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128th

Community Health

Advisory

Weekly Message from the Executive Director

Tony Anderson

By the Numbers

This week we reported 13 consumers tested positive for COVID and five direct support professionals tested positive. We are happy to report there were no hospitalizations and no deaths reported this week.

Next week we'll conduct our monthly all staff meeting where we'll review the latest changes to our COVID Response policies, including changes to our testing procedures, our exposure policies, and the visitor entry procedures.

And don't forget, next Thursday September, 29th we'll be hosting a Vaccination Clinic at our Modesto office (1820 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto, CA 95358) from 10 am to 1 pm. We are partnering with our Safeway Pharmacy Team to administer the Flu vaccine, the new COVID-19 Vaccine (Pfizer & Moderna), and COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test Kits.

VMRC Vaccine Clinic Registration

Insights from the Readers Survey So Far...

This week is our 128th Health Advisory (HA) that was first published to keep our community informed of the dozens of policy changes that were occurring every week. So far from our readers survey we are learning that by far most readers prefer the time and day they are currently receiving the HA, half the readers pass it on to someone else, and while 72% like the length 27% would like it to be a shorter. The readers have come up with a few new names for the HA, please let us know if you'd like us to change the name and take the "Renaming Survey" for your thoughts on the new name.

Renaming Survey

You Can Still Register for a Resource Table Until Wednesday, October 19th at 5:00 PM

Thank You to Our Platinum Sponsors

Thank You to Our Gold Sponsors

Thank You to our Silver Sponsors

Thank You to our Bronze Sponsors

Malonzo Eldercare

Clinical Update

Dr. Claire Lazaro

Clinical Director

Take Care of Your Health. Register Now!!

Modesto: September 29, 2022

Vaccine Clinic – indoor. Offers flu, and COVID Bi-valent Booster/vaccine. The bivalent covid booster covers Omicron variant.

Date: September 29, 2022

Time:   10 am to 1 pm

Location:   VMRC Modesto Office, 1820 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto, 95358

Registration:  www.mhealthsystem.com/VMRCModesto

VMRC Vaccination Clinic Flyer in PDF

Consent Form English Consent Form Spanish

Stockton: October 29, 2022, together with the Disability Fair

Health Fair offers:

Dental Screening
Vaccinations: Flu
COVID bivalent booster available to the following:
Have had COVID-19 more than 90 days ago
Pfizer for 12 years and older, and last booster was 2 months ago
Moderna for 18 years and older, and last booster was 2 months ago
Bone Density Testing
Blood Pressure testing
Cholesterol testing
Diabetes testing
Opioid Risk Assessment/Narcan distribution

Give away FREE:

Diabetes testing supplies (e.g., Blood glucose monitor, test strips, lancets)
Blood pressure machine

Need to register for:

Medicare Part D Plan Review
Comprehensive Medication Review
Contact VMRC to register

Above Flyer in PDF Here

Registration Form Here in PDF

Case Management Update - Children

Tara Sisemore-Hester

Director of Consumer Services - Children

Vivian Weinstein Leadership Event

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

We are excited to be adding Elvia Cortes to the first day of the VW Leadership Event. Mary Claire and Elvia are working together to bring you an outstanding experience highlighting reflective practice. Elvia will be presenting on Friday October 7th and Mary Claire on Saturday October 8th.

Friday October 7, 2022

1:00pm - 4:30pm (PDT)

AND

Saturday October 8, 2022

9:00am-12:30pm (PDT)

Virtual Event

Can't attend the event live?

Please join us as we highlight the importance of nurturing relationships for those of us in early intervention. We will look at ways to open space for all of us to reflect upon our practices with families and their young children. In this two half-day training format, participants will practice how to use reflective supervision in their current setting and then apply diversity-informed reflective practice in supporting caregivers of young children.

We will think about the role of race, culture, and diversity of all kinds and how it impacts our work. Reflective practice allows for critical self-reflection, perspective taking and interactions which support self awareness and ways to move forward with important conversations that hold critical differences in mind.

· Day 1 focuses on how reflective supervision can be used to support staff, reduce burnout, increase retention, and unleash creativity.

· Day 2 delves into how reflective supervision leads to reflective practice, as co-regulation between supervisor and staff leads to co-regulation between staff and families in a parallel process. We will explore how staff can use reflective practice to support parents/caregivers while providing early intervention services.

Participants will:

· Learn how their relationships with parents impact parent-child relationships

· Define relationship-based approaches that are anchored in reflective practice and self-awareness

Acquire knowledge about the role race, culture, and diversity impact and shape the family system

Elvia Cortes, Ph.D., MSW, is the founder and executive director of FINE Infant Program, an Early Intervention program, leading in-home visitors and mental health practitioners providing direct services to children 0-3 years and their families in California. She collaborates with in-home visitors and center-based programs to evaluate interventions and practices used during service delivery and leadership, including Tribal in-home visiting programs. As a California Reflective Practice Mentor, Dr. Cortes supports programs to integrate Reflective Practice in their work setting by fostering supportive, respectful work environments that lead practitioners to experience professional growth.

Read more here

Vivian Weinstein was a visionary and leader in recognizing the high stake benefits and barriers to accurate information, planning, and collaboration from policy to service across the Early Care & Education (ECE) Community. In her honor, this Leadership Event brings together leaders from the field - legislators, administrators, service providers, students, and parents - to learn from each other, join the discussion, and find strength and partnerships for the critical years ahead.

Non-Member: $95

IDA Agency/Individual Member: $65

IDA Parent/Student/New Clinician Member: $45

IDA CE Hours: Nursing, PT, Speech and Language* $50 (7 hours)

CDI CE Hours: LCSW, LMFT, LEP, LPCC

(you will be invoiced)

*CEUs for SLPs can be used to fulfill California’s licensing board requirements. They are not sent to the ASHA registry. Participants should retain their IDA certificates and submit a Certification Maintenance Compliance form with ASHA.

ADA Requests: Contact IDA @ mail@idaofcal.org

with ADA request by Sept 23

Limited number of scholarships available

Above Flyer in PDF

Case Management Update - Adults

Christine Couch

Director of Consumer Services - Adults

Above Flyer in PDF Here

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month! The 2022 theme is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation". Now is the time to celebrate Hispanic heritage; learn about the many contributions and extensive history of the American Latino/Latinx/Caribbean community; and embrace a shared vision for the future. Tell your story-- it's rich, meaningful, and an important part of our equity and inclusion journey! #HispanicHeritageMonth

Stanislaus Asian American Community Resource - SAACR

This Saturday, September 24, from 12-630pmpm SAACR will offer a FREE CA VA58 Vaccine Mobile Clinic at Modesto Graceada Park. There is a free meal from a local food truck for everyone getting the vaccination! Covid-19 Booster vaccine is available for everyone 5 years old to adults. Bring your vaccination card or photo of the card from your phone. The Stanislaus Chinese Association will be celebrating their 50^th Anniversary from 3-6:30pm!! There will be lots of free entertainment with cultural performances from Taiwan, Cambodia, Hmong and more. Come with all your family & friends!! Wear your native clothes to show everyone your heritage!!

Saturday, October 8, Stanislaus County Voters!

Stanislaus County Elections Division is holding an event for Stanislaus County voters on Saturday, October 8. It is open to all voters, but may be especially helpful for individuals with disabilities. Insert flier

The event will provide information on accessible voting options and allow the public to try the Touch Writer and Remote Accessible Vote by Mail systems. They will also discuss language services.

Community Services Update

Brian Bennett

Director of Community Services

Continuing Education Opportunity

VMRC has coordinated with Willie Hausey Training Institute and is excited to offer the following training to service providers:

Grief, Loss and Bereavement In Covid-19 (2 Hours) On-Line

September 27, 2022 – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Additional training will be offered in the future. Please visit the website to see the complete course list:

www.trainingacademyinc.com

DDS is hosting an EVV webinar on September 27, 2022, from 3pm-4pm. The webinar will provide a back-to-basics review of EVV as well as updates on implementation activities for personal care and home health care services, including the Self-Determination Program.

Spanish and ASL interpretation will be provided. For additional accommodations, please email EVV@dds.ca.gov two weeks prior to the webinar.

Please click the link below to register.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

3:00-4:00 pm

Via Zoom

For questions, please email EVV@dds.ca.gov.

Thank you.

The Community Services Team will host Informational Sessions for all service providers of VMRC on the first Friday of each month- topics will be generated based on any recent DDS directive changes or other “hot button” topics related to the delivery of services and supports. On Friday October 7^th, VMRC and Community Care Licensing will discuss Hospice Waivers for residential settings and also share information related to “succession planning” for all service providers.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88548962379

Meeting ID: 885 4896 2379

California Mentor FHA is Looking for qualified Family Home Providers in VMRC’s Region

PDF Version of Above Flyer Here

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88548962379

Meeting ID: 885 4896 2379

We are proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the 4th Annual Health and Wellness Day for parents and caregivers put on by SpecialNeedsinmycity.org! We hope to see many of you at this wonderful event!

Join us out at Lodi Lake on Saturday, September 24th as we support our friends at the San Joaquin County Child Abuse Prevention Council in support of their Superhero Run to support their Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program that supports foster children to have a happy and healthy life!

Emergency Services Update

Aaron McDonald

Emergency Response Coordinator

National Preparedness Month: September 2022 “A Lasting Legacy”

Launched in 2004, National Preparedness Month (NPM) is The Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA (https://www.fema.gov) national annual preparedness outreach. NPM is managed and sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign. The Ready Campaign, in conjunction with the Ad Council, aims to educate and empower Americans during NPM and throughout the year to prepare for and respond to all types of emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. National Preparedness Month culminates on September 30th with National Preparedness Day, the National Day of Action.

The National Weather Service - NWS is proud to be participating in NPM. By doing so, they want to make sure YOU are prepared in case of a disaster (natural or man-made). If you haven't taken the time to think about how different disasters could affect you, then they challenge you to take the necessary steps to become informed and develop a plan for yourself, loved ones, pets and those we serve at VMRC. These simple steps could SAVE YOUR LIFE! Three weeks ago, we covered: Staying Informed: Learn Your Risks & Responses, two weeks ago we covered Making a Plan and last we covered Build A kit ( for those of you that missed it and would like for information please check out the VMRC Health Advisory from 9/2/22, 9/9/22, 9/16/22 and not to worry we will review it all on the 9/30/22 Health Advisory).

Step 4: Get Involved

Learn how you can help your community before, during and after a disaster or emergency.

Volunteer & Donate:

During disaster response, affected communities depend heavily on local and national volunteer organizations to provide trained volunteers and much-needed donated supplies. Get involved today by donating to or volunteering with a reputable organization.

Join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and get trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Here is a link to more information about CERT programs: https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/welcome-to-cert?language=en_US
During a disaster, you can donate to a reputable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD), and volunteer to respond to disasters and help your community. Remember, after a disaster, the best way to help is to donate cash to nonprofits organizations. Here is the link for information on NVOAD: https://www.nvoad.org/
Volunteer with your local community or a national organization to support preparedness efforts in your community.

Train & Educate:

You could help save countless lives by taking simple actions to prepare your community or organization for a disaster before one strikes. FEMA offers free trainings and education tools to train yourself and others on the best ways to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster or emergency.

You Are the Help Until Help Arrives, designed by FEMA, are offered as online or in-person trainings where you learn the basics of how to save a life before a professional arrives. For more information, please check out: https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/until-help-arrives?language=en_US
Teach preparedness curriculum in your school or childcare facility. Download everything you need for grades K-12 through our Ready Kids program at: https://www.ready.gov/educators-organizations
Promote preparedness online by sharing preparedness tips on your social media accounts with Ready’s online social media toolkit at: https://www.ready.gov/toolkits or public service announcements at: https://www.ready.gov/videos
Take a free online independent study course through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, here is a link for more information: https://training.fema.gov/emi.aspx or a CPR course through the American Red Cross and gain more knowledge to help your community become more prepared. Here is a link to the American Red Cross site: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class?scode=PSG00000E017&gclid=57709b62fffe1c87e08df9c24ef071c1&gclsrc=3p.ds&&cid=generator&med=cpc&source=google&msclkid=57709b62fffe1c87e08df9c24ef071c1&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=FACPR%7CNonBrand%7CNew&utm_term=first%20aid%20cpr&utm_content=CPR%2FFirst%20Aid
Take FEMA’s OPEN training at: https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/open-training?language=en_US to prepare your Community Based Organization for emergency needs.

North Valley Hills Update

Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930

The California State Council on Developmental Disabilities is happy to recognize and pay tribute to the history, culture, and influential contributions, generations of Hispanic Americans have made, which continue to enrich our state and nation.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities Awards Over $250,000 for New Program Ideas. Read the Cycle 45 Program Development Grant News Release here: https://conta.cc/3dp8XTs

Cycle 46 Program Development Grants will open for proposals in early/spring 2023. Keep following the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities on social media or join our mailing list to stay informed. https://scdd.ca.gov/join-our-mailing-list/ About: Program Development Grants https://scdd.ca.gov/grantinformation/ are used by the Council to meet federal and state mandates and provide resources to build new and innovative programs and services. These grants are an important part of the Council's State Plan https://scdd.ca.gov/stateplan/ strategy to create change in systems that provide services and supports to people with I/DD and their families.

ARE YOU A SELF-ADVOCATE AND WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY?

The California State Council on Developmental Disabilities is collecting stories from self-advocates as part of our efforts to phase out subminimum wage.

Please share any experiences you have had working in sheltered workshops and working for subminimum wage. We also want to hear about your dream job and career goals. No dream is too big. The sky's the limit!

You can share your stories online https://bit.ly/3tH81hm or use #CACIEDream when connecting with us on social media.

Above Flyer in PDF Here

How to connect to SCDD through Social Media

Family Resource Network (FRN) Update

Lisa Culley, Executive Director

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 ask any questions about Sibshop. The next Sibshop is scheduled for Friday, October 14, 2022, in Stockton.