San Mateo County is launching CARE Court, a new strategy to provide critical mental health, housing and other services to people living with untreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
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San Mateo County is launching a new strategy to provide critical mental health, housing and other services to people with untreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders called CARE Court.
Local officials see the new CARE Court program, which will begin locally on July 1, as key to helping vulnerable people get the treatment they need while reducing the homeless crisis.
Established by Senate Bill 1338 and sponsored by Governor Gavin Newsom, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act seeks to end the odyssey of homelessness, short-term psychiatric hospitalization, and incarceration for those suffering from serious, untreated mental illness.
CARE Court connects a person struggling with untreated mental illness (and often substance use issues as well) with a court-ordered care plan for up to 24 months.
Each plan is managed by a care team in the community and may include clinically prescribed individualized interventions with various support services, medications, and a housing plan.
The client-centered approach also includes a public advocate and support to help make self-directed care decisions, in addition to your full clinical team.
The outpatient program is intended to be an intervention for residents with more severe disabilities, allowing them to remain in their community to stabilize, begin to heal, and transition out of homelessness in a less restrictive environment.
“The CARE Court program’s community-based framework aligns with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ vision to improve care within our community and support recovery with compassion and respect,” said Dr. Jei Africa, director of the County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.
“The ability to access essential behavioral health services in a community setting as opposed to an institutional one helps clients and their families engage in treatment while remaining close to their support system. We see CARE Court as another tool to help people connect with services in their recovery process,” she added.
The court-ordered response under the CARE Act can be initiated by a family member, a mental or behavioral health professional, a first responder, or a person seeking assistance, for example. That can start the process of enrolling someone in the state-funded program.
The July 1 launch puts San Mateo County among the first in California to implement the program ahead of the state-imposed December 2024 deadline.
The Behavioral Health and Recovery Services CARE team can partner with clients and families to answer questions, support the petition process, and assist them toward recovery. To contact the CARE team, call 650-372-6125 or email CAREBHRS@smcgov.org. To read more about the CARE process in San Mateo County, visit: Click here.
Additional support, such as a Family Resource Guide, how to complete a petition, and training materials, can be accessed through the CARE Act Resource Center at care-act.org.
Tulelake, in northern Siskiyou County, is among the most underserved communities in a county ranked among the poorest in the state. Access to public health care is a top concern for many.
Above: Four years after its founding in 1941, the area surrounding the town of Tulelake became the site of a vast internment camp for 18,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Today, Tulelake is a majority Latino community and one of the most underserved in Siskiyou County. (Credit: Manuel Oritz.)
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TULELAKE, Ca. – In March of this year, voters in Siskiyou County District 1 headed to the polls to elect their representative to the county Board of Supervisors. Among the three candidates, two listed law enforcement and support for farmers as their top priorities.
Angelina Cook, the third candidate, made access to public health care her main issue.
“My motivation for running was to address the litany of unmet needs in the county, and public health is ground zero,” said Cook, managing director of the McCloud Watershed Council in the town of McCloud at the southern end of Siskiyou County. “Without physical health, there is no economic health,” Cook said. He lost by a wide margin.
Once the “wood basket” of California, Siskiyou today ranks among the poorest counties in the state and is consistently at or near the bottom in health outcomes, according to 2023 report from the California Rural Policy Center at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Cook calls District 1 — which encompasses much of the eastern half of the county — “the most underserved and unrepresented of all the disadvantaged communities” in Siskiyou and blames county elected officials for “focusing on recruiting big industry, rather than addressing local needs.”
Laura Perez runs the Early Head Start program in Tulelake, where she has lived for more than 30 years. “We don’t have any support for families here,” she says of the area’s lack of health care infrastructure. (Credit: Peter Schurmann)
For residents of Tulelake, a small, majority-Latino farmworker community on the eastern edge of District 1, that disconnect has dire consequences.
“We only have one clinic, and they schedule appointments months in advance. We don’t have a pharmacy. We don’t have transportation. There are no providers,” says Laura Perez, who runs the Early Head Start program in Tulelake (population 889). Those needing immediate care must travel 30 miles across the state line to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where doctors may or may not accept Medi-Cal depending on who is on call on a given day.
Perez talks of waiting up to a year for new Medi-Cal applications to be processed by the county (according to the Department of Health Care Services, the process should take no more than 45 days) with patients paying out of pocket in the meantime. For those who do get coverage, available services are limited and often far away.
A grassroots effort to meet health care needs
But in Tulelake, a grassroots movement is slowly gaining momentum to promote health education, help residents navigate available resources and overcome the mistrust that prevents many from seeking medical care.
The timing couldn't be more important.
On January 1, California made Medi-Cal (the state's version of Medicaid) available to all eligible residents, regardless of immigration status. At the same time, the state is also conducting a Spectacular expansion of services covered by Medi-Cal to address social factors that influence health. Issues such as poverty, nutrition and housing – once considered outside the scope of traditional health care but very important to residents here – are now considered legitimate targets for Medi-Cal services.
The challenge for Tulelake activists is learning to take advantage of the resources Medi-Cal wants to put in place. At the forefront of that effort is the nonprofit organization TEACH ‒Training, Employment, and Community Help‒ (Training, Employment, and Community Help) Inc.
Just south of the Oregon border, Tulelake is both stunning for its natural beauty and surprising for its isolation. (Credit: Peter Schurmann)
“I help clients with all sorts of applications,” says TEACH Family Support Worker Leticia Reyes. “Medi-Cal, Cal Fresh, Cal Works, low-income energy assistance, and pretty much anything they need. We’re the only place in town that does this.”
Reyes' colleague and fellow Tulelake native Kelly Harris says the agency — with a staff of just three — has logged about 1,600 hours since June of last year helping residents apply for Medi-Cal, all without funding. Otherwise, residents would have to make the two-hour drive to the county seat in Yreka.
Asked why the county doesn’t have more of a presence in the community, Reyes shrugged. “I’m not sure. They’ve never even come out to give us training.”
Multiple attempts to contact county officials for this story went unanswered.
Harris says part of the problem is that most of the county's attention — and funding — is focused on towns and communities that parallel the I5 corridor that runs north to south through central Siskiyou. Places like Tulelake, far to the east and just a stone's throw from the border with neighboring Modoc County, tend to be left out in the cold.
Lost in translation
Then there is the linguistic divide. Many of Tulelake's residents are monolingual Spanish speakers and need language assistance when applying for benefits. (The Medi-Cal website (The county's interpreter is only available in English, with a phone number that those needing help in Spanish can call.) Reyes recounts a disturbing encounter one of her clients had with a county-hired interpreter.
“Maria is my client. When she came here two and a half years ago, she applied for Medi-Cal. Her husband wasn’t working. She wasn’t working.” Two weeks went by and a call came from the interpreter. “Why aren’t you working? Why do you always have to depend on the government?” she asked Maria.
According to Reyes, this was not an isolated case. Other residents who wanted to enroll in Medi-Cal had had similar encounters with this same interpreter.
Reyes says she made multiple calls to the county to complain. “Nothing ever happened. I called the front desk and they said they would pass it on to the supervisor. No supervisor ever called. Never.”
Eventually, Maria was able to get herself and her husband enrolled. But as Reyes explains, the couple later lost coverage once her husband started working in the fields and their earnings put them over the eligibility limit. The problem is that farm work in Tulelake is seasonal. And once the season ended, Maria and her husband tried to re-enroll.
“And once again the interpreter called. 'Why are you still doing this? You need to find another job. Stop depending on the government? It's not right.' And once again I complained.”
That was in February. The county has not yet responded.
The ‘community is showing up’
Perla Ruiz, who moved to Tulelake from Mexico in 2014, works as a health and education specialist in Modoc County, where she helps manage a program that connects families with health services, including things like nutrition and transportation — the latter a key challenge for many.
In her spare time, she leads local dance classes for residents and last year helped design a float for the local Day of the Dead parade. The float, which featured papier-mâché doulas, won first prize.
Residents participate in a traditional textile workshop at a community event organized by the nonprofit SOAR Siskiyou, focusing on maternal and mental health and community and family relationships. (Photo: Peter Schurmann)
“Every year more families arrive from Mexico,” says Ruiz, “many of them undocumented or seeking asylum. And they don’t know that these services exist, or they are afraid to ask. In most cases, they meet the requirements.”
In the absence of support from Siskiyou County, Ruiz says residents are looking out for each other. She points to an older woman who works at a nearby store selling goods from Mexico and who, in her spare time, offers to give people rides to appointments or helps sort through any piece of county or state mail.
“There are not many options other than helping each other,” he says.
Renee Camilla agrees. Camilla was born and raised in San Francisco. The daughter of immigrants from Nicaragua, she moved to Siskiyou nine years earlier. Herbalism and trained doula, helped launch SOAR Siskiyou in 2021 (the name stands for Seeds of Ancestral Renewal) to support the health needs of low-income communities of color in the county.
“What’s so unique about Siskiyou as a whole and what we’re seeing here is that despite the lack of resources, despite the mistrust, the community is speaking out,” he explains.
SOAR uses art, culture and traditional practices to bridge the gap with immigrant communities who might otherwise feel alienated by social services like public health. Camilla’s team recently paired up with promotoras, community health workers and local artists for a community health workshop – the last of four organised by SOAR in Tulelake – focusing on maternal and mental health, and community and family relationships.
'Relationships and trust'
Cook applauds these efforts, but worries they won’t be enough to bring needed resources.
“Things get so desperate that volunteers eventually show up,” he says, calling Tulelake a “model for underserved communities in Siskiyou.” But, he says, “that’s not going to bring people who have the resources to do what’s needed.” He adds, “And those who have the resources are in air-conditioned offices in Yreka.”
Still, there are signs of change, albeit gradual.
Renee Camilla (R) is a trained herbalist and doula. She helped launch SOAR Siskiyou in 2021 to support the health needs of low-income communities of color in Siskiyou County. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
At the entrance to the SOAR event, Partnership Health, the managed care network that covers Siskiyou and about 24 other counties in far northern California, set up an information table with a Spanish-speaking representative who had just presented a workshop four hours west in Del Norte County.
“We were familiar with the access challenges in rural California. Challenges that are even more difficult with this expansion to adults,” said Amy Turnipseed, director of strategy and government affairs for Partnership Health.
According to Turnipseed, the Partnership has enrolled 70 new patients in Tulelake since the expansion phase of adult Medi-Cal began on Jan. 1. It is also working to bring on more providers through an ongoing recruitment program and expand the number of community health workers in the area.
“Workforce and access are issues that affect all Medi-Cal providers, but particularly in rural communities,” she explains. “We recognize this and try to support it by incentivizing providers to build foundations and roots” in the communities they serve.
“The way to reach this population is through relationships and trust,” Turnipseed says. “It’s building relationships, going into the community with people who can speak their language.”
This is the third in a series looking at Medi-Cal expansion in rural Northern California. You can read the first part here here, and the second part here. This project is a collaboration between EMS and Peninsula 360 and was funded by the California Health Equity Impact Fund 2024 ’s 2024 California Health Equity Impact Fund.
El 21 de junio el Alcalde de RWC llegó a Aguililla, México, para celebrar el 147 Aniversario de esta ciudad y formalizar la relación de ciudad hermana entre Aguililla y Redwood City.
El 21 de junio llegué a Aguililla, México, para celebrar el 147 Aniversario de Aguililla y formalizar la relación de ciudad hermana entre Aguililla y Redwood City.
Gerardo Godínez y el personal de Presidenta Montes Mendoza me recogieron en Morelia a las 6:00 de la mañana para emprender el viaje de casi cuatro horas de Morelia a Aguililla. Durante el trayecto, nos detuvimos a tomar un café en Apatzingán, nos saltamos el Starbucks y en su lugar, nos detuvimos donde los lugareños obtienen su café – en un puesto de autos donde se estaba haciendo desde la parte trasera de una camioneta. La gente paraba, pedía café y se iba a trabajar.
Las primeras horas de viaje transcurrieron por una autopista, a ambos lados de la carretera se alineaban huertos de aguacates y limones, gran parte de los aguacates del mundo se cultivan en Michoacán y luego se exportan. La última parte del viaje hasta Aguililla fue más ventosa, pero llegamos a tiempo para el desfile, todos los habitantes de la ciudad se alinearon en las calles para ver al ejército y a la policía nacional demostrar su presencia y su importancia para la comunidad.
Tras el desfile, llegó la hora de los tacos y de dar un paseo por la plaza.
El viaje de la relación de ciudad hermana entre Aguililla y Redwood City comenzó en 2013, cuando la alcaldesa Alicia Aguirre vino a la región para discutir la formalización de una relación entre nuestras dos ciudades. En 2017, el Consejo de Redwood City aprobó formalmente una relación de ciudad hermana entre nuestras dos ciudades. Una delegación de Aguililla vino a Redwood City para participar en la firma. Sin embargo, nadie del Ayuntamiento había viajado a Aguililla hasta ahora.
Para mí, este acuerdo formal de ciudad hermana es un reconocimiento de la historia entre nuestras dos ciudades, familias de Aguililla han emigrado a Redwood City durante muchos años, estas familias ayudaron a Redwood City a convertirse en la ciudad que es hoy, abrieron negocios, asistieron a nuestras escuelas, fueron a la iglesia en Redwood City, se ofrecieron como voluntarios en la comunidad y celebraron a todas las comunidades que han venido de México. Con más del 40% de nuestros residentes como latinos y una parte tan grande de nuestra comunidad, honrar a estas familias es muy importante.
Planear un viaje como este, con tanta importancia, requiere de mucha planeación y coordinación, quiero agradecer a Arnoldo Arreola y a los Amigos de Aguililla su ayuda para programar y planificar mi visita.
Uno de los beneficios de nuestra relación de ciudad hermana es que cada año nuestra ciudad identifica vehículos y equipo excedentes, en el pasado, Ciudad Guzmán y Colima, las otras ciudades hermanas de Redwood City en México, han optado por llevar a sus ciudades vehículos y camiones de bomberos excedentes. Este año, mi objetivo y esperanza es que la Ciudad de Aguililla pueda utilizar algunos de nuestros equipos excedentes.
Después del desfile y los tacos, llegó el momento de tomar un breve descanso, el almuerzo tuvo lugar en una recepción con vistas a la ciudad. Los últimos meses habían sido muy secos y los residentes estaban preocupados por la lluvia, ya no tenían por qué preocuparse, pues poco después de servirse el almuerzo, el cielo se abrió y empezó a llover… ¡una lluvia muy fuerte y abundante! Truenos, relámpagos y granizo, llovió durante varias horas y el granizo era muy grande.
Más tarde en la noche fue el programa de Miss Aguililla, en el que había tres jóvenes compitiendo, finalmente, la corona fue para Fatima. A pesar de la lluvia, cada joven tuvo su propia sección de animación.
En el certamen de Miss Aguililla, había tres jóvenes compitiendo, finalmente, la corona fue para Fatima.
El sábado hubo otro desfile por la ciudad, en éste participaron todos los alumnos de las distintas escuelas, como en las Fiestas Patronales, una vez finalizado el desfile, nos dirigimos al gimnasio del instituto local para la ceremonia de la bandera. Almorzamos en un restaurante de la plaza y después asistimos a un partido de fútbol entre Aguililla y Kuekos, ¡con mucha cerveza!
El sábado por la noche tuvo lugar la firma formal de la relación de ciudades hermanas entre Aguililla y Redwood City, la sinfónica juvenil local inició el programa, seguido de baile folclórico, discursos, firma de acuerdos y, por último, ¡la banda empezó a tocar y comenzó el baile!
El sábado hubo otro desfile por la ciudad, en éste participaron todos los alumnos de las distintas escuelas, como en las Fiestas Patronales.
Todas las personas que conocí eran cálidas, amables y me saludaron con una sonrisa. Había muchos residentes que habían vivido en Redwood City durante muchos años, se jubilaron del Condado de San Mateo, Stanford, Kaiser, la Oficina del Sheriff y muchos de nuestros empleadores locales y volvieron a casa, a Aguililla. Las familias estaban aquí visitando a sus padres, haciendo que sus hijos pasaran tiempo con la Abuela y el Abuelo, o ayudando a la comunidad.
Todas las personas que conocí eran cálidas, amables y me saludaron con una sonrisa. Había muchos residentes que habían vivido en Redwood City durante muchos años.
También, tengo que mencionar que había un montón de cerveza, tequila, mezcal de Michoacán, e incluso mezcal cachunga (¡este se te va a colar!) ¡Había tacos, carnitas, barbacoa, pozole, y mucho más! ¡Los aguacates estaban deliciosos y los mangos, naranjas, limones y toda la fruta sabía de maravilla!
Viajé a Zhuhai China el año pasado para celebrar el 30 aniversario de la relación de ciudad hermana con Redwood City. Espero con impaciencia los muchos aniversarios que Aguililla y Redwood City celebrarán en el futuro.
He invitado a todas las ciudades hermanas de Redwood City a visitarnos a finales de septiembre: Aguililla, Ciudad Guzmán y Colima de México, y Zhuhai de China. Espero que representantes de todas nuestras ciudades hermanas puedan asistir.
Una vez más, gracias a Arnoldo y Maribel Arreola, los Amigos de Aguililla, Gerardo Godínez, Santiago Pérez Valencia y los muchos residentes que abrieron su casa y sus corazones a mi visita a Aguililla. Dondequiera que iba, había sonrisas, apretones de manos, abrazos, calidez genuina y muy acogedora. Todos me invitaron a volver y visitarles.
La historia entre Aguililla y Redwood City es duradera, una relación entre comunidades, entre personas, y debe honrarse y celebrarse. Me alegro de haber podido visitar Aguililla. Espero que en el futuro pueda traer una delegación de Redwood City para promover las relaciones entre nuestras escuelas, empresas y otros.
La brecha salarial ha incrementado, especialmente para los que llegan en busca del “sueño americano”; los retos que enfrentan se han transformado conforme impactan los cambios sociales y políticos, siendo que el género y la raza son las principales causas que generan la desigualdad.
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La brecha salarial ha incrementado, especialmente para los que llegan en busca del “sueño americano”; los retos que enfrentan se han transformado conforme impactan los cambios sociales y políticos, siendo que el género y la raza son las principales causas que generan la desigualdad.
Y es que, en Estados Unidos la desigualdad de ingresos sigue aumentando; 10 por ciento de la población con mayores ingresos gana más de 150 mil dólares anuales y posee más de un millón de dólares en activos, mientras que las familias de renta baja ganan una media de 31 mil dólares al año y tienen un patrimonio insignificante.
La movilidad intergeneracional es un motor clave de la riqueza, pero ha caído en las últimas cuatro décadas y existe el temor de que la tecnología pueda crear mayores diferencias salariales.
El sueño americano es prácticamente salir del país de origen en busca de una mejor vida para los hijos o familiares, el ideal es llegar a un punto más alto en la distribución de riquezas, así lo explicó el doctor Austin Clemens, senior fellow de Washington Center for Equitable Growth, durante una sesión informativa realizada porEthnic Media Services.
Desde el 2016 se notó un cambió de mentalidad, donde los jóvenes buscan tener un 40 por ciento de ingresos mayor que sus padres, comentó Clemens.
Además, expresó que el primer factor que consideran los migrantes, es el crecimiento económico a través de mejores oportunidades de empleo, y llegan al país con la idea de que será fácil, pero eso no ocurre en todos los casos por la falta de equidad salarial.
Clemens afirmó que en los últimos años se ha observado que los hijos de migrantes tienen más oportunidades de mantener una calidad de vida mejor que sus padres, pero tambien mucho mejor que los propios estadounidenses de origen.
“Las oportunidades se dan a lo largo de todo Estados Unidos y hay lugares donde la movilidad intergeneracional es alta o baja, entonces generalmente los migrantes llegan a lugares donde existen buenos trabajos y escuelas, eso es positivo en la segunda generación de migrantes”, afirmó el también licenciado en economía.
Es importante fortalecer el mercado laboral y generar políticas que vayan en contra de la discriminación para brindar más y mejores oportunidades para todos.
La doctora Michelle Holder, profesora asociada de economía en el John Jay College de la City University de Nueva York, explicó que existen tres formas evidentes de detectar desigualdad laboral, la primera es en el sueldo, la segunda es en la tasa de desempleo, la tercera es conocer las estadísticas que segmentan los datos, por ejemplo en 2023 por cada dólar que un hombre ganaba en su empleo, una mujer ganaba solo 84 centavos.
Una brecha que ha existido durante años y que sigue siendo muy evidente, es entre los trabajadores de color y los blancos, se estima que por cada dólar que ganan los hombres blancos, las afrodescendientes ganan 73 centavos.
Ante estos problemas se debe pensar en soluciones que puedan emparejar las condiciones y brindar la oportunidad de tener las mismas opciones salariales, por lo que brindar educación accesible a todos daría la posibilidad de prepararse para obtener un sueldo más competitivo, afirmó Holder.
Sumado a lo anterior, los trabajos informales también dejan la posibilidad de tener un salario no competitivo, por lo que regular las fuentes de empleo es considerada una buena opción, finalizó la profesora en economía.
El doctor Michael Reich, profesor de economía y presidente del Centro de Dinámica Salarial y del Empleo del Instituto de Investigación sobre Trabajo y Empleo de la Universidad de California en Berkeley, explicó que muchas personas se han mudado a los trabajos de conductores que ofrecen diferentes empresas.
Explicó que 1.3 millones de conductores en California se dedican a estos empleos y aproximadamente 100 millones de personas en todo el país, este fenómeno incrementó con la pandemia, ya que se hizo necesario el servicio a domicilio y muchos empleos formales desaparecieron.
Las personas que ven este tipo de empleos como un trabajo adicional o extra son solo 10 por ciento, dejando 90 por ciento de trabajadores comprometidos que le dedican de 8 a 10 horas al día para generar ingresos iguales a otros empleos.
Las personas que toman estos empleos, según estudios, en su mayoría son migrantes que no tienen la posibilidad de encontrar algo formal y se ven obligados a aceptar salarios bajos, pero también implica que no tendrán un rango de salario mínimo, no reciben seguro de desempleo, vacaciones o algun otro beneficio legal, situación que preocupa al profesor Reich.
La doctora Heidi Shierholz, presidenta del Instituto de Política Económica, comentó que su mayor preocupación se encuentra en el uso de las nuevas tecnologías y como están impactando en el mercado laboral.
A través del tiempo, las máquinas han tomado terreno y los empleados no son esenciales en algunos casos o disminuye el número de empleados por las facilidades que otorga la tecnología, en la actualidad la Inteligencia artificial IA puede ser una aliada pero también el reemplazo de empleados.
Shierholz considera que una manera importante de continuar dándole su lugar al empleado es brindarle mayores beneficios laborales, incrementar el sueldo, aumentar los días de vacaciones, sindicatos, y brindar capacitaciones, entre otras, con la finalidad de que sean protegidos pero también más preparados.
“Se debe construir una democracia social precisamente para asegurarse de que los beneficios de los trabajadores sean protegidos aumentando sus estándares de vida, por eso es importante la agenda política que aborde los aspectos de la inteligencia artificial y sus efectos”, agregó Shierholz.
La alcaldesa de San Francisco, London Breed, anunció la Ley de Libertad Reproductiva de San Francisco, una nueva medida electoral que, de ser aprobada en noviembre, garantizará que las libertades y los derechos reproductivos de las mujeres en la ciudad sigan protegidos.
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La alcaldesa de San Francisco, London Breed, anunció la Ley de Libertad Reproductiva de San Francisco, una nueva medida electoral que, de ser aprobada en noviembre, garantizará que las libertades y los derechos reproductivos de las mujeres en la ciudad sigan protegidos.
Junto a las supervisoras Catherine Stefani, Myrna Melgar y Hillary Ronen, así como de líderes y defensores de los derechos reproductivos en Planned Parenthood of Northern California, la alcaldesa detalló que la medida propone promulgar una variedad de protecciones para las mujeres que buscan servicios de aborto y atención reproductiva en San Francisco.
Lo anterior, incluso garantizando que no se comparta información con jurisdicciones fuera de California donde esta podría usarse para procesar a una paciente o a un proveedor de atención de salud reproductiva.
Y es que, desde la derogación de Roe v. Wade, el aborto ha sido prohibido en 14 estados y existen restricciones importantes en otros siete.
“Esta medida electoral garantiza el acceso a servicios reproductivos y abortos para las mujeres en nuestra ciudad, pero también envía un mensaje claro a todo el país de que San Francisco sigue siendo un líder en el apoyo a los derechos reproductivos y no toleraremos ningún nivel de perturbación”, dijo en su momento Breed.
La alcaldesa destacó que “es impensable que existan fuerzas que impidan que una mujer pueda tomar decisiones sobre su propio cuerpo. Hemos estado en el lado correcto de la historia antes y ahora, más que nunca, trabajaremos más duro para recuperar lo que nos quitaron y preservar lo que sabemos que es un valor fundamental en este país”.
De ser aprobada. la Ley de Protección de la Libertad Reproductiva de San Francisco fortalecerá el acceso de larga data al aborto y a los servicios reproductivos, y establecerá nuevos requisitos, que incluyen el declarar como política oficial de la ciudad y el condado de San Francisco salvaguardar la libertad reproductiva integral a través de una serie de declaraciones.
Asimismo, exigirá que se proporcione información pública sobre dónde las personas pueden acceder a servicios de salud reproductiva; prohibirá el uso de fondos de la ciudad para cooperar o proporcionar información para apoyar el procesamiento de un servicio de aborto o salud reproductiva que sea legal en California; y limitará los fondos de la Ciudad para que no se destinen a cualquier centro de salud reproductiva que no brinde ni remita un servicio integral de salud reproductiva.
De igual forma, exigirá señalización en los centros de embarazos en crisis que indiquen a las personas qué lugares no brindan atención integral de salud reproductiva y dónde pueden obtener información sobre los lugares que sí lo hacen.
La ley, también establecería un fondo al que tanto el dinero privado como el de la ciudad (si se asigna más adelante) podrían destinarse para ayudar a las personas a acceder a la atención de salud reproductiva; y modificaría el Código de Planificación para aclarar que las clínicas de salud reproductiva son un uso permitido siempre que se permitan usos no residenciales.
San Francisco tiene seis centros de salud pública que realizan más de mil 200 abortos cada año. Desde la decisión Dobbs, California ha visto un aumento en los procedimientos de aborto.
En mayo de 2022, antes de la caída de Roe v. Wade, California informó 13 mil 680 abortos. Sólo en mayo de 2023, los abortos en el estado aumentaron a 15 mil 550. En marzo de 2023, en el estado se realizaron 16 mil abortos.
Planned Parenthood Affiliates de California informó que los abortos con medicamentos realizados en sus clínicas aumentaron un 18 por ciento en todo el estado desde junio de 2022 hasta junio de 2023.
El Condado de San Mateo presentará presupuesto recomendado para el año fiscal 2024-25 que incluye preparación para emergencias y viviendas asequibles.
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The recommended budget of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors para el año fiscal 2024-25 busca garantizar que el condado pueda brindar servicios de red de seguridad y al mismo tiempo agregar personal para desarrollar viviendas asequibles e impulsar la preparación para emergencias.
Así, este martes 25 de junio, el ejecutivo del condado, Mike Callagy, presentará el plan de gastos de 4.2 mil millones de dólares a la Junta de Supervisores. La reunión se llevará a cabo a las 9:00 horas con participación presencial y virtual disponible.
The budget, Callagy said, addresses priorities set by the Board while balancing fiscal constraints due to state and other funding uncertainties.
El presupuesto recomendado es 601 millones de dólares menos que el año anterior, debido principalmente a la finalización de varios proyectos de capital y al fin de las subvenciones estatales y federales de la era de la pandemia, señaló el condado en un comunicado.
“En esencia, este es un presupuesto ambicioso que forma parte de un plan para mejorar la calidad de vida de todos los residentes del condado de San Mateo”, dijo Callagy. “Basado en reuniones públicas con la Junta de Supervisores y aportes de la comunidad, este presupuesto realiza inversiones inteligentes en vivienda, preparación para emergencias, atención de salud mental, niños, familias y personas mayores y mucho más”.
Address priorities
El presupuesto recomendado agrega cinco puestos para gestionar el desarrollo de viviendas asequibles y financia dos puestos para lanzar la nueva Oficina de Cumplimiento de Normas Laborales, que combatirá el robo de salarios y otros abusos de los trabajadores con salarios bajos.
El presupuesto garantiza que el condado pueda cumplir con su obligación como proveedor de servicios de red de seguridad y al mismo tiempo seguir dando alta prioridad a las viviendas asequibles e impulsar los servicios de emergencia.
Otros aspectos destacados incluyen inversiones específicas que abordan las amenazas de los incendios forestales, el aumento del nivel del mar y otros riesgos. Estos incluyen agregar cinco puestos al Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias, así como asignar 21.5 millones de dólares para reemplazar la Estación de Bomberos de Pescadero y 5.2 millones para el Fondo de Reemplazo de Camiones de Bomberos.
Con las negociaciones presupuestarias en curso en Sacramento, el presupuesto del condado podría aumentar o disminuir en los próximos meses, señaló el ayuntamiento.
Los funcionarios de presupuesto locales advierten que el panorama fiscal podría verse muy diferente en septiembre, cuando la Junta de Supervisores considerará un presupuesto final con revisiones para el año fiscal 2024-25.
Además del Presupuesto Recomendado, la Junta tiene previsto votar una propuesta para asignar 9.1 millones de dólares adicionales en fondos locales de la Medida K a programas que atienden a niños, familias y personas mayores.
Lo anterior incluye financiación para organizaciones comunitarias que brindan servicios de apoyo para jóvenes en crianza temporal, centros de recursos familiares comunitarios y escolares, servicios para residentes LGBTQ+, extensión culturalmente apropiada y conexiones comunitarias para adultos mayores, entre otros servicios.
El personal también recomienda asignar 4 millones adicionales en fondos de la Medida K (un impuesto sobre las ventas de medio centavo aprobado por los votantes) para llenar los vacíos creados por la escasez de fondos estatales para los programas existentes del Condado que atienden a niños, familias y personas mayores.
Redwood City Council members will have the opportunity to improve the community by allocating the 2023-2024 budget to areas that residents, through a survey, identified as priorities to improve the quality of life in the area. Image: Screenshot of the June 10 Redwood City Council meeting.
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This coming Monday, June 24, Redwood City residents, along with city council members, will have the opportunity to improve the community by allocating the 2023-2024 budget to areas that residents, through a survey, identified as priorities to improve the quality of life in the area.
The Redwood City Council will thus have the opportunity to discuss funding for various projects, for which a special one-time fund totaling $7.1 million will be allocated for park renovations, road paving, ramps for people with disabilities, or the implementation of surveillance cameras, to name a few.
In an interview with Peninsula 360 Press, the councilors Lissette Espinoza Garnica (District 3) and Chris Sturken (District 2), they pointed out that, according to the surveys, security was an important aspect, so it is planned to allocate around one million dollars to implement surveillance cameras in the places where necessary.
However, they said, carrying out such a surveillance program would be extremely expensive for the city, as the study for the cameras alone could cost around $250,000. But the overall study, plus implementation, camera purchases and ongoing maintenance (including possibly having to hire an outside contractor to review the recordings), would exceed $1 million over time.
In this regard, Chris Sturken commented that “the cameras are very expensive and at present we do not have a policy ready to implement such a program, the funds would only be enough to investigate where the surveillance cameras could be placed,” so more resources would have to be allocated to this project in the budgets of the coming years.
In turn, Lissette Espinoza said that this project is not a prevention program, since it would only serve to check a place after a crime has already occurred. “In terms of security, it is better to invest money in preventing crimes, that is something that does not spend so many resources and has a higher return on investment.”
They therefore considered that an alternative would be to use these funds for programs such as the expansion of bicycle lanes and places to walk, which would allow emergency services, such as police and firefighters, to respond to calls in less time.
The Redwood City Council will have the opportunity to discuss funding for several projects, for which a one-time special fund totaling $7.1 million will be allocated. Image: Screenshot from the June 10 Redwood City Council meeting.
Furthermore, having spaces where citizens can enjoy the streets also benefits businesses, has benefits for young people and the community in general, as it encourages them to have a healthy life, in addition to having benefits for their physical, emotional and mental health.
“We need to invest in projects that address the root of insecurity. By expanding the bike lanes, we would also have a permanent infrastructure that will benefit the community for many years to come and not just temporarily.”
Adding to this is the current deficit of more than $9 million that Redwood City has, which in the future could impact services such as libraries, support services, fire and police departments, parks and other essential programs for citizens.
“It is important to find a way to generate more resources for the city. Tax options and reforms are currently being studied, such as for business licenses, so that there is no impact on these services.”
Espinoza-Garnica said the proposed tax would not guarantee all essential services, but it would be significant, as the annual deficit is around $9.3 million and the new measure could raise around $7 million.
It should be noted that citizens can watch City Council meetings on Zoom, but will not be able to make public comments.
You may also email PublicComment@RedwoodCity.org before 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting to have your comment read aloud, provided there is sufficient time.
Interested parties can attend the meeting in person on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at 1017 Middlefield Road in the City Council Chambers, where Spanish translation will be available. Image: Screenshot of the June 10 Redwood City Council meeting.
Alice Oseman’s Solitaire, the graphic novel that is also part of and takes place in the same universe as the acclaimed “Heartstopper” book series by the same author, and revolves around the character of Charlie Spring.
This Saturday, like every Saturday, Camilasbooks makes us a recommendation of one of its favorite books, and although this novel is one of its classic suggestions, “Solitaire” by the British writer, screenwriter and illustrator Alice Oseman, has become one of its most special publications.
The graphic novel, Camilasbooks says in her space on Península 360 Press, is also part of and takes place in the same universe as the acclaimed “Heartstopper” book series by the same author, and revolves around the character of Charlie Spring.
In the case of “Solitaire”, it tells the story of “Tori” or Victoria Spring, Charlie’s older sister, a character who, in the opinion of Camilasbooks, is a “quite eccentric” teenager, as she is cynical, isolated from the world, and with a solitary and introverted life, aspects with which the reviewer herself identifies.
And the thing is, Tori “doesn’t usually express or externalize much of what goes through her mind, so getting to know her in this novel has been very special, especially when we meet a teenager who is quite isolated and is in a period of self-discovery.”
“For me it has been a very special book, it has been like a shelter, it has been like a hug, especially because there are several aspects in which I understand Tori very well and I have been able to see myself reflected in many of the attitudes that she has,” she stressed.
Camilasbooks also highlights that it is “nice” to come across a character who has this type of behavior, since it is not usually common in literature, especially because, sometimes, these characters or this type of behavior tend not to please or does not help the development of the plots that readers might expect.
To this, he adds that the book becomes interesting by touching on the topic of development and self-discovery in a stage of life that everyone goes through.
“(It's nice) to see and accompany this character in this period of his life. Honestly, this book was a hug for me because I think that in some way it made me feel understood by some being in the world, especially because, sometimes, there are things and attitudes that one can have that do not fit with the rest of the people, one feels very external and isolated or one can also be the author of one's own life.”
The lightness and sensitivity in playing these and other themes are some of the highlights of why Camilasbooks recommends “Solitarie” by Alice Oseman.
To learn more about this book and its other reviews, don't miss the Camilasbooks space on the Península 360 Press social networks.
Medi Cal is transforming. In its first phase, the program reached out to communities to listen to their true needs, regardless of immigration status, religion, language, origin, sex or age, providing a more complete and comprehensive service.
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Medi-Cal has been transformed with the goal of reaching more people, regardless of immigration status, religion, language, origin, sex or age, providing a more complete and comprehensive service. In its first phase of transformation, the program reached out to communities to listen to their real needs.
California reached its lowest uninsured rate in 2022. Access gaps result in health disparities, as people in underserved groups, such as low-income people and people of color, experience higher rates of illness and death.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) continues to transform Medi-Cal (California's comprehensive health coverage program for children and families), making historic investments to achieve equity in health care.
The program seeks to expand to all low-income Californians regardless of immigration status, expand language access so members can receive interpretation services, and create new community supports beyond the doctor's office, including housing assistance, psychological care, and personal care services.
In addition to this commitment to health equity, DHCS leaders toured the state to hear from Medi-Cal members who have experienced health inequity firsthand, said Selene Ozturk. of the Department of Health Services, during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
With support from community organizations, they formed the first phase of DHCS’ Roadmap for Health Equity, a new initiative to create a Medi-Cal that is more focused on members and their true needs.
Once the first phase of the Health Equity Roadmap is complete, a pre-designed phase will be developed that will use member feedback to make Medi-Cal more equitable; these results will be made available on their website once processed.
Dr. Pamela Riley, Chief of Health Equity and Deputy Assistant Director for Quality Management and Population Health at the Department of Health Care Services, said that all people, regardless of color, religion, origin, age or income, have the right to health care, while lamenting that this goal is not always achieved due to the disparities they face.
"Equity goes beyond access, we have to ensure that we provide efficient health services for everyone.", he explained.
Riley said that if we want to achieve real change, we must work directly with the members, listen to them and get to know their needs, especially in indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, which are the most vulnerable.
Last year, an initiative was launched that is transforming the Medi-Cal program. It is a phased implementation where health care is focused on members and is specifically targeted to them, providing dental and comprehensive care, explained the graduate in Anthropology.
"Phase one is a statewide tour to meet and listen. Phase two will involve working with program members using community feedback and initiatives to ensure all voices are heard.", he stressed.
Dr. Riley also said that phase three will be the result of the foundation that has been laid to create a path to health equity in which viable elements will be put in place to achieve mutual objectives and arrive at a more equitable Medi-Cal system.
It is worth noting that phase one has been completed, during which the most vulnerable communities were visited to listen to residents and understand their needs. During these trips, the most important issue to consider was linguistic diversity, as people need to feel understood and heard.
Debbie Toth, President and CEO of Choice in Aging, shared that she has been with the organization for 22 years and has never had a project this important, something that excited and inspired her.
"Historically, there had not been work done so focused on communities, knowing the needs of each person through their own stories.", he stressed.
When Toth arrived at Choice in Aging, he noticed that they did not have a program focused on Spanish speakers. When this space opened, people from Mexico, Argentina, and Spain gathered, where one person commented: “We share the language but not the culture.””, so she understood that they do not have the same needs and it was important to see each person in a unique way.
"We assume things because they share the same characteristic, but a person cannot be identified by just one thing since there are many identities.", he added. Thoth.
Michael Whalen, director of programs at The Bedford Center at Choice in Aging, said there is a need for more senior care centers, spaces where people feel loved and valued regardless of their age.
She said that they provide a social and community place where people feel special and part of a community, as it is very important that everyone has a place to spend their time in the afternoons, a special place that makes them feel unique and that goes beyond a medical check-up, but supports them in a comprehensive way.
Redwood City's budget has a $21 million surplus; but those funds apparently couldn't be touched because the municipality anticipates that the numbers coming in the next few years… will be red.
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Redwood City is now in a more comfortable position than other neighboring cities in the county to face a budget shortfall. It has a $21 million surplus in fiscal year 2023-24; but those funds apparently could not be touched because the city anticipates that the numbers coming in the next few years … will be in the red.
The money will be needed in the next two fiscal years, so there would not be much left to pay for essential services in the coming months, including salaries and the maintenance of the police force.
On Monday, June 10, the City Council discussed in a “study session” some of the measures that could be taken to address the crisis.
As we reported, Redwood City is considering including a tax on new business licenses on the local ballot in the November elections.
Prevention is cure
At the meeting on Monday, June 10, it was reported that a survey of residents resulted in a proposal to invest one million dollars in security cameras to be installed in some areas of the city.
However, this initiative did not go down well with some councillors.
Vice Mayor Lissette-Espinoza Garnica and Councilman Chris Sturkin said they would prefer to see at least some of the camera funding go toward programs that help keep vulnerable youth out of the criminal justice system.
According to Espinoza-Garnica, “the best way to invest that money would be to put emphasis on prevention services” (of crimes) instead of spending it on programs that are useful if the crime has already been committed or if the incident has already occurred.
“Using more police or cameras to combat crime is not going to reduce it,” said the Latina vice mayor. “That only perpetuates the cycle of criminalization,” she said.
The deficit: here and in Sacramento
Among the causes of the fiscal hole that is troubling the city is the possible refusal of the state government to pay Redwood City's share of motor vehicle license fees.
Typically California collects that money and reimburses it to municipalities during the next fiscal year. But as the state faces its own $28 billion deficit — according to Gavin Newsom's budget — Sacramento suggested three counties could Not receive those vital funds. And among them, is our San Mateo County.
Mayor Jeff Gee is optimistic that the refund will eventually be paid to municipalities.
“These funds are very volatile,” Gee said. But he also warned that “services and programs will have to be adjusted to the budget” available.
For fiscal year 2024-25, if the anticipated deficit is covered with that $21 million, there will still be a deficit of $15 million.
What to do and what not to do
According to a report submitted by the city, another cause of the deficit is the slow economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The same report proposes cutting city spending by 5 percent if necessary, which would mean eliminating the downtown police unit, closing the Red Morton Community Center on weekends, and cutting youth and recreation programs.
What will not be suspended for now is the repair of sidewalks, the replacement of traffic lights, the construction of wheelchair ramps and the completion of work in the pedestrian zone on Broadway Street.
The next budget discussion will be on Monday 24th, and public comments are accepted before the date and in person on the same day.
