A Fresh Start on Familiar Issues
2026 is here, bringing with it a new set of opportunities. In baseball terms, we’re in the first inning — just a few pitches in, but with a host of heavy hitters coming to the plate.
President’s Message
In Hospitals, the Season of Giving Is Year-Round
As 2025 draws to a close, many of us are ready to turn the page — and understandably so, given the challenges this year has brought for patients and the hospitals that care for them.
The Only Way Through Is Together
Two weeks ago, we came together with colleagues, policymakers, and community partners for the 2025 HASD&IC Annual Meeting. It was an honor to welcome more than 200 attendees and create a space to connect, reflect, and look ahead at the challenges and opportunities facing our hospitals and health systems.
A Time to Rest, Recharge, and Renew Our Commitment to Collective Advocacy
Next week, many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving — a holiday that not only allows us to pause and express gratitude but also invites us to reflect on the impact of our collective work to uplift our communities.
2025 HASD&IC Annual Meeting: A Respite from the Ongoing Storm
In two weeks, we’ll come together for the 2025 HASD&IC Annual Meeting — a gathering for hospital leaders, policymakers, and community partners to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our hospitals and health systems. This annual meeting is not only a valuable opportunity to hear from local leaders and policy experts, but also a chance to gain new insights, find inspiration, and prepare for what lies ahead.
Strengthening the Behavioral Health Continuum
Hospitals across our region continue to witness firsthand the profound impact behavioral health has on the well-being of our communities. The findings in our upcoming behavioral health environmental scans echo what we hear regularly from care providers and community partners: Demand for behavioral health services continues to grow even as workforce shortages, limited treatment availability, bed closures, and care coordination challenges persist.
2025 HASD&IC Annual Meeting: Leaning on Storytelling to Affect Change
“Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.”
— Jennifer Aaker, Stanford Marketing Professor
At HASD&IC, we know the power of stories. Every day, our hospitals and community partners live out stories of resilience, healing, and compassion. These stories remind us why we do this work and why it matters so deeply for the patients and families we serve.
Hunger in Our Region: A Shared Challenge
This month, during Hunger Awareness Month, we join with our community partners to raise awareness about a growing crisis — access to nutritious food. For some, food is a daily comfort and certainty. For others, it is a source of constant worry, sacrifice, and stress.
Hope Amid the Chaos
“Whenever there would be any … catastrophe that was in the movies or on the air, [my mother] would say, ‘Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers. … If you look for the helpers, you will know that there’s hope.”
— Fred Rogers
Listening to Our Communities: The 2025 CHNA
Yesterday marked the release of San Diego County’s 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Reflecting three years of thoughtful collaboration by hospitals and community partners, this report represents the voices of more than 1,600 community members who spoke candidly about their health, lives, and experiences with a system too often stretched thin.
