Informing, Motivating, and Mobilizing the Community
Thursday, October 8, 2015
6:30-9:00 pm Poinsettia Pavilion 3451 Foothill Rd, Ventura

The Faith Subcommittee of the Ventura Social Services Task Force is sponsoring a workshop to proactively address the need for a community-wide effort to end homelessness.

PATH, a provider of housing throughout California, will share what they have accomplished in other communities. PATH ends homelessness and improves communities through housing, supportive services, and community engagement.

We invite representatives from houses of faith, the business community, government, and the public — All who want to help are welcome at this event.

Thursday, October 8, 2015 Poinsettia Pavilion
6:30 – Welcome from MC Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller
6:45 – “Housing First” video
7:00 – PATH presentation
8:00 – Panel
8:45 – Closing comments
Refreshments and literature will be available throughout.

Our Moderator

Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller has been the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Torah since 1997. In April, 2015, Rabbi Lisa was named one of the nation’s most inspiring Rabbis for her work to end homelessness.

Our Panelists
Peter Brown, Community
Services Manager, City of Ventura
Katie Hill, Chief Operating Officer, PATH
Kate Mills, Program
Administrator at Ventura County One Stop Program
Karol Schulkin, Program
Coordinator Homeless Services
Program, County of Ventura Human Services Agency
Dave Schulze, Minister at Ventura Church of Christ

The purpose of this event is to share, to learn, and to understand

1. what other communities are doing to address the issues of housing and homelessness;
2. what action steps are needed to end homelessness in Ventura; and
3. what the faith community, the business community, social service providers, government, and individuals can do to end homelessness in Ventura.

Our goal is to inform, motivate, and mobilize the community so that together we can end homelessness in Ventura.

What is PATH?

PATH is People Assisting the Homeless, and its mission is “to end homelessness for individuals, families, and communities.” Ever since it was founded in 1984, PATH has pioneered bold and effective approaches that bring communities together to assist people experiencing homelessness.

PATH finds funding, builds housing, and provides services that move people into housing and help them stay there. PATH  is working in many communities, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.

At this workshop we will explore together which options will work best to end homelessness in Ventura.

For information on PATH see www.epath.org

Presented by the Faith  Subcommittee of the  Ventura Social Services Task Force www.vsstf.org

On Sept.25, at 11:28pm Ventura City Fire Department responded to a traffic collision with a vehicle into a building at California south of Thompson with fire involved. Upon arrival, crews discovered a vehicle into an unoccupied retail occupancy. The driver and solo-occupant was out of the vehicle denying injury.

First arriving Firefighters quickly attacked the fire while others assessed the structural integrity of the building and forced entry to investigate for extension of the flames to the interior. The rapid knock down of the fire kept the flames from advancing into the unoccupied building. Positive pressure ventilation was used to evacuate smoke from the interior of the building.

Ventura Police Department provided traffic and scene control. This incident is under investigation by law enforcement.

Sheldon Brown and Roylin Downs looked just like something out of the 70’s at the Chamber of Commerce Expo or out of an Ed woods’ Movie

On Sept. 25, at 11:40am Ventura City Fire Department responded to a reported traffic collision with a vehicle on its side at Ralston at Swift. The first arriving unit discovered a two vehicle collision with the solo occupant in one vehicle trapped and one occupant of the other vehicle denying injury. Firefighters worked to stabilize the vehicle and extricate the injured driver, initiating medical assessment and treatment in the vehicle. The driver was transported to a local trauma center. In situations like this, it might be worth checking with your local collision shops to see if they can do anything to repair your vehicle. Ventura Police Department was on scene handling the investigation and providing traffic control.

Rather beautiful sunset for this time of year, the incredible ones are coming

National Fall Prevention Awareness Week, September 23rd – 29th this year, will be recognized by the Elderly Fall Prevention Coalition (EFPC) of Ventura County by hosting its third annual public forum. On Friday, September 18th, 2015, at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park Community Center Auditorium, 1605 East Burnley Street, Camarillo, from 10 am – 3 pm, the forum will include an introduction by 2nd District Supervisor Kathy Long, exciting presentations on fall prevention measures, demonstrations on evidence-based programs, hydration techniques, Zumba, home assessment measures, and individual assessments, including, but not limited to: equilibrium/balance, bone density, vision, blood pressure. The public, especially those who are caregivers, will enjoy this no-cost forum.

Thirty percent of adults over the age of 65 fall each year. The cost of falls to the US Health system was $28 billion in 2010, and projected to rise to $60 billion by 2020. Muscle strengthening, aerobic and balance exercises all aid in the prevention of falls. “It is a known fact that every 29 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall-related injury,” says Dr. Thomas Duncan, Trauma Medical Co- Director for Ventura County Medical Center and Medical Co-Director of Anacapa Surgical Associates. “Falls are the #1 cause of injury deaths, unintentional injuries and hospital admissions in the elderly.” Now, with the assistance of medical alert systems with fall detection, hopefully the numbers of elderly falls will reduce.

The EFPC has been in existence for over three years. The coalition’s goals are to prevent repeated falls in the elderly population by including them in evidence-based programs. Under the auspices of the Ventura County Health Care Agency, a pilot program was launched in west Ventura County, in July 2014. The coalition is a collaborative effort including, but not limited to: Ventura County Medical Center, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, Ventura County Public Health, Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, the Camarillo Health Care District, Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Hospital, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), all Ventura County ambulance providers,

Ventura and Oxnard fire departments, Livingston Memorial, Scan Health, Kaiser, HealthWise Home Care Solutions, Oxnard Family Circle Adult Health Care Center, Equilibrium Balance Performance Center, and Habitat for Humanity.

The County’s Area Agency on Aging was recently awarded the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging – n4A – Achievement Award for Fall Prevention during the n4A Annual Conference and Tradeshow held in July 2015, in Philadelphia. Winning such a prestigious national award validates the hard work of the staff, the Advisory Council, the Fall Prevention Coalition and volunteers, and demonstrates VCAAA’s commitment to being an Agency that is innovative and responsive to the changing needs of the seniors in Ventura County,” said Area Agency on Aging Director Victoria Jump.

“National awards like these also substantiate the forward-thinking of the Board of Supervisors and Mike Powers, CEO, in supporting this agency wholeheartedly in our efforts in the HomeShare and Fall Prevention programs. Dr. Thomas Duncan, Trauma Medical Co-Director of the Ventura County Medical Center, whose vision of the creation of the Fall Prevention Coalition and Fall Prevention Program was the catalyst for those efforts, deserves special recognition.”

The EFPC has developed a unique program that involves instituting fall prevention measures at the initial point of contact, when EMS personnel respond to a 911 call after a fall. A series of events occur that will enable EMS to leave educational material in homes and conduct a rapid fall assessment. Victims transported to emergency rooms will undergo further evidence-based testing to assess their fall risk. Prior to discharge from the hospital, it will be determined whether a fall victim requires close follow-up for health issues, versus the need for home safety improvement. Recently, other evidence-based programs (Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, Stepping On, Walk with Ease, A Matter of Balance) have been incorporated into our program, to prevent primary falls.

On Sept. 6, at 11pm Ventura City Fire personnel responded to a reported structure fire in the 6900 Block of Heron St. The first arriving engine company found an exterior mattress fire extending through eve vents into the attic of a single story, single family dwelling, with bystanders attempting to extinguish the fire by use of garden hoses.

The fire was quickly knocked down using hand lines, but the fire and smoke extension that occurred into the attic required mechanical ventilation and extensive overhaul. Salvage measures were employed to protect personal belongings within the residence while personnel used hand and power tools to remove wall, ceiling, and roof coverings in order to ensure complete extinguishment.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.