The Ventura County Continuum of Care is looking for volunteers to assist with the 2022 Homeless Count on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. This count is required for all of our state and federal grants that fund local homeless shelters, permanent supportive housing, rental assistance programs, street outreach and more! The survey is anonymous and we need to make sure everyone gets counted. This year we will provide hygiene supplies and recommend face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We will be using a mobile app to capture the survey data which will be reviewed during training in mid-January. Volunteers can sign up online to assist during shifts between 6:30am to noon: https://forms.gle/cmByTeEBArQZJV7k6

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announced that it is providing a $4 million pre-development construction loan to kick-off the development of Rancho Sierra Senior Apartments (Rancho Sierra), to be built in an unincorporated area adjacent to the City of Camarillo. Rancho Sierra is being developed by Many Mansions with support from the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura to provide affordable housing solutions for low-income seniors in eastern Ventura County.

“Our board is committed to identifying and funding projects that make an impact in our community for those in serious need of safe and equitable housing,” said Linda Braunschweiger, CEO of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County. Rancho Sierra Senior Apartments will consist of 49 affordable housing units with 24 units set aside specifically for homeless seniors or those at-risk of being homeless due to mental disabilities. The site will also include a 4,200 square foot indoor community space to allow for integral services such as health screenings, library services, transportation assistance, and peer counseling for residents.

Learn more about affordable housing solutions in Ventura County at Housing Trust Fund VC’s Annual Meeting on January 26th, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. where it will outline it’s, “Community Promise – a commitment to positively impact people’s lives through the ongoing funding of safe and equitable homes.” During the meeting, Ray Pearl, Executive Director of the California Housing Consortium, will share a statewide perspective on the advancement of affordable housing and community development. Joining Pearl will be Moorpark City Manager and President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Troy Brown, a 25-year public sector veteran who will share the federal perspective of affordable housing solutions.

As part of the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan to strengthen community partnerships, increase collaboration and accountability, and streamline problem solving efforts in each area of town, a Ventura Police Commander has been assigned to each of the Neighborhood Community Councils and to the Downtown Ventura Partners.

Each of our six Commanders and our Assistant Chief work directly with the City Council member from each district to better serve our residents and businesses in that area of Ventura.

Have a question that might be better suited for a Police Corporal? Get in touch with your Beat Coordinator!

Contact your District Commander:

• District 1 & Westside Community Council: Commander Sarah Heard: [email protected], 805-339-4460
• District 2, Midtown Community Council & Downtown Ventura Partners: Commander Darrick Brunk: [email protected], 805-339-4323
• District 3 & College Area Community Council: Commander Rick Murray: [email protected], 805-339-4343
• District 4 & East Ventura Community Council: Commander Ryan Weeks: [email protected], 805-339-4309
• District 5 East Ventura Community Council: Commander Sam Arroyo: [email protected], 805-339-4441
• District 6 & Montalvo Community Council: Commander Matt Cain [email protected], 805-339-4488
• District 7 & Pierpont Bay Community Council: Assistant Chief David Dickey: [email protected], 805-339-4493

From Well Woman Exams and pre-conception counseling to natural delivery options within a hospital setting, The Ventura County Health Care Agency’s Baby-Friendly Designated hospitals: Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) and Santa Paula Hospital (SPH), are leaders in providing comprehensive services to support the community’s obstetrical, gynecological, and midwifery care needs.

Each of the past six consecutive years, the California Health and Humans Services Agency and Cal Hospital Compare have named both Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital to the Maternity Honor Role in recognition of low cesarean section rates. This award is a testament to the team’s holistic approach to childbirth and the strong relationships built with patients throughout pregnancy.

For expectant mothers, this Maternity Honor Role status means that the likelihood of having a successful vaginal delivery at VCMC or SPH is among the highest in the state of California.

From family centered prenatal care through a nationally acclaimed Family Medicine Residency Program and Family Physicians, to care provided by board-certified Obstetricians and Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialists, or by Certified Nurse Midwives at Ventura County’s only hospital-based birth center, VCMC and SPH offer a wide variety of options for prenatal care and delivery.

In addition, multi-lingual resources, such as free pregnancy and childbirth classes, along with traditional Women’s Health Specialty Services are offered.

The Health Care Agency is honored to be recognized and proud of the tremendous work that is done every day by the team of physicians, midwives, nurses, and support staff who deliver exceptional obstetrical care to the community.

For more information on services and classes, or to meet our providers and book an appointment, visit: https://www.venturacountywomenshealth.com/.

For background on the Maternity Honor Roll recognition visit: https://calhospitalcompare.org/programs/.

Bus riders in Ventura County are now able to use a single, touch-free system to pay for fares on any of the county’s regional buses, making it easier to use public transit to travel to work and appointments, to run essential errands and to simply get around.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) has launched VCbuspass, a contactless fare collection system that allows passengers to pay for fares on any of eight Ventura County regional bus systems.

With VCbuspass, riders can buy bus passes online and use them directly from their mobile devices or use a reloadable smartcard when boarding buses. In addition to purchasing passes online, riders may visit one of the many transit pass ticket counters located across the county and load products onto their cards or mobile phone accounts using cash. Beginning this November, riders can go into any CVS drugstore to load value onto their account, with more stores to follow.

In December 2020, VCTC awarded a contract to Cubic Transportation Systems Inc. for the new regional countywide system. The VCbuspass system is powered by Cubic’s Umo Mobility app. The Umo Mobility app is available for both Android and Apple devices.

To begin using the system and to purchase a pass, passengers can download the Umo Mobility app, go to goventura.org/vcbuspass or visit a transit pass ticket location. An account is not required to use the system; however, riders are encouraged to register to receive alerts and take advantage of other customer features. Riders who choose not to use VCbuspass can still use cash to pay fares when boarding.

The VCbuspass system is installed on over 160 vehicles across eight transit operator fleets, including Camarillo Area Transit, Gold Coast Transit District, Moorpark City Transit, Ojai Trolley, Simi Valley Transit, Thousand Oaks Transit, Valley Express Bus, and VCTC Intercity transit service. Passengers may buy 31-day passes or add “stored value” that lets riders pay as they go.

“The VCbuspass system gives transit riders all across the county, from Ventura to Simi Valley, greater convenience to buy passes online, and improved safety with faster, contactless boarding at the farebox,” said VCTC Commissioner and Oxnard Mayor Pro Tem Bryan MacDonald.

More information about VCbuspass, including Frequently Asked Questions and sales locations, can be found on the VCTC website at goventura.org/vcbuspass.

VCTC invites public to meetings on unmet transit needs

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) invites the public to attend an online Unmet Transit Needs community meeting or public hearing to let local government leaders hear ideas about how to improve bus service in Ventura County. The meetings are an opportunity for community members to tell VCTC what can be done to improve transit and to help local residents get where they need to go. Those unable to attend can share input at www.goventura.org/unmet-transit-needs.

“Each year, the annual Unmet Transit Needs process provides an opportunity for residents to share input to improve public transit in Ventura County,” said Martin Erickson, VCTC transit director. “This year, as we continue to grapple with the challenges of the coronavirus, your input can help local transit operators to offer the most essential transit service to passengers.”

The community meetings and public hearing are scheduled to be held on the following dates and times:

Virtual Community Meetings (links available at www.goventura.org/unmet-transit-needs):
Wednesday, Jan. 12 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 from Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Public Hearing
Friday, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m.
Camarillo City Council Chambers, 601 Carmen Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010

The purpose of the meetings is to identify transit needs that are not currently being met and are reasonable to meet in Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks and adjacent areas of unincorporated Ventura County.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) announced a $1 million investment by Bank of the Sierra into the nonprofit’s Everyone Deserves a Home Revolving Loan Fund. This community impact note will be pooled with funds from investors, both public and private, to provide flexible, below-market interest rate loans in support of building safe and equitable homes in diverse neighborhoods, that positively impact people’s lives in Ventura County. Additionally, investors earn a modest financial return on their investment.

Housing Trust Fund VC also welcomed a $250,000 investment from CBC Federal Credit Union. “We are honored investors like Bank of the Sierra and CBC Federal Credit Union see the value in helping to support more affordable apartments and housing in our community,” commented Linda Braunschweiger, CEO of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County. “Having funded over $18 million in loans in the past 10 years, it’s truly a fulfilling moment to reflect on the significant impact we and our community partners have made and continue to make throughout our county by providing lending capital for the early development costs of affordable housing units, from land acquisition to early construction.”

Join Housing Trust Fund VC at its Annual Meeting to learn more about its “Community Promise” – a commitment to positively impact people’s lives through the ongoing funding of safe and equitable homes. Local housing experts Ray Pearl, Executive Director of California Housing Consortium, and Troy Brown, Moorpark City Manager will join Housing Trust Fund VC CEO Linda Braunschweiger on January 26th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Launched as a 501c3 nonprofit corporation in 2011, Housing Trust Fund VC is the local trusted leader in helping to increase affordable housing options throughout Ventura County by leveraging public-private partnerships to provide low-cost, flexible loans early in the housing development cycle. As of January 2021, Housing Trust Fund VC has invested over $18 million through its revolving loan fund, creating 847 affordable apartments and homes for very-low, low- and middle-income employees, transitional age foster youth, veterans, farm workers, and the homeless.

by Carol Leish, MA

In November, 2021, the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department gave two very informative presentations to the community, through Zoom, concerning the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). The focus of these presentations (which were the same), was to let the community know the status of information pertaining to the MHSA, along with getting community feedback.

The community presentations were given by, Dr. Jamie Rotnofsky, PhD, Behavioral Health Sr. Manager, Hilary Carson, MSW, Sr. MHSA Program Administrator, and Greg Bergan, MHSA Program Administrator. It focused on the areas of: 1) Prevention and Early Intervention; 2) Strategies to improved positive outcomes and to reduce negative outcomes; 3) Suicide Prevention; 4) Community Services and Supports; 5) Innovation Projects; and, 6) Program Expansion Planning.

In regards to, ‘Prevention and Early Intervention,’ the focus was on the importance of strategies and activities being implemented early on in order to deter the onset of mental health condition or relapse among individuals. This also included the importance of changing community conditions that contribute to risk factors for developing behavior or mental health issues. This includes incorporating values of cultural competence, consumer and community empowerment, and collaboration and inclusion in providing services that emphasize recovery, wellness and resiliency.

Selective services provide strategies to deter the onset of mental illness among individuals and changes community circumstances that contribute to behavior health problems, according to the goals of, ‘Prevention and Early Intervention.’ This also includes early intervention services that are directed toward individuals exhibiting early signs of a mental illness, early onset of a mental illness or emotional disturbance with psychotic features and, suicide prevention efforts.

Strategies provide access and linkage to treatment to improve the timely access to services for underserved populations, along with non-stigmatizing and non-discriminatory approaches, which lead to stigma and discrimination reduction. suicide prevention, and, early intervention prevention (including relapse prevention). This also reduces the negative outcomes from untreated mental illness such as, suicide, incarcerations, school failure or dropout, unemployment, prolonged suffering, homelessness, or removal of children from their homes.

The Suicide Prevention Council helps in terms of suicide prevention. In September 2021, the Council hosted its 6^th Annual A Suicide Prevention Forum titled “Help & Hope” to those to discuss prevention measures and resources with the community. Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) is also an integral part of suicide prevention.

Community services and supports has over 30 programs including housing, transportation, and linguistic services for all ages. Programs and targets include helping children and youth with difficulty functioning in multiple life domains such as school, home and/or the community. Transitional Age Youth (16-25), Adults (26-59), and, Older Adults (60+) all may receive services. These services have contributed to the ongoing transformation of the public mental health system by enhancing existing services. Crisis services have also improved. Developing supportive housing and improving and expanding wrap-around services for children are major goals for the future.

The most current annual update to the 3-Year Program and Expenditure Plan is at: FY 2020-21 MHSA Annual Update. The three-year planning Process will be taking place during the Summer/Fall of 2022. For more information go to: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/calaim.

The program expansion planning for 2021/22 & 2022/23 includes: housing, mentoring, senior homelessness innovation projects, and the launch of mobile mental health. For more information regarding mental health and wellness resources, please visit: https//www.wellnesseverday.org/. To be added to the MHSA distribution list and to become more involved, please send an email to: [email protected].