The Ventura County Health Care Agency, promotes a philosophy of well-being and providing care that is patient-centered, comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, and focused on quality and safety. The benefits to our community provided by the Health Care Agency are far reaching – from the hospital replacement wing project at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) to the first and only Public Health Department in our state to be accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), to a thriving and proactive Behavioral Health Department, and even our county’s Animal Services Department.

The 180-bed VCMC hospital has a rich history of providing access to high-quality, compassionate care to all residents in our county, including the underserved, often referred to as the safety-net population. In 2013, VCMC launched the largest construction project in the history of the county with the groundbreaking of the new hospital replacement wing, slated for completion by summer of 2017.

Also under the umbrella of HCA are the Public Health and Behavioral Health Departments, both providing a wealth of healthy living information for the citizens of Ventura County. At www.healthmattersinvc.org, a valuable collaboration tool is available for anyone to review our county’s health data, demographics, comparison indicators, funding opportunities and even tips for improving one’s health and quality of life. If you are interested in health, healing, and wellbeing, then you may want to kickstart your own healing by searching for a new career in coaching, you can do this by looking at catalyst14. A new career with regards to health will be extremely rewarding!

The Behavioral Health Department created a separate website, www.wellnesseveryday.org, which provides an abundance of information and resources to help individuals make the right choices to lead a healthy and balanced life in body and mind. The site provides valuable information on bullying, mental health, suicide prevention, positive parenting, and more.

Some mental health professionals may recommend alternative treatments of the natural variety if all other traditional medicines have failed. The natural way has been applauded as a better method in fighting mental health struggles like anxiety and depression, using such things as b plus mushroom or medical marijuana to help combat these issues have proven useful in scientific studies. Use the above website to get the assistance you need and talk with a doctor about how you would like to see how alternative medicines could possibly help.

Many in our community don’t realize that Ventura County Animal Services is a division of the Health Care Agency. While it may seem an unlikely alliance for a health care system, studies show that there is almost nothing as good for one’s mental health as having a pet. Information on adopting a pet can be found at www.VCAS.us.

With 24 primary care medical clinics, 11 specialty care medical clinics, 8 urgent care medical clinics, 2 public health clinics, 10 behavioral health clinics and 2 county animal shelters, the Health Care Agency is committed to keeping you and your family healthy. Your public healthcare system is pleased to be taking part in the 11^th Annual Summerfest, a free community celebration of healthy living presented by Ventura Education Partnership, the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) and the City of Ventura.

Please come visit our HCA clinic, hospital, behavioral and public health outreach teams. We will be providing information on everything from car seat and helmet safety to smoking cessation to getting fit through nutrition and exercise and so much more.

Photo by John Ferritto

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB) has announced the completion of a comprehensive $11.6 million construction project that will create 39 new efficiency apartment units for extremely low income individuals with special needs. Through its high performing Housing Choice Voucher program, the HACSB provided long-term project-based voucher rental assistance subsidy to finance the construction and ensure long-term affordability to those earning less than thirty percent of the area median income. The HACSB also received a competitive award of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits in June 2014 from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee that was used to fund the construction.

The new apartment building is located at 3005 E. Main Street in Midtown Ventura. Construction began on the site, at the corner of Central and Main, in December 2014. The HACSB partnered with Montecito Bank & Trust, National Equity Fund, McCarthy Companies, and Main Street Architects to create a new, energy efficient, accessible, and affordable housing development to add to the city’s dwindling stock of deeply affordable housing.

“This project is unique in the population that we will be serving, only made possible by the number of quality partners involved. This project brings new life to the old “Bandar” site that has been vacant for a number of years,” said Denise Wise, Chief Executive Officer of the HACSB.

The HACSB is the largest residential landlord in the City of Ventura, with 574 public housing units, more than 1,500 Section 8 vouchers, and over 250 non-profit affordable rental units. The agency is actively working to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for hundreds more of the low-income residents.

By Laura Oergel

The Diversity Collective is a local, non-profit and volunteer run, organization that was established April 1, 2014 with the intention to advocate and promote diversity, education, mental and physical wellbeing via community outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population, as well as the general public.

It’s the proud parent of AIDS Walk Ventura, coming up on the 5^th of March, Ventura County PRIDE, the Diversity Gala, 1st Thursday Gay Professionals Mixer and the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

I talked to the President, Steve Somann, who expressed a deep commitment to the vision of the organization. “I’ve been involved not only with the Diversity Collective Ventura County (DCVC), but with prior organizations who did similar work for the LGBT+ community here in Ventura County. Those organizations have since ceased operations, for many reasons, but mostly due to loss of funding. The original founding members of DCVC felt the urgent need to continue the work and carry on the traditions and services that once were a staple here in Ventura County.

When the seat for President of DCVC became available, the Board felt I was the natural choice to fill the vacancy and I gladly accepted. I’ve lead other teams, companies and organizations to bigger and better places and this is my time to help, along with our current board of directors, to get much needed programs and services back to the LGBT+ community. We are currently working diligently to set up and start comprehensive counselling programs that specialize in the needs of the LGBT+ members of our community. Everyone else will be welcome to take advantage of these services as well.”

The Diversity Collective currently has a treasurer position available that they are actively seeking to fill. Board members are voted on each year with a signed  one year commitment, members at large start off as a six month commitment, then the board votes to either have them continue as at large members of become official board members with a one year signed commitment.

If you’re interested in volunteering, or have questions about their events, you can email them at [email protected].  Please include your name, best contact telephone number, email, what time your available, and best time/way to contact you back.

They are happy to provide more information about the opportunities available that day and also for their biggest event, Ventura County PRIDE in August and the Diversity Gala in September/October this year.

I want to congratulate the Board of Directors: Steve Somann – President, Joseph Summers – Vice President, Anne Blakely – Secretary, Luna Sandoval – Entertainment, and 2 members at large – Michael Francis Smith and Ashley Anderson, for their love and commitment to our community.

Phone: 619-5428(LGBT)
Website: diversitycollective.org
Email: [email protected]

facebook.com/diversitycollective
facebook.com/VenturaCountyPride
twitter.com/vcpride
www.vcpride.org

Create momentum. Educate yourself, then educate others.

GOCARE, Inc. a nonprofit headquartered in Ventura County, has delivered needed education in Nicaragua for the last 15 years. In 2014, GOCARE received a $219,000 Rotary Foundation Grant to furnish and equip three new learning centers that were set to open in 2015 and this year.

GOCARE’s local and California based management team met with Nicaragua’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Exterior – which approves new building and construction taking place on Nicaragua land – and reached a positive agreement to rehabilitate two of these new learning centers, one in Cuajachillo Dos and the other in La Union. A third facility will be built near Pantanal.

During December, interviews for staff members and applications for prospective students took place at an open house. As part of the arrangement with the Ministry of Education, curriculum includes an advanced computer program as well as English courses. In addition, GOCARE will also offer adult education programs at the center.

GOCARE will continue to provide quality educational opportunities to people living in extreme poverty. The education that the students receive will be invaluable to their futures.  They will become the future leaders in their communities and will “Come Back to Give Back” which will make their communities stronger.

GOCARE Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity headquartered in Ventura. Throughout its tenure, GOCARE Inc. has worked closely with local residents and communities to create and implement educational, health and economic development programs into its curriculum, including adult education through reading and math, university prep, university scholarships, computer instruction, English instruction and vocational training.

For more information about GOCARE Inc. or to make a donation, please call 275-4366 or visit www.gocarekids.org.

The Ventura Downtown Lions Club recently hosted the East-West All Star Football Game at Cal Lutheran University’s new football stadium.  The Ventura Downtown Lions Club, chartered in 1923, has donated to many worthy causes and charities and its members have been involved in a multitude of projects over the past 93 years.

While Lions may be best known for their efforts to eradicate preventable and reversible blindness, they are also an integral part of local community activities.  Year-round, the Club supports many donations to local schools and organizations through their Community Services and Youth Outreach programs.  Completion of this Lions club project is a benefit to the community because it again allows the Lions Club to award scholarships to outstanding athletes as well as allowing the community the opportunity to see an exciting football game between some of the top athletes representing most of the high schools in Ventura County.

The East-West All Star Game has been hosted by the Ventura Downtown Lions for 25 years.  This game has allowed the Lions to continue their donations to schools and organizations in the community.

According to Diane Ellis, club president of the Ventura Downtown Lions Club, “Money raised on January 23rd will allow Lions to meet pressing needs in our community including providing scholarships to other deserving young men and women as well as funding many of our local organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of Ventura, Teen Challenge, Interface Children and Family Services, the Salvation Army, Student Speakers Foundation for high school students, the Saint Bonaventure Leo Club, the Fred W. Smith Education/Scholarship Foundation, and the Cottage Home Foundation ( home for Foster Children in Ventura)”

The Ventura Downtown Lions Club has a membership of over 130 men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs.  For more information, or to get involved in the Ventura Downtown Lions Club, please contact their website at www.venturalions.org or call 655-5595.

Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) is pleased to award Sean Curran the 2016 VGMS Annual Scholarship and Theodore “Ted” Brown the VGMS Marie Haake Memorial Scholarship.  Each award consists of a $500 grant, a Scholarship Certificate, and one-year honorary VGMS membership.  They are presented on the basis of academic excellence and intent to continue studies within the earth sciences at the college level.  The awards will be made during the annual VGMS pre-show dinner at 6:00 PM, Friday, March 4, at the Ventura County Fairgrounds leading into the 54th Annual Ventura Gem Show taking place March 5-6.

The VGMS Board of Directors voted unanimously to award their 2016 scholarships to Ted and Sean and look forward to meeting them, their families, and their professors for the formal presentation on March 4.

The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization composed of amateur “rockhounds” who enjoy fieldtrips to collect rocks, minerals, gemstones, and fossils as well as engaging in the lapidary arts (stone cutting, carving, polishing) and jewelry making.  Society membership is open to everyone in the community, individuals and families alike, with facilities available for lapidary work, including rock saws, grinding and polishing units, and more.