Health Advisory XII: VMRC Community Notice

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Twelfth Community Health Advisory: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

weekly message from the director...

The Governor’s “PROPOSED” Budget

For the past two weeks, I have included in the health advisory some descriptions and highlights of the governor’s proposed May Revision. As noted, a major portion of the budget has to do with a series of cuts the administration is proposing to make if the HEROES Act does not pass. The “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act”, or HEROES Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on May 15 and will next be considered by the U.S. Senate. However, the U.S. Senate leadership and members from the majority party of that house oppose the bill and the President who would ultimately have to sign it has promised to veto it.

You may be wondering then, "so what does this mean?" "Are all the proposed cuts inevitable?" The short answer is "no", we are in the beginning phases of our state budget proposal, and the congressional process can take several routes to its final resolution. The governor’s May Revision is a proposal that is now being considered by the California Assembly and Senate. While there is universal acceptance of the fact that the income for the budget is not as originally thought in January, the analysis of the extent of the problems is disputed (Governor Newsom estimates $54 billion deficit but his Legislative Analyst estimates a range of $18-$31 billion). The solutions that the Assembly comes up with and the Senate can be different from each other and different from Governor Newsom. In the end, the two houses need to work out their differences and then the legislature and the governor will come to some final agreement as to what the budget will actually be. Even on the national level the HEROES Act may survive through a compromise, some components of it may be considered and repurposed, or a whole new bill will replace the Heroes Act based on the agreed upon ideas from the original bill idea and new priorities that had not already been considered.

All this to say, do not be discouraged, do not give up, and do not forget the will of the people is another factor not even considered yet. The voters across the state and across the country still have a say and still can influence the policymakers on the final approved budget. I have seen it many times throughout my career. In fact, Governors never end up with a final budget identical to their original proposal because these other groups (legislature and the voters) have a lot of influence over the final decision. While the government, and even the regional centers, may be making contingency plans for major budget reductions, none of these plans are real until the budget passes the legislature and gets signed by the Governor.

So what can you do? For the California budget, find out who your representatives are and call them or send them a message letting them know the impact of the governor’s proposed budget cuts on you and express your opinion, it matters. Enter your address and you’ll get their names and the contact information: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Regarding the HEROES Act, the Act already passed the House and is to be heard by the US Senate. Let your US Senators know the benefits and the consequences if the act does not pass ( these cuts will occur ). Our two California US Senators are:

· Senator Diane Feinstein: https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/ , and

· Senator Kamala Harris: https://www.harris.senate.gov/

Connecting with your House representatives in congress may also help because even though the HEROES Act may possibly not survive, components of it are very popular and there could be a compromise. To find your Congressional Representative in the House look them up here and you’ll get their phone numbers and emails:

· https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Remember, our community was built by advocates who came to “speak for justice” and worked for a better system of support for people with developmental disabilities and their families, and you are part of this legacy.

Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Correspondence

This week we received two COVID-19 related letters from the Department of Developmental Services. The first was a notification of an All County Letter (ACL) regarding Essential Protective Equipment for IHSS workers and the second one was an extension of waivers for regional center eligibility process, respite worker certifications, and the suspension of the Family Cost Participation Program and Annual Family Program Fee .

Essential Protective Gear (EPG)

The purpose of this All County Letter (ACL) is to inform counties that the Essential Protective Gear (EPG) can now be distributed to any In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider who requests it.

Department of Developmental Services Directive 02-032520 Waivers

This directive was extended to June 23, 2020 and allows Valley Mountain Regional Center to:

conduct intake meetings, evaluations and assessment activities remotely
if reasonably certain about eligible status we may determine the individual presumptively eligible.
send a follow-up letter about remote intake meetings, eligibility evaluations or assessments.
allow respite workers to provide service before having 1^st Aid and CPR certification
suspend the Family Cost Participation Program and Annual Family Program Fee Any requirements related to the Family Cost Participation Program (FCPP).

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Tony Anderson

Executive Director

Valley Mountain Regional Center

Case Management Updates

Wellness Check-in Calls

VMRC has found various ways of staying in contact with our consumers and their families during this time. Along with Service Coordinators reaching out through phone calls, remote meetings, and letters, last week messages went out to all of those with contact numbers in our system. Two mass notifications were sent to both our English and Spanish speaking clientele. The message received asked that they let us know if they were interested in their Service Coordinator reaching out to them. The responses resulted in a report made available to our staff. Follow up phone calls occurred for those making such a request. We plan to initiate these calls twice monthly as it is understood that circumstances can change in a person’s life, resulting in service needs or changes.

VMRC has put together a group of staff who have been calling care homes, Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF), and Family Home Agencies (FHA) twice weekly to check on the health and safety needs of consumers and the home. The inquiries have been helpful in determining wellness and supply status. Contact has proven to be beneficial for all concerned.

Last week, we announced our plan for an Asian American outreach campaign to discuss various experiences and needs. The survey calls have been occurring and we have completed about 20% of the identified contacts. Thus far, the outreach is a positive experience with good response. Generational differences are noted and those being surveyed are in search of educational outlets to inform other community members of their experiences. We have also found the outreach to result in more communication about service needs which are receiving follow up.

PANDEMIC EBT: GET HELP BUYING FOOD WHILE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED

With schools closed due to COVID19, children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals can get $365 in food benefits, in addition to school-provided “to-go” meals, with new COVID-19 Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits. Learn more about these P-EBT food benefits at: https://ca.p-ebt.org/info .

If your family DOES receive CalFresh, CalWORKS, Medi-Cal or other social services, you do NOT need to apply for P-EBT. You will receive it automatically. Look for your P-EBT card arriving in the mail between May 8-22.

If your family does NOT receive CalFresh, CalWORKS, Medi-Cal or other social services, but is eligible for free and reduced-eligible school meals, then you WILL need to apply at https://ca.p-ebt.org/ between May 22 and June 30, 2020.

Learn more about these P-EBT food benefits at: https://ca.p-ebt.org/info .

Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants

California is providing a one-time assistance to undocumented adults who are not eligible for other forms of assistance, including Unemployment Insurance or the Stimulus check (EIP- Economic Impact Payment) due to their immigration status. Calls and applications accepted starting on May 18. The one-time benefit will provide $500 of support per adult, with a cap of $1,000 per household. California has distributed the funds to 12 nonprofit organizations that have experience serving immigrants, and individuals can apply for assistance by contacting those organizations directly. Applications will be accepted until June 30 or until funds run out.

Five County Transportation Updates

All services through public transportation providers for essential trips only!

Amador County (ARTS) Ph # 209-267-9395 or 1-877-704-4297

Regular Fares are being charged. Service is available Monday thru Friday.

Dial A Ride is operating as usual. No changes – full operation.

Reduced fixed route service - “Micro Transit”.

Limited service for Jackson, Sutter Creek and Upcountry. All other routes are on an On-Call Basis , Riders can call at least 24 hours in advance of need and ARTS will do their best to accommodate.

This change is in effect until further notice. Visit the website for more info and updates. www.amadortransit.com .

Calaveras Transit Ph # 209-754-4450

Rides are free of charge. Service is available Monday thru Friday. No weekend service.

Regular service has been suspended but CTC is providing on-demand service with ¾ mile deviation of normal routes. Riders need to call ahead to schedule rides.

This will remain in effect until further notice. Visit the website for more info and updates: www.calaverasconnect.org.

Tuolumne County Transit – ph #209-532-0404

Rides are free of charge. Service is available Monday thru Saturday.

Regular fixed route is eliminated and Dial A Ride service – open to all – is being provided. Riders need to call the reserve trips.

Visit the website for more info and updates: www.tuolumnecountytransit.com.

Ceres Transportation – ph #209-527-4991

Rides on the regular fixed route (CAT) are free thru June 30 ^th . No service changes for Dial A Ride – fares are enforced.

Website is not updated with COVID-19 information. Call for updates.

Modesto MAX ph # 209-521-1274

Normal full service, Monday thru Sunday, has been restored as of May 18 ^th . Rides are free thru May 31 ^st .

Visit the website for updates: www.modestoareaexpress.com.

Modesto Dial A Ride ph # 209-527-4900

No service changes or reductions. Regular service, hours and fares are being charged.

Turlock Transit ph #209-668-5600

Rides are free of charge.

Fixed Route and Dial a Ride* services are running Monday-Saturday 9 am to 7 pm.

*DAR special hours for senior citizens: 7am -9am Monday –Saturday.

Visit the website for more info: www.turlocktransit.com.

San Joaquin Regional Transit District (SJRTD) Ph # 209-943-1111 or 1-800-HOW TO RIDE

Rides are free of charge on fixed route. Regular fares are being charged for Dial A Ride and VanGo!

Regular fixed route is running on weekend schedules 7 days a week.

VanGo! is operating 6am – 8pm 7 days a week.

Dial A Ride: Regular service hours and fares are still in place.

Some commuter routes are running. Check website for times and routes.

Visit the website for more info and updates: www.sanjoquinrtd.com.

Lodi Transit Grapeline (regular bus routes) and Vineline (ADA/DAR) ph #209-333-6806

Regular Fares are being charged for all rides.

No Sunday service for regular or DAR services.

Monday thru Saturday service is on a reduced schedule for 8:30am – 4:30 pm. Express routes are suspended until further notice.

Visit the website for updates: www.lodi.gov/469/Transit.

Manteca Transit ph # 209-456-8888

Rides are free of charge until further notice.

Regular routes and Dial A ride are running Monday thru Saturday. DAR is limited capacity (medical priority) on Saturdays.

Visit the website for updates: www.mantecatransit.com.

Tracy Tracer ph # 209-831-4287

Regular fares are being charged for all services.

No change in service hours for regular bus or Dial a Ride. Temporarily suspension of commuter peak service routes E,F &G.

Visit the website for updates: www.ci.tracy.ca.us/index.cfm?navid=178.

Cindy Mix

Director of Consumer Services

Clinical Updates

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their guidance on how COVID-19 spreads. [1] ^, ^[2] It states that the primary way that COIVD-19 spreads is through person-to-person and it spreads faster that way. ^1,2 It doesn’t easily spread when you touch surfaces that could be contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 virus. ¹ There is also low risk of transmission from animal to person, and person to animal. ¹ This message indicates the importance of physically distancing yourself from other people that is not part of your household at least 6-foot apart (2 meters), washings hands at least 20 seconds and frequently disinfecting high touch surfaces. ¹

There have been news that certain medications can help treat COVID-19. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings against the inappropriate use of Hydorxychloroquine or Chloroquine for COVID-19 outside the hospital setting or Clinical trial. [3] It could cause harmful effects of serious heart rhythm problems that could cause your life. Please consult with your primary care provider before taking any medication. As of to date, there is still no proven medication to cure COVID-19.

There have been evidence of virus transmission from asymptomatic patients or those with no symptoms. [4] ^, ^[5] This means that even if a person has no symptoms, they can have the virus and get others infected. This prompts the strong recommendations to wear face coverings or masks ⁴ to help minimize the spread of disease.

Part of the CDC’s response to help relax the stay at home order is to broaden the capacity for COVID-19 testing.4, [6] This lead to increased testing sites in the community. Please feel free to register to these testing sites and see if you are eligible to be tested. Attached are the testing sites for the counties of San Joaquin and Stanislaus . Calaveras County residents can test for COVID-19 through the OptumServe testing sites in Lodi and San Joaquin General Hospital. [7] Tuolumne County will soon share testing site with Calaveras.

[8] And Amador County has testing sites through this link:

https://www.amadorgov.org/services/public-health/covid-19/testing-sites/-fsiteid-1 .

For those who want to find a nearest COVID-19 testing center, check out this website: https://covid19.ca.gov/testing-and-treatment/.

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

Clinical Director

[1] CDC. April 13, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html

[2] CDC. May 21, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html#How-COVID-19-Spreads

[3] FDA. April 24, 2020. https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/hydroxychloroquine-or-chloroquine-covid-19-drug-safety-communication-fda-cautions-against-use

[4] New England Journal Of Medicine. April 24, 2020. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2009758?fbclid=IwAR37QWIcJCIp_J0TXbG0hRCGSGORqE_sETSo3NNLsa8uKOjmMW1UtDNBjHk

[5] CDC. May 20, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-guidance-management-patients.html

[6] CDC. May 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/php/CDC-Activities-Initiatives-for-COVID-19-Response.pdf

[7] May 6, 2020. https://www.recordnet.com/news/20200506/calaveras-county-residents-can-test-for-covid-19-in-lodi

[8] May 20, 2020. https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/1032379/tuolumne-county-coronavirus-wednesday-update.html

Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Update

The foster grandparents and senior companions volunteer with VMRC consumers in either a school or day program. On March 16, 2020, all of the volunteers began “Sheltering in Place.” Currently, they are all well and are looking forward to returning to their volunteer assignment once they are allowed to do so. The Corporation for National and Community Service approved No-Fault time initially and then Temporary Disaster Allowance for the volunteers to continue receiving their stipend for 10 weeks. The program coordinator, Chrissy Lopez, and I check in with all of our volunteers weekly to make sure they are safe, which they very much appreciate. The volunteers have stated that they miss the students and adults whom they assist and can’t wait to go “back to normal.” Our Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteers are resilient and we will get through this together.

Mara King

Program Manager

Self-Advocacy Council 6

Lisa Utsey - Self Advocacy Council 6 chairperson invites you to join the SAC6 Friday CHATS!

With so much happening because of the virus SAC6 wants to hear how you are doing and share information so we can all get through this together!

Health and Wellness

Join us on a SAC6 ZOOM CHAT!!

Let’s Check In with each other!

WHEN : Friday May 22, 2020

TIME : 11:00am-12:00pm

WHERE : ZOOM- computer, tablet, cell phone

The next SAC6 CHAT:

Friday, May 22, 2020- Scam Alerts - Learn how to not get scammed! Be safe at home, on your phone, and on email! Ideas that can be shared with friends and family!

Join Zoom Meeting on your computer, tablet or phone

https://zoom.us/j/91773944767?pwd=YXlFbS9Fek1VMFp1YUt6STlRVEhtdz09

Meeting ID: 917 7394 4767

Password: 310725 You must enter the Password or you can call in:

TOLL FREE NUMBER TO CALL IN: