Will be paid $708,000 per year in salary and benefits

Dr. Grant Colfax previously served in San Francisco & Marin counties, Obama administration

By Kristi Jourdan, PIO, Contra Costa County

 (Martinez, CA) – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed Dr. Grant Colfax as the Director of Contra Costa Health (CCH), effective August 19, 2025. He replaces Dr. Ori Tzvieli who served as interim Director of Health Services following the February retirement of longtime CCH CEO and Health Director Anna M. Roth. Tzviele will continue to serve as the County’s Health Officer.

Dr. Colfax brings decades of experience in health leadership and a deep commitment to health equity, innovation, and community-centered care. He most recently served as the Director of Health for the City and County of San Francisco, where he guided one of the nation’s most robust local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously served as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy during the Obama administration and as Director of HIV Prevention and Research at the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

While in San Francisco, Dr. Colfax led a 9,000-person health department with a $3.2 billion budget, overseeing an acute care hospital and Level 1 trauma center, behavioral health, primary care, detention health, and population health.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Harvard College and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Colfax to Contra Costa County,” said Board Chair Candace Andersen, District 2 Supervisor. “His visionary leadership and deep understanding of public health systems will be invaluable as we work to expand access to care, address longstanding health disparities, and support the overall well-being of our communities.”

Dr. Colfax replaces Dr. Ori Tzvieli, who served as interim director during the executive search and will remain Contra Costa County’s Health Officer.

“We thank Dr. Tzvieli for his steadfast leadership during this time of transition, and I want to express my gratitude that he will continue as the County’s Health Officer,” Supervisor Andersen added.

Dr. Colfax will oversee a comprehensive integrated health system that includes a nationally recognized public hospital, regional health centers, behavioral health services, emergency medical services, environmental health, and public health operations serving over 1.2 million county residents.

“I am honored to join Contra Costa Health and to serve a community that values collaboration, compassion, and equity,” said Dr. Colfax. “I look forward to working with the incredible staff and partners across the County to improve outcomes and ensure that every resident—regardless of background or circumstance—has access to quality, dignified care.”

The cost to fund the Director of Health Services for the remainder of the fiscal year is about $619,000. Annual ongoing costs are estimated at about $708,000. These expenses are budgeted for the 2025–26 fiscal year.

Asked about those figures Contra Costa County PIO Jourdan responded, “That $708,000 figure includes salary plus benefits. The $619,000 is what’s available given the time left in the fiscal year.”

About Contra Costa Health

Contra Costa Health (CCH) is a comprehensive county health system committed to providing high-quality services with a focus on equity and access. From its nationally ranked Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers to its innovative Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Emergency Medical Services divisions, CCH serves as a cornerstone of wellness for more than a million residents across the county.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

To serve homeless veterans; volunteers needed

Community Day Sept. 13 is for anyone and everyone

By Delta Veterans Group

The Delta Veterans Group brings Contra Costa County (CCC) “Stand Down on the Delta” a Homeless Veterans’ “Hand Up” event every other year (2015, 2017, 2019….) DVG is proud to bring Stand Down on the Delta 2025, September 12-15, to the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch.

This is a four-day event wherein U.S. military veterans receive services in Medical, Dental, Veterans Treatment Court, Housing, Job Placement, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Counseling.

We are also looking for volunteers. Please contact us through our website at Contact Us | Delta Veterans Group.

To date the Stand Down on the Delta biennial event has helped thousands of veterans and their families, served thousands of meals, given away over 1,100 pairs of boots, over 1,500 sleeping bags, over 1,300 pairs of new jeans, $500,000 in dental care, taken over 200 veterans fishing on our Delta shores and helped many more find permanent housing.

We work with over 70 different organizations during our four day Stand Down on the Delta event. In September of 2019 over 850 Volunteers from around the State of California and even as far as South Carolina came to Antioch to help us provide these great services to our veterans.

About DVG

Delta Veterans Group is a 501(c)3 Veterans service non-profit that assists our Nation’s finest men and women with housing, employment, health, and education services. Founded in Contra Costa County in 2012 by Army veteran J.R. Wilson, DVG has now grown to provide services to surrounding Northern California areas including Alameda, Monterey, Napa, San Joaquin, San Francisco and Solano counties.

340B Drug Pricing Program costing employee health plans $5B per year

“Hospitals realized they could buy heavily discounted drugs and resell them to insured, middle-class patients at huge markups.”

By Dan Crippen

An obscure, supposedly free federal program is blowing a hole in state budgets — by depriving state governments of billions in corporate tax revenue and inflating costs for their public employee health plans. 

The culprit is the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which Congress established in 1992 to help safety-net hospitals. Once enrolled, qualifying hospitals and clinics and their partner pharmacies — collectively called “covered entities” — can purchase medicines directly from drug manufacturers or wholesalers at roughly 50% discounts. 

Congress expected only about 90 hospitals to participate. Today, more than 2,600 hospitals are enrolled. 

This explosive, unintended growth is the result of the program’s lax requirements. Covered entities are not required to expand charity care or even report how they use their 340B earnings.

Hospitals realized they could buy heavily discounted drugs and resell them to insured, middle-class patients at huge markups. In some cases, hospitals have charged cancer patients nearly ten times what they paid to acquire the drug. 

The opportunity to upcharge patients has proven irresistible and fueled the program’s bloat. In 2023, covered entities purchased $124 billion worth of medicines — but only paid $66 billion, meaning they received roughly $58 billion in discounts. 

Numerous audits have revealed that many hospitals use the funds to subsidize expansion in affluent neighborhoods, rather than support low-income or uninsured patients.

This perverse behavior harms state taxpayers. Because most 340B hospitals are technically non-profits, their earnings aren’t taxed. As a result, states collect about $3.5 billion less in corporate income tax and other tax revenue than they otherwise would. That’s money not available for public health, education, infrastructure, or employee benefits.

The 340B program hurts states in other ways, too.  

The program incentivizes hospital systems to acquire independent clinics — which don’t qualify for 340B — and designate them as “child sites” that subsequently become eligible for 340B. 

This leads to higher healthcare spending, since care at hospital-owned sites is more expensive than at clinics and independent practices. 

Care at 340B hospitals tends to be more expensive than care at competing hospitals, too. The average per-patient prescription spending at 340B hospitals is 150% higher than non-340B hospitals.

All told, large employers and their workers spend over $5 billion more per year on health care as a result of 340B. Every extra dollar that businesses spend on health care is a dollar that’s deducted from their taxable income. 

The program also inflates costs for state employee health plans. Utah recently found that its Public Employees Health Program is losing out on $3.9 million in rebate savings due to 340B.

Some state lawmakers are unwittingly compounding the damage by making it easier for pharmacies to contract with 340B hospitals and clinics. 

Instead of boosting care for poor patients, 340B drains public resources while enriching large hospital systems. Reform is desperately needed.

Dan Crippen is the former Director of the Congressional Budget Office. This piece originally ran in RealClearHealth.

U.S. News & World Report’s annual study rates hospitals among the top 30 percent in the nation for the treatment of complex medical conditions and procedures

Antioch rated high performing in 6 adult procedures & conditions; Oakland/Richmond ranked #4, Walnut Creek ranked #9

By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

OAKLAND, CA – Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s hospitals are once again being nationally recognized for providing patients with comprehensive care and evidence-based treatments for complex medical conditions and procedures.

U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals annual report ranks all 21 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals as “high-performing” – or among the top 30% of hospitals in the nation – for at least one of the 37 measures evaluated. The measures include congestive heart failure, pneumonia, colorectal cancer surgery, stroke, and diabetes.

Approximately, 4,500 hospitals participated in the study, which analyzes hospital performance for 15 specialty care areas and 22 procedures and conditions. The “high performing” designation honors those hospitals that deliver high-quality care when treating complex medical conditions.

Kaiser Permanente hospitals are consistently recognized nationally for providing high-quality and safe patient care leading to better health outcomes.

“This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to provide superior, quality health care to improve the lives of our patients, members, and the communities we serve,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, interim president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our hospitals are leaders in the nation because our highly skilled care teams put our patients at the center of everything they do.”

Hospitals ranked among best in state

Kaiser Permanente Northern California has eight hospitals designated as “Best Regional Hospitals” because they are ranked among the best in the state: Oakland/Richmond ranked #4, Walnut Creek ranked #9, Roseville, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara and South Sacramento.

Kaiser Permanente Vallejo is also ranked as one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation for rehabilitation. And Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento is recognized as a “Best Regional Hospital for Community Access” for the care it provides to underserved populations.

Kaiser Antioch Medical Center, a general medical and surgical facility, is rated high performing in six adult procedures and conditions, including: Heart Failure; Stroke; Hip Fracture; Hip Replacement; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Pneumonia.

“Our physicians, nurses, and care teams work collaboratively to deliver high-quality, high-value, patient-centered care,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, chief executive officer and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We remain committed to advancing evidence-based treatments and leveraging the latest innovations in technology to improve the lives of our patients to live longer and healthier.”

In its hospital analysis, U.S. News & World Report uses publicly available data such as volume, mortality rates, infection rates, staffing levels, and patient satisfaction rates, among other factors. 

The annual ratings and rankings are designed to help patients, and their health care providers make informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures.

About Kaiser Permanente 

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technological advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org. 

By Greg Burt, Vice President of the California Family Council

When Kaiser Permanente announced its decision to pause all “gender-affirming” surgeries on minors last week, I held my breath, hoping that California’s media might finally take the opportunity to tell the public what a teen trans surgery is. I hoped they’d finally give voice to the victims, detransitioners like Chloe Cole, Layla Jane, and Luka Hein, whose lives have been permanently scarred by the very procedures Kaiser is now putting on hold.

But out of 18 stories from California main-stream news outlets covering Kaiser’s policy change, only one interviewed a detransitioner. One. 

Only CBS Bay Area’s Andrea Nakano took the courageous and journalistically responsible step of showing both sides of the debate. At a protest in front of a San Francisco Kaiser hospital, she aired the story of Layla Jane, who had her healthy breasts removed at age 13, at that very same Kaiser facility.

Layla stood feet away from a transgender Kaiser nurse protesting the pause. Nakano gave both of them a voice. That’s journalism. That’s truth-seeking. Sadly, it was the exception, not the rule.

The rest of California’s media? Silence and censorship.

Of the 18 stories reviewed:

• Only four mentioned that “gender-affirming surgery” often means double mastectomies on teenage girls.
• None investigated how many minors had these surgeries, despite Kaiser vaguely calling them “rare.”
• Only one mentioned Chloe Cole’s malpractice lawsuit against Kaiser, even though Chloe is arguably the most well-known detransitioner in the nation, and Kaiser is the defendant. No one mentioned Layla Jane’s lawsuit against Kaiser. 
• Not a single story explored why 20+ U.S. states have now banned these surgeries for minors, or why Sweden, the UK, and Finland have reversed course and are now severely restricting them for youth.

Instead, the overwhelming narrative was this:

Kaiser is under political pressure from the Trump administration. Transgender youth are being denied “life-saving care.” And anyone who disagrees is probably motivated by religious bigotry or animus. Some of that tone can be heard in an interview by CBS News reporter Steve Large out of Sacramento. I know because I was his on-camera interview.

I gave Steve detailed information about Chloe Cole and Layla Jane. I shared video footage of their Capitol testimony. I explained how Chloe’s lawsuit accused Kaiser of pressuring her parents with false suicide warnings to approve surgery when she was just 15 years old. I laid out our position, not just our Christian beliefs, but our moral and medical objections to giving sterilizing drugs and mutilating surgeries to children struggling with gender confusion.

None of it made the final cut.

Instead, Steve chose to focus on the supposed theological motivations of California Family Council. The fact that we oppose telling kids they’re “born in the wrong body”? That we think cutting off the healthy breasts of 13-year-old girls is a tragedy, not a treatment? That this is a medical scandal, not a political issue?

Ignored.

His story, like so many others, was dominated by activists and so-called experts lamenting the loss of “life-saving gender care.” Not one mention of what those surgeries actually are, why they are controversial, or how many European countries have reversed course out of concern for the growing number of regretful detransitioners.

Why is this happening?

Because many in the media have adopted an ideological commitment to protect “trans identity” at all costs, even if it means silencing those who have been harmed by it.

It is my suspicion many reporter have been convinced that giving a platform to detransitioners like Chloe Cole and Layla Jane causes “emotional harm” to trans identified people. That airing dissent “spreads hate.” So instead of reporting, they suppress. Instead of asking questions, they protect the narrative.

But this isn’t journalism. It’s activism dressed up in a press pass.

Let’s be clear: What’s being hidden from the public is one of the largest medical scandals of our time.

• Teenage girls are having their healthy breasts cut off to cope with internal distress. In rarer occasions “lower-genital procedures” are done including: Vaginoplasty: Constructs a neovagina using the penile and scrotal tissue. Orchiectomy: Surgical removal of the testicles, often performed prior to or instead of vaginoplasty. Labiaplasty: Additional procedure to refine the external appearance of the labia.
• Minors are being put on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones that sterilize, weaken bone density, and stunt brain development.
• Parents are told that if they don’t go along, their child will die by suicide, a claim not backed by long-term evidence.
  
• And anyone who speaks up, especially those who’ve lived through it and now regret it, is shoved off camera, their stories erased or ignored.

This is not compassion. This is a cover-up.

As a representative of California Family Council, I want to make our stance crystal clear: We will not be silent on this issue. We will continue to amplify the voices the media tries to mute. Voices like Chloe’s and Layla’s. Voices of truth, even when uncomfortable. Especially when uncomfortable.

And we ask journalists across California: Do your job. Ask the hard questions. Investigate both sides. And for heaven’s sake—stop pretending these kids don’t exist just because their stories contradict your worldview.

The public deserves better. And the victims deserve to be heard.

Read the 18 stories referenced above…

About California Family Council

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.

Refuses to answer questions about treatments

By Allen D. Payton

Last week, in response to new directions at the federal level under the Trump Administration, Kaiser Permanente issued the following statement on “Gender Affirming Care for Patients Under 19”:

Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to providing safe, high-quality, and evidence-based care to all our members, including adolescents. We are proud of the care and coverage we provide for transgender patients. Our work in this area and the inclusive care we provide for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families is recognized in the community.

Since January, there has been significant focus by the federal government on gender-affirming care, specifically for patients under the age of 19. This has included executive orders instructing federal agencies to take actions to curtail access and restrict funding for gender-affirming care, hospital inquiries by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and regulatory changes to coverage and broader federal agency review, including by the Federal Trade Commission. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas to doctors and clinics providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth, as part of ongoing federal investigations.

In response to these federal actions, many health systems and clinicians across the country have paused or discontinued providing gender-affirming care for adolescents.

As the legal and regulatory environment for gender-affirming care continues to evolve, we must carefully consider the significant risks being created for health systems, clinicians, and patients under the age of 19 seeking this care.

After significant deliberation and consultation with internal and external experts including our physicians, we’ve made the difficult decision to pause surgical treatment for patients under the age of 19 in our hospitals and surgical centers. This pause is effective August 29, 2025. All other gender-affirming care treatment remains available. We continue to meet with regulators as well as our clinicians, patients, their families, and the community with the goal of identifying a responsible path forward. 

We recognize that this is an extremely challenging and stressful time for our patients seeking care, as well as for our clinicians whose mission is to care for them. We will work closely with each patient to support their care journey.

We will remain a voice and advocate for safe, high-quality, and evidence-based care for transgender patients.

Elissa Harrington, Senior Media Relations and Public Relations Representative for Kaiser Permanente Northern California was asked:

“Were those surgeries offered at Antioch, Walnut Creek and/or Richmond Kaiser hospitals?

Also, why does Kaiser continue to participate in and support the delusion that someone can change their gender with the labeling of the surgeries as “gender-affirming care”?

Why would Kaiser allow its doctors to participate in mutilating children and scaring them for life based on the confusion and mental disorder of gender dysphoria? According to the Mayo Clinic, ‘A diagnosis for gender dysphoria is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)…published by the American Psychiatric Association.’

Furthermore, how can the doctors that performed such surgeries argue they were not violating the Hippocratic Oath, specifically to ‘do no harm’?

Is counseling offered instead to children and adults experiencing such confusion and a mental disorder?”

But Harrington did not respond. Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Important health update for Antioch residents!

Invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been detected in our community—these pests can spread diseases like Zika, dengue, and yellow fever.

The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District invites Antioch residents to attend a community meeting at Harbour Park or Mountaire Park on Saturday, June 28th, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

District staff will be available to answer residents’ questions about the latest detection of invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are capable of transmitting the viruses that can cause Zika, dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya.

We look forward to talking to residents about what the District is doing to control this dangerous mosquito and how residents can help our public health agency.

• Ask questions.
• Get informed.
• Learn how to protect your family.

Together, we can stop the spread and keep Antioch safe.

For more information visit Contra Costa Mosquito And Vector Control District.

Robot-assisted surgery means advanced care is closer to home for local patients

By Monique Binkley Smith, Media Relations Manager, Sutter Health

ANTIOCH, CA – Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Calif., announced this month it is the first hospital in East Contra Costa County to implement the state-of-the-art robotic surgical system, the Intuitive da Vinci 5, revolutionizing advanced surgical care in the region and improving access for patients who previously had to travel an hour or more for certain surgical procedures.

A ribbon cutting and demonstration of the robot was held on Friday, May 23, 2025, with medical center leadership and local dignitaries including Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal and Mayor Pro Tem Louie Rocha.

“This is a phenomenal investment on the part of Sutter Health that will benefit our residents in Eastern Contra Costa County for years to come,” said Sutter Delta CEO Trevor Brand. “Our new da Vinci 5 will enable our physicians to deliver a range of minimally invasive surgeries to our patients right here in our own community.”

The da Vinci 5 robotic surgery system represents a groundbreaking advancement in minimally invasive surgery, featuring more than 150 design improvements for enhanced precision, better instrument handling and advanced 3D HD visualization. Minimally invasive surgery has been shown to help reduce recovery times, minimize scarring and improve patient outcomes with sustained benefits.

“With this new technology, we’re able to improve care and outcomes for our patients at Sutter Delta,” said Christopher Solis, M.D., FACS,  chair of Sutter Delta’s Department of Surgery and a surgeon with Sutter East Bay Medical Group.

What are the benefits of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery?

• Fewer complications and improved patient outcomes with sustained benefits
• Shorter hospital stays means patients able to return home faster than ever before
• Dramatically reduced post-operative pain, which typically means patients need less narcotic pain medication
• Reduced recovery times
• Minimal scarring

Robotic-assisted surgery has been demonstrated to generally result in fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and dramatically reduced post-operative pain for patients, which typically means patients need less narcotic pain medication. Patients are also often able to return home faster than ever before.

“With the DV5 system in place, our surgical teams are well-equipped to handle complex cases close to home while providing the highest standard of care and safety to our patients,” said Sutter Delta Chief Medical Executive Karin Shavelson, M.D.

As Sutter Delta’s program expands, the new robotic system will allow the hospital’s surgical teams to handle more complex procedures in specializations including colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, general surgery, urology, gynecology and gynecologic oncology.

“This is a huge win for our community, and we’re proud to be the first in Eastern Contra Costa County to bring this DV5 and all its capabilities to our patients locally,” Brand said.

The first surgery at Sutter Delta using the new da Vinci 5 is scheduled for mid-June.

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to health equity, community partnerships, and innovative, high-quality patient care, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving nearly 3.5 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 57,000 employees and clinicians, and 12,000+ affiliated physicians, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients. 

Sutter delivers exceptional and affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health, and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops. 

Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming healthcare at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.