|
Updates and
Announcements
|
|
|
CalOptima Videos Feature Community Leaders
|
To combat vaccine hesitancy, CalOptima has launched a video campaign featuring community leaders sharing messages about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. The videos are in English, Spanish and Vietnamese to promote health equity and serve ethnic communities in Orange County. View the video collection on www.youtube.com/CalOptimaTV. Engaging trusted messengers to address vaccine myths is designed to boost the confidence of populations that experience lower vaccination rates. Emphasizing the community benefits of being able to gather safely with friends and family also has wide appeal. The videos include a call to action with information on how to schedule a vaccine appointment at Othena.com. To increase viewership, CalOptima will distribute the videos via social media postings and advertising. We encourage providers and community partners to link to and share the videos as well.
|
|
|
|
|
State of California Expands Vaccine Availability
|
Starting April 15, individuals aged 16+ in Orange County will be eligible to make an appointment to be vaccinated. For people under 18, parental consent is required, and the patient must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive the vaccine. Only the Pfizer vaccine is available for those ages 16–17.
Everyone 18+ in Orange County who has not yet received a vaccination is encouraged to register at Othena.com to be placed in the virtual waiting room and notified when it is their turn to schedule an appointment.
|
|
|
|
State Aims to Fully Reopen on June 15
|
As California surpasses a major milestone in the fight against COVID-19 — administering more than 20 million vaccine doses, including four million in the state’s hardest-hit communities, and with hospitalizations continuing to steadily decline — Governor Gavin Newsome recently outlined the state’s next step in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
On June 15, California will fully open its economy if two criteria are met:
- Vaccine supply is sufficient for Californians 16 years and older who wish to be inoculated.
- Hospitalization rates are stable and low.
|
|
|
|
|
CalOptima Member Identification Card
|
CalOptima members should always carry their CalOptima member identification card to access their health care benefits including doctor visits, therapy appointments and more. Click here to access a flier with details about what to do to request a replacement card. Flier will be translated to CalOptima’s threshold languages — Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic and Farsi — in the near future.
|
|
|
|
|
"Ask the Questions" Campaign
|
Providers may be surprised by how many military-connected individuals they serve who have not disclosed their military service. Two simple questions can make all the difference.
Partnering with the Month of the Military Child, “Ask the Questions” campaign strives to improve both verification of and access to care for veterans and their families. Asking the questions is a simple step that can open the door to greater care, treatment and understanding. Learn more here: https://www.ocvmfc.info/ask-the-questions-campaign.
|
|
|
Free Contactless Tax Prep
|
|
|
|
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. The training provides skills to support someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. The training is also available in Spanish. Learn about the need for adult and youth mental health first aid.
|
|
|
|
Conservatorship/Post-Conservatorship and Mental Health Planning
Register for a discussion on Lanterman Petris Short (LPS) Conservatorship and tips for mental health planning. The webinar will take place on April 28, 2021, from 4–5 p.m. via Zoom. Click here to register.
|
|
|
|
|
Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning
|
The Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning in the Master Plan for Aging event will take place on April 22, 2021, from 9–10:30 a.m. California recently released the Master Plan for Aging with bold goals and policies that aim to transform the way Californians experience aging. Attend the event to hear from local experts about how Orange County can begin to implement these important measures. Click here to register.
|
|
|
The Senior Rally Day webinar is on May 4, 2021, from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. It is designed to raise awareness among legislators and the governor about senior issues. Click here to register.
|
|
|
Visit Smile, California Website in Your Language
|
Learn about the Medi-Cal Dental Program and the covered dental services available by visiting the Smile, California website. The website is now available in 15 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.
|
|
|
|
CalOptima Regulatory Alerts
|
Due to the rapidly changing situation surrounding COVID-19, CalOptima posts a roundup of federal/state rules, guidance and news related to COVID-19 and updates it frequently.
Recent COVID-19 Regulatory Highlights:
-
CDPH HCF Conference Call Notification Weekly COVID-19 Update Call Notes (posted 4/6/21)
-
HHS Webinar April 16, 2021: Information, Data and Tools to Support COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Underserved Communities (posted 4/6/21)
-
CDPH SNF Conference Call Notification Weekly COVID-19 Update Call Notes (posted 4/5/21)
Providers and other health care professionals with questions can contact the Provider Relations department at 714-246-8600 or providerservices@caloptima.org.
|
|
|
How to Contact CalOptima During the COVID-19 Pandemic
|
CalOptima Customer Service remains ready to respond to member needs. 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.
|
|
|
CalOptima, A Public Agency www.caloptima.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|