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118th
Community Health
Advisory
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Weekly Message from the Executive Director
Tony Anderson
By the Numbers
Last week was such a hard week and I am grateful to start with some good news. This week we had no reported hospitalizations or deaths. However, we did report 60 consumers with positive tests, an increase of 11 more consumers than last week, and 42 direct support professionals, which is an increase 23 positive tests.
Office Building Site Status (June 28th):
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San Joaquin 14.3% (down .3%) – Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Visit Recommended, Masks in the Office required.
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Stanislaus 19.7% (up 1.2%) - Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Visit Recommended, Masks in the Office required.
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Calaveras 18.9% (up 2.7%) – Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Visit Recommended, Masks in the Office required.
Amador is at 5.9% (up .1%) and Tuolumne is at 20% (up 4.7%).
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Valley Mountain Regional Center Staff Celebrated the Awesome Spot Groundbreaking Event
Amy, Sandra, Marlene and I and others from our Modesto office attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Awesome Spot accessible park in Modesto. We joined several city and county officials addressing the crowd expressing our appreciation and support for this important community project.
Rachel Loredo, mom, and landscape architect Chad Kennedy, have been consistent community leaders throughout the past 6 years. We are still about $1.2 million dollars from fully funding the park's development but we are all confident because of so much community, business, and government support and commitments.
Some of the special features include:
- A social play station for various sized wheelchairs.
- Rockers designed like dirt bikes, and a stationary jeep vehicle with an open back so kids can roll on in wheelchairs.
- A swaying “boat” children can enter by foot or wheelchair. and much more.
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An Awesome morning in north Modesto. What was happening in Beyer Community Park? | When vision and expertise are in the same room, you know great things can happen. That's what Stanislaus County Chief Executive Officer Jody Hayes said he felt years back when he first met Modesto mother Rachel Loredo and landscape architect Chad Kennedy, he told the crowd at Thursday's groundbreaking for The Awesome Spot playground at Beyer Community Park. | | | |
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Emerging Leaders Program
Disability Voices United announced the second round of their virtual advocacy training program called, the Emerging Leaders Program. Last session they trained over 100 people aimed at giving "self-advocates with disabilities and family advocates the skills needed to take leadership positions in their communities and state and to advocate for systemic change." DVU conducts five two hour Zoom meeting trainings with a focus on people of color from underserved communities.
Each session begins with a leader who tells “My Leadership Story.” Last session they had Senator Melissa Hurtado and State Controller Betty Yee who made presentations. The program also covers disability history, the Lanterman Act, and other state disability laws, leading at the community level, advocating for systems change, and motivating others with your leadership. The sessions include experts and exciting guest speakers from the disability community including Nancy Bargmann, Director of the Department of Developmental Services. Valley Mountain Regional Center is a partnering regional center for this important grant funded training program and applicants from our region are encouraged to apply.
Program, applications will be accepted starting Monday, July 11 through August 13.
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For more information contact:
Gilda Giron, M.S., (She/Her)
Director of Outreach & Leadership Training, Disability Voices United
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Clinical Update
Claire Lazaro
Clinical Director
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Health Opportunities
Modesto: Vaccine Clinic on September 29, Thursday, 10 am to 2 pm, inside the VMRC Modesto office.
Vaccines available:
Flu, COVID-19, Shingles. More information coming soon and how to register. Mark your calendars!
Stockton: Health Faire with UOP
October 29, Saturday, 9 am, inside the VMRC Stockton office.
There will be health screenings for blood sugar/diabetes screening, cholesterol and blood pressure checks. Vaccines will be available (Flu, COVID-19, Shingles). Pharmacists will be available to help in medication reconciliation or checking medicines for interaction. More information coming soon and how to register. Mark your calendars!
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Case Management Update - Children
Tara Sisemore-Hester
Director of Consumer Services - Children
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Case Management Update - Adults
Christine Couch
Director of Consumer Services - Adults
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WHAT IS 988?
In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s (1-800-273-8255) network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the country.
On July 16, 2022, the U.S. will transition to using the 988-dialing code, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strengthen and expand the existing Lifeline.
988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number—it’s a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress – whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
The 988 dialing code is just a first step toward strengthening and transforming crisis care in this country. It serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.
Over time, the vision for 988 is to have additional crisis services available in communities across the nation, much the way emergency medical services work.
THE NEED FOR 988
While this is an exciting time to reimagine how we provide crisis services in the U.S., the full vision of a transformed crisis care system with 988 at its core will not be built overnight. Transformation of this scale will take time, and we must all work together to make it happen.
In the short-term, we are looking to strengthen and expand the current Lifeline crisis center infrastructure and capacity to ensure trained crisis counselors are available to quickly respond to 988 via call (multiple languages), text or chat (English only).
In the longer term, our vision is to build a robust crisis care response system across the country that links callers to community-based providers who can deliver a full range of crisis care services, if needed (like mobile crisis teams or stabilization centers), in addition to connecting callers to tools and resources that will help prevent future crisis situations. This more robust system will be essential to meeting crisis care needs across the nation. We envision a day when everyone across our country has someone to call, someone to respond, and a safe place to go for crisis care.
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Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month, though not nationally recognized as of yet, is all about celebrating individuals with disabilities and being proud of who they are.
Disability Pride Month is celebrated all over the world with parades and celebrations. The first disability pride parade was held in Boston after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
July 26th will be the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, the ADA is a civil-rights act that prohibits discrimination against Americans with disabilities. The ADA also increases access and opportunities in key areas like transportation, employment, public accommodations, communications, and services.
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Community Services Update
Brian Bennett
Director of Community Services
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Important Changes to VMRC Special Incident Reporting!
Beginning August 1, 2022, VMRC will accept Special Incident Reports via email or fax. If you choose the email option, you must submit to the dedicated email group for the respective office.
Stockton: SIRStockton@vmrc.net
Modesto: SIRModesto@vmrc.net
San Andreas: SIRSanAndreas@vmrc.net
SIR submission by fax will continue to be accepted to the dedicated fax number for the respective office.
Stockton: (209) 955-3673
Modesto: (209) 557-2111
San Andreas: (209) 754-3211.
Special Incident Reporting guides can be located on the VMRC website
https://www.vmrc.net/special-incident-reporting/
If you have any questions regarding this information, please feel free to contact me.
Kindest regards,
Katina Richison, Division Manager – QA
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Drowning Prevention Wellness and Safety Bulletin from the Department of Developmental Services
For Vendors and Direct Service Providers:
For Self-Advocates and Families:
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Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Information
DDS has posted the June Stakeholder Webinar recording and materials. Each can be found under the ‘Meetings’ tab on the DDS EVV webpage at https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/evv/.
Additionally, DDS is hosting Office Hours during the month of July focused on EVV Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Please join us during any of the designated dates and times below for this topic.
July 21, 2022, from 5:30pm-6:30pm
TOPIC: EVV Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Join Zoom Meeting (only available at the time/date above)
Office Hours are a time to join a Zoom call to ask questions regarding identified topics. Each Office Hour date, time and topic will be posted to the DDS EVV webpage under the ‘Meetings’ tab, linked here, and notifications will go out when new dates, times and topics are available.
Advanced registration is not required. People may join the link at any time during the call to ask questions and do not need to remain on the call the whole hour.
If reasonable accommodations are needed, please send your request to EVV@dds.ca.gov one week in advance of the Office Hour you plan to attend.
If you have any questions, please email EVV@dds.ca.gov.
Thank you,
EVV, Federal Programs Division
CA Department of Developmental Services
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Emergency Services Update
Aaron McDonald
Emergency Response Coordinator
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Types of Power Outages 101
In our modern world, it’s easy to take certain things for granted. And one of the easiest things to take for granted is the invisible force that powers virtually everything in our homes: electricity. Since electricity has become such an integral part of everyday life, it’s easy not to think much about it — until it becomes unavailable. A sudden loss of electricity, otherwise known as a power outage, can negatively affect everything from working, cooking, being able to see at night and for some of whom rely on durable medical equipment it can even be life threatening. This is why having plans for when the electricity goes out are so vitally important. One of the best resources to have in the planning process is knowledge. Here is everything you did or did not want to know about power outages.
Power outages fall into 2 categories: Planned & Unplanned.
Planned Outages: When power providers know about an outage in advance, they will notify impacted customers. Here are the 3 types of planned power outages:
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Maintenance outage: A scheduled outage that occurs when 0the power is turned off to work on power lines, power poles or to trim trees or vines near power lines. Notifications should be sent in advance if they will be affected by a maintenance outage.
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Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS): A Public Safety Power Shutoff, also called a PSPS, occurs in response to severe weather. Power is turned off to help prevent wildfire and keep communities safe. Although you may not live or work in a high fire-threat area or an area experiencing high winds, your power may be shut off if your home or business relies on a line that runs through an area with severe weather.
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Rotating Outages: During heat waves, the demand for electricity accelerates and can put a strain on the state’s electric grid. To protect the stability of the grid, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), manager of the grid, may decide rotating outages are necessary. They direct power providers to activate rotating outages (also called “rolling blackouts”). During a rotating outage, “blocks” (small groups of customers) will experience an outage during each rotation in lieu of entire towns or large areas losing power.
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Unplanned Outages: These occur during times of emergency or unplanned events, power providers make notifications as soon as possible. Here are the 3 types of unpanned power outages:
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General unplanned outages: An unexpected, localized outage caused by damage from a car accident or weather. It could also be caused by branches touching a powerline with Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) in a high fire threat area. Power providers work to restore these unplanned outages quickly.
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Major Outage: A widespread and unexpected outage caused by a storm, wildfire, earthquake, or major accident. Power providers notify impacted customers as soon as possible and keep them up to date while they work to restore power as soon as it is safely possible. During a major outage, they will typically post links to the latest information on their website as well as through their social media platforms.
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Emergency response outage: An outage requested by police, firefighters or other first responders during a wildfire, earthquake, or other emergency to safeguard their response. Power providers notify impacted customers as soon as possible. The outage continues until first responders determine it is safe to turn power back on.
Power Providers contact information:
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North Valley Hills Update
Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930
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How to connect to SCDD through Social Media | | |
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Family Resource Network (FRN) Update
Lisa Culley, Executive Director
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Sibshop is back in person! Sibshops provide brothers and sisters (ages 7-14) with peer support and information in a lively, recreational setting.
Sibshops are lively events where the participants will:
*Meet other sibs (usually for the first time);
*Have fun;
*Talk about the good and not-so-good parts of having a sib with special needs with others who “get it”;
*Play some great games;
*Explore how other brother and sisters handle sticky situations sometimes faced by brothers and sisters;
*Laugh
*Learn about the services their brothers and sister receive; and
*Have some more fun!
Please contact Family Resource Network at 209-472-3674 or FRNfamilies@frcn.org to request a registration packet and to answer any questions about Sibshop. The next Sibshop is scheduled for Friday, August 5, 2022, in Turlock.
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Local County, State and National Public Health Resources | | | | |
