Anna Maria Barry-Jester

Anna Maria Barry-Jester was a senior correspondent for KFF Health News until June 2022.

@annabarryjester

Homeless Californians Adapt To Camp Sweeps And ‘The Caltrans Shuffle’

Communities across California, frustrated with the growing number of homeless people living on public property, have tasked police and sanitation workers with dismantling encampments they say pose a risk to health and safety. The routine cleanups have spawned another public health concern: the loss of the displaced people’s personal possessions, including medicines.

Wildfire, Floods, Extreme Heat: California Prepares For Climate Change

Kate Gordon, director of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Planning and Research, is tasked with identifying and mitigating the risks of climate change in California. She spoke to California Healthline about how that work intersects with health, and how residents can get involved.

California Fires Illuminate Trauma And Resilience

The chaos and evacuations prompted by wind-fueled wildfire in Sonoma County pose special challenges for people in need of ongoing medical treatment. Volunteer medical personnel have stepped up to provide care and a sense of stability.

Farmworkers Face Daunting Health Risks In California’s Wildfires

October marks not only fire season in California, but also the peak of the grape harvest. In areas not imminently threatened by the explosive Kincade Fire in Sonoma County’s fabled vineyards, workers labored through heat and smoke, or faced lost wages.

Camouflaged Vaping Devices Are Hoodwinking Parents And Schools

The vaping hoodie. The vaping watch. The vaping phone case. Each ready to deliver a puff of nicotine (or marijuana) anywhere, anytime. The vaping market is crowded with sleek, camouflaged devices that have teachers and parents struggling to monitor illicit usage of a product that has surged in popularity among high schoolers.