Other Public Health Commons^™

Evaluating Parent Workshops To Reduce Sexual Health Misinformation, Marshall Farrior

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addressed the problem of sexual health misinformation among youth in Santa Cruz County, which stems from cultural factors, limited parental communication, and inadequate comprehensive sexual health education. Implemented through the Santa Cruz County Public Health Department’s Teen Health Outreach (THO) program, the project evaluated the effectiveness of parent workshops designed to build the capacity of adults’ knowledge and confidence to discuss sexual and reproductive health topics with youth. Serving primarily Hispanic/Latino communities in Watsonville and Freedom, THO collaborates with local schools and organizations to deliver workshops. The intervention aimed to reduce misinformation by empowering parents as trusted …

Engaging Independence, Anthony Cazares

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project was completed in partnership with Gateway Center of Monterey County through the Collaborative Health and Human Services (CHHS) program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Gateway Center is a nonprofit organization that provides services for adults with developmental, cognitive, and physical disabilities. The organization identified a need to improve client engagement and staff support, as existing activities had become outdated and inconsistent. This project implemented an evidence-based, activity-based curriculum aligned with the Community Integration Model, a framework that emphasizes participation, inclusion, and independence for individuals with disabilities. Staff received physical binders and digital resources to guide activity …

Bridging The Gap: Fostering Open Dialogue On Resource Access And Service Needs, Cameron Castillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project investigates whether there are additional resources desired by clients or are needed to better support said clients in their recovery at the Interim, Inc. organization. This agency is a nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to build community connections through providing services to individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. While there is a wide range of programs available, there may still be clients with unmet needs. The purpose of this project was to identify any service gaps by conducting separate surveys of clients and staff members. Through the use of open-ended questions, the expectation of receiving …

Secondhand Smoke: An Examination Of The Public Health Issue In Marina, Eric J. Tallman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Tobacco Control Program is a public health organization that works to solve tobacco related issues in Monterey county. Secondhand smoke exposure is a major public health issue because of its dangerous effects on human health. This project is a research report on secondhand smoke in the city of Marina. The expected outcomes of this project were to educate readers, gain information, and find an effective policy for mitigating this public health issue. Components of this project include in depth research on secondhand smoke, survey conduction regarding Marina residents opinions about the issue, and data collection of tobacco …

Increasing College Students Awareness Of Technologies Impacts In Their Daily Lives, Melissa Gutierrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college students today may spend an excessive amount of time on technology. Excessive technology may leave an impact on their mental and physical health leading to poor eating habits or obesity, anxiety and can even have an impact on their academics. When college students learn about how to manage their technology use, it is likely they will focus more on the negative impacts to benefit their health and wellbeing. To address the overuse of technology, I created a one-day workshop for Theta Alpha Sigma sorority college students at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Digital Divide In Monterey County, Vanessa Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Health Department Planning, Evaluation and Policy (PEP) Unit's goals are to empower the community, enhance public health and safety, ensure access to care, and engage the workforce. MCHD encourages all employees to understand social justice and equity for low-income and communities of color. Understanding and addressing health inequalities and justice in the county can improve overall health for everyone. The digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted too many Monterey County residents. The lack of computer access, computer literacy, and internet access may have impacted vaccination rates and even delayed COVID-19 resources. Utilizing the Monterey County COVID-19 …

Responding To Domestic Violence With Transformative Justice And Community Accountability, Anaiis Nysether

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center (WAFWC) wanted to create a survivor-driven transformative justice program for survivors of domestic violence and the people who caused them harm. The program needed to be customizable enough to suit the specific needs and individual safety considerations of the participants, but also needed enough structure that it could be reproducible from case to case. In order to design a program that was based on these ideas and able to be used in the context of a non-profit organization, WAFWC researched ways other communities had been using transformative justice and community accountability to address issues …

Homelessness Prevention Contacts Datasheet, Juan Whitehead

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Coalition of Homeless Providers, located in Seaside, California provides services for over 2,400 homeless people in Monterey County. This organization collaborates with other agencies to provide support for those who are in need of emergency, transitional, or permanent housing. Because of lack of affordable housing in the area, and the lack of available resources, many men and women, as well as families find themselves without a place to stay. Homelessness Prevention Contacts Datasheet establishes a list of rental property management companies and landlords who may be interested in some of the programs provided by the Coalition. These programs provide …

Blueprint For Shared Safety Strategic Plan, Reann Ramos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Blueprint for Shared Safety strategic plan will be adopted by Santa Cruz County Community Corrections Partnership as a framework of principles and practices that community leaders can use to lead shared safety strategies. By shifting the focus from the traditional criminal justice system to investments that can truly make our communities safer, the Blueprint aims to re-envision public safety together. The Community Corrections Partnership Community Education and Engagement Workgroup (CCP CEEW) has conducted data analysis to identify the key assets and gaps in Santa Cruz County. After identifying the key assets and gaps there were recommendation review sessions that …

Condom Dispenser Program, Madilynn Turner

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Health and Wellness Services (HWS) at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) takes an integrative health approach to support the CSUMB campus community. There six entities that make up HWS, however, the Condom Dispenser Program (CDP) was implemented under Health Promotion and Education (HPE). The mission of HPE is to ensure that CSUMB community members are reaching holistic wellness through the adoption of healthy behaviors. This goal is met through programming, outreach, and education that is provided.

The need that was discovered through analysis of the National Collegiate Health Assessment (NCHA) was that students are not using condoms to prevent …