A Letter from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
Dear Friends,
As the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) prepares for the resumption of normal operations after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, it is critical LA County ensures that eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries retain coverage during the renewal process and eases transitions for individuals eligible for coverage through Covered California. Providing Medi-Cal coverage for its residents has been a priority for LA County, and as of February 2023, there are over 3.7 million residents enrolled in the Medi-Cal program with the beneficiaries being enrolled into one of two Managed Care Plans (MCPs) operating in the County: LA Care Health Plan or Health Net.
To minimize the impacts of Medi-Cal renewals and help ensure that those who are eligible remain enrolled in Medi-Cal, LA County departments must work closely with community partners, including the MCPs. I recently authored a motion to ensure that our LA County Department of Public Social Services helps to streamline coordination ahead of the Medi-Cal renewals process.
If you are one of the 866,000 First District residents that get their health coverage through Medi-Cal, please know that some of you will be required to renew your benefits. Make sure that we have your most updated address and telephone number. If you receive a renewal packet through the mail, be sure to complete it and send it back by the due date, by U.S. Mail, or drop it off at any LA County Department of Public Social Services office. You can also complete your renewal online through BenefitsCal.com.
Sincerely,
Hilda L. Solis
Supervisor, First District
The LA County Fair is seven days away! From petal to STEM, the Spring into Fair theme will take root in every corner of the LA County Fair – sprouting learning in agriculture, planting thrills in the carnival, filling bags from the shopping harvest, and cultivating palates for the best in Fair foods! The Fair will operate Thursdays to Sundays and Memorial Day Monday from May 5 - 29.
Use the code LACOUNTY and get up to two admission tickets for $8 for LA County Day at the Fair on Saturday, May 6.
 I'm so excited to announce the First District winners of our LA County Library's 43rd Annual Bookmark Contest! It was difficult to choose from the nearly 10,000 entries that our talented children submitted. Thank you to all of those who participated in the contest for delighting us with your wonderful artistic skills and creativity. Congratulations to our extremely talented artists from our four categories:
- Kindergarten - 2 grade: Joshua Melendez
- Grades 3 - 5: Vera Kwan
- Grades 6 - 8: Abril Solis
- Grades 9 - 12: Tam Nguyen
All of the winning bookmark designs will be available throughout LA County Libraries!
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance. Everyone, ages 6 months and older, should get at least one bivalent booster. Adults 65 and older and immunocompromised individuals 6 and older are now eligible for a second dose of the COVID-19 bivalent booster. If you are homebound, call (833) 540-0473 to arrange to be vaccinated at home.
 SoCalGas has made available $10M in funding to support low-income families, older adults, and small businesses who need help paying their gas bills.
To qualify, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- The natural gas bill must be in the name of the applicant requesting assistance.
- The bill address must be the applicant’s primary residence.
- The applicant must not apply for more than the maximum GAF allowance for the current program year.
- The applicant must meet the income guidelines listed below:
The Healthy Food Kickstarter (Kickstarter) Program will provide grants of $20,000 (new projects) or $200,000 (expansion of existing projects) to non-profits and private/for-profit enterprises to support projects that provide affordable, fresh, healthy food options to LA County’s most food insecure communities in order to strengthen and contribute to a more equitable, post-pandemic food distribution system.
To be eligible, proposed projects must take place within a COVID-19 Recovery Target Area within LA County. You may visit COVID-19 Dashboard and search for the address or zip code of your proposed project. It must be located in an area with an “overall index” score of 80% or higher. The last day to apply is next Friday, May 5.
 Don't let thieves steal your EBT benefits! Always inspect ATMs and payment machines carefully for any signs of tampering, such as loose or added equipment. Skimmers and pinhole cameras are common tools used by criminals to steal your EBT card information. If you notice anything suspicious, do not use the machine and report it immediately. In addition to being vigilant, it's a good idea to monitor your EBT card balance regularly and change your password frequently to protect yourself from skimming.
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