Partner Highlight: Caminata con Humanidad | | |
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As the leaves change colors, the air gets cooler, and the year gets closer to its epilogue, we have been reflecting on the power of working together to increase access to healing centered resources in Sonoma County. This year we have been working with American Rescue Plan Act funding with 10 funded partners to provide direct mental health services and systems-level change to improve mental health support across Sonoma County. Our partners have provided farmworker clinics, stress reduction clinics, individual therapy, group and community convivencias, community building and cultural events, in-home family and parental therapy, as well as cross-sector resource connection. | |
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As a collaborative we value the importance of coming together to increase our impact, leverage funding, and reach more individuals who need our support. We provide spaces for our partners to convene, exchange information, and work together to address common goals or challenges. And in the spirit of collaboration and gratitude for the work that our partners have done this year, we want to highlight, “Caminata (Walk) with Humanidad,” an innovative event one of our funded partners, Humanidad Therapy and Education Services, hosted last July in collaboration with two more of our funded partners (Botanical Bus and Raizes Collective) and others (Latino Service Providers, La Plaza, and Cura).
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This event was held at Jack London Park with the goal of reaching participants in communities with low levels of mental health services. They chose a park setting to promote wellness, selfcare, and awareness of parks, which can be used as an accessible mental health buffer and a resource for individuals to engage, celebrate, and connect with their own families and their community. 70 individuals participated in this event, including a guided walk and a variety of wellness and self-care activities. At this event, Humanidad modeled and demonstrated the collective impact we can have when we join efforts and resources. | |
November is Native American Heritage Month | |
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This November we want to take time to acknowledge that we are on the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok, Pomo, and Wappo people, who are the original caretakers of this land and who have a deep connection to their land and actively work to preserve and protect it. Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos is committed to including and lifting indigenous voices in our decision-making process, and to building relational trust through community engagement. We are actively working to engage Native American representation in our work and we are grateful to work with leaders like Madonna Feather-Cruz, who is our Native American liaison, and who brings a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and valuable perspective to Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos.
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Hanna Institute in Partnership with Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos Launches Trauma Responsive Sonoma 102: A free resilience and regulation training for ALL who live and work in Sonoma County. | | |
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If you live or work in Sonoma, you have likely lived through not only the fires, but also the pandemic - and experienced the grief and anxiety that can come from disasters of that scale. Trauma-Responsive Sonoma (TRS) is a free, virtual training created to build knowledge of the impact of trauma, adversity, and stress that impacts workplaces and entire communities. And help us to adapt and thrive.
This is the second half of Hanna’s Trauma-informed Care series. You will have the chance to experiment with different strategies and skills that can help enhance your individual self-regulation and resiliency practice, as well as promote resiliency and regulation in your larger community.
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Part 1: Trauma-Informed, Trauma-Responsive, & Resilient at Work | November 9, 2-4pm
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Part 2: Attachment at Work | November 16, 2-4pm
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Part 3: Regulation at Work | November 30, 2-4pm
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Part 4: Competent & Healing-Centered at Work | December 7, 2-4pm
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Upcoming Action Team Meetings | |
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This month, the Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos Action Teams will be working on the agenda items below:
ACE Screening Implementation Action Team
Some of you have been meeting with us for the past two years as part of this Action Team and together we have accomplished a lot! We have noticed that the landscape has changed significantly since this team first began meeting in April of 2021. Multi-sectors partners have been doing important work regarding CalAIM, behavioral health direct services and systems change, EPIC Health Center Electronic Health Record implementation, and responding to current and changing needs in our community.
The ACE Screening Action Team has decided to pause this monthly meeting and the Co-Chairs and SCSU staff will use this time to intentionally engage with people who have attended this action team as well as others who may be interested in ACE & SDOH screening, trauma-informed practices, and mitigating secondary trauma. We plan to meet again early next year to share themes, information, and propose next steps drawn from the engagement that will take place in the next few months.
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Community Accountability Action Team
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 | 3:00-4:30pm
We acknowledge that there’s so much suffering happening in the world right now that is challenging and difficult to process. In this meeting we will have time to check-in and participate in stress buffering activities, facilitated by Maria Rivera, Parent Support Manager at Child Parent Institute. These activities will help us regulate our stress response and feel more focused. Join us to also discuss CHW workforce developments, systems change work happening in our community, DEB (diversity, equity, and belonging), and more.
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Notice: We’re looking for people who may be interested in presenting in our Community Accountability Action Team
Do you have thoughts, ideas, topics related to:
- Diversity, Equity and Belonging
- Community Health Workers workforce development
- Trauma-informed care/healing centered engagement
- Equity related topics pertinent to Sonoma County or more?
We would like to invite you to present and contribute to this Action Team. Stipends may be available for individuals who would not otherwise be able to participate and who are not already funded partners. Please contact Mariana Raschke, mraschke@sonomaconnect.com for more information
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Community Events and Learning Opportunities | |
Resource Fair for Homeless or At-risk | | |
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When: Thursday, November 16 from 10am-1pm
Where: Petaluma Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 94954
Attend to connect with employers looking to hire, resource providers to help you on your journey, and an onsite resume clinic to fine-tune your resume.
Event includes:
- Free lunch
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A free $25 gift card for attendees
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Child Parent Institute Monthly Parenting Classes and Support | |
The Child Parent Institute offers monthly parenting classes and support. Visit their website for more information. | |
Center for Wellbeing’s Sonoma County Community Health Worker Network Meeting | |
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Meets the third Wednesday of the month from 12:30-2:00pm via Zoom
- Learn about local community resources and services
- Learn about training and job opportunities
- Connect with peers and share information
- Hear from panels and guest speakers
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Dear Community Partners we are sharing the DHCS notice below about Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan transitions for your awareness of these changes which may impact your clients: | |
January 2024 Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Transition
Beginning in 2024, Medi-Cal managed care plans will be subject to new requirements to rigorously advance health equity, quality, access, accountability, and transparency to improve the Medi-Cal health care delivery system. As part of this transformation, some plans are changing on January 1, which will result in approximately 1.2 million Medi-Cal managed care members having new plan options. In some cases, these changes will also require members to transition to new plans if their current plan no longer serves members in their county. Changing plans will not affect Medi-Cal coverage or benefits.
Earlier this month, members who will transition to a new plan in January 2024 received a notice from their exiting plan. DHCS prepared Medi-Cal Eligibility Division Information Letter Number I 23-54 to provide counties with information about some Medi-Cal members’ change to a new plan on January 1 and the resources available to support their transition. DHCS also prepared the 2024 Managed Care Plan Transition Policy Guide that includes specific requirements for plans.
DHCS produced additional resources to support members, providers, and other stakeholders with the transition. These resources are valuable to county eligibility workers, plans, providers, and other stakeholders who are answering transition questions from members. The resources include the Managed Care Plan Transition Member webpage with a county “look-up” tool, member notices, frequently asked questions, and a Contact Us page for members to learn more about health plans and provider choices. There are also transition resources for providers and plans and other stakeholders. Please send an email with questions or comments to MCPTransitionPolicyGuide@dhcs.ca.gov.
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What is the Data Exchange Framework? | |
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Every Californian, no matter where we live, should be able to walk into a doctor’s office, a county social service agency, or an emergency room and be assured health and human services providers can access the information they need to provide safe, effective, whole person care—while keeping our data private and secure.
This is the goal of California’s Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework, a first-ever, statewide data sharing agreement that will accelerate and expand the exchange of health information among health care entities, government agencies, and social service programs beginning in 2024.
The Data Exchange Framework includes a single data sharing agreement and common set of policies and procedures that will govern and require the exchange of health information among health care, government, social services, tribal, and education entities in California.
The CalHHS Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) Signing Portal External Link is now open for cross-sector entities to take the first step for better health information exchange.
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We express our appreciation to our funders!
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Your information will not be shared with anyone other than the Sonoma Connect/Sonoma Unidos team. | | | | |
