News & Events
Much of our work involves measuring the difference others make. Getting involved and making our own difference is also an important part of who we are as individuals and as an organization.
To our partners, community members, and friends,
As we mark our 15th year, it is with great joy and appreciation for all of you!
Reflecting on our journey since 2009, all of us at the Center for Community Research (CCR) are humbled by the incredible people we work with.
Our Journey
CCR was founded to bridge the gap between community needs and evidence-based solutions. From a small but ambitious start, we have grown substantially, not just in numbers but also within the breadth and depth of our reach.
Our work began and continues throughout San Diego County, and our impact spans nationally now as well. Our incredible and talented team utilizes informed strategy, useful data, and lived experiences to save lives and prevent impacts associated with substance use, impaired driving, and community health issues.
Our staff have been recognized at the local, state, and national levels – not as a testament to our own achievements, but as evidence of the change that can occur when committed professionals and passionate communities unite.
Honoring Our Partners
Our success is not a solo endeavor. It has been built on the trust, collaboration, and vision we share with our partners. More than just funders or stakeholders, you have been collaborators in the truest sense. Your unwavering dedication to fostering safe and healthy communities has consistently inspired us. The partnerships we have nurtured over the years have been instrumental in achieving our shared goals, and for that, we are tremendously grateful.
Looking Ahead
As we commemorate this milestone, it’s also an opportunity to look ahead. While celebrating our collective achievements, our eyes are firmly set on the future, ensuring that we continue to be at the forefront of facilitating positive change. Committed to excellence and progress, we aim to continually refine our offerings to meet the dynamic needs of our communities and partners.
Together, we will continue our collective journey towards building even more vibrant, inclusive, healthy, and safe communities.
With profound gratitude,
Kristen Donovan, Ph.D.
Founder & Executive Director
For the past 15 years, it has been an honor to serve San Diego County and work with such committed and incredible partners. We thank the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and all of our partners in prevention, behavioral health, public health, education, treatment, child welfare, and public safety for the opportunity to have made a difference in the lives of so many of our community members.
—
The CCR Team
SUOPT attended the DEA Fentanyl Awareness event along with over one hundred High School students to learn about Narcan and the harms posed by fentanyl. “Overdose deaths continue to be a public health concern in San Diego County and across the country. In 2022, there were 1,226 accidental overdose deaths in San Diego County. Fentanyl accounted for 70% of all overdose deaths that year. Dr. Luke Bergmann, Behavioral Health Director, County of San Diego, emphasizes, “For this reason, we must continue to protect San Diegans from drug-related harms by prioritizing human dignity, saving lives, and providing appropriate care.”
—
The CPHI develops data snapshots to track public health effects from cannabis use. In 2024 the current highlights of the snapshot are as follows.
In 2021, the number of cannabis related ER Visits surpassed 36 per day, marking a steady increase over the past four years.
Reported lifetime use of cannabis vaping has decreased or remained stable across all grade levels, youth ages 12-17.
There has been a 145% increase in marijuana exposure cases handled by the California Poison Control Center since the implementation of Prop 64 in 2016.
—
Now in its third year, National Fentanyl Awareness Day brings together individuals, parents, teachers, corporations, influencers, community groups, and government entities to help put an end to this emergency.
Website: https://www.fentanylawarenessday.org/
Full Toolkit: ClickHere
—
Today, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to issue notices addressing the sale and distribution of illegal hemp products. These notices seek to ensure compliance with existing law to protect Californians, particularly youth, from mislabeled and potentially harmful hemp-infused products.
—