Category: Health

Bilingual report — Covered California Supports the Biden Administration’s Proposal to Expand Affordable Coverage to More Californians by Fixing the So-Called “Family Glitch”

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Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman commended President Joe Biden’s administration for finalizing the proposed fix to the “Family Glitch,” an issue that had prevented millions of Americans with unaffordable employer health insurance from getting marketplace coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

“Covered California supports this proposed rule change, which will build on the Affordable Care Act’s vision and intent to expand access to affordable health insurance, by opening the door of coverage to millions of Americans.

This is a new era for the Affordable Care Act, as Covered California prepares to enter its 10th open enrollment period, with increased financial help available for those who need coverage as well as our 1.7 million enrollees.

With renewal beginning Oct. 18 and open enrollment starting Nov. 1, we look forward to spending the next four months getting every Californian covered.”

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Two CSUCI faculty members receive grant from National Science Foundation to streamline imaging for science and medicine

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If a doctor wants to get a closer look at a tumor inside of a patient, or if scientists want to get a detailed image of a plant, animal or inanimate structure, scientists and doctors frequently rely on sophisticated imaging devices. 

Powering some of the most sophisticated imaging devices are ions. Working to make ion sources even more efficient, accessible, and able to handle large amounts of data are CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Computer Science Scott Feister, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Alona Kryshchenko, Ph.D. 

“If you want create a beam of radiation to take a picture of something you can’t see with the naked eye, you could use an ion source,” Feister explained. “There are instruments around the world that create and use ions in this way. The ions offer a source of ‘lighting’ for the picture, the way a flashbulb is used to offer a source of lighting for photos.” 

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Bilingual report — County of Ventura — Preparing for the 2022 Flu Season

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As we enter Flu Season, the Ventura County Health Care Agency is reminding the community that the best way to protect against the flu virus is to receive an annual flu vaccine.

The Ventura County Health Care Agency is offering multiple options for the community to conveniently receive a flu shot, through our Ambulatory Care Clinic system, Public Health Clinics, as well as pop-up community clinics.

Although seasonal influenza (flu) viruses are detected year-round in the United States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. The timing and duration of flu season can vary, but influenza activity often begins to increase in October, and most often, flu activity peaks between December and February.

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Guest contribution — Younger By The Days offers holistic wellness therapy and much needed ‘me time’ to Santa Barbara residents

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People looking for physical strength, mental balance and inner peace turn to healing practitioner Beatrice Appay of Santa Barbara-based Younger By The Days, a recognized authority on how to obtain balance and peace within and for yourself.

A scientist, anatomy expert and experienced professional in her wellness craft, Appay is known for exercising patience, compassion, empathy, kindness and determination in guiding her students and clients.

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Bilingual commentary — The Specter of Nuclear War

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Those of us who were in grade school in the 1950s and early 60s will never forget the “duck and cover” drills we used to have in our classrooms. This was a Civil Defense exercise that put the fear of nuclear war into our little heads. At least once a month, as best I recall, we would hear the sirens wailing at 10 a.m. on a Friday. We knew what to do: kneel and drop, face down, below our desk—that mighty protector of our young lives—and cover our necks and heads with our arms and hands as much as possible. 

The Soviet Union became a nuclear power in 1949, and suddenly we had a threatening nuclear rival. The Cold War that followed World War II was replete with the rattles of sabers and ominous words, not too unlike what we are hearing today from the leaders of Russia, the remnant of the Soviet Union.

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Bilingual report — Local Health Care Providers Propel CenCal Health to top 5% Nationwide in Postpartum Care

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CenCal Health, the community health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, received high marks in two respected professional health care assessments — the national Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®), and the state-wide report on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®). With results released in 2022, the findings in both annual audits concluded that, in multiple categories, CenCal Health and its providers delivered exceptional care to child members, as well as members that are new mothers and members with diabetes

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Bilingual report — Community Health Needs Assessment Calls on Residents for Input Findings will help identify population health concerns in Santa Barbara County

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Cottage Health and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, along with several other community organizations, are partnering to improve the well-being of Santa Barbara County residents. To better understand the needs and strengths of the entire community, and the many diverse groups within it, the collaborative is asking residents to participate in a Community Health Needs Assessment. 

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Bilingual report — Save the Date — 2022 State of the (Ventura) County on Nov. 30

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This FREE in-person and virtual event will highlight the collective work that makes Ventura County one of the best places to live, work, and play. Join us for a presentation and discussion about this year’s accomplishments and opportunities with a discussion about top priorities to address into the future.

Enjoy a presentation by keynote speaker County of Ventura Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson followed by a panel discussion among community leaders on key issues facing our communities.

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Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. (CEDC) — Gov. Newsom Announces Over $1 Billion in Housing Accelerator Awards

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The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) announced on Sept. 29 that it has been awarded $26,246,464 from a California Housing Accelerator grant from the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). The funding is part of the California Housing Accelerator Comeback Plan, which is designed to assist in ending homelessness and providing affordable housing.

“The quick, strategic investments the state has made through the California Housing Accelerator brings us another step closer to the 2.5 million homes needed by 2030, as outlined in our Statewide Housing Plan,” said Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Just one year after Governor Gavin Newsom announced the California Housing Accelerator, HCD has helped partners unlock the ability to construct over 5,000 quality affordable homes that were stuck waiting for funding. Roughly 80 percent of all Accelerator units will be for extremely low to very low-income households and unhoused residents.”

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Lumina Alliance & Cal Poly Safer Welcome October as Dating & Domestic Violence Action Month

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A Theme of “We Deserve” calls attention to the rights of all people in relationships SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance and Cal Poly Safer are calling attention to Dating and Domestic Violence Action Month this October. The theme,…

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United Way of Ventura County — Compassion + Results

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Dear Friends,

Fall is officially here and it’s hard to believe that 2023 is just around the corner. As we celebrate 77 years of Uniting Ventura County, I am so proud of how your local United Way has responded throughout these challenging times, but our support is only possible because of the continued generosity of our community. It’s your generosity that powers the programs serving those in need and changing lives. Lives like John, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Please read his testimonial.

“With only social security, and no family to fall back on, I began a search for a place I could settle down in. The money I had on hand didn’t last long and then the pandemic hit. At this point, I didn’t have a place to call home and I started living in my car. I connected with United Way and they gave me a sense of hope in the real possibility of finding somewhere to live. They helped me find a place in a senior living apartment complex. They also helped with furniture, bedding, dishes, and utensils. The compassion and care they showed gave me confidence that things would work out. I feel fortunate because of their efforts.”

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September News from People’s Self-Help Housing

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In honor of National Latinx Heritage Month, we celebrate the innumerable contributions of the heritages and cultures that daily enrich our communities. 

At People’s, the majority of our staff and residents identify as Latinx.  We are committed to growing in a direction that align with the needs voiced by those we serve, whose lived experience has been shaped by Latinx heritage, and to especially address past disparities and present day inequities.

To further strengthen our Latinx communities, we ask you to continue to support our mission.  Your investments and partnership meaningfully impact lives each day.  May all go well for you and yours, as we enter the Fall Season together!

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Innovative and Family Friendly, Ventura County Children & Family Services Offers Strengthening and Support to Keep Families Together

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Ventura County Children and Family Services is working to transform child welfare to better serve our communities in one of the most forward-thinking family strengthening efforts in the State.   

For nearly a decade, Ventura County Children and Family Services have sought to shift child welfare practice from traditional methods of removal and compliance to a wellness system approach to strengthening families. This innovative approach better supports families and gives children of all ages in out-of-home (foster) care the chance to be reunified with their birth parents—or never to need to leave home at all.

“Strengthening VC Families was founded on the belief that every child deserves permanency, and every family deserves to stay together whenever it is safe. We also believe that it takes an entire community to help keep a family together,” said Judy Webber, Director, Children & Family Services. “The main goal is to keep children safe while strengthening their families and providing services for their families so they can reunify permanently.”

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Triunfo Water & Sanitation District Board Approves Reducing Sprinkler Irrigation Time From 15 to 10 Minutes Per Station

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At its September 19 meeting, the Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD) board of directors approved reducing the amount of once-a-week sprinkler irrigation time per water station from 15 to 10 minutes. The reduction in watering time takes effect October 1.

TWSD gets its water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). The TWSD decision follows an MWD directive requiring the more restrictive provision. For more on the one-day-per-week watering restrictions, go to https://www.triunfowsd.com/faq.

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Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Volunteer Services Awards $27,000 in Scholarships

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Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) Volunteer Services has awarded nine $3,000 scholarships to local students who reside or work in the Santa Ynez Valley and plan to pursue college studies in health-related careers.

The scholarship awards totaling $27,000 are made possible through proceeds from the New to You Thrift Store in Solvang. New to You Thrift store is staffed entirely by Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital volunteers who generously donate more than 16,000 hours of their time and talents each year to support the hospital.

Scholarship recipients were selected by SYVCH Scholarship Committee members Jacky Green, Martha Nedegaard, Brenda Loskamp and Susan Snekvik.

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Bilingual report — Ventura County Sustainability Division Gets a New Look, Launches New Online Hub to Support Climate Action

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The County of Ventura’s Sustainability Division has launched a new online hub to support local climate action, available at sustain.ventura.org. Community members and partners can now easily access sustainability resources and information about county progress towards meeting climate action goals and find information about local sustainability events and initiatives.

“Climate change is presenting challenges and opportunities to Ventura County,” said Chair of the Board Matt LaVere. “Our new Sustainability website provides our residents tools to directly engage with these issues by allowing them to participate in local climate action, social equity, and economic vitality efforts and learn about actions our Board has taken in support of a sustainable and resilient future.”

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Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Recognized as National Leader in Treating Sepsis

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Sepsis is not an infection. It is not contagious. Sepsis is the body’s reaction to an infection.

More than 1.5 million people in the United States develop sepsis each year, and at least 270,000 Americans die from sepsis annually. 

Normally, the immune system fights and controls infections, but for unknown reasons, this process breaks down during sepsis. As sepsis progresses, the immune system stops fighting the infection and becomes overactive, which can lead to severe sepsis, and even septic shock. 

This can result in irreversible tissue damage, organ failure, and even death. Like a stroke or heart attack, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment with fluids and antibiotics.

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Bilingual commentary — The Flaw in Biden’s “Cancer Moonshot”

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Laudably, President Joe Biden has reignited the “Cancer Moonshot” that he had previously launched in 2016 when he was vice president. There is now renewed energy, new leadership, and more advanced medical experience, knowledge, and technology. The goal is now more focused: to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years. 

The initiative was termed a “moonshot” to evoke the historic call by the late President John F. Kennedy to land a man on the moon within a decade. So far in our history, nothing compares with the boldness, wisdom, and foresight of that vow to take the “giant leap for mankind.” Nonetheless, a spirited call to take on the current, daunting epidemic of cancer in the United States and save American lives is certainly a necessary step in the right direction.

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Bilingual report — Join the Oxnard Fire Department at Upcoming Fire Prevention Week 2022 Events

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 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) created Fire Prevention Week to promote fire safety at home and in the workplace. This year the Oxnard Fire Department joins the association in celebration of Fire Prevention Week’s 100th anniversary and its “Fire won’t wait, plan your escape” campaign with a series of community events throughout Oxnard.

According to the NFPA, you may have two minutes or less to safely leave a home once your smoke alarm goes off. Having a fire evacuation plan will help to keep you and your family safe.

“It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that each home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different,” said Stephen McNaughten, Oxnard Fire Marshal. “Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that you plan to help them.”

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Bilingual report — Ventura County Animal Services reports FEE-WAIVED kitten and cat adoptions through Sunday!

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Dear Friends, Ventura County Animal Services is holding a 4-day FEE-WAIVED* kitten and cat adoption promotion through Sunday, September 25th at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley Animal Shetlers.  Promotion available for all adoptable cats.  Please note that promotions do…

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Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program Announces New Group for LBGTQ+ Community

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Livingston is pleased to announce a new free 10-week closed-ended grief support group program for our LBGTQ+ community, Understanding Your Grief, written by author, educator, and grief counselor, Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD. The program is intended to companion you on your own unique grief journey. 

Registration for the group ends October 3rd. Group will meet in person and space is limited. Please contact Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program for reservations at 805-389-6870 or online at lmvna.org/grief.

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Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) — Statewide Battery Recycling Programs Created Under New Law

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Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Responsible Battery Recycling Act today as part of a larger climate action package. Together, SB 1215 and AB 2440 will create a statewide collection and recycling program for consumer batteries and products that contain batteries. The signing of these bills mark the culmination of many years of effort to address battery waste.

California classifies batteries as hazardous waste and bans them from solid waste landfills because of the hazardous metals and corrosive materials that batteries contain. When improperly discarded, batteries pose serious fire, health and safety hazards that disrupt the state’s waste stream and poison the environment. …

“Few people know that batteries are actually hazardous waste and those of us who do have containers of used batteries we don’t know what to do with. This means the majority of batteries end up in curbside waste bins, causing damage to our recycling facilities which ultimately requires rate payers to pay more on our utility bills,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of AB 2440.

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CSUCI Health Science major is named a CSU Trustee Scholar

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CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Health Science major Daisy Morado Navarrete is taking a full load -16 units- this semester, maintaining a 3.92 grade point average (GPA) and spending four hours a week at St. John’s Regional Medical Center helping to translate for Spanish-speaking patients.

Her talent, determination, academic excellence and generosity of spirit are among the reasons she has received the 2022 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. Navarette is among the 23 students—one from each CSU campus—chosen by the CSU Board of Trustees as a 2022-2023 scholar.

The CSU Trustees’ Award is the university’s highest recognition of students who demonstrate superior academic performance. Each donor-funded scholarship bears the name of a donor; Navarette is the recipient of the TELACU scholarship.

All the scholars will be honored on Tuesday, Sept. 13 as part of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting.

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The First-Ever UndocuFund Summit hosted by 805 UndocuFund, UndocuFund, and Latino Community Foundation, Calling for Equitable Disaster Relief to be held Sept. 18-20

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UndocuFund, 805 UndocuFund and The Latino Community Foundation (LCF), will co-host the first-ever UndocuFund Summit during the start of peak wildfire season in California. From September 18-20th at North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP) in Sonoma, the Summit will convene leaders from over 30 grassroots immigrant-serving organizations across California that responded to the pandemic and other disasters. Community leaders will highlight the experiences of undocumented Californians throughout the state and explore collective state and federal advocacy efforts.

“Undocumented workers contribute billions to the economy, yet are excluded from federal disaster aid,” said Beatrice Camacho, Director of UndocuFund in Sonoma County. “Without a safety net, California’s undocumented essential workers have labored through wildfires and smoke, 110 plus degree heatwaves, and the pandemic. They were forced to risk their lives to keep food on the nation’s table during devastating disasters. Now it’s time for California to make them a priority.” 

California is home to 10.6 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) who comprise 27 percent of California’s population. Recent data shows that one in five children in the state are U.S. citizens living with at least one undocumented family member (1.7 million children in total).

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Bilingual commentary — The Angry Sun

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As we know all too well, Californians have been suffering recently with the “heat domes” that seem to enjoy settling, for days at a time, over our region in the Southwest. The resulting inferno bakes us, unmercifully, in a sweltering heat. The suffering we experience forces us to admit that yes, despite those who rant and confuse climate with weather, we are in fact facing a potential collapse of earth’s climate systems.

And yet many of us here in Ventura County live relatively close to the beach. We along the coast, at least, are consistently among the cooler spots in this entire corner of the country—if not the entire country (except for Alaska—usually). We are indeed fortunate when we compare our climate to that of California’s Central Valley, for example. 

Still, we suffer, though our suffering is relative. We can’t help but feel that we’ve angered the sun when in fact we’ve angered the earth.

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Bilingual report — Bird Tests Positive For West Nile Virus

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On September 13, 2022, the Ventura County Environmental Health Division (Division) received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health that a bird collected during the fourth week of August from the City of Simi Valley area tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). This is the first bird collected in 2022 to test positive for WNV in Ventura County. There are no confirmed human cases at this time.

WNV is considered endemic, so we can expect the virus to stay in our environment.

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Bilingual report — Unpermitted Food Vendors – Residents and Visitors Beware of Foodborne Illness

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The County of Ventura’s Environmental Health Division (Division) advises the public against consuming food and beverages made or sold by street vendors that do not possess a valid health permit.

Informational Flyer

Food trucks and food carts that operate with a health permit are expected to follow food safety laws and are subject to routine health inspections by the Division. These vendors will have an identifying sticker issued by the County of Ventura on the vehicle or cart that looks like this:

The Division is seeing an increase in unpermitted food sales from food carts and pop-up food stands throughout the county. Many unpermitted vendors are coming from areas outside of Ventura County. These vendors are unfairly impacting local vendors who have obtained their licenses and training to do business in Ventura County.

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Bilingual report — CalAIM Arrives in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties

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The California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal program – known as CalAIM – is the far-reaching, multi-year plan to transform Medi-Cal. The long-term mission of CalAIM is to offer 14+ million Californians a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered approach to maximizing their health and life trajectory. The comprehensive program was developed by the State of California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, the local health plan CenCal Health is responsible for managing the implementation of CalAIM with its community partners.

CalAIM will provide expanded services that go beyond traditional medical care, addressing social factors that affect human health from birth to end of life, including homelessness, behavioral health, care of older adults, services for individuals transitioning from incarceration, and beyond. CalAIM is the State’s largest overhaul of how Medi-Cal services are delivered and paid since the implementation of managed care in the late 1970’s.

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Bilingual report — County of Ventura Selects First-Ever Disability Access Manager

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Following a nationwide recruitment, the County of Ventura’s Executive Office has selected Dani Anderson as the County’s first-ever Disability Access Manager to expand community engagement efforts and improve service delivery for individuals with disability access and functional needs.

“We are thrilled to have Dani Anderson join our team. She brings extensive professional and lived experience that will help us build upon efforts to ensure county services are accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities and other functional needs, particularly in emergency response,” said Interim County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson. “Ensuring that our services align with the needs of our community members is critical, and we believe Dani is the perfect person for this new role.”

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Bilingual commentary — Lessons from the Black Death of the Middle Ages

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Many Americans who are “done” with the pandemic and its devastation are ready to “move on” and “get back to a normal life.” Would that we could actually do this.

The pandemic may in fact be in the rear-view mirror. The problem is that we just don’t know if it is in retreat as we go on with our lives. We don’t want to think about it anymore. Unfortunately, it may be in that rear-view mirror because it is catching up to us, once again, from behind. This is the kind of thing that happened in the Middle Ages in Europe starting in the 14th century. 

The Bubonic Plague, also known as the “Black Death,” caused massive devastation in Western Europe and surrounding regions. We in the modern age, armed with vaccines and highly effective treatments, do not expect to ever face such horrors. Still, we have lost over a million Americans to COVID-19 and continue to lose several hundred American lives each day. 

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Guest commentary — My Covid Story: My descent into Hell and back (by the grace of the Spirit)

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The murky blinding white lights of eternity:

It was touch and go for a couple weeks with me and my recent bout of Covid. In my worst feverish bouts of acute pain, hallucination and delirium a couple of times I swear I saw those murky blinding white lights of eternity. In the past three years we had been one of the real lucky families in this country. We had been dodging and miraculously avoided get infected with Covid. We had done everything scientifically and deliberately possible to stay away from the deadly disease. I have a chronic, pervasive,  and serious auto immune defect in my nervous system that seems to have been passed on to all my children.  We are a super high risk family, so we made a very conscience decision to isolate from everyone and everything.

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Community Environmental Council applauds the California Legislature for passing a range of impressive climate bills

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The Community Environmental Council applauds the California Legislature for passing a range of impressive climate bills last night. These bills and the federal government’s recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act provide the strongest tailwinds for climate progress that the United States has ever experienced. We urge the governor to sign these important measures to continue California’s climate and environmental leadership. Where California innovates, other states and nations follow, and 2022 is rapidly becoming the most momentous year for progress toward solving the climate crisis.

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Bilingual report — County of Ventura News & COVID-19 Update for Aug. 30

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If you test positive for COVID-19, there are treatments you can take at home that are safe and effective at preventing severe illness.

Most treatments must be started within 5 days of getting symptoms, so get tested and talk to your health care provider or find a Test to Treat location as soon as you notice symptoms. Your health care provider or Test to Treat site can tell you if you are eligible to receive treatment and which type would work best for you. To find a Test to Treat location near you, or for more information about COVID-19 therapeutics visit: www.vcrecovers.org/therapeutics/. If you are immunocompromised, ask your health care provider today if pre-exposure prevention therapy with Evusheld would be right for you.

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Bilingual report — Covered California Announces Second Straight Year of Premium Decreases for Dental Plans

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Covered California announced today that the statewide weighted average rate change for dental coverage in 2023 will be a decrease of 1.7 percent, marking the second straight year that premiums have gone down, and continuing the trend of holding costs steady for consumers.

“The pandemic forced many people to put their dental needs on hold, and dentists saw increased cases of cavities, gum disease and stress-related tooth damage,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “The good news is that rates are going down for the second consecutive year, which will help Californians get the dental care they need at a price they can afford.”

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Bilingual report — State Awards County and Camarillo-Based Casa Pacifica Additional $5.9 Million in Homekey Funds

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The State has awarded the County of Ventura an additional $5.9 million in Homekey funds to expand Casa Pacifica Center for Children and Families’ Stepping Stones project in Camarillo in the County’s third Homekey award. Governor Gavin Newsom announced the awarded funding on August 24, 2022, as part of the statewide program, for the renovation of three existing buildings at Casa Pacifica to create 27 new units of transitional housing and high-quality support services for Transition Aged Youth (ages 18-24) who are experiencing homelessness or are at-risk of homelessness.

“This announcement marks great progress towards ending homelessness in Ventura County,” said Acting Chair of the Board of Supervisors Matt LaVere. “Thanks to these significant state funding opportunities that our County has pursued in collaboration with community partners, we can provide homes and supportive services to some of our most vulnerable residents more rapidly.”

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Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Central Coast ZEV Strategy Plan, Air conditioning, Women’s Commissioners and More

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Electric cars are the future of transportation, and the number of these vehicles on the road continues to grow. We want to make charging as effortless as possible and need the public’s help to identify opportunities to make it even better and easier to charge on the fly.

Here is one thing you can do to help make a difference in the fight against climate change.

Help us identify sites for more electric vehicle charging stations by leaving a comment or dropping a pin on this interactive online map, www.bit.ly/CCZEV

The goal is to identify ideal locations for NEW public charging stations in six California coastal counties between Ventura, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties.

The information gathered from the interactive online mapping tool will help create the Central Coast Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy, a tool to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in this region.

More charging stations are needed to recharge vehicles, particularly in rural and traditionally underserved communities.

Learn more at www.centralcoastzevstrategy.com.

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Lifespan offers comprehensive mental health services under one roof

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With the pandemic causing numerous mental health challenges, school starting again and life in general bringing plenty of stress, the need for psychological services continues to grow. And for many, finding quality services covered by insurance is no easy task. That’s why Lifespan: A Center for Family Psychological Services recently opened its doors with a goal of providing affordable mental health services — including psychological testing, therapy and neurofeedback — to meet a wide variety of community needs.

“We started Lifespan because we want to take care of our community,” said co-founder Beatrix Wagner, Psy.D. “By accepting insurance and offering several services under one roof, we make it affordable, quick and convenient for people to get access to the mental health support they need.”

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Nyeland Promise Recognized as Nonprofit of the Year

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Nyeland Promise was selected as Nonprofit of the Year by the West Ventura County Business Alliance. The Nyeland Promise Founders, Mike Barber and Mary Anne Rooney along with the volunteer corps, Comadres and Compadres were present at Heritage Square to accept their very hard and earned award for their dedication to serving the Nyeland Acres community.

Nyeland Promise was formed by, and is led by, the residents of Nyeland Acres in order to provide advocacy and resources to the community and improve the quality of life. Nyeland Acres is approximately 93% Hispanic and is considered a Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community.

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Gold Coast Health Plan Reaches Settlement with Federal Regulators

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Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) has reached a mediated settlement with federal regulators on a 7-year-old dispute regarding disbursements of Medicaid funding to network providers for the benefit of the then-newly eligible adult expansion population resulting from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Under the mediated settlement agreement, GCHP agreed to pay $17.2 million – about 24% of the total settlement – and enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with federal regulators.

The settlement reflects a compromise resolution of a multi-year disagreement between GCHP and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the appropriate amount of disbursements to its providers under the Adult Expansion Program.

“Although Gold Coast Health Plan believes that its disbursements to providers under this program were lawful and proper, we agreed to participate in a mediation with the regulators to reach a settlement to prevent an expensive and protracted process,” said Nick Liguori, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “The settlement reflects a compromise that will finally and fully resolve this dispute.”

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Bilingual report — Covered California Hails the Signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, Which Will Continue to Provide Lower Costs and Expanded Access to Quality Health Insurance for Californians

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The Inflation Reduction Act extends the increased financial help initially provided by the American Rescue Plan through the end of 2025. The increased subsidies expanded health care coverage, leading to record enrollment in California and across the nation, and lowered…

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The City Center in Ventura, a bridge between homelessness and success for families with children, kicks off Year 2 of their GoFundMe Drive to own their own home

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The City Center’s Year 2 fundraising drive is about to kick off. They must continue raising funds for The City Center to purchase their own home. Historically, 53% of their monthly costs were for rent, so buying the converted motel in downtown Ventura has been a big priority. Board member and longtime supporter of The City Center, John Exell, said, “The City Center program has proven success – we have seven years of no program graduates returning to homelessness, a testament to our unique program. Our program is difficult, with many tough goals set, but we provide mentoring and counseling to help our residents become self-sufficient and thrive”.    

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