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Vol. 17, No. 12 – Mar 6 – Mar 19, 2024 – Music Calendar

For more listings, additional times and genres go to VenturaRocks.com

The Angry Ferret Brewery
11990 Hertz St., Moorpark
Fri 3/15: Whole Hog

Aqua Beachfront Bar (Crowne Plaza)
450 E. Harbor Blvd., Ventura
Wed 3/6: Jerry Breiner (solo)
Wed 3/13: Déjà vu Too

Bellringer Brewing Company
472 E. Main St., Ventura
Fri 3/8: Katie Leigh

Boatyard Pub
1583 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura
Music 6-9; except Thurs 4-9
Wednesdays: Frank Barajas
Thursdays: Jim Friery (4 pm ); Bluegrass Jam (6:30 pm)
Fri 3/15: Teresa Russell & Stephen Geyer
Sat 3/16: Déjà vu Three

Bombay Bar and Grill
143 S. California St., Ventura
Thursdays: Ventura Blues Night
Sat 3/9: Hong Kong Frenzy, Vivant, No Idea, Wicked AR5, Punk Hazard

Bright Spark Brewing
4561 Market St., Ventura
Sat 3/16: Whole Hog

Café Fiore
66 S. California St., Ventura
Fri 3/6: Bryan McCann
Fri 3/8: Brittney & the B-Sides
Tues 3/12: Open mic and jam
Wed 3/13: Donna Butler
Fri 3/15: Heathers on Fire
Tues 3/19: Frank Barajas

Cantara Cellars
126 N. Wood Rd., Camarillo
Fri 3/8: Chris Cain
Thurs 3/14: Paul Byrom
Fri 3/15: Ignition (unplugged)
Sat 3/16: Bad Habit

The Cave
4435 McGrath St., Ventura
Wed & Thurs: Bobby Apostol
Fri 3/8: Jill Martini & Miles Lang
Sat 3/9: Bobby Apostol
Fri 3/15: Bobby Apostol
Sat 3/16: Warren Takahashi

Copper Blues
591 Collection Blvd., Oxnard
Fri 3/8: Side Traccs
Sat 3/9: On Tap
Fri 3/15: Class X
Sat 3/16: Corazon de Mana

Deer Lodge
2261 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai
Fri 3/8: Windows, Marmalade Mountain, AI Lover
Sat 3/9: Regina Ferguson
Fri 3/15: Buck Moon
Sat 3/16: Early Moods, Ardi, Goner

Duke’s Beach Grill
1124 S. Seaward Ave., Ventura
Sat 3/9: Heavy Rotation
Sat 3/16: Mark Masson

El Rey Cantina
2302 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo
Sun 3/17: NDR CVR SPR GRP

Four Brix
2290 Eastman Ave., Ventura
Fri 3/8: On Tap
Sun 3/10: Cary Park
Fri 3/15: Heart and Soul
Sun 3/17: Strummed Down

Garage
1091 Scandia Ave., Ventura
Fri 3/8: Brittney & the B-Sides
Sat 3/9: The Renegades
Fri 3/15: Faultline
Sat 3/16: Duncan and the Dragonslayers

Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Ave., Ventura
Sat 3/9: Disrupted Euphoria, I Greater than He, Hung Bunny

The Grape
2733 E. Main St., Ventura
Tues: The Gratitude Jazz Jam
Wed 3/6: RJ Mischo Blues Showcase
Thurs 3/7: Idiomatiques
Fri 3/8: Special EFX All Stars feat. Chieli Minucci, Karen Briggs, Lao Tizer, Joel Rosenblatt & Dave Livolsi
Sat 3/9: Rob Rio (2 pm); One Shot Deal pays Zappa (8 pm)
Thurs 3/14: The Angelo Velasquez Trio (AV3)
Fri 3/15: Barrelhouse Wailers
Sat 3/16: RJ Mischo (2 pm); Paul Peress Project (8 pm)

Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Rd., Ventura
Thursdays: Open Mic
Fri 3/8: Vinyl Gypsies
Sat 3/9: Ventu Park Band

Leashless Brewing
585 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura
Fri 3/8: Ashtiani
Sun 3/10: Mark Masson’s Jam Grass Experience
Thurs 3/14: Heavy Rotation (acoustic)
Sun 3/17: Animo Cruz

Libbey Bowl
210 S. Signal St., Ojai
Fri 3/8: Norman Foote Everyone Sings!

Limon y Sal
598 E. Main St., Ventura
Music 1-4 pm
Sundays: In Stone

Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut St., Ventura
3/6: 311, Sitting on Stacy
Sat 3/9: The Brook & the Bluff
Sun 3/10: Jazz in the House
Thurs 3/14: Reverend Horton Heat, Dale Watson, Jason D. Williams
Fri 3/15: Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, Skinny Lister

Manhattan
5800 Santa Rosa Rd., Camarillo
Thursdays: Tom McMorran
Wed 3/6: Robert Van
Fri 3/8: Tour Support
Sat 3/9: Jeanne Tatum Trio
Wed 3/13: Warren Takahashi
Fri 3/15: Jeanne Tatum Trio
Sat 3/16: Pam and Hollywood

Margarita Villa
1567 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura
Fri 3/8: Colette Lovejoy Band
Sat 3/9: Mick Stover Blues Band
Sun 3/10: Smokey & Friends
Fri 3/15: Brittney and the B-Sides
Sat 3/16: Operation 90s
Sun 3/17: CRV

Mrs. Olson’s
2800 Harbor Blvd., Oxnard
Sun 3/10: Teresa Russell
Sat 3/16: Pat Todd & the Rankousiders, The Robot Uprising, Seirens, Garry Dunn

Namba Arts
47 S. Oak St., Ventura
Sun 3/10: The Listening Room
Fri 3/15: Hiroya Tsukamoto
Sat 3/16: Lauren Hulbert

The Ojai Pub
914 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai
Sun 3/17: Whole Hog

Ojai Underground Exchange
616 Pearl St., Ojai
Thurs 3/7: Elisabeth Carlisle w/ Shanti Kettles
Sat 3/9: Spencer the Gardener
Fri 3/15: James Lee Stanley
Sat 3/16: Jay Dudes

Ojai Valley Brewing
307 Bryant St., Ojai
Sat 3/16: TD Lind & the Avaitors
Sun 3.17: Cliff Beach

Onyx Bistro
2390 Las Posas Rd., Camarillo
Fri 3/8: Jack Keough
Sat 3/9: Raw Honey Band
Fri 3/15: Natalie Wattre
Sat 3/16: George Krikes

Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
2209 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura
Tuesdays: Danny D

The Raven Tavern
1651 S. Victoria Ave., Oxnard
Fri & Sat 7 pm; Sundays 2 pm
Fri 3/8: Looking West
Sat 3/9: Teresa Russell
Sun 3/10: Tyler Blair
Fri 3/15: The Dirty Lowdown
Sat 3/16: Vinyl Gypsies

Ric’s Restaurant Sports Lounge
2500 Las Posas Rd., Camarillo
Tuesdays: Tour Support
Wed 3/6: Karyn 805

Rincon Brewery
4100 Telegraph Rd., Ventura
Fri 3/8: Vanisse Terry Band

Sam’s Place
308 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai
Sun 3/16: D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers

The Shores
1031 Harbor Blvd., Oxnard
Fri & Sat: 9 pm; Sundays 1 pm
Fri 3/8: CRV
Sun 3/10: Adrian Floy & THC
Sun 3/17: Doc Rogers Band

The Six
419 E. Main St., Ventura
Thurs 3/7: Morrison Drive
Fri 3/8: Led Tasso
Sat 3/9: Irie Nature
Fri 3/15: Skeleton Keys
Sat 3/16: The Uproots

The Star Lounge
343 E. Main St., Ventura
Sat 3/9: The Caverns

Strey Cellars
951 N. Rice Ave., Oxnard
Sat 3/9: Operation 90s
Sat 3/16: Caught Red Handed

Taqueria Jalisco
4275 Tierra Rejada Rd., Moorpark
Tuesdays & Fridays: Jim Friery

Tierra Rejada Golf Club
15187 Tierra Rejada Rd., Moorpark
Fri 3/8: Recharged
Sat 3/9: Nightlife
Tues 3/12: Beer Choir

Tony’s Pizzeria
186 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura
Sun 3/10: House Arrest
Sun 3/17: Brandon Ragan Project

The Twist on Main
454 E. Main St., Ventura
Tuesdays: Tuesday Blues Day w/ Hot Roux & guests
Fri 3/8: JD & Friends

Twisted Oak Tavern and Brewery
2433 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo
Sat 3/9: JD & Friends

Vaquero y Mar
435 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura
Sundays: Mariachi
Tuesdays: The Sea Hunter, Lowered Expectations
Wednesdays: The Jelly Jam Band

Ventura Coast Brewing Co.
76 S. Oak St., Ventura
Sat 3/16: Casual Business, The Brasscals

Ventura Music Hall
1888 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura
Wed 3/6: Enjambre
Thurs 3/7: Badfish, Grieves, The Kaleidoscope Kid
Sun 3/10: Veeze, Talibando
Fri 3/15: Blackstar, U2 Experience
Sat 3/16: Save Ferris

Waterside
3500 Harbor Blvd., Oxnard
Sun 3/10: Sean & Colin
Sun 3/17: Teresa Russell

Winchesters
632 E. Main St., Ventura
Music Thurs 5:30; Fri 7 pm; Sat 3 pm; Sun 3 pm
Thurs 3/7: Frank Barajas & Joe Hamilton
Fri 3/8: Steve & Sally Williams
Sat 3/9: Blown Over
Sun 3/10: Chris Murphy & Friends
Thurs 3/14: Brandon Ragan
Fri 3/15: Dianne Miller Trio
Sat 3/16: Doc Ventura
Sun 3/17: The Pipes

Vol. 17, No. 12 – Mar 6 – Mar 19, 2024 – Harbor Patrol Blotter

Wednes 2/14

 9:40am, received a report of a bird trapped in a business in the village. Officers responded and the bird was able to free itself from the business without incident.

11:41am, dispatched to a traffic accident on Spinnaker Drive involving two motorcycles. Officers responded and assisted VFD/AMR with two patients who sustained severe injuries, they were treated, then transported to the hospital.

Thursday 2/15

 11:10am, received report of a Hazard to Navigation in the middle finger of the keys. Officers responded in the Fireboat, removed a 4x8ft piece of plywood.

Friday 2/16

 5:05pm, received report of a hit-n-run involving a boat trailer at the launch ramp. Officers assisted with towing an elite ocean rowing boat to patrol dock for storage because the trailers’ roller was destroyed, they were unable to retrieve it.

Saturday 2/17

 7:55am, received report of dry storage entry gate malfunctioning. Officers responded and attempted to trouble-shoot. opening unit sustained major damage, likely from a boat trailer. Gate secured after attempts to repair unsuccessful.
Sunday 2/18 8:30am, officers patrolling the Ventura Point on Rescue Watercraft to assist and/or conduct water rescues of distressed surfers along with State Parks. Several ocean rescues and safety contacts were executed of surfers in distress.

9:45am, received report of transients trespassing at VWM restrooms. Officers responded and contacted a couple attempting to use the private restrooms.

Monday 2/19

 7:00am, officers used delineators/caution tape to close Navigator Dr for flooding

5:10pm, responded to a small vessel with 2 POB’s hoop netting in the sandtrap. Observed the vessel nearly swamped by a huge wave/whitewater blast over the breakwall. Terminated the skipper’s voyage, escorted to the longdock for safety inspection.

Tuesday 2/20

 6:27am, dispatched to fall patient in Ventura Marina Community. Lifted patient.

11:45am, dispatched to a Boat Fire in VWM A-dock. Officers responded in Fireboat and in HP vehicle to a 60ft powerboat fully involved. With help from tenants using dock fire hose and VFD, the fire was knocked down before it could spread to other vessels nearby. Officers moved “exposed” vessels away until the fire was extinguished. The incident is under investigation; vessel is a total loss.

Wednes 2/21

 8:15pm, received a call for assistance from a 4-person rowboat off Santa Clara River mouth, en route to Manhattan Beach on a training voyage. One of the rowers is seasick. The crew was taken aboard the Fireboat, TowBoat US towed the rowing vessel back to Harbor. The crew is training to row to Hawaii in June.

Saturday 2/24

 6:50am, while on patrol in the vehicle, officers observed a large pile of trash near Harbor Cove. Cleaned up the considerable mess of various large items taken from a dumpster officers deposited yesterday. Apparently upset transients.

1:40pm, received report of a lost person in the village. After gathering information including description of person, reporting party found the individual

9:15pm, received report of two large bon fires south of Surfers Knoll while conducting lockups. Officers responded with Ventura PD and assisted with breaking up the large parties and extinguishing the fires.

Sunday 2/25

 12:45pm, dispatched to a vehicle and trailer in the water at the launch ramp. Officers responded by land and sea, found the vehicle submerged and still connected to the boat/trailer. After hours of debate, the owner finally relented and took responsibility for the accident. TowBoat US assisted with towing the vehicle out of the water. Unfortunately, the vehicle is a total loss.

 

Vol. 17, No. 12 – Mar 6 – Mar 19, 2024 – Community Events

Events by Ana Baker

The “Ventura High School Class of 71 Turns 71” Reunion will be held on June 22,2024, at the Pierpont Raquet Club (500 Sanjon Rd. Vta) from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and light appetizers will be served. Please RSVP by June 1st to: [email protected]
$50 per person-payment information to follow your RSVP

Wanna Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. All levels of play, and we will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are available. Contact: Richard 805-850-8011, Rose 805-659-9223, or [email protected]. All Welcome.

The Ventura County Philatelic Society’s meetings are held every first and third Monday of the month at the Church of the Foothills, Ventura. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. A website with more information can be found at https://venturacountyphilatelicsoc.org.

Monthly Beach Cleanup First Saturday of every month! Meet your neighbors and help keep our beach looking fresh. Hosted by Pierpont Beach Community Council in partnership with Surfrider. Meet up at the end of Seward near the beach. (1140 S Seward St) 8:30-10:30 a.m. Arrive any time during the timeframe. Fun for the whole family. Supplies provided BYO water.

Paws for Reading brings together young readers and affectionate canine listeners to help boost the confidence of beginning readers. Hill Road Library, Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5 p.m. and

E.P. Foster Library, Thursdays, 4 – 5:30 p.m. Join PAWS dogs for one-on-one reading sessions. Arrive at the library early to choose a book and get in line to read a special pooch. Children of all ages are welcome.

Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement program in Camarillo is adding new grief support groups that cater to specific bereavement needs. These closed-ended support groups are Parent Loss of Child under age 21(March 7th through May 9th) and Adult Loss of Sibling (March 26th through May 7th). For more information or to enroll, contact 805-389-6870 or online at lmvna.org/grief. Space is limited. All support groups are free for the community.

March 10: Olivas Adobe 11- 3 p.m. Help us celebrate the birthday of Don Raymundo Olivas at his rancho home, take a docent lead tour, and view the new Celebrating Animals of the Rancho exhibit in the small adobe. Learn how the Olivas family gained and prospered in the beautiful Rancho San Miguel.  At 1 p.m., volunteer training will be for those wanting to spend more time at this hacienda by the sea. There are many ways to volunteer. Plein Aire Ventura County artists will be on-site to paint the coming of spring at the Adobe; all artists are welcome to join. www.cityofventura.ca.gov/OlivasAdobe

March 12:Ventura Audubon Society’s March 2024 Program “Birds and Offshore Wind Energy Development: BOEM’s Avian Study Strategy to Assess Data Needs and Effects” with David Pereksta: Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion and streaming via Zoom: The offshore waters and the coastline of the Pacific states and Hawaii provide year-round habitat for many bird species, at least 13 of which are federally listed as threatened or endangered, and 80 others have some level of special status designation. This is a presentation you’ll not want to miss! For more information, visit www.venturaaudubon.org/speakers.

March 13: The Channel Islands Bicycle Club (CIBike) is presenting a free, open invitation to an evening of socializing and enjoying a biking presentation. Bicycles, Bikepacking, and Brews 6:30-8 p.m. at Topa Topa H Q and Brewery, 4880 Colt Street, Ventura. CIBike is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization founded 30 years ago in Ventura County. presentations, bike safety classes for youth, and many other activities. CIBike also has an established grant program that has supported many local non-profits over the years. For more info: www.cibike.org

March 16: On Saturday afternoon, from 1-4 p.m., the Ventura County Genealogical Society will present two lectures. The first is “Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking,” by Paula Stuart-Warren, followed by Stephanie O’Connell on “Reconstructing the Lives of Female Irish Ancestors.” All VCGS lectures are free and open to members and the public. Non-members may request a Zoom invitation at https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/. Please note that VCGS cannot respond to same-day requests.

VCGS is an all-volunteer, public-benefit non-profit corporation [501(c)(3)]. Donations are greatly appreciated. For more information: https://www.venturacogensoc.org.

March 17: Ventura East Rotary is holding our second annual St Patrick’s Day party at Topa Topa brewery on Colt street Ventura from 1-6 pm . The Party includes Irish music and food plus Topa Topa brews a special St Patrick’s Day beer for this event.

All proceeds go to the Ventura Medical Center Ronald McDonald Family Room “Walk for Kids” fundraiser.  Ventura East Rotary meets Thursday at noon at Poinsettia Pavilion, visitors are welcome to learn about how Rotary makes a difference in our community and world.

March 17: Anyone interested in timepieces, both antique and modern, can join the Ventura County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors for a watch/clock marketplace, lunch, and a presentation on a horological topic. Bring a watch or clock for a free evaluation at 11 a.m. at the Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road. nawcc-ch190.com. For Details, contact: Bob McClelland, Director, Public Information (818) 225-8212 [email protected]

March 19: Ventura Senior Men’s Group. We welcome new members, so feel free to visit during the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays for lunch. Your first lunch is free. Members pay $25 for lunch and $25 for annual membership. Mel Felix will give a presentation on Edward Curtis, the famous photographer. According to the Smithsonian, “Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952) undertook the most ambitious photographic project in American history—to take photographs of the Native Americans of the American West before their traditional lifeways disappeared. VSMG meets at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd.

 

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

Ventura author P. Scott Corbett will visit the Ojai Library at 2 pm on Saturday, March 23, to talk about his new trilogy of books: Harvest of Hunger, Fortune’s Retrieval, and Pursuing Shadows.

Meet the author who turned a lifelong passion for writing, China, and Asia into compelling historical fiction. Hear him discuss his works, the creative process, and publishing.

P. Scott Corbett received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Kansas Columbia University. He has taught American history at the college level for over 30 years, including at Ventura College and CSUCI. He has also taught American history in China and Singapore.

The trilogy recounts the saga of four generations of an American family serving as missionaries and cultural ambassadors in China. Though a certain amount of literary license has been used in developing the narratives, they do track closely actual historical events and experiences of actual people encompassing the North China famine of 1920-21, war-torn China from 1937 to 1945 and China in the 1980s.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected].

The Wise Owls Book Club, a book club for adults who enjoy reading children’s literature, meets at Hill Library on Tuesday, March 19 at 5:00 pm to discuss Road The Complete Fairy Tales by George Macdonald. George MacDonald occupied a major position in the intellectual life of his Victorian contemporaries. This volume brings together all eleven of his shorter fairy stories as well as his essay “The Fantastic Imagination”. His children’s stories were profoundly experimental, questioning the association of childhood with purity and innocence, and the need to separate fairy tale wonder from adult skepticism and disbelief. To join the mailing list for this Book Club please email [email protected] Visit the Hill Road Library to pick up the latest selection.

Families and children are invited to visit the Hill Road Library at 3:14 pm on Thursday, March 14, to celebrate Pi Day — for the love of math … and pie. Pi Day is an annual celebration of math and learning, and it also happens to be Einstein’s birthday, so come and celebrate – make circle art, print π symbol cookie cutters on our 3D printer, and other fun Pi Day activities.

Discover Science on Saturday, March 23, 11:00 am to noon at Hill Road Library. This Rainbow in a Jar water density experiment with sugar uses only a few kitchen ingredients but produces an amazing science experiment for kids!

The Ventura County Library Foundation is bringing its Rising from the Ashes Home Tour back for its third year, on Saturday, April 20, 12:00 to 4:00 pm. This event, celebrating the strength and solidarity of the Ventura County community, features a select number of homes beautifully rebuilt after the Thomas Fire. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.vclibraryfoundation.org/ Proceeds benefit the Ventura County Libraries.

2nd Look Books, the Ventura Friends of the Library Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library is now open 7 days a week.
Monday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
and Sundays, 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
New donations arrive every week and the stock in our store is regularly refreshed. With our extended hours, we could use more volunteers to staff the store. If you would like to help, please stop by the store and speak to a volunteer or email [email protected].

At Studio 99 @ The Bell Arts Factory

Enjoy the art of Carrie Bezler.

Our next solo exhibitions in Studio 99, Buenaventura Art Association’s gallery and headquarters at Bell Arts Factory in Ventura, will feature two artists’ viewpoints on the wonder—and increasing volatility—of humanity’s relationship to our world.

Eva Montealegre will present oil paintings on canvas she says draw from “ancient charts and cave drawings and tribal characterizations” to explore “our life’s blood connection to all that is.” “Blood Mandala” is what Montealegre names her show.

Carrie Bezler, who signs her work REY, will display selected pastel drawings in “Returned to the Sea,” a title alluding to her recent California return after a dozen years in Germany. The show will include pieces from her “ocean-inspired … mostly realistic” Sea Creatures series, she said.

Art lovers can meet and talk with the artists during First Friday open gallery receptions from 6-9 p.m. April 5. Exhibit Runs until April 27, 2024.

 

Fire units dispatched to reported boat fire in the Harbor

On February 20, at 11:44am, fire units were dispatched to a reported boat fire in the Harbor. Firefighters arrived within 6 minutes of dispatch and found a boat on fire with multiple boats surrounding the dock. Firefighters made an aggressive attack to extinguish the fire by deploying hoses down a long dock.

Firefighters extinguished the fire with a coordinated effort of horizontal ventilation. The boats exposed to the fire were untied and safely removed by fire personnel with the assistance of Harbor Patrol. The fire was controlled 17 minutes after units arrived on scene and the boat was confirmed to have no victims inside. Ventura City was assisted by Oxnard Fire, Ventura County Fire, and Ventura Harbor patrol.

“The British are coming! The British are coming!”

On March 23, at 1pm, Ventura “historian” and author Ivor Davis will introduce his new 60th anniversary “Beatles and Me On Tour” book—and promises to reveal all– despite the consequences. The true story behind the story. The presentation will be at the Portside Ventura Harbor located at 1196 Portside and Schooner Dr. His presentation is free (when presented at the museum it cost $20.00).

Sixty years ago an unlikely quartet from England—Liverpool to be precise—invaded America—and conquered the nation in what turned out to be a bloodless revolution.

We are talking, of course, about 1964, the historic year that John Paul George and Ringo showed up in America—and without spilling a drop of blood were triumphant as they re-wrote rock and roll history. And in doing so, thousands of young women—from sea to shining sea– fell at their feet as the Beatles offered to hold their hand!

Ivor Davis had an exclusive front row seat as this invasion exploded. Embedded with the raiders, he will reveal behind the scenes details of this astonishing coup.

How the USA surrendered to these four lads from Britain, without a single shot being fired!

Breeze publisher Sheldon Brown will be the moderator for the presentation and would love to have you attend. There will be a Q&A after. And wine and snacks will be served.

Mental Health Services Act’s continued priorities for 2023-2026

by Carol Leish, MA

The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), also known as Proposition 63, is a major source of funding for mental health services across the state, including Ventura County. The spending of these tax revenues is divided between five distinct categories: 1) Community Services and Support; 2) Prevention and Early Intervention; 3) Innovation; 4) Capital facilities and Technological Needs; and 5) Workforce Education and Training.

The community planning process is an important and continuous part of the Mental Health Services Act. Ventura County Behavioral Health is currently in the annual update phase of its Three-Year Plan that covers the 2023-2026 period. This update considers the implementation, evaluation, and budget allocations, and outlines Ventura County Behavioral Health’s goals, programs, and spending for the remainder of the current three-year plan.

This annual update also mentioned that if Proposition 1 is passed by voters during the March 5th midterm election this year, there are potential impacts on Behavioral Health services across the state, including in Ventura County. If passed, the following are potential changes as outlined within the legislation: 1) A 30% housing component will be established, with a ‘housing first’ requirement. 2) Ventura County Behavioral Health will be established as a source of funding for substance use disorders (SUD) Services. 3) A new and comprehensive structure for planning, data gathering, and reporting will occur. 4) Their will be an overhaul of the adult and children’s system of care statutes. 5) Their will be an elimination of the county-based control over prevention funding. 6) Their will be an establishment of new service requirements.

The current community planning process continues to build on the results of a broader needs assessment which outlines solutions in five categories: 1) Housing (i.e., buildings, services, and units); 2) Expanded Types of Services and Treatment Types (i.e., buildings, services, and units); 3) Access (i.e., timeliness of services); 4) Outreach and Education (i.e., knowing when, where, and how to access services); and 5) Alternatives to Ventura County Behavioral Health (i.e., care for persons with mild-to-moderate mental illness and service partners).

Any proposed updates to the current Three-year-Plan will undergo an annual review process which includes: 1) presentations of proposed changes to stakeholders and the broader community; 2) a period where community feedback is collected; 3) a 30-day public posting of the revised plan to allow for review; and, 4) a public hearing. The finalized plan is subject to the approval of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

Again, community feedback is important and helps inform and enhance planning. There are two years remaining to allocate and spend funding for the 2023-2026 period. In light of potential changes to the Mental Health Services Act, much of the current funding is being planned as a one-time allotment with an emphasis being placed on infrastructure, time-limited expansion, and various programs and trainings.

Residents within Ventura County are encouraged to express their thoughts and suggestions during this feedback period. Feedback can be given through March 29th, 2024. Then, the report will be posted to the public and opened for a public review period from April-May, 2024. The Public Hearing for the Mental Health Services Act Three-year Plan annual update is tentatively planned for Monay, May 20th from 1:00pm-3:30pm. For further information about the Three-year Plan, go to www.vcbh.org. To submit feedback and/or to get questions/concerns answered, email the Ventura County Behavioral Health about the Mental Health Services at: [email protected].