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SLO County Health Access Update
Connecting Children Ages 0-5 to Health Care
September 2020
Information and articles from these newsletters are housed on the San Luis Obispo County Health Access website. The website is updated frequently and is intended as a resource for professionals working with children ages 0-5 and their families. Please visit: www.slohealthaccess.org

Updates about pandemic resources are located on pages listed under the Coronavirus tab: www.slohealthaccess.org/coronavirus.html
Free Meals for Children
Paso Robles, Lucia Mar, Coast, and Shandon school districts are providing free meals for all children ages 0-18 and do not require students to be on the free/reduced meal program. Templeton, Atascadero, and San Luis Coastal require the students to be enrolled in the free/reduced meal program. Learn more here: www.slofoodbank.org/school-meals

For a current list of the SLO Food Bank's Neighborhood Food Distributions, as well as pantries and meal sites from agency partners, visit this link. A convenient Food Distribution Calendar can be found here in English and Spanish.
New CA Eviction Protections
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new California law and a national eviction moratorium are providing tenants and landlords with additional protections. The SLO Legal Assistance Foundation website provides FAQs, in English and Spanish, regarding COVID-19 evictions for residential tenants in SLO County: slolaf.org. Learn more about eviction protections here: www.emergencyslo.org/en/eviction-clarification.aspx
This CRLA Foundation handout in English and Spanish provides a summary of resident rights during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. 

For additional assistance in English or Spanish, contact the SLO Legal Assistance Foundation at (805) 543-5140 or email info@slolaf.org.

BONUS RESOURCE: Q&A on renter’s rights: What you need to know as a tenant in SLO County
Program Updates from Pregnancy & Parenting Support
Pregnancy & Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County (PPS) supports families from pregnancy through a child’s second year (ppsslo.org).
PPS continues to provide services during COVID-19. Services are free and available in English and Spanish. Contact their office at (805) 541-3367 to schedule an appointment. Services include emotional support, referrals to community resources, and practical assistance: maternity an baby clothes, prenatal vitamins, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food, baby equipment, car seats and professional installation. Additionally, PPS accepts donations of gently used baby items that are re-gifted to local families in need. 
PPS is launching free, weekly virtual support groups for moms in English and Spanish. Contact their office to be put on the interest list. Also, this November, PPS is hosting a virtual town hall experience in collaboration with the Community Counseling Center for parents and mental health providers to talk about race consciousness. Contact Cami Statler, PPS Community Engagement Coordinator, via email at cami@ppsslo.org for more information and to RSVP. 
Vote Safe in SLO County!
Election Day is Tuesday November 3, 2020. You may drop off mail-in ballots at any Drop Off location beginning October 5th, or at any Voter Service Center during hours of operation. You may vote in person at any Voter Service Center beginning October 31st. Learn more about voting safe in California here.
Employers must support sufficient time for employees to visit a voting location. Up to 2 hours of paid time off can be provided if needed. Learn more about voting time off here. For a list of voting locations by SLO County region, click here.
Boost the Importance of Well Child Visits
In California, 70% of children with developmental delays aren't detected until the child enters kindergarten. When developmental delays are identified early, interventions are more effective and yield greater life-long outcomes. 

Please encourage families to schedule their well-child checkups and request a developmental screening with their well-child visits. Graphics like the one below can be found here and incorporated into your organization's social marketing.
Health Access Information at SLOHealthAccess.org
SLOHealthAccess.org has a wealth of information to help you help families, with local resources related to:
  • Coronavirus Resources    
  • Special Needs    
  • Behavioral Health
  • Immigration: safety and service access  
  • Dental
  • Prescriptions
  • Medi-Cal & Covered CA
  • Transportation
  • Parental Substance Use, and 
  • Resources to help parents advocate for services

General needs and system navigation:
Send families in need of help to their local Family Resource Center. Download the Family Resource Center Directory here

Can't find an answer? 
Let us know and we will find you the information you are looking for. For general questions about health access and health care reform, contact:
Becca Carsel, Health Access Project Director, 
at (805) 674-0776 or becca@carselgroup.com