Updates from District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley

nate - alpha order

December 5th - December 18th, 2020

In this Issue

Need A COVID19 Test? Food? Childcare?

Alameda County  frequently updates this COVID19 Testing, Food, and Social Services interactive map: https://www.acgov.org/maps/food-services.htm

Alameda County COVID19 Testing, Food Distribution, and Social Services Map

COVID19 Updates From Health Care Services Agency

For the most up-to-date information from Health Care Services, including progress made during Shelter-in-Place, information about COVID19 testing, and an update about how racial disparity continues to play a role in COVID19 cases and planning, visit the front page of the Alameda County Health Department website: https://covid-19.acgov.org/index.page?

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An Update from Health Care Services: As of December 17, 2020

Good news in the fight against COVID-19. Alameda County received the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine this morning! These first 13,650 doses will go to hospital workers and 911 first responders who are at highest risk for exposure to the virus. Our primary goal is to ensure safe, equitable, and broad distribution of the vaccine in Alameda County. To achieve this goal, we need partnership with community, clinical, and non-clinical providers, and City and County agencies. While it's still early in the vaccine process, arrival of this first shipment brings great hope in a year that has been dominated by COVID-19.

As we work through the vaccine delivery frameworks approved by State and Federal health agencies, COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates continue to increase at an alarming rate in our County. Last week (December 5 – 12) was the single worst week of the pandemic so far in Alameda County. We observed 5000 new COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates were five times higher than a month ago, and Bay Area counties are observing similar and worse rates. The State announced that the Bay Area Region fell below 15 percent ICU bed capacity just yesterday. As a result, the entire Bay Area is required to the State's Stay-At-Home restrictions for a minimum of three weeks (January 7, 2021). Because Alameda County entered the Stay-at-Home restrictions last week, our current Shelter-On-Place orders remain unchanged.

Stop the Surge

As we work quickly to reverse the current COVID-19 trends in our County, we ask residents to help by continuing to practice proven COVID-19 prevention like postponing travel, avoiding gatherings, and wearing face coverings for essential activity. Residents can help our County move forward by promoting the message to Stop the Surge. Please follow TwitterFacebook, and Instagram and help us push this message and other rapidly evolving information across our County.

Many thanks to the hundreds of staff across our Health Care Services Agency, our community partners, and our cities who continue working tirelessly on navigating through this pandemic. As always, you'll find this week's Board of Supervisors update, previous presentations, and back issues of our newsletter here

To read the full Health Care Services newsletter please visit: https://covid-19.acgov.org/response.page?.

Watch the Latest "Supervisor's Report With Nate Miley"

Supervisor's Report

This installment of "Supervisor's Report with Nate Miley" hosted by Assemblywoman Catharine Baker with special guest Dr. Nicholas Moss, Health Officer for Alameda County, is packed with news and updates.

Topics discussed by Dr. Moss include COVID19 updates: daily COVID-19 case reports, future casting and metrics, Alameda's current position regarding the upcoming vaccine, and the new California Notify app were also a topic of
the program. Additionally, Assemblywoman Baker and I continue the conversation and discuss the recent 2020 vote, including lessons and next steps. Check it out here.

“Supervisor’s Report” is broadcasting on Comcast Channel 30, AT&T UVerse on Channel 99 and may also be viewed streaming and via Video on Demand at tv30.org.

For broadcast dates and times of “Supervisor’s Report with Nate Miley” visit the station’s website @tv30.org.

CARES Act Funding Still Available for Rental Assistance in Unincorporated Alameda County

Are you at risk of losing your home due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Unincorporated Alameda County residents may be eligible for financial assistance to pay rent.

Centro Legal de la Raza is administering an emergency rental assistance program to disburse $5 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) funds. Funds will be used to provide rental assistance to low-income tenants in unincorporated Alameda County who have lost work or income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The application period opens on November 17, 2020 and will remain open until funds are exhausted or December 28, 2020, whichever comes sooner. Approved households can receive past due rent of up to 9 months or up to $18,000, whichever is less.  

Read more about the program HERE. Download a paper application HERE. Check if your residence is in the area covered (unincorporated Alameda County) HERE.

Información en Español disponible AQUIAPLICA HOY.

Reflections On The M.O.R.E Act

MORE Act Passes

Earlier this month, members of the House of Representatives voted to approve the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, HR 3884, which removes marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act -- thereby eliminating the existing conflict between state and federal marijuana laws and providing states with the authority to establish their own cannabis laws free from undue federal interference.

I fully support the MORE Act because the laws against marijuana have unnecessarily targeted people of color, especially African American males, resulting in biased and harmful over-incarceration. The war on drugs was a war on African Americans; a harm reduction approach, including treatment and strategies directed at prevention and intervention is much more appropriate. Decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level is an example of good public policy.

People's Health Briefing With Dr. Noha Aboelata

PHB 12.15.20

Don't miss the latest installment of The People's Health Briefing. In it, Roots Community Health Center CEO and founder Dr. Noha Aboelata breaks down the impact of COVID19 on Alameda County, Oakland and East Oakland in particular.

This week's episode covers the recent surge: https://www.facebook.com/rootsempowers/videos/142466174326710.

Please take a moment to watch and learn! 

View all installments of "The People's Health Briefing" here: https://www.facebook.com/rootsempowers/videos in the "All Videos" section.

To learn more about Roots Community Health Center, visit their website here: https://rootsclinic.org/

2020 COVID19 Community Hero Awards

COVID Community Hero Award

Congratulations to all recipients of the Alameda Health Care for the Homeless 2020 COVID19 Community Hero Award, especially those in District 4!

Margaretann Fortner, Intervention Lead at CityServe of the Tri-Valley: " Margaretann’s superpower is her attitude for collaboration and the genuine care for each individual she is serving. She recognizes that it is not enough to place someone in a home without following up to make sure they are successful and sustainable, and stays with people until she feels confident that they are going to be successfully independent. Margaretann is humble and goes well beyond the call of duty when no one is looking."

Aaron Horner, Homelessness & Creative Housing Division Program Administrator, First Presbyterian Church of Hayward: "Aaron freely shared what he was learning through his experiences with the ACHCH community of shelter providers, and through this, he humbly and honestly created a sense of confidence and trust among other providers across the county who were facing the same fears. He led his staff through some terrifying outbreak situations which they quelled with their hard work. Everyone around Aaron has learned from his bedrock of strength, faith, and ingenuity. His work and example strengthens our community in our common COVID-19 response."

Melissa Moore, Street Health Community Health Outreach Worker, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center: "Melissa stood by residents who were affected by the abatement of an encampment during COVID-19, using her peacemaking and community building skills to negotiate a win-win outcome for the residents. She obtained COVID-19 tests and ensured access to emergency housing for the residents. Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center hired Melissa as a Community Health Outreach Worker when ACHCH created a Street Health Team for the area. While taking on this new role, she has continued her advocacy efforts to organize unsheltered persons to fight against abuses of their civil and human rights. We all salute Melissa’s peacefulness, compassion, focus, and dedication to her friends and neighbors."

Dr. Danielle Williams, MD, Oakland STOMP (Street Medicine), Roots Community Health Center: "She stood out in the early days of the COVID-19 response; working tirelessly and being available on weekends, holidays, and always responding where help was needed to provide ROOTS’ focused, client-centered testing services in quick response to real and potential outbreaks. Dr. Williams has always provided a reassuring voice of reason and care on
weekly ACHCH community COVID-19 calls, sharing her best practices with the community of outreach providers. She does all this while she continues her work as a street medicine provider, continuing to be a trusted doctor and healer to the hundreds of people she serves on the streets."

Read the full praise of and story for each recipient including Superhero Award winner Dr. Harrison Alter, Interim Medical Director, Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless here .

 

District 4 Arts Relief Grant Award Recipients

The Alameda County Arts Commission provides financial support to Alameda County nonprofit arts organizations each year through the ARTSFUND Grants Program. The Grants Program supports all art forms – dance, literature, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, traditional arts and crafts, multidisciplinary programs, etc.

In response to the financial hardship brought about by COVID19, the Commission issued the Alameda County Arts Relief Grant and received 157 qualified applicants with good representation from each of the Supervisorial districts. It's my pleasure to extend a heartfelt congratulations to all the recipients below in District 4!:

Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton
Bahiya Movement, Oakland 
Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno, Oakland
Bisemi Foundation Inc., Oakland
Cantabella Children's Chorus, Pleasanton
Castro Valley Arts Foundation, Castro Valley
Cheza Nami Foundation, Pleasanton (and Livermore)
Community Rejuvenation Project, Oakland
CYT Tri‐Valley, (Pleasanton and Livermore)
East Bay Children's Theatre, Oakland
Grown Women Dance Collective, Oakland
Harmony Fusion Chorus, Pleasanton
Jenny Lin Foundation, Castro Valley
Oakland Ballet Company, Oakland
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Oakland
Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, Oakland
Oakland Teen Empowerment Program, Oakland
Oakland Voices, Oakland (and Emeryville)
Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre, Pleasanton
Plethos Productions, Castro Valley
Prometheus Symphony Orchestra, Oakland
The People's Conservatory, Oakland

Eden Area COVID19 Testing Site

Eden Testing Site

Exercise Your Right to Be Heard!

BOS Regular Meeting

Most Tuesdays, the Board of Supervisors holds a Regular Meeting during which the public is allowed to speak to the Board on items not on the agenda starting at or around 9:30am for the time being. (Please note that the BOS meetings do not start at a set time! More information appears closer to the meeting date and time, but be prepared to wait for it to begin.)

Agenda items in particular represent decisions made about our communities, and while we might not always agree on the best path forward, I am fond of saying that reasonable people will disagree and also that I get some of my best ideas from my constituency base. I am honored to serve on the Board as a County Supervisor and take the ideas, concerns, and feedback of the public very seriously.

Please, consider tuning into these meeting and encouraging your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same. We are stronger as a County when we are connected to one another, and engaged with the civic process.

The meeting calendar, including links to the agenda when it is available, can be found here.

The links to the livestream broadcast of the meetings, including a Zoom link in the event that Granicus is experiencing technical difficulties, can be found here.

Contact My Office

Oakland Office
Phone: 510.272.6694

Eden Area District Office
Phone: 510.670.5717

To be added to our subscriber list, please email: District4@acgov.org

Visit https://www.acgov.org/board/district4/ for more information about my priorities as District 4 Supervisor.

For information on COVID-19 in Alameda County visit http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx

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