Alliance Community Newsletter

April 27, 2021 - Issue 1

Welcome from CEO Stephanie Sonnenshine

We are pleased to bring you our first issue of The Beat, the Alliance’s new bi-monthly digital newsletter, designed to keep community partners up to date on key Alliance activities, services and programs that positively impact the health of the communities we serve.

As we rolled past the one-year mark since the start of the pandemic, it became clear that COVID-19 starkly revealed many of the daily challenges faced by the most vulnerable in our communities. These underserved populations are often the ones most exposed to COVID-19. With fewer resources to protect themselves from the virus, they are often hit the hardest by the pandemic physically and financially.

But as we know too well, these challenges are not unique to the pandemic. In the best of times, the most vulnerable among us regularly experience food insecurity, homelessness and other issues that impact their health. As the region’s locally managed Medi-Cal managed care plan serving people in Santa Cruz, Merced and Monterey counties for over two decades, the Alliance remains focused and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring and improving access to health care for our members and communities.

But it takes a village.

A system as complex as health care relies on a trusted network of providers, community organizations and stakeholders to be effective. Partners like you, who share a deep commitment to improve the health of our communities, while continuing to adapt and adjust, all while finding ways to carry on under extremely challenging and ever-evolving circumstances.

This interconnected work is one of many reasons why the Alliance chose to identify collaboration as one of our four values. We understand that it is necessary to have a shared commitment to work together for the people we serve. By collaborating with you, we can most effectively respond to the immediate circumstances the pandemic creates, while also seeking to fulfill our long-term vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities. The Alliance remains extremely grateful for your work and unwavering commitment to our communities.

I hope you enjoy our first issue of The Beat. Should you have any questions or thoughts on how to improve our collaboration, please contact [email protected]

The Truth About COVID-19 Vaccines

Recently, Alliance Medical Director Dr. Maya Heinert was featured in several publications nationwide for her op-ed addressing vaccine facts and hesitancy. The following information is adapted from her article.

There are many rumors and circulating about the COVID-19 vaccine. The Alliance is urging the public to seek out the truth from medical experts about the vaccines. Be sure to share these important facts with the communities you serve.

Getting a vaccine will not give you COVID-19.

None of the vaccines contain the live virus. This means they cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

You should get vaccinated even if you’ve had COVID-19.

Research shows that the consequences of COVID-19 can be severe. Even if you’ve recovered from having COVID-19, there is not enough information to know if you are protected from getting it again.

The COVID-19 vaccines do not have severe side effects in most people.

It’s common to experience mild to moderate signs that your body is building protection after getting a vaccine. Side effects can include muscle aches, tiredness, headache, fever, chills or pain where you had the injection. These often last for a day or two. However, any new medication can cause an allergic reaction in a small number of people. For this reason, you’ll be asked to stay for observation for a short period after you’ve received the shot.

The COVID-19 vaccine will not change your DNA or make you infertile.

The vaccines are designed to give your body instructions to fight the coronavirus. There is no way the vaccine can change the DNA of your cells. There is also no evidence that getting the vaccine can cause women to miscarry, or that it can cause infertility in men or women. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

When you get the vaccine, you will not be asked for information about your immigration status.

The vaccine is available to the public regardless of immigration status.

You will receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost.

You will not have to pay for the vaccine. If you are asked to pay for it, it is a scam. In addition, if you are asked to pay to receive the vaccine early or to be added to a list, you are being scammed.

Avoid falling for COVID-19 myths or scams by seeking information from experts only. Some examples of reliable sources for vaccine information include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your county’s public health department and your primary care provider (PCP). You can also check the Alliance website for COVID-19 information for Medi-Cal members.

After you’ve been vaccinated, you should still practice safety measures.

The vaccine can prevent you from getting sick. However, there is not enough information to know whether you can still carry and give the virus to others. There is also limited information about how effective the current vaccines are against variants of COVID-19. Until public health officials know more, it is critical to continue to cover your mouth and nose with a mask in public. Stay at least six feet away from people who don’t live with you, avoid crowds and wash your hands often.

For up-to-date resources on COVID-19 vaccines, go to www.ccah-alliance.org.

Community Investments Are a Bright Spot in 2020

The Alliance’s Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program (MCGP) provides grants to health care and community-based organizations to increase the availability, quality and access of health care and supportive services for Medi-Cal members in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. These investments underscore our commitment to the Alliance’s vision: Healthy People, Healthy Communities.

The MCGP 2020 Impact Report highlights significant areas of impact that our grantee partners achieved in the face of the pandemic and unprecedented challenges. In 2020, the MCGP provided immediate relief during the pandemic by establishing the COVID-19 Response Fund. The response fund awarded $600,000 to local food banks and $400,000 to local entities to meet member needs, including:

Funding for diapers and formula.
Meal delivery for high-risk members.
Personal protective equipment and sanitizing supplies for providers of food and homeless services.

Throughout the year, we continued to partner with grantees on long-term investments in access to care, member wellness and social determinants of health, including food and housing.

Our grantee partners showed resilience and commitment to serving Alliance members in 2o20 and continue to do so. We are proud to share examples of their success in the MCGP 2020 Impact Report.

Please visit the Alliance website for more information about the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program.

Mango Salsa Recipe

By Brenda Reyes, Alliance Care Coordination Social Worker

This refreshing and healthy salsa can be served over grilled fish or chicken, or paired with your favorite chips to spice up snack time.

You can customize the recipe to be hot or mild, depending on the type of pepper you use. As is, the salsa with jalapeños is mild. If you want it very spicy, use two serrano peppers instead. If you want it non-spicy, substitute one bell pepper for the jalapeños.

Ingredients

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped

½ red onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 large jalapeños, finely chopped

3 fresh limes, juiced

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Notes

If you want your salsa to be less sweet, use greener mangoes.
Make sure to thoroughly drain water from the cilantro after you wash it.
Make sure to remove all seeds from the jalapeños.

Directions

Wash all fresh ingredients.
Chop the mangoes, onion, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeñ Combine in a bowl.
Add lime juice and mix ingredients together.
Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Refrigerate for an hour and serve.

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Local COVID-19 updates.
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