climate change and health equity

To sign up for general CDPH Climate Change and Health Equity email updates:

For Local Health Jurisdiction Climate and Health email updates, please fill out this web form.

Technical Assistance for Local Health Jurisdictions

The Local Assistance Unit of the Climate Change and Health Equity Branch provides climate and health equity technical assistance to local health jurisdictions (LHJs) and Tribes.

We equip LHJs and Tribes to serve their own populations and forge partnerships that increase overall capacity to mitigate and build resilience to climate change.

Our work connects California LHJs and Tribes with each other and with CDPH to share resources, strategies, best practices, opportunities and mutual support through barriers and challenges.

Menu of Technical Assistance

The Climate Change Local Assistance Unit provides the following kinds of technical assistance to Local Health Jurisdictions:

Ask for Assistance: email climatechange@cdph.ca.gov for information about these options

One-On-One Consultation

Local Health Jurisdiction Climate and Health Community of Practice

Local Health Jurisdiction Office Hours

Explore on Your Own

CalBRACE Toolkit
This collection of tools, reports, and guides helps local health jurisdictions and communities understand and plan to address the health risks of climate change.

Climate and Health Vulnerability Indicators for California (CCHVIz)
Interactive data visualization platform for the Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Indicators for California.

Healthy Mobility Options Tool (currently unavailable)
Shows the health co-benefits of active travel as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

California Heat Assessment Tool (cal-heat.org)
Shows projected heat-health events across the state.

California County Climate and Health Profile Reports
The reports present projections for county and regional climate impacts, the climate-related health risks, and local populations that could be vulnerable to climate effects.

We can advise with:

Finding new funding and identifying strategies for incorporating climate work into existing funding streams
Integrating climate and health equity into existing public health programs
Accessing, utilizing, and disseminating data and mapping tools
Conducting, analyzing, communicating, and sharing vulnerability assessments
Providing support to local Tribes and tribal-serving organizations to plan to address the health equity impacts of climate change
Training staff on climate change and health equity
Planning to reduce health impacts of extreme heat
Conducting climate and health planning and integrating climate into Local Hazard Mitigation Plans, Climate Action and Adaptation Plans, General Plan Safety Elements, or Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plans
Incorporating climate considerations into public health communications
Identifying steps to launch LHJ climate work and to expand existing work

Highlights

To address the health impacts of climate change-driven extreme weather, Contra Costa County’s Department of Public Health (Contra Costa Health) implemented home weatherization education, screening, referrals and application assistance as part of home visits conducted by public health nurses and community health workers (CHWs). To better understand the program, the CDPH Climate Change and Health Equity Branch Local Assistant Unit spoke with Michael Kent, then-Ombudsman for Contra Costa Health’s Hazardous Material Program, about his work in Contra Costa. Contra Costa was able to work with CHWs who directly interacted with patients to implement the weatherization program supporting those who were experiencing higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Explore the Contra Costa case study to learn more about the program’s process, key successes, and recommendations for others looking to do similar work.
The Integrating Climate Change into CHAs and CHIPs web page explains why climate change belongs in Community Health Assessments (CHAs) and Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs) and provides links to our guidance documents, the Climate Integration Spectrum and its companion guide, Climate-Ready CHAs and CHIPs.
The Shared Vision and Action Plan for Climate and Health Equity web page introduces our process for outlining shared climate and health equity goals and actions for CDPH and California local health jurisdictions over the next 5–7 years. This collaborative process will provide a near-term roadmap for alignment, prevent duplication of efforts and directly inform what health departments can do to address the health and equity impacts of climate change.
The Why is climate health work essential at the LHJ level? web page concisely explains the purpose and benefits of climate-focused public health work. It highlights the importance of continuing to support and expand climate health work at the local level.
The Guide to Health Equity Centered Local Heat Planning web page assists local jurisdictions with incorporating health equity into new or existing heat action and planning efforts. The guide contains long-term planning and policy actions as well as emergency preparedness and response actions recommended for before, during, and after a heat season and a specific extreme heat event. This resource can help facilitate partnerships between local health departments, offices of emergency services, and other local agencies. Updated April 2025.
The Guidance for Local Health Jurisdictions and Community Service Providers for Extreme Heat web page provides local health jurisdictions (LHJs) and other community-based service providers recommendations and resources to protect communities from heat-related health impacts, with particular focus on supporting population groups most at risk. Updated July 2024.