Health Advisory LII: VMRC Community Notice

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Fifty-Second

Community Health Advisory Coronavirus (COVID-19)

weekly message from the Executive Director

By The Numbers

This time last year we still had not reported a single positive case of COVID-19, and this week we have just passed 700 cases during the pandemic. For the third week in a row our reported positive cases have dropped, and this week is our biggest drop of 52% (8 consumers and 4 providers). All of our mountain counties have moved into the Red Tier and many local services have begun to open on a limited capacity. While our two largest counties, San Joaquin and Stanislaus, have remained in the Purple Tier, we continue to see progress. Regarding that most popular question "when will the day program open" I can only say that there is a lot of activity on the state level looking at reopening precautions and policies. Community Care Licensing (CCL) has a form that all day programs are completing, and we are going to receive those plans after CCL approves them. The plans outline the precautions all programs are taking to keep people safe and what their gradual reopen plans will be. The main indicator will be the county public health officials giving direction to day programs or similar local services to operate in their counties, and some providers in different parts of the state have already begun to receive these clearances from public health officials. One last step we are instituting is that we’d like assurances that consumers are ready and willing to return to the program site which will be discussed in a planning team meeting with the consumer. Just as you would take your seat belt off a couple of blocks from your house be sure to stay this course, we are getting closer each week.

Number 52 - A Years' Worth of Health Advisories

Please check out our video marking this day as the year anniversary for the Health Advisory and our region's COVID-19 response and honoring those we lost to the virus.

Tony Anderson

Executive Director

Valley Mountain Regional Center

Case Management Update

Important Update about Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccine

On March 15, people with certain significant, high-risk medical conditions or disabilities, including developmental disabilities, became eligible for vaccines statewide. This decision was made to help save the lives of people who are at high-risk of death and severe complications from COVID-19. Criteria includes people with a range of physical and behavioral disabilities. Examples include:

· All eligible consumers of regional centers

· Those receiving services from Independent Living Centers

· Those receiving In-Home Supportive Services

· Community-Based Adult Services/Adult Day Health Centers

· Medi-Cal HIV/AIDS Waiver

· Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Alternatives Waiver

· Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver

· Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

· California Children’s Services Program (if the child is 16-21 years old)

· California Genetically Handicapped Persons Program

The national supply of the vaccine remains limited, so appointments for the estimated 4.4 million Californians with these conditions or disabilities will not immediately be available to all who are eligible. As supply increases throughout the spring, more appointments for vaccines will become available. How to sign up for the vaccine: https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/

Your Service Coordinator is available to support you in making appointments. To protect confidentiality, verification documentation of the diagnosis or type of disability is not required, but instead anyone meeting the eligibility requirements may be asked to sign a self-attestation that they meet the criteria. VMRC sent out personalized letters last week to all individuals over the age of 16 served by VMRC. These personalized letters can be used as proof of eligibility to receive a vaccine.

Ceres Youth is 4-H Proud

Abbie Milligan, a 17 year-old Junior at Central Valley High in Ceres was recently elected as FFA Sweetheart. She was first nominated for the honor and then voted on by her peers.

Abbie is an honor roll student and is actively involved in school activities such as photography, dance and FFA. Diagnosed with Down syndrome, she is an inspiration to all. She is very active in 4-H, having been part of that organization since she was five years of age. Abbie is now a 4-H Ambassador for Stanislaus County & Secretary for her local 4-H club. She competes in 4-H Presentation Day and she shows calves, rabbits, guinea pigs, and cows at the local fair. The pandemic affected some of her plans, but she always sees the bright side of things, “I’m lucky to have my family and extra time to love them, but I miss 4-H and fair and camp and friends. I like sleeping in. School doesn’t start until 9am now, and usually I would be on the bus by 6:30am.”

After graduating from high school with a diploma, Abbie plans on attending Wayfinders at Fresno State where she hopes to gain skills to live independently. Abbie would like to either work at a coffee house or be employed doing floral design after graduating. She also hopes to be an advocate for persons with disabilities. – Amy Browning, PM Modesto

Housing Assistance Resources

The Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) announced that its CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program website began accepting applications on Tuesday, March 16.

It is estimated that as many as 1.5 million California renters are behind on rent and at risk of eviction because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program will be a lifeline to renters and landlords. It clears accumulated rental debt, keeps the hardest-hit families in their homes, and will lead to a more equitable economic recovery.

California tenants or landlords can visit this link for help: https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/index.html or they can call toll-free 833-430-2122.

All In for Self-Determination

The Self-Determination Conference will be held April 16-18 and our local Self-Determination Advisory Committee (SDAC) is inviting you to attend. If you have an interest in the program, this will be a very worthwhile conference for you.

Conference registration includes access to the conference platform and participation in all sessions and Expo plus a conference T-shirt and the Thinking Outside the Box manual, which will be mailed in advance.

All current SDP participants can register, with DVU invoicing your FMS. All other consumers and families interested, please register and indicate VMRC SDAC in the narrative section on the form, and as a guest of SDAC, billing will occur through agreement with DVU. Contact your Service Coordinator with any questions. Registration is available at the following link: https://registration.socio.events/e/allin4sd

Cindy Mix

Director of Consumer Services

Clinical Update

The much awaited date of March 15^th came for our community. Our consumers, 16 years and older, living independently or with their families can now avail of the COVID-19 Vaccine, subject to availability at the vaccine provider clinics. Most of the things described here are to help our consumers and their circle of support to get the much needed vaccine to their arms.

Below are the details from the California Department of Public Health Fact Sheet:

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/vaccine-high-risk-factsheet.aspx

How do people with these high-risk conditions or disabilities get a vaccine?

There are five primary ways you may be able to find an appointment after March 15. Vaccine supply remains limited nationwide.

1. Your Health Care Provider: We strongly recommend individuals with these conditions seek vaccination with a primary health care provider or system, or in an alternate clinical setting. Check first with your usual health care provider to see if they have vaccines and available appointments. Health care providers who have vaccines may also begin reaching out to you, as a patient with a significant, high-risk medical condition or disability known to the provider, to schedule your vaccine appointment.

2. Pharmacies: You can check your local pharmacies to see if they have vaccines and available appointments. For the month of March, federal direction is that all school and child care staff are prioritized for pharmacy vaccines, so supply for other populations remains limited.

3. Your Local Health Department: Your local health department’s website will continue to have information about how to find available vaccine appointments, even as national supply remains limited.

4. Community Pop-Up Clinics: Community pop-up clinics for people with high-risk medical conditions and disabilities will roll out in mid-March and will be targeted for equity to those living in communities with the lowest Healthy Place Index scores. Community partners will outreach to people eligible for the pop up clinics.

5. MyTurn: Throughout the spring, as vaccine supply increases and the statewide vaccinator network grows, you will be able to schedule an appointment through California’s MyTurn, in two ways:

• On-line at https://myturn.ca.gov. The MyTurn website is accessible to people with disabilities and in eight languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Japanese.

• Calling the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255 or 1-833-4CA-4ALL (M-F 8AM-8PM, Sa-Su 8AM-5PM). The Hotline is accessible to people with disabilities and offers services in English and Spanish, with connections to interpretive services in more than 250 languages.

You will be asked to state that you have a high-risk medical condition or disability, either to book an available appointment or to register for notice of future appointments made available as supply increases. You will be able to request an accommodation at your vaccine site through MyTurn.

Will I need to verify I have a high-risk medical condition or disability when I go to my appointment?

To protect confidentiality, verification documentation of the diagnosis or type of disability is not required but instead anyone meeting the eligibility requirements will be asked to sign a self-attestation that they meet the criteria for high-risk medical conditions or disabilities.

VMRC has mailed letters to eligible consumers 16 years old and older on March 12, 2021. This letter is to verify that the name on the letter is an individual served by Valley Mountain Regional Center. If you haven’t received your letter and needs a copy, please contact your VMRC Service Coordinator.

How do I get transportation to a vaccine site?

For current options, check with your health care provider, local health department, or local pharmacy.

If you receive Medi-Cal through a managed care plan, contact your plan’s member service department to request assistance for transportation to received covered benefits. If you receive Medi-Cal through Fee-for-Service (FFS), you can access a list of Non-Medical Transportation (NMT) providers in your county and you can contact them directly to arrange transportation to your appointments. If there is not a provider in your area, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) can assist if you email them DHCSNMT@dhcs.ca.gov. Please do NOT include personal information in your first email. DHCS staff will reply with a secure email asking for your information about the appointment. If you have a need for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, please inform your medical provider who can prescribe this service and put you in touch with a transportation provider to coordinate your ride to and from your appointment(s).

Below are information to get transportation from the various Managed Health Care Groups:

Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal for Transportation, call 1-800-407-4627 (TTY 711).

https://mss.anthem.com/california-medicaid/home.html

Health Plan of San Joaquin Transportation, call 209-942-6320.

Health NET Transportation, call 1-855-253-6823

Non-emergency medical transport – wheelchair bound - call 48 hours in advance.

Non-medical transport – ambulatory - call 24 hours in advance.

How do I get a vaccine at home, if I am unable to travel to a vaccine site?

For current options, check with your health care provider, local health department, or local pharmacy.

We have had feedback that some get a “not available” answer at the MyTurn website. You may try again another day or better yet, utilize the local county websites for other vaccine providers in the community where you live. Each local county public health office have detailed information in their websites, and if you scroll down, you will see the other vaccine providers that are not in the MyTurn website that have available slots for appointments. Some of them are walk-in clinics. Below are the website links for each county in our catchment area and tips on how to find those vaccine sites and register:

AMADOR COUNTY

Link: https://www.amadorgov.org/services/public-health/covid-19/vaccine-information

Instruction: Scroll down to see the date with time and link to register to that vaccine clinic. If you scroll down further, there is instruction on how to get vaccine through Safeway and the link.

CALAVERAS COUNTY

Link: https://covid19.calaverasgov.us/

Instruction: Register to be vaccinated at https://myturn.ca.gov or call 1-833-422-4255. To be eligible you must live or work in Calaveras County and belong to a sector or age group currently open to vaccination. (Due to a technical issue with the My Turn program, those registering on https://myturn.ca.gov/ to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine and live in the 95223 area (Arnold) should enter 95222 as their zip code when searching for a location near you.)

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Link: https://sjready.org/events/covid19/vaccines.html

Instruction: Please scroll down to “Upcoming Vaccine Events” see the dates with Vaccine Clinic Site and the link to register to them. Scroll down further to see “Approved Vaccine Providers in San Joaquin County” and see the list of other locations where you can register to get a vaccine. Each location has a link to register.

Costco Stockton is now offering the COVID-19 vaccines to our consumers and all those in the tiers that the county and state has approved. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of Antonia Hernandez, Director of PCS Supported Living Services.

This is a list of the Vaccine events in San Joaquin County:

· San Joaquin Delta College Shima Parking Lot, 5151 Pacific Ave., Stockton, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

· Lodi Grape Festival Grounds, 413 E. Lockeford St., Lodi, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

· Robert Cabral Agricultural Center, 2101 E. Earhart Ave., Stockton, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

· Manteca Transit Center, 220 Moffat Blvd., Manteca, noon-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

· For more information about SJReady vaccine events, visit www.SJReady.org.

· RTD, SJReady partner to offer free rides to COVID vaccination sites in San Joaquin County https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/local/2021/03/13/rtd-sjready-partner-offer-free-rides-covid-vaccination-sites-sj/4686993001/

STANISLAUS COUNTY

Link: http://schsa.org/coronavirus/vaccine/

Instruction: Scroll down to the part where it says “Where can I get vaccinated? Clinic Locations and Hours.” It has specific dates, location, time and on occasion, the type of vaccine they will administer. If you scroll down further, you will see the “Approved Vaccine Providers in Stanislaus County” and it has various urgent cares, pharmacies, and other health care offices that administers the vaccine with the link to register to that vaccine provider clinic.

TUOLUMNE COUNTY

Link: https://www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/1317/COVID-Vaccine

Instruction: Scroll down to see the various locations that offer the vaccine. Here is an example of what you will see:

“Information on Adventist Health vaccination clinics can be found HERE

Information on CVS vaccination availability and appointments can be found HERE

Information on RiteAid vaccination availability and appointments can be found HERE

Information on Safeway vaccination availability and appointments can be found HERE

Information on Save Mart vaccination availability and appointments can be found HERE (enter zip code)

Groveland Pharmacy vaccinations available by calling (209) 962-5211

Twain Harte Pharmacy vaccinations available by calling (209) 586-3225

Information on VA Clinic vaccination click HERE”

While on the website, you have to click the underlined word “HERE” to go to the website to register.

VMRC COVID-19 VACCINE TRACKING

All regional centers are tracking how many consumers has been immunized with COVID-19 vaccine. Based on the data below, we have about 738 consumers who have gotten the second dose or the single shot vaccine, and 369 who got the first dose, totaling to about 1,107 consumers who have gotten the COVID-19 Vaccine based on our record. Below is the latest data we have for our consumers:

Question and Answer Session on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution for People with Disabilities in California by Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF) and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) Bay Area and North Bay Regional Offices.

Date: Friday, March 19, 2021

Time: 12:00 to 12:45 PM

You must register in advance for this meeting: Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpf-2vqjgoHda9i7KWDwluJN8tfW4IqFha?mc_cid=53ff14ff3b&mc_eid=0fa2fa524a

Brief presentations will be given by:

· Sheraden Nicholau, Regional Manager, Bay Area, State Council on Developmental Disabilities

· Lisa Hooks, Regional Manager, North Bay, State Council on Developmental Disabilities

· Sascha Bittner, Chair, Bay Area Regional Advisory Committee, State Council on Developmental Disabilities

After the presentations, they will open the meeting for your questions.

Claire B. Lazaro, MSN, RN, NP, PHN, FNP-C

Director of Clinical Services

Community Services Department Updates

Weekly Residential Informational Session hosted by VMRC’s Community Services Department EVERY FRIDAY at 9:00 a.m.

https://zoom.us/j/91204896749?pwd=eXZHSVJxaVhGaVNwY2I0M1lxSW1jQT09

Meeting ID: 912 0489 6749

Residential providers are invited to join to learn about important changes and trends as it relates to the COVID pandemic

_________________________________________________________________

VMRC will be hosting a DAY PROGRAM COVID MITIGATION Planning Informational Session on Thursday March 25^th from 2:00-3:30 PM. All Day Program Providers are encouraged to attend.

https://zoom.us/j/94819111567

Meeting ID: 948 1911 1567

Resource Development

VMRC has been awarded the following Community Resource Development Plan (CRDP) / Community Placement Plan (CPP) Projects for the current Fiscal Year (RFP’s will be posted SOON on https://www.vmrc.net/rfps/)

· Specialized Children's Step-Down home in Calaveras or Tuolumne County ($150,000 Grant)

· Specialized Children's Residential Step-Down home in San Joaquin or Stanislaus County ($150,000 Grant)

An informational ZOOM session about these two projects will be held on April 19^th from 2:30-3:30

https://zoom.us/j/94463806660

Meeting ID: 944 6380 6660

· Swim/ Water Safety for Children up to 18 yrs. old and their families ($15,000 Grant)

An informational ZOOM session about this project will be held on April 23^rd from 2:15-3:15

The Community Services Department

A Message from our Cultural and Linguistics Competency (CLC) Committee

Valley Mountain Regional Center's Cultural and Linguistics Competency (CLC) Committee is saddened and heart broken at the recent acts of violence towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. We condemn all acts of hatred and violence against the AAPI community and will continue to speak out against all forms of racism, hatred, bigotry and discrimination towards any group or entity.

My heart hurts for the continued attacks against Asians and Asian Americans. This is a time of challenge and sadness. Together we must speak out against these killings, the violence, the unacceptable behavior of racism. We must stand for people of all backgrounds. Together we must support each other to build a better world. Hope must prevail.

Christine Couch (she, her, hers)

Compliance Manager

I was horrified and my heart remains heavy about Tuesday’s shootings of nine people, in the Atlanta area, which left eight dead – six of whom were Asian women. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families whose loved ones died or were injured in this senseless killing. Unfortunately, racially motivated hate is the other pandemic in this country. It has to stop! I stand with the Asian Community, Black Community, all marginalized communities, and every individual speaking out and taking action against hate. #StopAsianHate #stopkillingus #spreadlovenothate

Neidra Clayton

Program Manager

It breaks my heart to see people treated with such violence and hatred because of ignorance. We don’t choose where we come from or what we look like but we can choose how we treat others. We all deserve to be treated with kindness and love and it is absolutely not ok when anyone isn’t.

Tricia Simmons

Program Manager

I am outraged at the hate crimes taking place against our Asian American community. No one has a right to cause harm or instill fear in anyone. The rise of violence and discrimination are causing people to live in fear of being victimized. When will the hate end? It needs to stop now! Let us live, laugh and love one another. Let us embrace our differences and learn from one another. We need to be united and not divided.

Sherri Jones

Service Coordinator

Early Start

VMRC is focused on outreach to increase our Early Start referrals. Our outreach committee has developed a strategic plan to increase referrals. We’re excited to share a new education and awareness resource on Early Start, a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California's first-ever Surgeon General. We are hoping you can help us distribute this PSA far and wide. The PSA video can be found on DDS’ YouTube page here: https://youtu.be/j5U_bCp7y40 (and the transcript for 508 compliance). The video features closed captioning in English and Spanish.

We have also been working with our community partners and referral sources such as physicians, first 5, etc. to increase referrals in Early Start. Our intake teams have been disseminating these documents below:

The Early Start Community

What is Early Start?

First 5

Please join us on Wednesday, March 24th at 10:30AM for an upcoming First 5 Learning Collaborative (REGISTER HERE) in which we will learn about the recently released Developmental Screening & Referral Toolkit for Family Serving Agencies, developed as part of the First Connections partnership between First 5 LA and Children's Hospital Los Angeles that is informing HMG LA. This toolkit is a practical guide to support early care and education, foster care, home visiting, mental health and other family serving agencies to implement or refine a high-quality approach to embedding developmental screening and linkage within their programs and organizations. It elevates best practices from First 5 LA’s First Connections initiative that promotes innovative approaches for community-based providers to embed developmental screening and strengthen referral processes within their practices since 2014.

This is the second toolkit in the Early Screening, Better Outcomes series and joins the Toolkit for Pediatric Medical Clinics released last year. (Link to the Learning Collaborative materials for that launch can be found here.)

This Learning Collaborative is open to all First 5 members and other stakeholders in early childhood. Please feel free to share this with your contacts in childcare, home visiting, mental health and others.

Tara Sisemore-Hester

Assistant Director of Clinical Services

North Valley Hills Update

Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager

From our Partners- CFILC & DO network

CFILC and DOnetwork's Vaccine Disability

Community Advocacy and Information Toolkit

Over the past three months, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC) and DOnetwork have worked with our partners in the disability advocacy community to elevate the need for accessible and equitable priorities for COVID-19 vaccines. In the process, we have also worked diligently to follow the often complicated process of vaccine distribution. We have acknowledged there is a need for a resource that will aid our community's organizers and advocates in navigating obtaining vaccinations.

We have created a disability community information and advocacy toolkit on COVID-19 vaccine access in California. The goal of this toolkit is to be a resource only, and it is not intended to be medical or legal advice.

Click here for Toolkit in English: https://cfilc.org/issues/issues.php?id=77

Click here for Toolkit in Spanish: https://cfilc.org/issues/issues.php?id=78

Go to www.scdd.ca.gov to learn more and see events happening across the state!

Update from Family Resource Network

Family Resource Network (FRN) continues to assist consumers and families with Project DATA registration to provide devices and internet services to those in need. Please see the flyer for more information or contact the FRN office for assistance at 209-472-3674.

PDF Version of the Flyer Here

There are still spaces available to participate in the Diaper Distribution Event on Saturday, March 27^th. Child must have a special need and live in San Joaquin County to participate. The event is by invitation only, registration is required, and supplies are limited. Please see details on the flyer.

PDF Version of the Flyer Here