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Volume 2 | Issue 10 |
March 11, 2022 |
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Addressing Mental Health & Substance Abuse in Orange County
Dear Neighbor:
This week, I hosted a tour with Xavier Becerra from Health and Human Services (HHS) to discuss mental health and substance abuse policies in Orange County. You will find more about this important discussion in our newsletter, below.
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After our Fentanyl Hearing last week, a local mom reached out to me. Having watched her family members struggle with addiction, our hearing alerted her to the dangers of fentanyl. Hearing the devastation in her voice and her concern for her son who is addicted to fentanyl, brought the crisis close to home.
I connected her with services and let her know about the risk of fentanyl in her home. A lethal dose of fentanyl is equivalent to two small grains of sand. One pill really can kill, and I will do everything that I can to make sure drug traffickers are held accountable, along with educating our community on the dangers of fentanyl. Below, learn about the new resolutions I approved this week to address our fentanyl crisis, along with the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Our Wednesday job fair gave our residents the opportunity to learn about high-quality, union career paths with nationally recognized credentials. Attendees were hired on the spot and our team enjoyed meeting local job seekers! If you missed the job fair, but are interested in learning about new career opportunities, please contact our office at (714) 834-3220 or sign up for our mailing list: Here
We are in the planning stages for a series of public hearings and townhalls. More details to come, but please mark your calendar for our upcoming Landlord Recruitment, a Hearing & Audit to End Homelessness, Sustainability Summit, Hearing on the Status of Healthcare in Orange County, and a Debrief and Hearing on the Cost of the Orange County 2021 Oil Spill.
Be well,
Katrina Foley Supervisor County of Orange
Ps. Interested in volunteering to help with our District initiatives? Sign up as a volunteer: Here
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In This Edition
Read more about our Transparency in Governance, Team Updates, Health News, and Community News.
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Board of Supervisors Meeting
- Please attend our next Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. Watch it live: Here
- Learn more about what’s happening in your community in our District Update: Here
- View a list of all 2022 Orange County #BOS meetings: Here
At our Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting, we approved the following items:
Agenda Item 14: The Board reduced the Clerk-Recorder’s Passport Photo Fee from $10 to $7. This cost decrease is a testament to Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen’s commitment to efficiency and innovation, which will save taxpayers money. This is government at its best!
Agenda Item 21: The Board approved an amendment to the Fixed Based Operator Lease with Clay Lacy Aviation. I’m pleased that the John Wayne Airport staff collaborated with Clay Lacy, the Sheriff’s Deparment, and our office to find a solution that won't burden taxpayers. I've requested that the airport include a community impact section in future staff reports. It’s critical that those most affected by the airport are part of the policy making process.
Agenda Item 35: These three state legislative proposals (AB 1673, AB 1628, AB 1598) address the rising epidemic of fentanyl in our County. This comes after our March 3, 2022, public Fentanyl hearing alongside Chairman Doug Chaffee. This hearing also included testimony from law enforcement, public health experts, and members of the public.
“For years, as Mayor of Costa Mesa and - now - as County Supervisor, I’ve advocated for and voiced my concerns about Fentanyl overdose, poisoning, and abuse in Orange County. Fentanyl kills indiscriminately and dealers target our youth with counterfeit prescription drugs like Xanax and other opioids." – Supervisor Katrina Foley.
"I am grateful to endorse this legislation and act at a time when fentanyl is the leading cause of death for children 17 and under. As a mom, I’ve mourned with mothers whose children were victims of this sinister and illicit drug practice and our approach to the Fentanyl crisis must prioritize treatment, while also targeting traffickers and holding them responsible.” – Supervisor Katrina Foley
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Policies
I had the opportunity to host a tour and Roundtable discusion for the United States Health and Human Secretary, Xavier Becerra, at BeWell. We discussed what we are embarking on in Orange County to address Mental health and substance abuse.
Also joined by....
•Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee
•Marshall Moncrief, Chief Executive of Mind OC, the 501(c) that operates Be Well
•Frank Kim – CEO, County of Orange
•Dr. Clayton Chau – Director, Orange County Health Care Agency
•Michael Hunn – CEO of CalOptima
•Captain AJ Patella – Behavioral Health Programs at the Orange County Sheriffs Department
•Other select guests
Watch the video: Here
Secretary Becerra emphasized the importance of addressing mental health after President Biden highlighted the issue in the State of the Union. I am committed to working with our state and federal partners to bring more resources to Orange County to really make a difference for our residents.
Good Samaritan Law
Let your teens, young adults, and family members know about the 911 Good Samaritan Law that says a person acting in good faith (who seeks medical assistance for an alcohol- or drug-related overdose) may not be arrested, charged, prosecuted, or penalized for simple drug possession.
After calling 911, stay with the person until first responders arrive. Learn More: Here
Apprenticeship Job Fair
At an early age, I learned how important hard work is to my ability to care for my family and achieve the American Dream. I supported myself throughout college, sometimes working two jobs, and that work ethic continues as a working mom, attorney, and elected public official. We want to help high school seniors, graduates, Veterans, senior citizen, and parents looking for a new career path or reentering the job force after illness or job changes due to the pandemic. Join our job fair mailing list: Here
Public Safety Initiatives
Alex Rounaghi, Policy Analyst
Supervisor Foley and the Board of Supervisors approved two public safety initiatives, this week, to better protect Orange County residents. This includes communicating our opposition regarding the placement of Sexually Violent predators in Orange County and creating a “Safe Zone” to protect families during child custody situations and residents purchasing goods from e-commerce sites.
Read our Press Release: Here
“Orange County residents do not want to live in fear of a sexually violent predator’s placement in their neighborhoods. Our goal is to develop new County tools to keep our County safe, while standing up for our families,” said Supervisor Foley. “In a nearby County, 5 sexually violent predators arrived through placement, without the community properly notified and despite the dangers that repeat sexual offenders can pose. Previously, our County voted to fund rape kits and to address the backlog of rape kit in Orange County, which is also essential to the ongoing safety of our residents,” – Supervisor Foley
“By championing the ‘Safe Zone,’ our goal is to help parents with contentious child custody arrangements feel empowered knowing about safe locations with lighting, where law enforcement are close - if needed - and where all interactions are video recorded. Additionally, so many of us use e-commerce websites requiring meetings with strangers, which may create a risk of crime. I look forward to our safe zones becoming active, so families and those using e-commerce websites have a secure location to use.” – Supervisor Foley
Women's History Month
There is still time to nominate a woman making a difference in Orange County. Please help us recognize some of the amazing women in our County. Deadline: March 18, 2022. Make a nomination: Here
4th Street Business Initiatives
Last month, I met with 4th Street business owners in Santa Ana to discuss concerns about their customers being ticketed during the street renovation project and the impacts on their sales. The first thing I noticed is that signage in the area doesn’t let our community know that businesses are still open during the renovation. That’s a simple fix and one we are working on. While the streetcar project is bringing transportation relief and help to our environment, helping small businesses is a top priority for our office and we must support our businesses during this change.
Apply for a grant: Here
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Neritha Kelani Silk , an Orange County resident, volunteer, and the Founder & Executive Director of Marshallese Youth of Orange County, as well as a Reliability Engineer, Crisis Counselor, and Entrepreneur.
Neritha Kelani Silk is an Orange County resident of 37-years that began volunteering in 1985, alongside her parents. Kelani's parents worked in the nonprofit arena before she was born and, in 2008, she founded the Marshallese Youth of Orange County.
Kelani joined our volunteer team last December, when the Marshallese Youth of Orange County mobilized a volunteer crew to assist with Supervisor Foley's assemblying 2,000 care packages containing meal gift cards and COVID-19 relief supplies for seniors, Veterans, and struggling families (including the local Marshallese community).
"I volunteer for my family, community, and my people. I volunteer to shift the trend toward higher education and release the daily burdens for our youth, so they can continue on in their education. I volunteer to aid in self-empowerment, community-empowerment, and sustainability for the Marshallese community here and all of the marginalized Pacific Islander communities nationwide." – Neritha Kelani Silk
When Kelani isn't volunteering, she loves to perform traditional dances, listen to music, attend events surrounding the arts, and watch Sunday football with her brothers. Thank you to our amazing volunteer, Kelani!
To sign up for our mailing list regarding future volunteer opportunities, go here.
Team Foley In the News This Week
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First Responders Could Have Spot in Planned Veterans Cemetery in Anaheim Hills
LA Times
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Orange County Takes a New Approach to Mental Health
The Epoch Times
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Countering the Deadly Scourge of Fentanyl in Orange County
OC Register
“Users often don’t even know it’s in the drugs,” Supervisor Katrina Foley said. “Just one pill can kill.”
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HHS Secretary Becerra Visits Orange County to Talk Mental Health
OC Register
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Countering The Deadly Scourge of Fentanyl in Orange County
OC Register
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Orange County Leaders Hold Special Hearing on Fentanyl Overdoses and Deaths
CBS Local
- A New Approach to the Homeless Crisis Could Be Coming to Orange County
Voice of OC
- OC Teases Other Addiction and Mental Health Facilities
Tifton Is On
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Volunteers Fan Out Across Orange County to Count Homeless People After COVID-19 Upended Biannual Census
Daily Pilot
- Procession for Huntington Beach Operator Killed in Helicopter Crash Brings Out Hundreds of Volunteers
OC Register
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Poll: Orange County Residents on Homelessness
Spectrum News
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Manuel.Chavez@ocgov.com
Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana.
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Another Beautiful Week in Orange County
Our office joined the Santa Ana Zoo for their 70th Year Anniversary. Also in attendance were Senator Umberg, Mayor Sarmiento, Santa Ana City Council, Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo, and the general public. Senator Umberg graciously presented a $2 million dollar check from the state of California for an educational building. It's great seeing State investments in our Orange County Community. Thanks for the support, Senator!
Our office recognized the Tustin Unified School District's Teachers of the Year on Thursday. We applaud Jennifer Resendiz, Brook Brown, and Tracy Dawson for their incredible commitment in empowering our Tustin students. I know they are helping shape the future of our County. Congratulations on your awards!
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Kalvin.Alvarez@ocgov.com
Representing Anaheim, Orange, Tustin, North Tustin (unincorporate), Animal Services.
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Planning for the Future
We are in the planning stages for multiple events! Earlier this week, our office went on a tour of the stunning Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. This is in preparation for our huge Women's History Month Celebration coming at the end of the month. We are still accepting nominations for Women Making A Difference. If you know someone in our community who deserves to be recognized, please nominate them today.
I closed out the week by participating in President Virjee's virtual legislative roundtable at California State University, Fullerton. We discussed numerous projects and initiatives that the campus is prioritizing. We also explored ways for our office to collaborate with the University. As a current CSUF student, I'm honored to represent our office and hope to make a difference for students across the campus.
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Crowdsourcing to Help a Homeless Veteran and His Kids
Stephanie Wade, District Director, Policy Advisor
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The most important activity for me, this week, involved spending several hours helping an unhoused Veteran named Dan. It's so easy for people to "fall through the cracks" and my time with him highlighted the very problems that the Supervisor is working hard to solve. Namely, bureaucratic or marketplace glitches that complicate otherwise well-intended housing programs. Now, we have an opportunity for our community to help this Veteran and his family.
Dan and his service dog live out of his truck, while his two kids live with their mom. While he sees his children daily, he has no home to bring them to. He's a nice guy: doesn't drink or use drugs, keeps a neat beard, and is polite and well-spoken. Metting him, you would never guess that he is unhoused. However, a few years ago his service-related injuries became severe enough that he could no longer work. After bouncing around shelters and rooming situations, he wound up in his truck ... just to be near his kids.
He has disability income and, since November, a VA housing voucher that will pay 90% of his rent up to $2,500 dollars. Unfortunately, since he has a low credit score and an eviction on his record. While this is understandable, given his situation and also common for the unhoused, it means that he's unable to find an apartment.
Can you help this Veteran? If you know of a 2-bedroom property with a landlord who will look past Dan’s eviction & credit score ... and rent to him for less than $2,500 a month, please contact me at Stephanie.Wade@ocgov.com. In order to stay close to his sons, he is looking in these cities: Irvine, Tustin, Lake Forest, or Newport Beach.
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Health Updates
New Mask Recommendations
On March 11, 2022 the universal masking requirement for K-12 & childcare settings will end. Masks are still required for everyone in high transmission settings such as those described below.
2,441,941 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated and 1,217,204 have received their booster shot or additional doses. The 7-day average positivity rate (3/11/22) in our County is 2.9% and down 1.1% from a week ago. This equals out to 6.5 daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents.
Vaccine Clinics
Like many of you, I’ve been glued to the news since the start of our COVID-19 pandemic. The low case positivity rate in our County is a welcome relief from our struggles over the last few years.
- Our Orange County vaccine pods distributed a total of 14,717 PCR tests from August 2021 through January 2022.
Find District vaccine clinics: Here
Pet of the Week
Pet of the Week: Juno Animal ID#: A1725210
Juno is an energetic 3-year-old boy who always has a huge dog grin on his face! Juno loves every human he meets and, while he hasn’t lived with any other dogs, he gets along with other pups that match his high energy level and style of play! Husky fun fact: Siberian huskies love exercise and their playful energy makes them great playmates and running buddies. Juno is no exception! Juno loves the outdoors and would love a fur-ever home with a hiking buddy who wants to enjoy a cool weekend morning! If you’re ready to add a new member to your family, stop by and meet this handsome husky boy. His cheerful and happy personality will certainly put a smile on your face!
Interested in giving Juno a loving home? Call (714) 935-6848 to set up an adoption appointment today! Animal ID#: A1725210 Not ready to get a dog? Help Juno find a home by sharing this flyer on social media.
OC Waste
Do you have an old mattress? Be a part of the recycling solution! OC residents can recycle their mattresses at no cost.
➡ Schedule a pickup with your local hauler.
➡ Find a recycling retailer.
➡ Take your used mattress to Prima Deshecha or Olinda Landfill.
For more details visit OCLandfills.com. #ByeByeMatress #OCWasteandRecycling #Recycle
OC Clerk-Recorder
Ready to travel again? Our County is reducing the cost of passport photos from $10 to $7 effective Wednesday, March 9, 2022. If your work hours prevent you from getting a passport during normal business hours, take advantage of Passport Day on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
*Only new passport applications will be accepted. No renewal applications.
OC Public Library
If you like to read but don't have time to go to the library, check out thee Orange County Public Mobile Library. Making its way to a community near you, the mobile library lets you get a library card, check out books, use free internet, and access information and resources.
Call 714-566-2708 or click here to find scheduled stops near you!
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Supervisor Foley's Committee Appointments
I am committed to innovative solutions and will work hard alongside my colleagues throughout the coming year. If you have questions or comments that you'd like to share in relation to the committees below, please email me at Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com
- CalOptima
- Emergency Management Council
- First 5 Orange County, Children & Families Commission
- Law Library Board of Trustees
- Newport Bay Watershed Executive Committee
- One Water, One Watershed
- Orange County Community Corrections Partnership
- Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council
- Orange County Transportation Authority
- Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency
- South Orange County Watershed Management Area Executive Committee
- Southern California Association of Governments
My office is also recruiting commissioners to appoint to our Orange County Historical Commission and Waste and Recycling Commission. You can find more information: Here To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com.
Thank you for being an active member in your community.
Please share this newsletter with family and friends!
Stay Up-to-Date with Important Announments in Your Community!
Follow us on social media today! Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @SupervisorFoley
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