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.
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 reporterSteve 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The state-of-the-art Intuitive da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system will now be used as Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch. Photo: Sutter Delta
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.
SDMC Assistant Administrator Tim Bouslog, Sutter Greater East Bay Division Chief Medical Officer Dr. Matthew Dahnke, SDMC Chief Medical Executive Dr. Karin Shavelson, SDMC CEO Trevor Brand, Dr. Christopher Solis, Dr. Pascal Fuchshuber and Sutter Greater East Bay Division President Tosan Boyo before and after the ribbon cutting for the new surgical robot on Friday, May 23, 2025. Photos: Sutter Health
“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.
Sutter Delta Medical Center CEO Trevor Brand is congratulated by Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal during the ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo: Sutter Health
“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.
According to The Leapfrog Group’s biannual Hospital Safety Grades report, 15 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California this spring received A grades including: Antioch, Fresno, Manteca, Modesto, Oakland, Roseville, Redwood City, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Leandro, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, South Sacramento, South San Francisco, and Vacaville.
“The safety of our patients is our top priority, and it’s at the heart of everything we do,” said Diablo Service Area Senior Vice President and Area Manager Pam Galley. “We are incredibly proud of our physicians, nurses and health care professionals who make a difference every day.”
Leapfrog reviews hospital clinical data, assigning hospitals grades based on approximately two dozen measures that analyze patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections.
“Our caring health care professionals work diligently to keep our patients safe while providing outstanding care,” said Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center Physician in Chief Sharon Mowat, MD. “Kaiser Permanente Antioch has received an “A” grade since 2022 – three years straight, fall and spring. We are committed to keeping everyone safe, whether they receive their care here or work here. Safety is our number one priority and goes hand in hand with our high quality of care.”
The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades to nearly 3,000 hospitals throughout the United States. The grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, released its Hospital Safety Gradesafter examining publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections at U.S. hospitals. The report includes data collected by national health care organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Scores are calculated based on publicly available measures, and hospitals are then assigned A, B, C, D or F grades for their safety records. The grades are released as a free resource to help patients and their families make informed health care decisions.
Kaiser Permanente is one of America’s leading integrated health care providers and serves 12.5 million members. Nationally, 27 of the 39 Kaiser Permanente hospitals that were eligible for a grade, or more than two-thirds of our hospitals, received a Leapfrog Safety A grade. In contrast, less than one-third of the nation’s other hospitals received an A rating.
For more information and a complete list of the hospital safety grades, visit Leapfrog.
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 12.5 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 technology 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
Join us for the second event of the awareness and education series — a screening and community discussion of Fentanyl High, a powerful short film exploring the hidden dangers of fentanyl. Monday, April 29 | 6–8 PM | Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way Register at https://bit.ly/3R2fOSQ
Please SHARE this! Together, we can educate, empower, and protect our youth.
Hospitals are recognized for providing safe, compassionate, exceptional care to parents and their newborns
By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
OAKLAND, CA – Newsweek magazine’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2025 distinguishes 12 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals as among the best in the nation for providing high-quality care to parents and their babies.
The 12 hospitals to receive the prestigious honor include: Antioch, Fresno, Redwood City, Roseville, San Francisco, San Leandro, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South Sacramento, Vacaville, and Vallejo.
This is the sixth year Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals have been recognized by Newsweek for meeting rigorous standards for maternity care, such as low rates of elective early deliveries and following important safety protocols to protect new parents and their babies.
“We know the importance of giving babies a healthy start in life, and our labor and delivery teams are providing these new families with quality care as they embark on this exciting chapter in their lives,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, interim president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our Northern California hospitals deliver comprehensive, culturally responsive maternity care in a nurturing environment.”
Last year, nearly 40,000 babies were delivered at Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals.
Exceptional care through the entire pregnancy
“We take great pride in the clinical excellence achieved by our physicians, midwives, nurses and entire teams and for the personalized care and support given to all our patients,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, chief executive officer and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “Kaiser Permanente Northern California recognizes the importance of providing safe, comprehensive maternity care for all parents and their babies before, during, and after birth.”
The national designation was awarded to only 444 hospitals in the United States with 66 of those in California. Kaiser Permanente has a total of 26 hospitals that received the elite designation in California, or more than 40% of hospitals recognized in the state.
Newsweek and Statista, one of the world’s leading statistics portals and industry-ranking provider, partnered on this prestigious list, given that maternity care provided from pregnancy through birth and into postpartum is key to the long-term health of newborns and their mothers.
Delivering great care to babies and their parents
Kaiser Permanente Northern California has a long-standing commitment toward excellence in maternal health and creating a positive maternity care experience for our patients and members.
Our comprehensive maternity care focuses on safe, high-quality care from prenatal to postpartum, including midwife services, prenatal classes, and support for breastfeeding and mental health.
Members are encouraged to focus on their health even before pregnancy. If a pregnant patient has a high-risk pregnancy or a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, we tailor their care – including providing remote monitoring tools – to reduce risks, helping to keep mom and baby safe.
At Kaiser Permanente Northern California, we also partner with new parents to ensure they have the birthing experience they desire through a coordinated birthing plan that addresses everything from their delivery preferences to whether they want to breastfeed.
Support for mental and emotional health is another important component of maternity care at Kaiser Permanente. Regular screenings for prenatal and postpartum depression are part of every care plan, so we can connect those who are struggling with the care and support they need.
“…as a response to a lot of the breakdowns that were happening in the community as a response to the racist text message scandal.” – Dr. Kerby Lynch, Lead Project Manager.
County claims racism is cause for “disproportionate rates of preventable chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, cancer as well as most recently, COVID-19” among African American residents.
Will seek other cities as partners in JPA
By Allen D. Payton
A new African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub has the unanimous support of the city council as of their meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, and an Antioch location is being considered for its future home. The resolution supports the initiative “affirming Antioch’s willingness to explore opportunities for collaboration and reinforcing the City’s commitment to racial wellness equity.”
While there are no currently known costs to the City for the Hub, according to the staff report, “early-stage participation by the City of Antioch could include in-kind support such as:
• Temporary space-sharing during mobile service deployment
• Coordination with the Angelo Quinto Community Response Team (AQCRT)
• Youth internship placements via RISE and other City programs
• Cross-referrals with City-funded providers”
Source: Ceres Policy Research presentation to Antioch City Council on April 8, 2025.
Also, according to the staff report, “Contra Costa County, in partnership with Ceres Policy Research and the (County’s) Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ), has completed a feasibility study for the development f the African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub (AAHWRH). The Hub is a community-rooted initiative designed to address long-standing racial disparities in health, housing, reentry support, and economic opportunity for Black residents across the county. The study was informed by over 4,000 survey responses, 16 listening sessions, and district-based town halls, including input from Antioch residents.
“The AAHWRH will provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and wraparound services in a phased approach—beginning with mobile and satellite services and transitioning to a permanent site. The County has identified 1650 Cavallo Road in Antioch, a county-owned facility in District 1, as a leading candidate for the Hub’s future home. A final decision is expected by the Board of Supervisors on April 15, 2025.”
The County Board of Supervisors appointed a 13-member ad hoc Steering Committee in 2023 “to guide the Feasibility Study planning effort through a representative, inclusive, and extensive community engagement process” and provide “input and collaboration to County staff and the contracted Feasibility Study developer, ensuring the community voice is represented through the process and the outcomes.”
According to the County’s Request for Proposal seeking agencies or organizations to pursue and operate the Hub, “Currently, in Contra Costa County, African Americans represent approximately 8.7% of the population. Racism, inequity, injustice, and harm exist…in Contra Costa County, have created and maintained conditions for African Americans such that they continue to experience disproportionate rates of preventable chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, cancer as well as most recently, COVID-19. Racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes, the criminal justice system, educational achievement, and social service metrics in Contra Costa County have been well documented in reports issued by the Contra Costa Racial Justice Task Force/Oversight Body, First Five Contra Costa, Kaiser Permanente, Contra Costa Health Services, Contra Costa Continuum of Care, Contra Costa Employment and Human Services Department, and others.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Black residents make up an estimated 19.7% of Antioch’s population as of July 1, 2024.
“For the last several years, members of the community have been advocating and leading the effort in the County for the creation of an African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub and the urgent need for expanded support services that address the pain, trauma, and other related challenges that exist in under-resourced, under-served African American communities,” according to the County.
On December 12, 2023, the Board of Supervisors allocated $1 million in Measure X funds “to support and expand current programs and services as an immediate, intermediary step until the Hub is established, and is the source of funding.” Then “on April 23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors allocated an additional $7.5 million of Measure X funds towards the actual establishment and operation of” the “Hub and implementation of services and activities.”
Funds will be spent “for services/programming targeting African American communities of any region of Contra Costa County” and those “serving East County’s most vulnerable and impacted communities will be prioritized.”
“Priority service/program categories to be funded are: ▪ Behavioral health supports ▪ Food and/or housing insecurity services ▪ Maternal and infant health services ▪ Youth development support services ▪ Community healing supports, particularly from trauma due to police violence.”
Oakland-based Ceres Policy Research was selected by the Supervisors in July 2024 as the contractor to facilitate the establishment of the Hub. Dr. Kerby Lynch, its Director of Research and Facilitation and Lead Project Manager for the Hub initiative, provided the presentation to the City Council. According to the organization’s website, she “conducts social science research on community reinvestment, racial equity analysis, and reparations policy implementation.” She is described as “a critical Black studies scholar of human geography, political economy, and intellectual history. She holds a BA in African American Studies with a concentration in Gender and Sexuality and most recently completed her Ph.D. in Geography, both from the University of California at Berkeley.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Dr. Lynch’s “Research Specialization” is in “African Diaspora studies, queer diasporas, Black queer studies, theatre/performance studies, ethnography, Black feminist thought, post-colonial studies, settler colonial studies, transnationalism, archival theory, psychoanalysis, urban issues, visual culture.”
Lead Project Manager Dr. Kerby Lynch of Ceres Policy Research provides information on the proposed Hub during the Antioch City Council meeting on April 8, 2025. Video screenshot
Presentation
In beginning her explanation about the hub, Dr. Lynch said, “Really the purpose of this presentation is to inform you about the process. It was a response to community demand for transparency and accountability, which was really started by a lot of the community, here in East County, particularly Antioch, as a response to a lot of the breakdowns that were happening in the community as a response to the racist text message scandal.”
“There’s a lot of great alignment in the county, right now for this type of project,” she continued.
Her presentation offered the results of the survey which showed Community Violence Impact in which 70% experience police/community violence and the Most affected: TAY (transitional age youth defined as 18-25), men, women of child-bearing age and unhoused. The Top Support Needs for Healing include community healing/restorative justice, mental health services, legal advocacy support, trauma-informed counseling and public safety discussion forums. The Top 3 Wellness Challenges include lack of accessibility to healthcare services, housing stability and lack of mental health resources. Finally, the Biggest Barriers to Services include time constraints, limited availability, high cost, lack of transportation and the need to travel long distances.
Thus, the Mission & Vision is to be “A holistic, community-led, culturally competent Hub addressing systemic disparities. Not duplicating services, but coordinating & expanding existing efforts (e.g., grassroots, local, state and federal). Key Service Areas will be, Health & Wellness, which will include preventive and primary healthcare, Black maternal health services (doulas, prenatal care, postnatal support) and culturally competent mental health services; Housing & Economic Stability including housing navigation services, eviction prevention, workforce development and a Black entrepreneurship incubator; Community & Cultural Healing Spaces, including intergenerational mentorship, arts and cultural programming, and legal advocacy and re-entry support for justice impacted individuals.
“It doesn’t mean we’re creating something new, here,” Lynch explained. “It’s about coordinating existing efforts across all levels of partners. How do we actually start to increase service utilization of our Black community and increase the satisfaction levels when they experience these services and really coordinate that across the county.”
Antioch resident Andrew Becker was the only member of the public to speak following the presentation and wasn’t happy with the proposed location. He said, “As the County explores these opportunities and invests in communities, I wonder, how do we get to the point where they propose this beautiful new building in Brentwood and this beautiful new youth center in Brentwood, ground-up construction, buy land that they didn’t even own. And then when we get to an incredible need like this, how can we use an older building that we have here and maybe share some space.”
He suggested instead locating the Hub near the Antioch BART station to be more centrally located in the city.
“…to make these services a little bit more trauma-informed and really rooted in transparency, accountability and even a call for abolition. Abolition, you know, people want to feel freedom, they want to feel liberated from just years and legacies of oppression. That’s what’s really important about this Hub…”
– Dr. Kerby Lynch
Q&A on Proposed Hub
Before discussing the Resolution of support under the agenda Item #10, City Manager Bessie Scott said she had sent Lynch “a list of questions” including, “who will receive the services, who are left out of the services, what does the human-centered, culturally responsive design look like and what is your framework?”
“I think the council will benefit from knowing,” she continued. “I know you met with Councilmember Torres-Walker and each one of the council members has asked separately about this information. I know Councilman Freitas asked for the feasibility study. It was a lot.”
Scott further asked Dr. Lynch, “what we’re on the hook for so the council can decide if they want to adopt a resolution supporting this effort.”
Then turning to the council she said, “I will tell you, operationally, we would need to figure out where this fits. A place for it would be under Public Safety Community Resources or in the city manager’s office, as well as all the operational scaling would have to be at the executive level.”
Lynch responded, “I’m just a consultant for the feasibility study. After the Board of Supervisors decide what they want to do. It will probably then be coordinated with the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice and other departments and agencies at first, to figure out where they want to collaborate…to do the mobile deployment. Because all this is about urgent services to the community.”
“Our biggest recommendation was a JPA (joint powers authority) because of the scale,” she continued. “We know that Antioch, Richmond, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Oakley, San Pablo, El Cerrito. There’s so many different jurisdictions, Pinole, Hercules, have all been a part of this process and they all are working on various health equity efforts.”
“You’re designing with and not for residents. It really is a for us, by us model,” said Lynch. “We do believe in Black-led governance structures. What does it mean to have Black-led organizations or providers really giving their wisdom from the field?”
“In our report you will get some recommendations from frontline workers on how to make these services a little bit more trauma-informed and really rooted in transparency, accountability and even a call for abolition,” she stated. “Abolition, you know, people want to feel freedom, they want to feel liberated from just years and legacies of oppression. That’s what’s really important about this Hub, is that we’re trying to be really overt about the reason for the season and how we got here, which is because all of the community demand for addressing the trauma.”
“What do we need from the City of Antioch?” Lynch asked. “That’s a preliminary conversation. In the short term while we’re starting this up, it’s that in-kind contribution. Is it possible to use an existing City-building for initial operations? Can we maybe have our street team maybe have a few hours at a facility? We’re going to have these, potentially, vans. Staffing time. What staff can be dedicated to this initiative is going to be important.”
“Then, just overall, alignment with work that you all have going on,” she explained. “Things that everyone wants to contribute not duplicate or take away from you. It’s just increase your resources to serve more people.”
“In the long-term if the County feels that a JPA is the suitable structure…we wouldn’t want you to be the sole city to be a part of it,” Lynch stated. “Again, doing more county-wide initiatives for the Black community.”
Source: Ceres Policy Research presentation to Antioch City Council on April 8, 2025.
Public Comments on Resolution
During public comments about the Resolution, all eight speakers offered support for the Hub, including former Antioch City Manager Cornelius “Con” Johnson and Antioch School Board Trustees, Dr. Clyde Lewis and Deborah Vinson.
“I think, as a city, we need the opportunity to come together and have conversations where we can constructively resolve some of the long-standing issues that have been present,” Lewis stated. “I think this hub provides a space for us to do that in addition to…all those other services that have been mentioned.”
“…making sure that we are prioritizing residents, then the voices of people impacted by racism, white supremacy and state sanctioned violence. Because that is by which the context the advocacy started just behind the wellness hub.”
– Councilwoman Torres-Walker
Council Comments and Vote
Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha was first to comment saying to Lynch, “I was really impressed with your presentation and the comments that were made following your presentation. I think about the community there’s been a lot of communication of how we can come together…to move forward. The research that you’ve done…is to be commended. So, thank you for what you’ve done to bring us to this point. I think it will benefit all. I think it’s really important we take care of everybody in our community.”
District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker spoke next saying, “The reason why I continued to ask for a resolution to support this effort early on, as a city, is because…we have many residents who’ve come here all the time and said, we’re property owners, we’re taxpayers, like these are our tax dollars…we have a right to this. Well, Measure X dollars is absolutely our tax dollars. But with 90% of our tax dollars going to the County and only 10% retained here, in the city, we were still passed up for a youth center that residents also advocated for to be built, here…and it still ended up one in Brentwood and one in Bay Point.”
She then spoke about the need for resources for those returning from prison saying, “I think we have one re-entry service provider in the city.”
“I think the biggest disadvantage is around the issue of economic development and finding those opportunities for re-enfranchisement,” the councilwoman continued. “Because when people can’t access resources, how do we make them, how can they become productive members of society?”
“How is the hub going to fill in the gaps for individuals in East County or West County, whether Black, brown or indifferent around economic stability and growth?” Torres-Walker asked.
She then thanked the organizations and Antioch residents who have provided input and support for the establishment of the hub saying, “Everybody who came together to really drive home this conversation around African American wellness in the county. But making sure that we are prioritizing residents, then the voices of people impacted by racism, white supremacy and state sanctioned violence. Because that is by which the context the advocacy started just behind the wellness hub.”
Torres-Walker then spoke of reports released by the County showing “great racial disparity in this county” and one in which “the County of Contra Costa declared racism a public health issue in our county.”
“So, you can’t declare a public health issue but then not provide the dollars behind it to address the public health issue that you just declared,” she stated. “We have a significant opportunity, here. How do we hold the County accountable to our 90%?”
About Measure X Torres-Walker said, “This has been a six-year process. We get to be here, again as Antioch and say, we will not be looked over again.”
“When you serve your most vulnerable folks, you serve everybody,” she continued. “Particularly, when you serve Black people, you serve everybody. It makes people feel uncomfortable when you say that you only want to serve Black people. So, you got to say it’s going to serve everybody. I think that’s always been the intent of Black people is that if we can get served then everybody can get served. But what has historically happened, even on the hills of fights for social justice and civil rights across this country, everything that Black people have fought for to access, we have yet to access it and that includes the American dream.”
“I hope we can support, at the least with a resolution, right now, to show the County that…we support it,” Torres-Walker concluded. “As far as resources and accesses and space…I think that’s a further down the road conversation.”
District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson then said, “I’m going to keep it short because Councilwoman Torres-Walker was saying everything that I was thinking. I definitely support this. I heard about this wellness center probably sometime last year. I thought it was an excellent idea. Because I do believe if you help your most vulnerable then your whole community is strong.”
“One area I hope you guys will address, the amount of human trafficking that goes on throughout Contra Costa County and especially in East Contra Costa County,” she continued. “Hopefully, that can also be addressed. Because…nine times out of 10 we meet somebody on the street…and we can’t get them someplace because there’s no place for them to go in the County because we have no housing. Because we have no housing for survivors of human trafficking…for our unhoused…for somebody who is going through a crisis…or a shelter for them to go to. So, if we can also address that issue, as well, I think it would be very important.”
“But I definitely, wholeheartedly support this. I wish this had more teeth and we can do more here,” Wilson concluded.
However, there is a location in East County that provides shelter for women and children who are victims of abuse, as well as experiencing homelessness and addiction.
District 3 Councilman Don Freitas speaking to Lynch, said, “As someone who read the entire 126 pages…it’s clear it’s needed. Eastern Contra Costa County has been the stepchild of Contra Costa County government. Historically, the County advocates JPA’s and cities resist and the marriage between the two are very, very difficult to overcome. I absolutely agree with you it cannot be a JPA with just the County and Antioch.”
“My advice is, OK, fight for the JPA but don’t let it deter you,” he continued. “But have plan B in the back pocket. So, good luck. Because the dynamics of the politics, it’s unfortunate that they’re there. Hopefully, our two county supervisors who represent our community will focus not only on this but other issues bringing County services to us, locally. It is long, long overdue.”
Mayor Ron Bernal spoke last saying, “I really appreciate your grasp and understanding to communicate the need here. I just want to make sure we’re continuing our relationship with the County. It’s struggled in the past. I see this as another place we can work with the County hopefully.”
“I guess the one thing that I’m most hopeful of is that this is a unique model,” he continued. “Building a model that is something that’s special and unique and can be a model for other places. So, I’m supportive of the resolution.”
Torres-Walker offered the last word on the matter saying, “Thank you, again for identifying Cavallo. People said, like, ‘you know it’s dangerous’ in the community. If you keep saying a community isn’t safe but we do nothing to make it safe we’re just spinning our wheels.”
The council members then voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution which included the following three clauses:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Antioch that the City hereby expresses its formal support for the concept and continued development of the African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub as an equity centered and community-rooted initiative led by Contra Costa County;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Antioch recognizes the County’s dedication to addressing long-standing racial disparities in health, wellness, and access to culturally responsive services through this initiative; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Antioch affirms its willingness to explore potential opportunities for collaboration and coordination—including non-binding agreements, in-kind support, and service alignment—to advance healing-based resources for communities impacted by trauma.
