CalOptima held its first CalFresh Enrollment and Resource Fair at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana on Friday, May 6. Between 1,500 and 2,000 community members learned more about CalFresh and community resources to meet their mental health and basic needs. At the event, 200 diaper boxes, 150 bike helmets and 400 food boxes were distributed to attendees.

CalOptima is hosting more events to raise awareness about the CalFresh program on June 11, 18 and 25 from 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. The events will offer on-site CalFresh enrollment, food distribution, diaper distribution (while supplies last), community resources and activities for the whole family, including music, face painting, balloons and more.

Learn more about CalFresh by calling CalOptima at 1-888-587-8088 or visiting caloptima.org/calfresh.

A virtual InfoSeries on a Local and National Snapshot on Homelessness will take place on Tuesday, June 14 from 1:30 – 3 p.m. The event is designed to provide a local and national overview of Transitional Age Youth (TAY) experiencing homelessness. Learn why the TAY population is particularly vulnerable to homelessness, receive an update on CalAIM and the new Community Supports being added, no sooner than July 1. Click here to register for the event.

CalOptima invites you to attend a three-part virtual resource fair throughout the month of June focusing on “Resources to Address Food Insecurity in Orange County.” Each session will highlight one of the following categories: Food resources for Families and Children, Food Resources for Older Adults, and Food Distribution in the Community (food banks that collaborate with non-profit agencies to provide food in the community).

The purpose of the fair is to inform and educate health care partners, community stakeholders and CalOptima employees about services and programs available to better serve CalOptima and community members experiencing food insecurity. Registration is required for each session. Click here for the event flyer.

Join CalOptima PACE for a Senior Health and Wellness event on Saturday, June 11 from 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. The event will provide information about the PACE program and offer facility tours to prospective participants and their families. Click here for the event flyer.

On May 12, CalOptima hosted a virtual InfoSeries on recent Medi-Cal expansions. The event provided an overview of the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to older adults ages 50 and older, regardless of immigration status and the Postpartum Care Extension. The session also discussed community efforts taking place to educate and enroll this newly eligible population, how CalOptima is preparing for an increase in membership and how the Bright Steps program aligns with the Postpartum Care Extension. The recording can be found here and the event materials can be found here.

In response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalization trends throughout the U.S., combined with easing public health restrictions for travel and upcoming holidays leading to larger gatherings, the OC Health Care Agency strongly advises Orange County residents and visitors to take preventive measures to reduce their risk of getting sick or hospitalized from COVID-19. Precaution measures include testing, masking, and getting vaccinated. Since April 18, 2022, data has shown an increase in the seven-day average COVID-19 case rate in Orange County. Click here to read the full press release.

CalOptima partners with the University of California, Irvine (UCI) for regular contributions to the Community Announcements. The contributions are COVID-19 hot topics from UCI infectious disease experts.

This week’s articles address why individuals should get vaccinated if the effects wane after several months. Click here to read about these hot topics.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced the launch of the first phase of the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, a new, confidential, toll-free hotline for pregnant individuals and new parents experiencing mental health challenges. Those who contact the hotline can receive a range of support, including brief interventions from trained counselors who are culturally and trauma-informed as well as referrals to community-based and telehealth providers as needed. Callers will also receive evidence-based information and resources and referrals to support groups and other community resources.

The hotline is accessible by phone or text at 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746) in English and Spanish. TTY users can choose a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 1-833-943-5746. To learn more about the hotline, click here.

CalOptima Customer Service remains ready to respond to member needs as we adhere to guidelines to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Our building is closed to visitors. Members can call Customer Service from the safety of their home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have staff who speak their language. Members can also visit www.caloptima.org and access their member portal.