JANUARY
BOS opens discussions on opioid abuse lawsuit funding
A consultant with a renowned health management company led discussions in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in January to share information safely, regarding the federal government’s successful Opioid abuse lawsuit, litigated the past couple of years.
“Our purpose is to deliberate how can Lake County reinvest in the community impacted by the Opioid crisis of recent years” Charles Robbins, Master of Business Administration and a principal of Health Management Associates, a community strategies consultancy based in Los Angeles, told the chamber audience during the presentation.
Elise Jones, director of Behavioral Health Services explained the reason they hosted the discussion was not to tell people what they should do with funds, but that the funds belonged to the various communities across Lake County. And as regards to actual implementation of solutions, since Behavioral Health Services is the administrative entity responsible for that, if one of the proposals resulted in investing in a certain level of care, which the department does not provide, they would have to put out a bid for request for proposal to deliver that level of care to the community.
Theresa Kemp, an Adventist Health on-site community healthcare worker had earlier in her youth been a frequent narcotics user. She confided she didn’t know it was possible to overdose using methadone amphetamine. “I was an active user half my life,” she said. “I saw I had three options: quit using, kill myself or die from using.” A turning point arrived when she learned about the Tule House – Recovery From Addiction resource. “I learned how to use that dopamine natural balance,” she recalled.
“It was a great feeling knowing to do that. I had forgotten everything.” Kemp then got into a program at the Hope Center Rising, transitional housing site. “I was going to rehab and I spent two weeks at the Warming Shelter,” she said. “Then I went to Hope Center. A year ago, I was in a horrible place – no electricity, no water.” She managed to stay three days without using. “I had to have the drugs because, I was going to do nothing. Having mentors at the Hope Center I got started at college. Lake County, I can’t say enough about the place.”
—William Roller
Clearlake informs public on new technologies including AI programs
At a Judge’s Breakfast in Clearlake to start the year, Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora presented on new technologies being used by the city, with an emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs. Other technologies include new camera systems and other software for monitoring potential wildfires as well as uses in law enforcement.
Mimicking Ukiah’s model, the city of Clearlake announced it was adapting a wildfire monitoring system that involved purchasing multiple 30 to 40,000 AI integrated cameras, strategically placed, operated in conjunction with an online portal program called AlertCA.
Flora noted that this program allows access to local fire departments and Cal Fire as well as any others with access. According to Flora the county currently has several cameras in place, with two in Lower Lake and one on Mount Konocti, and many others that are owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. “They use all this technology to try and make the impact of those PSPS events much smaller.” Combined with the use of AlertCA these cameras aid in creating a much faster response time ultimately having the potential to avoid these fires becoming larger catastrophes.
Flora introduced an AI program called Placer.AI to which the city is subscribed annually at a cost of $13,000 per year. This program uses the public’s mobile devices to track almost anything it’s programmed to, including where people travel in and around the city, where and how much they are spending and earning, level of education, traffic patterns, and even logs what days and times for data analyzation.
—Nikki Carboni
FEBRUARY
California gives new moms extra Medi-Cal benefits. It can’t say who’s using them
A report from the California State Auditor asserted California offers extensive pregnancy benefits to low-income mothers, but the state’s top health agencies have no way of knowing how many people are getting help or whether the program improves the health of moms and babies.
The audit’s findings came at a time when California was grappling with increasing rates of maternal mortality, persistent disparities for Black women and growing maternity care deserts. In 2020, the state reported the highest rate of maternal mortality in a decade, and Black women were three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than others.
Despite statewide efforts to reverse those trends in recent years, the departments of Health Care Services and Public Health failed to monitor one of the longest-standing pregnancy programs for moms and babies, the audit found. The departments have not made any significant improvements to the program since its establishment in 1984, the audit said.
Early assessments of the program conducted in the 1980s and 1990s showed a significant decrease in low-birth weight babies among those who received services. Auditors found, the state was not collecting sufficient data to assess how many people are using services or whether the program is helping vulnerable patients.
—Kristen Hwang
MARCH
Woodland Community College celebrations; searching for new Dean
Throughout the month of March, Woodland Community College proudly celebrated Women’s History Month, a period dedicated to recognizing and honoring the remarkable achievements and contributions of women, both in the present day and throughout history.
Woodland Community College (WCC) also announced the launch of the search for the Dean of Lake County Campus and Colusa Center, a pivotal leadership position aimed at fostering educational excellence and community engagement in Lake County and Colusa County.
This year, WCC also welcomed its new president, Dr. Lizette Navarette. College officials said the search presents a unique opportunity for dynamic leaders to collaborate closely with the new president in shaping the future of our campuses. With a vision centered on innovation, inclusivity, and student success, the new president said she is committed to working collaboratively with the dean to drive positive change and elevate the educational experience for all students.
—Lake County Record-Bee
