September 8, 2022

Beach Cities Health District to Undergo LAFCO Municipal Services Review of L.A. County Healthcare Districts

BCHD is undergoing its Municipal Service Review (MSR) through the Los Angeles County Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO). LAFCOs are public agencies with county-wide jurisdiction tasked with overseeing changes to local government boundaries involving the formation and expansion of cities and special districts.

State law mandates that LAFCOs prepare Municipal Service Reviews that provide a comprehensive analysis of municipal services including an evaluation of existing and future service conditions. There was a MSR conducted on BCHD in 2004, and the same report was reconfirmed by the LAFCO Commission in November 2012.

The MSR for both healthcare districts in Los Angeles County – Antelope Valley Healthcare District and BCHD – will be on the agenda for the LAFCO commission meeting Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 9 a.m. This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting pursuant to the provisions of the Governor’s Executive Orders Code § 54953 relative to virtual meetings, as well as the County of Los Angeles “Safer at Home Order for Control of COVID-19.”  

On July 21, in preparation for the BCHD MSR, LAFCO circulated a draft copy of the MSR report to BCHD and other interested stakeholders, asking for comments and information that LAFCO staff will consider as they complete their final draft. BCHD staff reviewed the draft MSR and provided information to clarify or correct details in the report.

Spring 2022 LiveWell Magazine

Beach Cities Health District's (BCHD) Spring 2022 LiveWell Publication Magazine hit mailboxes at the end of August. In this edition we honored our volunteers, who are the backbone of our organization. 

The impact our volunteers have on our community is profound, whether it's an Event Ambassador signing up Free Fitness participants, a Garden Angel providing healthy eating tips to students, a CHF volunteer cleaning exercise equipment, a doctor giving their time to administer COVID-19 vaccines, or an Errand Volunteer helping their client with a trip to the grocery store. To read more about our volunteers, take a look at our Spring 2022 LiveWell Magazine. 

Community Health Report: Public Health and Safety 

Public Health and Safety is one of BCHD’s four health priorities for 2022-2025, as outlined in our new Community Health Report. The Community Health Report will guide our programming over the next three years and identifies areas of concern that have been organized into our new health priorities.

Click the video below to hear from BCHD's Chief Medical Advisor, William Kim, M.D., to learn more about one of our health priorities: public health and safety. 

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and BCHD is highlighting resources available for people in crisis. 

Did you know? 

The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline recently adopted a 3-digit code to connect callers with a trained crisis counselor from anywhere in the U.S. at any time. Call or text 988 if you or someone you care about is experiencing suicidal thoughts, a mental health emergency or a substance abuse crisis.

Upcoming Events: 

Making Meaning of Suicide Loss: Stories From Lived Experience | Monday, September 19, 2022 - 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

QPR Suicide Prevention Training | Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

CDC and FDA grant emergency use authorization for the use of Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines

Last week, the CDC and FDA granted emergency use authorization for the use of Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines. These boosters are recommended to be given 2 months after the completion of the primary series or the most recent booster dose of the original COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to the original strain of COVID-19, the new bivalent boosters target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron. The Moderna Bivalent Booster is authorized for those 18 years and older. Pfizer Bivalent Booster is authorized for those 12 years and older.

To find locations for the new booster go to VaccinateLACounty.com and click on “Find a Location” and then search by “Vaccine Type.”

CDC streamlines COVID-19 Guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand risk

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recently announced it was streamlining its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, and what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, are sick or test positive for the virus. The Aug. 11 CDC announcement includes revised guidance for people who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines on what to do if exposed to someone with COVID-19. This is consistent with the existing guidance for people who are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

COVID-19 continues to circulate globally. However, with so many tools available to us that can reduce COVID-19 severity, there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic.

More information on COVID-19 health guidance from CDC is available by clicking here.

COVID-19 Treatment Options

If you have COVID-19, have symptoms and are at higher risk of getting very sick, you can get medicines that treat COVID-19 and help keep you out of the hospital. Get tested right away if you are at higher risk and have symptoms, even if they are mild. If you test positive, ask for treatment right away. Treatment should start as soon as possible.

Who may be eligible for treatment:

People with symptoms and a positive COVID-19 test who are: age 65 and older OR any age upon advice of a provider.

There are oral medicines (Paxlovid and Molnupiravir) and injectable medicines (Bebtelovimab and Remdesivir). For more information on treatments and where to get them, visit bchd.org/covidtreatment. 

What You Should Know About Monkeypox

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. It is usually found in Central and West Africa and does not occur naturally in the United States. However, cases of monkeypox have recently been reported in several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the U.S.

Monkeypox is spread when a person comes into contact with an animal or human with the virus or through contact with materials (like clothing or linens) used by the infected person or prolonged exposure to respiratory droplets. The virus typically enters the body through broken skin, respiratory droplets or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose or mouth). Because of this, transmission may also occur during sex through skin-to-skin and other intimate contact. For more information, visit bchd.org/monkeypox.

BCHD Board Selects Partners for

Campus Revitalization

In a 5-0 vote, the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) Board of Directors approved the selection of a developer, operator and design/build team for the proposed Healthy Living Campus at a special board meeting Monday night, August 8. 

PMB, which has developed more than 100 health care projects, and Watermark, the ninth largest senior living operator in the U.S., will be the developer and operator, respectively, for the Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE) facility on the BCHD campus. PMB/Watermark included a design-build team in their final proposal: Callison RTKL, a multinational design-build architecture firm that’s worked on more than 100 projects in and around Los Angeles; and Suffolk Construction, with 39 years of general contracting experience across the U.S., including the design of more than 800 senior living units in California, round out the collaborative effort.

To read more, click here.

FOR OUR YOUTH. 

Introducing allcove Beach Cities - a youth mental health center designed with, by and for youth that will reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to services.

Led by a team of Youth Advisory Group members, and supported by Stanford University's Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing and a team of local experts.

Learn More

FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 

The new campus will be home to BCHD's 40+ programs and services, including Information & Referrals and care management.

The revitalization will replace acres of asphalt with approximately two soccer fields of open, programmable open space. The campus will also feature a demonstration garden for our LiveWell Kids trainings and a walking path for visitors. 

FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE) will also anchor BCHD's new campus. 

PACE is a Medicare/ Medicaid program for people 55 and older who require nursing home level care and provides medical and social services. 

RCFE features assisted living and memory care units.

AdventurePlex

Where kids and families play their way to good health

• Summer camp
• Drop-in play
• Birthday parties
• Supervised weekend play so parents can have a night out
• Special events
• ToddlerTown play area
• 5-level play structure
• Programs for ages 0-12

Center for Health & Fitness

Our comprehensive fitness center in Redondo Beach

• Cycling, Zumba, yoga, Pilates, strength & other exercise classes
• Online exercise classes
• Classes for older adults
• Programs for chronic conditions
• Access to trainers
• Massage
• Nutrition consultation
• Access to state-of-the-art gym equipment