The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the urgent need for well-funded public health jurisdictions. Despite chronic underfunding, local health jurisdictions (LHJs) were our first line of defense, facing immense challenges to meet the demands of the crisis. The Future of Public Health (FoPH) funds were a crucial first step to address this underinvestment, but only secured basic essentials. As we face rising rates of chronic and communicable diseases, wildfires, extreme heat, and persistent health inequities, it’s clear that threats are growing, not decreasing. We all deserve to live long, healthy, fulfilling lives, and to achieve this, we must invest in robust public health infrastructure that protects and promotes the well-being of all Californians.
