Samantha Caiola

Sammy Caiola is the first-ever gun violence prevention reporter for WHYY in Philadelphia. She is committed to doing trauma-informed journalism driven by the communities she covers. She has been a health reporter for the last eight years, first at The Sacramento Bee and then at Capital Public Radio. Her podcast, “After the Assault,” which was produced with the support of the Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 and 2020 California Impact Funds, explored the journey to justice and healing for survivors of sexual violence. As a 2018 California Fellowvand community engagement grantee, she reported a series on suicide in Amador County, and as a 2015 Data Fellow, she reported a three-part series on black child death in Sacramento County. She has degrees in journalism and gender studies from Northwestern University. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, dancing, and playing with her Labrador, Pepper.

Articles

Pia Escudero, director of school mental health for LAUSD, speaks to fellows this week about trauma-informed care in schools.

LA schools seek better approach to address trauma

Dealing with students’ childhood trauma may improve classroom behavior and attendance rates — at least that’s the idea at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s wellness centers.

Environmental Health

Mental Health

Northern California’s silent suicide crisis: Why rural areas are hit hardest

In rural Northern California counties, people tend to live miles from help. They may be too sick or poor to drive. If despair takes over and there’s a gun in the home, the thought of suicide can quickly become reality.

Mental Health

Community leaders meet every month at the Arcade Community Center.

Health Equity & Social Justice

The seven leaders who are putting the focus on Sacramento’s black children

Between 2010 and 2015, African American children in Sacramento County died at far higher rates than those of people under age 18 from other racial groups. These seven leaders are working to change that.

Top of the Morning: Samantha Caiola Edition

Here we check in with prominent health journalists and experts to see what sites, newsletters and social media feeds they turn to first every morning. This week, we caught up with Samantha Caiola, public health reporter for the Sacramento Bee. Here are her top morning reads.

Health Insurance and Costs

Robin Evans holds her 5-month-old son, Mekhi, during a safe-sleeping workshop in Meadowview.

Health Equity & Social Justice

Children & Families

Community & Public Health

Black babies die in sleep at higher rates in Sacramento. Why? And can we fix it?

Black babies in Sacramento County were about five times more likely to die in their sleep than white babies between 2010 and 2015, a Sacramento Bee review of California death certificates reveals. What can be done?

Kenya Franklin, a mentor with Black Mothers United. (Photo by Sacramento Bee/Lezlie Sterling)

Reporter overcomes data detours and reticent subjects to shine light on black children’s deaths

"Finding families touched by the death of a child was hard," writes Sammy Caiola of the Sacramento Bee. "And convincing them to talk to me was even harder."

Community Safety

Debra Cummings is a vocal advocate for expanding youth activities in Del Paso Heights.

Health Equity & Social Justice

Community & Public Health

Black children die at alarming rate in Sacramento County, and here’s why

African-American children die at more than twice the rate of other children in California's Sacramento County, a new Bee investigation finds.

Race and Equity

Community Safety

Health Equity & Social Justice

Community & Public Health

City of Sacramento joins efforts to prevent black children’s deaths

In California's Sacramento County, black children die at twice the rate of white children. The Sacramento City Council recently approved $750,000 for a county-led effort to lower the high death rate by connecting families with gang violence prevention, foster care assistance, health care and more.

Race and Equity

Community Safety

The six Sacramento neighborhoods where black kids live on borrowed time

Clavo and a few friends were driving from a Del Paso Heights chicken restaurant to a football game at their Sacramento high school, where Clavo, a cornerback, was expected to stride onto the field with his usual swagger. He stopped at a light and gunshots erupted. He would never arrive.

Race and Equity

Community Safety

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Samantha Caiola

Articles

LA schools seek better approach to address trauma

Northern California’s silent suicide crisis: Why rural areas are hit hardest

The seven leaders who are putting the focus on Sacramento’s black children

Top of the Morning: Samantha Caiola Edition

Black babies die in sleep at higher rates in Sacramento. Why? And can we fix it?

Reporter overcomes data detours and reticent subjects to shine light on black children’s deaths

Black children die at alarming rate in Sacramento County, and here’s why

City of Sacramento joins efforts to prevent black children’s deaths

The six Sacramento neighborhoods where black kids live on borrowed time