nation’s toughest statewide standard for justifying deadly force.

CALmatters political reporter Laurel Rosenhall moderates a conversation on housing and homelessness at noon on Nov. 15 with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

California prides itself in being open to immigrants and refugees. But the high cost of living is creating a harsh reality for newcomers.

Follow data reporter Matt Levin around the Golden State as he plays a little House Hunters California.

CALmatters higher education reporter Felicia Mello joins A Martinez on KPCC's Take Two to discuss the growing demand for mental health care among students at California's public universities and colleges.

CALmatters data reporter Matt Levin tunes in for a discussion on The California Dream project, a statewide nonprofit media collaboration focused on issues of economic opportunity, quality-of-life, and the future of the California Dream. Partner organizations include CALMatters, Capital Public Radio, KPBS, KPCC, and KQED with major support provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the James Irvine Foundation.

An S.F. teacher on how to close the achievement gap by CalMatters