Southern California

As a champion of health equity, the American Heart Association is addressing the drivers of health disparities — including barriers to access to quality healthcare —by launching the Libraries with Heart initiative with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health CalFresh Healthy Living Program and the Ontario City Library. 

This initiative provides self-monitoring blood pressure kits for library check-out, as well as information on blood pressure, nutrition, physical activity, and local resources in both English and Spanish. This allows Ontario Library card holders to access free blood pressure monitor kits that support taking their blood pressure accurately at home, knowing and understanding their blood pressure numbers, access to resources on how to control and manage their blood pressure and connection to clinical care.  

Libraries with Heart participants can scan a QR code or go to a link to access a step-by-step self-monitoring blood pressure video (English/Spanish) and link directly to heart-healthy tips, educational materials at the library and insight into finding local resources, including health centers.

The American Heart Association in Kern County is working with community collaborators to make an impact in four key areas: supporting residents managing high blood pressure, working to ensure our community has access to the healthy and nutritious foods that sustain health, ensuring everyone knows the lifesaving skill of CPR and raising awareness of the No. 1 killer of new moms – heart disease.

By bringing together organizations, sponsors, companies and community partners across Kern County, we will save and improve lives. Equity is always at the center of our work, and it will continue to guide all that we do. Thank you for your continued support.

The American Heart Association believes every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life. With your continued support, we are working to advance cardiovascular health for all by identifying and removing barriers to health, focused on:

• Improving nutrition security. Los Angeles County is home to the largest number of food-insecure people in the country, affecting 1 in 5 individuals. Food and nutrition insecurity is linked to chronic disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. We're advocating for policies that increase access to healthy food and water, collaborating with clinics and community organizations to establish nutrition security screening and referrals for high need individuals, and providing nutrition education to prevent cardiovascular disease and promote health.
• Reducing uncontrolled high blood pressure. Out of the 2 million people with uncontrolled high blood pressure in LA County, over two-thirds are impacted by structural inequities that limit their access to health care. We're working with health centers and clinics to increase access to care and improve hypertension control by training staff, assisting with the adoption of system changes, and engaging patients in blood pressure self-monitoring. We're also establishing community-based blood pressure screenings and clinical care referrals for at-risk individuals.
• Ending tobacco use and nicotine addiction. Big Tobacco has a long history of targeting youth and Black neighborhoods with minty menthol and candy flavored products. As a result, 80% of youth who have ever used any tobacco product started with flavors and 85% of Black smokers use menthols. We're protecting youth and communities of color from a lifetime of nicotine addiction by advocating for policies restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products in all Los Angeles cities and jurisdictions, as well as ensuring strong enforcement of tobacco retail laws.

As a local catalyst for collective impact, innovative ideas and partnerships, and scientifically driven content, the San Diego/SW Riverside County American Heart Association’s three greatest community impact focuses lie within:

• Controlling high blood pressure to reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke. One in three San Diego & SW Riverside adults has been diagnosed with high blood pressure; even more are unaware they have this silent risk factor. We are strengthening clinical systems and practices relating to chronic disease management with strategic trainings and partnerships with clinics serving our most vulnerable populations. We are coming alongside communities to strengthen health literacy and increase at-home blood pressure monitoring.
• Increasing equitable nutrition security. Nearly one in four people in Riverside & San Diego County are experiencing food insecurity, which has lasting effects on mental health and chronic disease. We are working with community stakeholders and healthcare providers to bridge gaps in food insecurity screenings, advocating for SNAP funding and incentives, pushing for increased drinking water and meal options in schools, and exploring innovative solutions with communities in food deserts.
• Preventing and reducing the use of tobacco products. By graduation, one in six California students reports recent use of a tobacco product, and that number is rising. We are collaborating with cross-sectional stakeholders to eliminate youth access and use of tobacco products through concerted education and policy efforts in schools and communities. We are reducing the intended effects of targeted marketing to LGBTQ+, Black & Hispanic communities and youth, and tackling the cascading effects of nicotine addiction.

Advocacy has had a mission-critical role in the Association's work for more than 40 years. Our legislative and regulatory priorities help to mitigate risk factors and protect survivors in communities across the country. We support the enactment of evidence-based public policies that lead to longer, healthier lives.

Our efforts in California and its communities are focused on five major policy areas. These are: Tobacco Free, Quality Systems of Care, Healthy Eating, Active Living, and Access to Care.

Thanks to advocacy efforts, in November of 2022 Californians voted to end the sale of flavored tobacco products – including menthol cigarettes. Study after study shows the reason most young people start using e-cigarettes – and why they get hooked – is because they are sold in the candy, fruit and mint flavors kids like. California will now have the nation's strongest protections against the tobacco industry’s business model that markets deadly tobacco products to kids, especially those who live in Black and brown communities.

Join our network of You’re the Cure advocates to continue to improve the health of all Californians.