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Seventy-Seventh

Community Health

Advisory Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Weekly Message from the Executive Director

By the Numbers

Unfortunately, we reported another increase in COVID-19 cases for our consumers with 21 individuals testing positive and for the first time since vaccinations began one of our consumers who had been vaccinated has ended up in the hospital. It's our first breakthrough case that has resulted in hospitalization and 23% of our positive cases this week were breakthroughs. The positivity number for direct support professionals was 13 giving us a combined total of 34 for the week. Since the month of August our DSP community has suffered greatly with 71 individuals reporting positive.

Update Policies and News Related to Vaccinations

While 74% of all our consumers 50 years old and older have been fully vaccinated (the 4th most in the state), only 91 children from age 12-15 have been vaccinated, representing one of the lowest percentages in the state. As of this week VMRC has now reached 71% vaccination rate for our staff and we have started mandatory testing for those unvaccinated to increase safety for our consumers and staff. As of today, about half the regional centers in the state are requiring full vaccination requirements, and the rest are instituting a combination approach like the VMRC policy. This week we received clarification from Community Care Licensing that the new policies regarding visitations in licensed settings, namely that visitors show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test for COVID-19, do not apply to regional center staff performing their oversight obligations. Since our policy requires employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly, this should not be an issue for our consumers and vendored providers. On Thursday, President Biden laid out what the New York Times characterized as "the most expansive actions he has taken to control the pandemic since he assumed the presidency in January" with proposals that will impact every aspect of American society. The president is requiring all large employers, federal workers, federal contractors, and health care workers in hospitals and other workplaces that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding to require vaccinations or at least weekly testing.

From Department of Developmental Services

DDS just sent a reminder of their Wellness and Safety Bulletin publications and in it I found this bulletin with this reminder information about staying safe: “What you should and must do:"

· Get Vaccinated

· Wear a Mask When It Is Required. Everyone needs to wear a mask on public transportation, in health care settings and in some indoor spaces. If you have not gotten a vaccine yet, or need a second shot, you must wear a mask in all indoor public spaces, like the movie theater, stores and restaurants. Even if you are vaccinated, it is still a good idea for you wear a mask in indoor public places or crowded outdoor places. Follow the instructions of your county public health department: Links to County Offices

· Continue Practicing Good Hand Washing

· Open Windows in Indoor Spaces - Keep windows and doors open when you can. Turn on air conditioning or heating systems to move the air as much as possible.

· If You Feel Sick, Stay Home and Get Tested for COVID-19 if You Have Symptoms o You can find a testing center near you by using this website: Finding a Testing Site

· Sign Up for CA Notify - You can sign up for CA Notify if you have a smartphone by using this website: CA Notify o This will send you alerts if you have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19 and information on what to do next.”

All of DDS’ Wellness & Safety Bulletins are available on the DDS Wellness Toolkit page of the DDS website, based on audience. Just click on either “Self-Advocates,” Direct Support Professionals,” or “Vendors/Providers.”

And Finally - National DSP Week

Next week, September 12th – 15th, is National Direct Support Professionals (DSP) Recognition Week. It is a time for all of us in our community to offer our appreciation and respect and gratitude to individuals in our service system that provide one of the most important services or supports to people with disabilities and their families. John F. Kenndy Jr. once referred to the work of DSPs as the place where quality is defined. The point of contact is the place where the highest quality must occur for meaningful outcomes. This week the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals and the Research and Training Center on Community Living from the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota, will be hosting another virtual event in honor of this recognition. The event, ‘From Promise to Progress’ will be completely free to attendees and everyone is encouraged to participate. The theme ‘From Promise To Progress’ builds off of the 2020 theme ‘From Praise To Promise.’ It goes beyond just the recognition and appreciation for DSPs, by sharing specific actions and cutting-edge approaches to improve the human services field and elevate the status of DSPs. ‘From Promise To Progress’ boasts breakout sessions, panels, keynotes, and the prestigious John F. Kennedy Jr. Award." To participate visit the NADSP DSP week webpage: https://nadsp.org/2021-virtual-event-from-promise-to-progress/

Tony Anderson

Executive Director

Case Management Update - Children

From the NIHCM Foundation

Children’s COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, hampering a safe return to school for students, teachers, staff and families. Schools and families are grappling with uncertainty as some schools decide to switch back to remote learning. Along with concerns about transitioning back to in-person learning, there remains a need to address the ongoing social, economic and health challenges children are experiencing. The pandemic created the perfect storm of mental health stressors for children and their families. Many children are coping with the loss of a family member and disrupted care. Children are also uniquely impacted by the pandemic because it is occurring during their formative years.

Here’s how to support children’s mental health and well-being during the pandemic and beyond:

Investing in Children's Health and Well-being

Webinar

This webinar brought together experts to discuss the opportunities and strategies to help care for children and young adults' mental and physical health after a year of unprecedented challenges.

Learn More

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Solutions and Challenges for Children's

Mental Health in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Infographic

This infographic highlights the challenges — including barriers in accessing culturally appropriate care and mental health resources — and the opportunities to improve the mental health system and support children’s mental health going forward.

Learn More

September 10 ~ “I have to go outside?” Sensory Processing In a Post-COVID World - with Stacy Frauwirth, MS, OTR/L

As we start to emerge from our COVID cocoons, our families are facing a new set of challenges related to sensory processing and regulation. Many children are getting exposed to a much more sensory enriched world than they have experienced in the last year and a half; may be facing new sensory challenges related to masking and social distancing; and may be adjusting to new schedules and routines, increased structure, and increased demands for social interaction, and sensory, behavioral, and emotional regulation.

This presentation will apply a sensory processing lens to our “return to normal,” examine the difficulties children and families may face, and discuss strategies for preparing and supporting children and families.

For more information and registration

September 13 ~ Now What? Reviewing Current Public Health Guidelines for Early Care and Education/Early Intervention - with Presenters from LA County Department of Public Health

Please join us for an overview of the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in California and an update on Early Care and Education/Early Intervention.

The presentations will be followed by a question and answer period.

For more information and registration

September 17 ~ Coach2Coach - with Stacey Landberg, M.S., CCC-SLP

These workshops describe and present evidence and demonstrations for using best practices in early intervention, more specifically: using everyday activities and routines as a context for family-centered early intervention. Participants gain an understanding of how to implement coaching strategies and routines-based practices into their virtual and in-person home-visits through video modeling of real home-visits, reflection, and problem solving.

For more information and registration

Sept 23 ~ Special Invitation to Directors, Administrators, and other Interested Pe rsons

IDA is launching our next set of lunchtime brown bag discussions. Join your Early Intervention Leadership Colleagues from noon to one for virtual conversations and information-sharing regarding administrative and operational challenges facing EI programs.

For more information and registration

Self Determination

Effective July 1, 2021, the Self-Determination program is available to all eligible individuals on a voluntary basis with no limit on the number of participants.

To be eligible for the program, you or your family member must:

1. Have a developmental disability and currently be receiving services from a California regional center, or be a new client of a regional center; and

2. Be over the age of three or, if under, be qualified for services through the Lanterman Act; and

3. Live in the community.

Our team is excited to share the following Self Determination orientation training including some trainings in Spanish!!

September 30, 2021 2 PM- 5 PM in English with Spanish Translation

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GlKCNsZ7RMeVs84yKVdIOg

October 8, 2021 1:30 PM-4:30 PM in Spanish

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d8UIzmNRTiWT-lnOPnrjbg

October 13, 2021 1:30 PM- 4:30 PM in English with Spanish Translation

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lb304BFvSMSOL0gWVPeo0Q

November 4, 2021 9 AM-12 PM in English with Spanish Translation

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_beHiVEXQSl6yH_ZzcG4HFw

November 5, 2021 9 AM – 12 PM in Spanish

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0ThCO7YURuSkLup8J8abTg

Tara Sisemore-Hester

Director of Consumer Services - Children

Case Management Update - Adults

SPOTLIGHT ON…California Memorial Project

Disability Rights California’s Peer Self-Advocacy (PSA) Program advocates for and oversees the California Memorial Project (CMP). The CMP’s mission is to honor and restore dignity to individuals with mental health and developmental disabilities who lived and died in California state institutions.

We help fight the mental health stigma and discrimination

we experience as peers by remembering those

who came before us.

The CMP continues to recognize our peers from the past. Now we are adding a new and valuable focus, to acknowledge residents who presently live in those same institutions for mental health “treatment.” We decided to talk with residents who have lived most of their adult lives inside a state hospital in honor of our peers who have gone before us.

View Their Stories Here

CMP Annual Remembrance Ceremonies

We celebrate the 3rd Monday of each September as California Memorial Project (CMP) Remembrance Day. On this day, the CMP holds remembrance ceremonies throughout California at state institutions and local cemetery gravesites where these individuals were buried. Leading a statewide moment of silence, we honor and celebrate the lives of all our peers.

If anyone wants to share their personal story of having lived in a California institution, email : californiamemorialproject@gmail.com

2021 Online Remembrance Ceremony

This year, the 19th Annual California Remembrance Day ceremony will be held on Monday, September 20, 2021. We will have a virtual ceremony via a Zoom webinar this year instead of in-person ceremonies to take precautions during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since we will present the ceremony virtually, more people from throughout the state will be able to attend since they don’t have to travel to a physical location. Our CMP Remembrance Ceremony has now become a well-known event throughout California and across the nation!

View the Event Here

Monday September 20, 2021: We will hold a moment of silence at 1:55 pm will honor and restore dignity to people with mental health and developmental disabilities who lived and died in state institutions.

The Self-Advocacy Council 6, https://www.vmrc.net/sac6/, will share with us about the CMP and we will honor those we have lost during the last year. Please join the free ZOOM meeting:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83813755967?pwd=OUd0S1Y0K3NhWTZHbmtKSFByeEt0Zz09

Meeting ID: 838 1375 5967

Passcode: 511570

You must enter the Passcode

OR you can call in:

TOLL FREE NUMBER TO CALL IN-

888 475 4499 US Toll-free

Christine Couch (she, her, hers)

Director of Consumer Services - Adults

Clinical Update

Why Is It Important to Get the Flu Vaccine During this COVID-19 Pandemic?

The first 3 minutes of this CDC video helps explain the importance of getting the flu vaccine this fall season when we are in our second year going through with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfeYwtM_SdM

Getting the flu shot will help prevent you from getting severe flu, from hospitalization and dying from complications from influenza infection. Compared to last year’s flu season when most people are wearing masks, this year would be very different. With most of the country open and not requiring masks, people who sneeze, or cough could spread the virus around us easily. Even more important for you and your family to get the flu shot.

To know more about how the flu virus makes you sick, view this CDC video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfX6xGdQco0 .

Feel free to visit this site for more informational video about the flu: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/freeresources/video/media-video.htm

And because the flu season is fast approaching, question on whether you can get your flu shot and COVID-19 Vaccine at the same time is safe are circulating. Here is what CDC says about it:

Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine with Other Vaccines[1]

You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines at the same visit. You no longer need to wait 14 days between vaccinations. Experience with other vaccines has shown that the way our bodies develop protection, known as an immune response, after getting vaccinated and possible side effects of vaccines are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines. Learn more about the timing of other vaccines.

[1] CDC. September 01, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect.html

SANDIS COVID-19 Tracking Data (Prepared by Jessica Pate):

Please continue to stay safe and healthy.

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

Director of Clinical Services

Community Services Training Opportunities and Service Provider Information

Wildfire Prevention/ Safety Training Opportunity

Public Safety Power Shut (PSPS) Off Informational Training Sessions

To reduce the threat of wildfires, public utilities may temporarily shut off power to a neighborhood.

PG&E will be providing customer care training sessions for all Regional Center Staff and All Service Providers. The session will be one hour long and will be recorded. Additionally, there will be a Q&A at the end of each session to help answer your questions and to provide the opportunity for the utility to hear from you about how they can improve their outreach and services to our populations.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021, 10-11:00 am

https://zoom.us/j/96038976797?pwd=MDU4VnpHMnUydHdyckZObDBhTzVJZz09#success

669-900-9128

Meeting ID: 96038976797#

Recognizing Abuse and Neglect

Recognizing Abuse (ca.gov) ENGLISH

Recognizing Abuse (ca.gov) SPANISH

Recognizing Abuse (ca.gov) TAGALOG

Recognizing Abuse (ca.gov) TRADITIONAL CHINESE

Recognizing Abuse (ca.gov) VIETNAMESE

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COVID-19 Variants and Vaccinations

COVID-19 and Vaccination (ca.gov) ENGLISH

COVID-19 y Vacunación (ca.gov) SPANISH

COVID-19 at Pagbabakuna (ca.gov) TAGALOG

COVID-19 和疫苗接種 (ca.gov) TRADITIONAL CHINESE

COVID-19 và Tiêm chủng (ca.gov) VIETNAMESE

Resource Development Updates

VMRC has posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Transportation Service/ Competitive Procurement to our website – Applications are being accepted from October 1^st through November 1^st.

Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC) is seeking service providers to operate transportation services and transportation assistant services to serve people with developmental disabilities who reside in the counties of: Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras. Developmental disabilities include intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, autism, and cerebral palsy. The applicant selected to provide transportation services and transportation assistant services in the VMRC service region will work closely with R&D Transportation services, Inc. (R&D) a full-service transportation broker, who provides scheduling, routing, quality assurance, and oversight of all contract transportation billing invoices.

Any inquiries regarding the application or requesting technical assistance should be directed to Robert Fernandez, Division Manager – Resource Development, at 209-955-3620, or Brian L. Bennett, Community Services Director, at 209-955-3309. Please note that technical assistance is limited to information regarding the requirements for preparation of the application packet Additional questions regarding the transportation service agreement or the transportation vendorization process may be submitted to R&D (VMRC transportation broker) via e-mail to: RFPQuestions@rdtsi.com

For full RFP Document:

https://secureservercdn.net/104.238.71.109/znc.7f6.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RFP-Transportation-Services-Fall-2021.pdf

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Weekly Community Services Department Provider Informational Session

Please join VMRC staff and other partner agencies via ZOOM every Friday morning at 9:00 AM for Question and Answer session and opportunities to hear about important vendor changes

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 961 6884 2952

https://zoom.us/j/96168842952

Brian L. Bennett

Director Of Community Services

PDF Version Here

North Valley Hills Update

Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930

Great news from September 8^th! Senator María Elena Durazo's #SB639, which will prohibit paying people with disabilities less than minimum wage, passed off of the Assembly Floor with a vote of 43-12! A big shout out to Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, and Assemblymember Alex Lee for their help on the floor.

The bill is co-sponsored by California State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability Rights California, and Legal Aid at Work.

How to connect to SCDD through Social Media

Family Resource Network Update from

Lisa Culley, Executive Director

Sibshop-for brothers and sisters who have siblings with special needs or disabilities. A fun time for kids age 7-14 to meet and share time with other siblings who may have common experiences. Please contact FRN at 209-472-3674 for more information or to request a registration form. VIRTUAL EVENT-Friday, October 8, 2021, from 6:30pm-8pm!

PDF Version Here

Building Bridges Workshop-Is your child turning 3 soon? The Building Bridges Training is all about transitioning from the Early Start Program to Special Education, pre-school or ? Learn about the process-timelines, the law, and rights of parents and children in the process. Register for the workshop using the link on the flyer. Virtual Workshop-Wednesday, September 29, 2021, from 9:30am-11:30am. This workshop will have Spanish interpretation.