A Letter from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
Dear Friends,
Earlier this week, the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved my motion with Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath to improve support services for veterans involved in the justice system.
In the County, there are approximately 300 people who are incarcerated and self-identifying as Veterans, with estimates of another 300-500 people who are incarcerated and not self-identifying for several reasons that include losing their benefits, not considering themselves as Veterans, etc. Additionally, it is estimated that there are approximately 1,500 to 2,000 Veterans involved in the legal system who are out of custody.
To that end, I was proud to lead this effort in instructing the LA County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to work with several County departments and relevant stakeholders on a report back that identifies funding to hire a consultant whose work will focus on developing an implementation plan for the County to enhance services for incarcerated veterans. The plan's focus will include recommendations on data sharing between involved departments, identifying veterans during jail intake, providing appropriate training for existing staff and recruiting new staff with military backgrounds to support veterans in the justice system, streamlining re-entry services, identifying other healthcare support resources, providing opportunities for expungement and record clearing services, expanding current pretrial releases for incarcerated veterans, and engage with County partners to support coordination of services.
LA County must take a 'care first' approach for our justice-involved veterans, and this motion is the first step to do just that.
In addition, I would like to invite you to join me this Saturday, November 11, 2023, at my third annual Veterans Day Ceremony & Resource Fair at Obregon Park in East LA to recognize those who honored our nation with its highest form of service. The event will feature several Los Angeles County agencies and departments providing services such as mental health resources, workforce development opportunities, and housing assistance. Community organizations will also be in attendance distributing free food boxes.
Sincerely,
Hilda L. Solis
Supervisor, First District
 Transitional Age Youth (TAY) aged 18 to 24 currently or formerly in the foster care or probation systems will soon find a haven at the City of El Monte's latest Homekey property at the former Budget Inn hotel.
The two-story, 40-unit hotel has now been repurposed into interim housing thanks to a $4.1 million Homekey 1.0 grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. While some communities push back against offering our most vulnerable a chance, hope, and dignity, the City of El Monte was a leading partner in applying for the State’s Homekey program. I am touched to have the city council name the property in my honor — The Hilda Solis Iris House — and proud to call them a partner in addressing homelessness in the San Gabriel Valley.
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 Don’t miss out this holiday season due to illness. A safe, effective, and easy way to reduce the chance of becoming very sick from COVID-19 and flu is by staying up to date on your vaccines. By getting an annual flu vaccine AND the newly updated COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll be prepared as we enter the holiday season, the time of the year when respiratory virus transmission typically begins to increase.
At least 1 dose of the new COVID-19 vaccine, which became available in mid-September, is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. It is designed to protect against virus strains circulating now and help boost your immunity, which diminishes over time.
Staying up to date on your vaccines will help keep you and your loved ones every day safe.
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This is a significant advancement in the administration of the EBT Program, as ebtEDGE provides users with convenient access to their benefits, while prioritizing their security. The new app introduces a range of security features aimed at preventing benefit theft and ensuring that customers receive the essential benefits to which they are eligible, including Biometric log-in with fingerprint or facial ID, access to real-time account balance, the ability to view up to 12 months of transaction history and freeze or unfreeze their EBT account, and more.
The ebtEDGE app is currently available in English and Spanish, with additional languages to be added. The app is available beginning today for download on the Apple and Google Play stores.
 The Greater LA County Vector Control District has confirmed the first mosquito sample to test positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) in Hacienda Heights. The mosquitoes were collected in a trap in the community on October 27, 2023. District staff have placed posters around the trap location to advise residents to take precautions when mosquitoes are present.
As a reminder, WNV is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no cure for WNV. One in five persons infected with the virus will exhibit symptoms that include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, or a skin rash. There is no human vaccine for WNV, and severe cases can lead to paralysis or even death.
 Every year, the LA County Department of Arts and Culture looks for prospective panelists to participate in grant review panels and artist selection committees. Panelists represent a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise in the arts, which they use to review and score grant applications and artist proposals. If you are an artist, community member, arts administrator, educator, or funder, we need you! Nominate yourself or someone you know to be a panelist!
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