50 signatures reached
To: California State Senators / Governor Gavin Newsom
Support AB 338 – Invest in Wildfire Recovery and Workforce Development for California Communities
Dear fellow community members,
We are Bryant Cortes, Ivy Hinh, Kate Breen, and Olivia Mlodinow—first-year Master of Social Work students at California State University, Fullerton, and passionate advocates for our communities.
We're asking for your support in calling on the California State Legislature and Governor Newsom to pass Assembly Bill 338 (AB 338)—a critical bill to help wildfire-impacted communities in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties recover, rebuild, and thrive.
In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades Fires destroyed over 55,000 acres, 16,000+ homes and businesses, and took at least 27 lives. Beyond the physical damage, these wildfires have led to widespread mental health crises, school closures, housing shortages, and economic instability.
Why is this important?
Here’s why AB 338 matters and why we need your voice:
- It provides $50 million for workforce training in construction, healthcare, education, mental health, housing, and emergency services—fields critical for recovery.
- It creates immediate employment opportunities for underemployed and unemployed people in affected areas.
- It supports mental health recovery by funding the training of professionals to meet rising needs.
- It gives access to expedited licenses and certifications so individuals can re-enter the workforce quickly.
- It strengthens community resilience and economic recovery, reducing the long-term cost of future disasters.
If AB 338 is not passed:
- People will continue to struggle to find stable employment.
- Communities will face prolonged recovery and economic hardship.
- Mental health issues will continue to rise, with few trained professionals to respond.
As MSW students and interns, we have seen clients and communities face systemic barriers that directly impact their well-being and access to essential services. Our educational experiences have strengthened our belief in the importance of advocating for underserved populations to promote equity and improve the quality of life for those we serve. This issue is particularly important to us as future social workers living in California, as this Assembly Bill aims to support the very populations we are currently serving, or plan to serve. Addressing this issue is not only a professional responsibility but also a moral obligation. As future social workers, we’ve all decided to enter this field due to our genuine care about assisting others and wanting to make impactful, positive differences in their lives. We’ve witnessed how policies have the ability to influence the day-to-day lives of the communities we serve, and although policies are ideally created to facilitate progress, there are times when they create barriers as well. This is why this bill is important to us; it is an opportunity to advocate for the individuals we serve and push for meaningful change.