Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, extends personalized mental health care to more than 245,000 California state employees across 153 departments
By Kristina Piersanti, 5W PR for Spring Health
SACRAMENTO, Calif., — California’s firefighters, police officers, parks departments, correctional staff, and many others spend their careers keeping communities safe and helping people through their worst days. Nationally, first responders develop PTSD at up to ten times the rate of the general population, according to a 2025 meta-analysis published in Clinical Psychology Review[1]. It’s a toll that builds quietly over the routine weight of emergency response and is compounded during high-intensity stretches like fire season.
The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is now providing the state’s employees and their families access to Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, CalHR’s new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential, personalized support for care, crisis needs, work-life challenges, and everyday wellbeing. A lifelong mental health platform, Spring Health will deliver mental health care to more than 245,000 California state employees across 153 departments, and their eligible family members.
First responders receive the most extensive tier of care under the new program, delivered by trauma-informed providers with direct experience in first responder roles. Support staff within CalFire, the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also receive an elevated level of support, reflecting the higher-stress nature of their roles. The State’s 153,000 administrative or desk-based staff will also receive support under the new program.
CalHR was drawn to Spring Health’s proven outcomes, not just improved access. According to research published in OJPHI and JAMA Network Open, 92% of members reliably improve or recover from depression or anxiety, and members recover 5.9 weeks faster than the leading competitor, with appointments available in less than two days on average, compared to a 48-day average with traditional EAPs.
“First responders put themselves in harm’s way over and over again to protect the communities they serve. That takes a toll not just on them, but on their families too,” said George Michaels, Chief Revenue Officer at Spring Health. “Partnering with CalHR to support more than 245,000 state employees is exactly the kind of large-scale, public-sector commitment we built Spring Health to deliver on, and we’re honored to help deliver the mental health support they and their families deserve.”
“When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home,” said Shannon MacGregor, Statewide Employee Assistance Program Manager at the California Department of Human Resources. “Our first responders carry things most of us never have to. Whole You is our commitment that when they need support, it’s there — fast, confidential and built around what they’ve actually experienced.”
Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, is available now to California state employees and their eligible dependents through their department’s benefits resources. For more information on Spring Health’s lifelong mental health platform, visit our webpage.
About Spring Health
Spring Health is a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform so care follows individuals across every job, move, health plan, and life stage. Independently validated by JAMA Network Open and the Validation Institute, with 92% of members reliably improved or recovered from depression or anxiety and employers seeing a 52% reduction in total mental health claims costs, Spring Health provides personalized lifelong mental health support across self-guided tools, coaching, therapy, medication management, and specialty care. More than 170 million people worldwide have access to Spring Health, which is trusted by leading employers, health plans, and channel partners, including Highmark, Target, The Coca-Cola Company, BlackRock, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Wawa.
[1]Arena, A.F., Gregory, M., Collins, D.A.J., Vilus, B., Bryant, R., Harvey, S.B., & Deady, M. (2025). Global PTSD prevalence among active first responders and trends over recent years: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 120, 102622.
All-gender restroom in California’s State Capitol building. Video screenshot source: CA Family Council
“The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students.”
By Greg Burt, Vice President, California Family Council
SACRAMENTO, CA — California is quietly moving toward mixed-sex bathrooms in K-12 public schools, and the state’s own Department of Education is leading the way.
A new law California Family Council opposed, SB 760, now requires schools to provide at least one “all-gender” restroom option on campus.
Passed in September 2023, the bill was cosponsored by then-State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda). He, then-State Senator Nancy Skinner, now-State Sen. Tim Grayson and Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Buffy Wicks, and Lori Wilson who represent Contra Costa County, voted for the bill.
The stated goal was to make transgender-identified students feel safer from bullying. But in the rush to accommodate those students’ feelings, lawmakers apparently gave little thought to a different safety question: what happens when boys are given access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms?
The State Is Already Building the Roadmap
The California Department of Education has an entire webpage dedicated to “All Access Restrooms,” describing it as a resource offering background information, planning and design resources, laws and regulations, and references for implementing “gender-inclusive” restrooms in K-12 schools.
The background information on that page acknowledges that “the designs of all-access restrooms have been trending in schools throughout the state, the country, and the world,” while noting there are currently no California design standards for these facilities. In other words, the trend is already underway, and the standards are still catching up.
The planning section of the CDE page is even more candid about the scope of what is being proposed. It describes “shifting from multi-user gendered restrooms and single-user all-gender restrooms to offering blocks of restroom facilities for all students;” meaning the goal is not just a single converted nurse’s bathroom tucked in a hallway. The ambition is to redesign entire blocks of school restroom facilities so that boys and girls share the same space.
What Would It Look Like?
The new all-gender bathroom designs typically eliminate urinals entirely, replacing them with individual private stalls accessible to everyone. The CDE’s resources page recommends an academic article published in the Education Sciences Journal titled “Expanding the Scope of Universal Design: Implications for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation,” by Ellyn Couillard and Jeanne L. Higbee (2018), as a guide for implementation. That an academic paper on gender identity ideology is among the state’s recommended planning resources tells you something about the ideological framework driving these design decisions.
But keep in mind, SB 760 doesn’t require a complete redesign of a single-sex bathroom for it to become all-gender.
You Already Saw It at the State Capitol
If you want to get a glimpse of what legislators have in mind when they convert a single sex bathroom into an all gender bathroom, take a look at one of the converted male bathrooms at the state capitol, used by legislative staffers, adult visitors, and elementary school children visiting on field trips. California Family Council recently took a video of the empty bathroom located to one side of the Capitol Dome.
“I’m pretty sure most parents would object to their young children sharing a bathroom while men are using the urinals,” Burt said. “Even without the adult issue, I’ve witnessed the chaos that occurs when young boys are pouring into the same bathrooms as the girls while visiting the Capitol. The girls are not happy about it.” (Watch video tour of Capitol bathroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okTcKcP3ACQ)
So, what should parents expect when multi-stall bathrooms are converted to all gender at their child’s school?
What the Law Actually Requires — And What It Doesn’t
It is important to be clear about what SB 760 does and does not mandate. The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students. It could be single-stall or multi-stall. It must be supplied with menstrual products starting in 3rd grade, and it must be unlocked and easily accessible. But there are no requirements that urinals be removed or that additional privacy measures be added to stalls.
Sex-separated restrooms are still permitted, and most schools will continue to have them.
Burt explained what this means in practice for families. “How each school fulfills this new requirement is entirely up to the local school board. A conservative district might simply relabel a single-occupancy nurse’s bathroom and call it done. A progressive district could use this law as a green light to convert entire multi-stall restroom facilities to mixed-sex use. Parents need to find out right now what their district is planning,” he said.
The CDE’s planning resources make clear that the broader vision goes well beyond a single-stall accommodation in the corner of the building. It points toward a wholesale redesign of school bathroom facilities, one that treats sex-separated restrooms as a problem to be solved rather than a common-sense protection for children.
The Question Nobody in Sacramento Answered
SB 760’s supporters argued the law was needed to protect transgender-identified students from harassment, but the legislature never seriously asked the parallel question: does giving boys access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms create new opportunities for harassment and assault of girls?
California has seen case after case in recent years where policies designed to accommodate gender identity have created unsafe situations for female students. The discomfort of girls sharing intimate spaces with biological males is not a lesser concern. Lawmakers who refused to weigh it have not protected children. They have simply chosen which children’s safety matters.
Parents: Now Is the Time to Speak Up
Because each school board will decide how to implement SB 760 on its own campuses, parents have a real opportunity to influence what happens at their child’s school, but that window will not stay open indefinitely. Decisions about restroom redesigns and facility changes get made early in the budget and planning process, often before most parents are even aware the conversation is happening.
If you want a say in how your district handles this new requirement, call your school board member and school administrators now. Ask them directly: how does our district plan to fulfill the SB 760 all-gender restroom requirement? Will existing sex-separated restrooms be preserved? Will multi-stall facilities be converted? Every parent deserves to know the answers.
California Family Council works to advance God’s design for life, family, and liberty through California’s Church, Capitol, and Culture. By advocating for policies that reinforce the sanctity of life, the strength of traditional marriages, and the essential freedoms of religion, CFC is dedicated to preserving California’s moral and social foundation.
By Laura Cassell, Assessment Appeals Board Secretary
(Martinez, CA) — Are you an experienced real estate, appraisal, accounting, or legal professional looking for a meaningful way to give back? The Contra Costa County Assessment Appeals Board is seeking qualified individuals to serve as board members and help ensure property tax assessments are fair, accurate, and impartial.
As a board member, you’ll hear and decide property tax assessment appeals, playing an important role in protecting the integrity of the County’s property tax system while serving the community.
Board Member Compensation
Board members receive:
$200 for a half-day meeting
$300 for a full-day meeting
$400 for each additional consecutive meeting day
Mileage reimbursement
Meeting Schedule
Meetings are typically held Thursdays at 9:00 a.m., except the first Thursday of each month. The Board recesses during May and June while the Assessor closes the assessment roll. Because many appeals are resolved through negotiations or withdrawals before a hearing, some scheduled meetings may be canceled.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants do not need to live in Contra Costa County or represent the district in which they reside. Qualified candidates must have at least five years of professional experience in California in one of the following fields:
Certified Public Accountant or Public Accountant
Licensed Real Estate Broker
Attorney
Property Appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized professional organization
Property Appraiser certified by the California Office of Real Estate Appraisers or the State Board of Equalization
Applicants must submit documentation verifying their qualifying experience with their application to the Clerk of the Board. Individuals who have worked in a county assessor’s office within the past three years are not eligible to serve.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you’re committed to public service and bringing your professional expertise to an important community role, we encourage you to apply. Interested individuals may apply online application link, request an application by emailing the Clerk of the Board at clerkoftheboard@cob.cccoounty.us, or visit the Clerk of the Board office at:
For more information about the application process, call the Clerk of the Board at (925) 655-2000. Additional information is available through the California State Board of Equalization.
Join us this Saturday, July 25th, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Target as we collect donations for our annual Backpack Drive! This will support local families in need and help students in the Antioch Unified School District start the school year ready to succeed. If you are unable to attend, you can still donate by utilizing our QR code for our Amazon Wishlist. Last year, thanks to your incredible generosity, we donated 300 backpacks, let’s beat that record this year!
“It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.” Director Mary Halbasch
By Allen D. Payton
So Big Preschool invites the community to join them for their Open House, Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 4:30-6:30 PM and “discover what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow! Come meet our amazing teachers, tour our classrooms, explore our curriculum, drop off school supplies and get all your questions answered before the new school year begins,” says Director Mary Halbasch.
Director Mary Halbasch welcomes all to So Big Preschool. Photos by Allen D. Payton
The preschool has been open since 1955 and she’s been here since 2008.
“Two doctors’ wives in Antioch started it so their children could play and learn with other children because there was no daycare or preschools in the 50’s,” she shared.
“The parents come in and participate in their children’s education if they want to,” Halbasch explained. “First-time parents don’t know what to expect. That’s why they’re here. We let them know what’s appropriate to know for each age.”
“We work with Los Medanos College students in ECE90 who need practicum hours. So, I have student teachers work with me. Each semester I have two to four,” she continued. “They work on a project approach, come in, get to know the students and then pick a topic from their child’s interest. The student teachers direct it and the parents participate.”
Mary’s grandson was one of her five students during the spring.
“We do field trips, here,” Halbasch shared.
“Since one student teacher was working on birds and the other on gardening, our next field trip was to Big Break in Oakley,” she said during the Spring Semester.
“It’s a non-profit organization. Jameelah Smith is the Board President,” Halbasch stated. “Currently we don’t have other members on the board of directors.”
During spring, she had five students and they all graduated this year.
“That covers the cost of rent from the Fairgrounds and insurance. I work for free,” Halbasch said.
The preschool can have up to 25 children as a licensed community care facility.
They’re governed, regulated and inspected by the state with surprise visits she shared.
So Big Preschool offers an outdoor playground and has some turtles, too.
Halbasch formerly worked in law enforcement as a patrol officer in Crescent City.
But when her daughter started preschool Mary decided that’s what she wanted to do, went and got her Early Childhood Education degree and started at Little LuLu’s in Antioch. She later started Cornerstone Christian Preschool.
When the director at So Big retired, Halbasch applied for the position and was hired.
“I like it where the children can be themselves which is what So Big is all about,” she shared. “It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.”
The classes are open 8:30-11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
“Friday is our deep clean day. We sanitize everything and get it all cleaned up,” Halbasch added.
Mary’s grandson plays with the chickens in the coop.
The cost for two days a week is $200 per month, three days is $300 and four days is $400.
“Because the tuition is low, we ask the parents to help with the maintenance, including cleaning and yard work,” she said.
“We’re considered a ‘play-based’ preschool and we have a complete Kindergarten Readiness program,” Halbasch added. “We do the American flag salute. I pray with the students.”
“I love to teach life cycles,” she continued. “In the fall we bought baby chicks and now they’re grown and we’re gathering eggs every day.”
“We love the kids, here. I try to make sure they’re safe. They ride their bikes and play outside in the enclosed playground. They have so much fun,” Halbasch concluded.
So Big Preschool’s old (left) and new (right) signs on the wall near the playground.
You’re Invited!
“We can’t wait to welcome new and returning families for an evening of fun, learning and excitement as we get ready for another wonderful school year,” Mary said.
Suspect Camari Coleman in photos from his Facebook page posted April 29, 2025, (left) and Dec. 21, 2025 (right). Source: Facebook
23-year-old held on $1.1 million bail
By Antioch Police Department
The Antioch Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with the death of 77-year-old Paul Lawson following an assault that occurred in June.
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, members of the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau arrested 23-year-old Camari Coleman in the City of Brentwood. Coleman, of Brentwood, (born 9/25/2002) was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility after the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed charges of Penal Code section 187(a) – Murder and Penal Code section 368(b)(1) – Elder Abuse Resulting in Death.
The charges stem from an incident on June 9, 2026, when Antioch Police officers responded to a reported battery at an outdoor phone vendor stand outside the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services building at 4545 Delta Fair Boulevard. Investigators determined that Mr. Lawson became involved in a verbal and physical fight with employees at the vendor stand. During the incident, Lawson fell and reported that he was unable to move. Witness statements regarding the circumstances of the fall vary, with some indicating he stumbled over a chair and others reporting he may have been pushed during the fight. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. (See related article)
On the morning of June 13, 2026, Mr. Lawson died while receiving care at the hospital.
The Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau conducted the investigation that led to Coleman’s identification as the suspect. The case was submitted to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office on July 16, 2026, and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued.
According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the six-foot, two-inch tall, 183-pound Coleman is Black and being held on $1.1 million bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow, July 22nd in Martinez Superior Court, Dept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Duff at rduff@antiochca.gov.
12-year-old Isaiah and 13-year-old Gianni Figueroa were missing from Antioch for a week, and 33-year-old Yesenia Villasenor was listed as a suspect. Source: CHP
Biological mother has history of arrests including by Antioch Police on July 12thfor battery.
By Allen D. Payton
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the CHP announced two boys from Antioch have been missing since July 13. It reads, “ENDANGERED MISSING ADVISORY – San Joaquin and Contra Costa Counties Last seen: Redwood Drive and Gentrytown Drive, Antioch. IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1.”
The boys are 12-year-old Isaiah and 13-year-old Gianni Figueroa who are listed as victims and a 33-year-old woman named Yesenia Villasenor is listed as a suspect. But the flier does not mention her relationship to the boys or that she kidnapped them.
The post included the above flier which reads, “This EMA has been activated by the CHP ENTAC (Emergency Notification and Tactical Alert Center) on behalf of the Antioch Police Department. The CHP ENTAC was notified on July 19, 2026 at 1415 Hours (2:15 PM).”
Updated flier showing the boys have been located. Source: Antioch PD
The flier also shares that the boys were “last seen on July 13, 2026, at approximately 1800 hours, in Antioch, Contra Costa County. Isaiah and Gianni are possibly traveling in a vehicle.”
A photo, license plate and description of a vehicle is included in the flier: White 2109 Toyota Highlander with CA license plate number 8KJR109.
In response to efforts to reach Antioch Police about the matter, as of 5:43 pm, Lt. Bill Whitaker wrote, “They are safe. Post coming out shortly.”
UPDATE 1: A post later Monday on the APD Facebook page reads, “f you have seen this posted on social media or on the freeways, we wanted to update you that the children have been safely located. No further assistance is needed. Thank you.”
Whitaker was asked for additional details and if Villasenor was arrested. He responded, “No arrests.” It was a “custodial and court order issue.”
UPDATE 2: Asked if she is the boys’ mother and where they were located, Whitaker responded, “Yes, their biological mother. We won’t answer their whereabouts for the safety of all involved.”
According to localcrimenews.com, Villasenor has been arrested multiple times dating back to 2015 by various agencies including Antioch, Concord and Pleasant Hill Police, and most recently by the El Dorado Sheriff’s Department on March 1, 2026, for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. Her other arrests were for DUI alcohol with blood alcohol continent greater than .08, driving while license is suspended and for warrants or holds only.
