Vista del Mar Hospital raise awareness in honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.

by Carol Leish

Vista del Mar Hospital, in collaboration with the City of Port Hueneme and the Port Hueneme Police Department, have presented a countywide campaign to educate, fundraise, and raise awareness in honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.

Dan Powell, MA, MFT, BCBA, CEO of Vista del Mar Hospital, said, “We are proud to be a part of this initiative to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and to bring meaning to mental health awareness. Those (clients) in need come to a psychiatric hospital in time of crisis, but often depart in a much better place where they can begin to feel hopeful for the future.”

“During May (Mental Health Awareness Month), the main focus is raising awareness,” according to, Maya Lazos, Community Liaison at Vista del Mar Hospital. “Suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death for ages 10-24 in the state of California, and the 2^nd leading cause of death for ages 10-45 in the United States. We want our community to participate in free trainings in order to be educated about the alarming statistics regarding mental illness and suicide. Since so many suffer from mental illness and lose their lives by suicide, we want to help our community to become educated on how to help people in crisis and to become aware of the resources that are available within Ventura County.”

“We have been concerned about our First Responders for Mental Health, since while they have valiantly been taking care of others, we wondered who was taking care of them. More first responders die by suicide than they do in the line of duty. Thus, we chose First Responders for Mental Health as the focus of our initiative,” according to Lazos.

“The countywide Mental Health Month Campaign,” according to Lazos, “has included free trainings for first responders, community members and coaches. Trainings have addressed youth suicide within the community and within their own profession, since more firefighters and police officers die from suicide than in the line of duty. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression rates among police officers are five times higher than it is in the general population. A Community Cares Webinar has focused on recovery, wellness, and hope. The Coaches Assistance Program has provided education to ensure that coaches recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide. The campaign also has featured leaders and elected officials showing their support and connection to raising awareness.”

Andrew Sallinas, the Cirty of Port Hueneme’s Chief of Police said, “It is essential that my officers and first responders know how important it is to get the help that they need. And, nearly 25% of all calls for service in the City of Port Hueneme involve someone suffering from mental illness.” Salinas is the Honorary Co-Cahir of this year’s National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) walk. He also emphasized that, “Most importantly, we want those who have a mental illness to know that they are not alone, especially during these times of physical distancing. We want to fight the stigma, educate the public, and to advocate for all people with mental illness and their families, too.”

“Many things have happened as a result of this campaign,” according to Lazos. “First, every law enforcement agency in the county has come together within the communities that they serve to raise awareness and funds. The county has come together for a collaborative PSA that is being shared by all agencies involved. The First Responders Team to date has raised $60,000 for NAM, Ventura County. Government agencies around the county have lit up their building with green lights in honor of Mental Health Awareness. And, most importantly, 4 lives have been saved, and many have reached out for help.”

Lazos said, “Other first responders in Ventura County who weren’t able to join this year in the first annual First Responders’ Event, are looking forward to joining next year. This annual event will pave the way for change.”

“Our team sees firsthand the lives saved by the willingness of others to give life.”

Community Memorial Hospital joined thousands of hospitals and community organizations nationwide in April to celebrate National Donate Life Month, including hosting a flag raising ceremony at the hospital on Tuesday, April 20th. The celebrations are designed to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

“Our team sees firsthand the lives saved by the willingness of others to give life,” said Diane Drexler, CMH’s Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “The flag raising ceremony is an opportunity to recognize the generosity of families who have offered this gift to others while experiencing a profound personal loss.”

At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20th, CMH, in partnership with OneLegacy, the world’s largest nonprofit organ, eye and tissue recovery organization, hosted a flag raising ceremony to highlight the importance of donation and celebrate donors and recipients. Speaking at the event were Reverend Curtis Hotchkiss, CMH’s director of Spiritual Care Services; Drexler; and Alexa Delima and Angela Bolaris of OneLegacy. Ellen Langston of Ventura represented a donor family and transplant recipient Jennifer Vasilakos of Ojai also attended.

A single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and improve the lives of up to 75 more people by donating their corneas and tissue, says OneLegacy. Nearly 40,000 life-saving transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2020, according to the organization, which also notes that nationwide, over 107,000 people are on waiting lists for a donated organ.

To become a donor, people can register with the Department of Motor Vehicles or online at www.OneLegacy.org/Register. To help facilitate organ recovery and placement, CMH is one of over 200 hospitals and nine transplant centers in Southern California that works directly with OneLegacy.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system that comprises Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, a skilled nursing facility, and several primary and specialty care clinics that serve communities throughout Ventura County, California.

The undertaking involved the planting of many trees by volunteers. Photo by Richard Lieberman

by Mira Reverente

To commemorate Earth Day, Ventura Land Trust (VLT) launched its first reforestation project at Harmon Canyon Preserve. The undertaking involved the planting of 50 live oak trees and 150 native plants, around 40 volunteers and a longtime partnership with SoCalGas.

After welcome remarks by Dan Poultney, executive director at VLT and Matt LaVere, Ventura County supervisor, the volunteers broke off into small groups and tackled the task of planting near the trailhead of Ventura’s first large-scale nature preserve.

Dan Hulst, VLT preserve director, led the reforestation efforts and showed the volunteers how to use and spread mulch, how deep to dig a hole and how to adequately water the plants. “These plants are in shock from being transported so the more water, the better,” he said, after pointing out the various native plants including lemonade berry, purple sage, coast sunflower, California sage brush and Yerba Buena.

The Martinez family was one of the families who volunteered. “We like doing this type of activity as a family,” said Elizabeth Martinez, director of public relations at  Meruelo Enterprises, a local construction company and minority business enterprise. Martinez brought her husband, son and daughter-in-law along.

Since the preserve has been open to the public last June, its 10 miles of trails featuring hills, canyons and spectacular views have  attracted outdoor enthusiasts including runners, hikers, cyclists as well as families who just want to explore or get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. “It was definitely much-needed during the pandemic,” said Derek Poutney, executive director of VLT.  “There is so much open space to enjoy amongst these 2,100 acres of nature.”

According to Maria Ventura, public affairs manager at SoCalGas, “VLT is really a good steward of the environment and we are proud to partner with them again.”

Harmon Canyon Preserve is open to the public. There is free parking available at the trailhead off of McVittie Place. Docents are available and on-site most days to answer questions.

For more information, visit www.venturaladtrust.org.

Conor Barry works on his truck, in an out of the virtual classroom. Aryanna Miles has been on campus for cheer practices since November and is happy to return to the classroom. Bram Pagliano is comfortable with distance learning, but misses arc welding classes in person.

by Amy Brown

Many students now have the opportunity to return to in-classroom learning, whether nearly full time or in a hybrid configuration. Across the county, hardworking teachers are welcoming their students back, and as one can imagine, it is a huge adjustment—especially for some seniors, who have spent much of the last year working, planning for their futures, and becoming more self-sufficient and autonomous, both in school and out.

Conor Barry, a senior at Buena, would like to try to return to school fully in person, but isn’t sure yet, since he has a job working up to five days a week. He plans to go to Ventura College and then become a diesel mechanic after graduation, and has been meeting remotely with his auto shop teacher, and works on his truck in the meantime. He shared that all of his teachers have really stepped up and bridged the gulf of distance learning. “Being in person for auto shop would be really cool,” says Barry. “I already watch YouTube and figure stuff out on my own, but I want to be with other people with same interests. Barry said he really misses school dances and sports, and ran track as a junior, when Covid ended the season abruptly after just one meet. “I’m really sad that I didn’t have a regular senior year, I was hyped for it,” he said. “I’m going to try going five days a week, and hopefully I like it, but if it’s not practical, I don’t want to change everything I do, including work, just to go to school in person for two months. Of course part of me wants me to do it because it’s my senior year.” He shared that his uncertainty is not fear of getting Covid, but being forced to change his full time work and other commitments he’s made in the past year.

Bram Pagliano is a senior at Vista Real, and as such even before the pandemic was accustomed to having some in-class and some autonomous schoolwork done at home. After graduation, he plans to attend Ventura College, and continue his passion for arc welding, a process in which electromagnetic currents are used to bind metal. He became interested in the demanding career in shop class in 11th grade. “It’s satisfying, it’s fun to do, and as a career, it pays really well,” he said. “When I first started arc welding, it was hard—when the currents heats up to the point where it touches metal, the sparks can be blinding. It was cool when I did it the first time, but it was pretty scary.” He spoke to his early shop teachers about his specific focus–his desire to learn how to get the best integrity in a weld and make it a career.

Some seniors can’t wait to resume normal classes. Aryanna Miles is a senior and on the varsity cheer team at Buena, and after graduation will attend Lu Ross Academy cosmetology school. She’s excited about following her passion and looks forward to her first job as a hair stylist, but for now is thrilled to be back in class in high school. “It was nice being back in class actually, but definitely different; there’s not nearly as many people, and we have much smaller classes,” she said. “But I was so ready, no question about it, to come back.” It was her first year as a cheerleader, and her introduction to the sport was through Zoom practices at first, before the team started practicing in person in November. “During the past three years (pre-pandemic) I was in the stands watching them cheer, and the team was amazing, the girls looked so confident and close and it looked so fun. I remember thinking, ‘I want that,’ and now I’m there.” She and her teammates did not expect to have any football games at which to cheer this year, and were exhilarated when they heard there would be. “I just thought we’d practice the whole time and not get games,” said Miles. “And now all of sudden everything is starting up at once–I’m back in class, there’s homework, practices and there’s the huge Ventura game coming up. It’s nerve wracking, but so exciting.”