Alliance Community Newsletter
June 22, 2021 - Issue 2
Back-to-School Immunizations
Get a head start on the school year
With the start of the new school year just around the corner, and most students returning to in-person learning, back-to-school immunizations!
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in fewer pediatric visits and fewer vaccines being given, so some of our school-aged children may need to get caught up on their shots before they can return to school this fall. For this reason, it is important to begin planning now. You can encourage parents and guardians to call their child’s doctor to ask what vaccines their child needs and schedule an appointment. Appointment availability may be limited during the summer when many parents seek to schedule doctor visits, so it’s important to act quickly.
In addition to routine vaccinations, children ages 12 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine can be given at the same time along with other vaccines. Here’s an informational flyer from the CDC you can share with parents and guardians that they may find helpful about the benefits of vaccination. Parents and guardians should speak to their doctor about any questions or concerns they may have about vaccinating their children against COVID-19.
The Alliance also offers immunization information and resources on our website. We encourage you to check it out and share with your .
Students entering the following grades need the following vaccines:
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TK/Kindergarten |
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7th grade |
In addition to all vaccines above:
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California parents are not able to file an immunization exemption for their child to enter school. For more information and resources, visit www.shotsforschool.org
Need a Boost? 5 Tips to Raise Vaccine Confidence
Community-based organizations (CBOs) play an essential role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Community organizations often have personal rapport with their members, or they may have direct access to the most vulnerable populations. It is because of this connection that CBOs are uniquely positioned to effectively inspire community members toward better health, to share essential COVID-19 information and to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccination is an important tool to help stop the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines are both free of charge and available to everyone age 12 and older in the United States, regardless of anyone’s immigration status or whether they have health insurance.
Here are five ways that you can educate your members about, and promote the vaccine:
- Be vocal about your decision to vaccinate and celebrate it!
Share your reasons for getting vaccinated and what helped you make your decision. For those on the fence, hearing from people they know and trust can be an effective way to help them take those first steps.
- Spread the word (from trustworthy sources)!
Navigating through all the COVID-19 health information can be difficult for many people, and they may look to you for help. Share information from reputable sources (such as cdc.gov/coronavirus or myturn.ca.gov) and provide updates about when and where to get a COVID-19 vaccine in your community.
- Unite and make it real!
To get the word out, your best tool is each other! Partner up with other CBOs, local health centers, community faith leaders, schools, or even neighborhood barbershops. Find other groups willing to collaborate on a Q&A session or vaccination event, and don’t forget to share your message on social media, websites, radio stations or with the news media! You know your populations best. Adapt the language, tone and format of your messaging so that it is consistent with how you typically communicate.
- Questions are normal (but we have tools)!
There are many reasons why someone might feel uncertain about COVID-19 vaccines, and it is okay to have questions or concerns. Lead with compassion and respect and avoid passing judgment. Encourage the person to talk with their doctor about the vaccine. As a trusted leader in the community, simply sharing your experience, offering reassurance or guiding someone toward trusted sources of information may be all they need to quell fears and motivate them to act. Need more help? The Alliance website has evidence-based resources, flyers, videos and tips available that may help.
- Prevention still matters!
Continue to promote preventive measures in your community, and in accordance with local guidance. While mask requirements may be relaxing in some areas and instances, healthy habits such as hand washing or avoiding close contact with a person who may be sick are still important measures in disease prevention.
Coming July 1: NEW Alliance website!
Beginning July 1, the Alliance website will feature streamlined navigation and a fresh new look. We’ve made some upgrades to our site to better support and engage with our valued members, providers and community partners. Now, accessing key information and resources will be faster and easier.
Be on the lookout for more information in our August issue! We look forward to how our new online experience will support the health care community in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
Report: How the Pandemic Impacted America’s Mental Health
In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, the Alliance’s behavioral health provider, Beacon Health Options, shared insights from their inaugural report on the State of the Nation’s Mental Health. This report explores the effect the pandemic and other stressors in 2020 had on Americans and the rate at which they sought treatment for mental health conditions.
In addition to sharing this report, Beacon Health Options also compiled resources for Medi-Cal members, providers and community partners to help raise awareness of the importance of mental health.
Beacon’s Mental Health Awareness Month document provided information on the following:
- An overview of the nation’s mental health.
- Monitoring the pandemic’s impact on the mental health of children and teens.
- What to do to prevent a mental health crisis.
- Putting mental health first with #MeMinutes.
View the Mental Health Awareness Month pdf.
For more information about mental health services for Medi-Cal members, check out this brochure in English, Spanish or Hmong.
Food for Thought at Food Access Virtual Gathering
To improve the health and overall wellness of Medi-Cal members in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, the Alliance is funding efforts to increase access and availability to nutritious food through its Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program (MCGP).
On April 27, 2021, the Alliance hosted a virtual convening of all Partners for Healthy Food Access grantees. We heard about all the incredible work grantees are doing to expand access to healthy food in the community and ensure Medi-Cal members have access to nutritious food. The event was also an opportunity for Food Access grantees to share learnings on how they pivoted their work to thrive in a COVID-19 environment.
Throughout 2020, grantees demonstrated creativity and resilience to continue their projects in this new environment. Some programs shifted to socially-distanced on-site healthy food distribution or home-deliveries, which also provided mental health and social support to participants. Many of the educational programs transitioned to online platforms and leveraged social media to have a wider reach in the community. Ismael Munoz of Merced County’s Project Grow summed it up, “I left the meeting feeling inspired and re-energized. What incredible work everyone is doing!”
The Alliance is thrilled to work with our heroic community partners to empower ‘healthy people, heathy communities’.
Recent media coverage highlighted Food Access grantees. For more information about the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program investments to address food insecurity, please visit the Alliance website.
Play Outside for Your Health This Summer
June is National Get Outdoors month, and summer is a fantastic time to explore the great outdoors or play outside! Ditch the tablets, TVs and smartphones. Family outdoor activities don’t have to be extravagant, just be creative and engaged. Outdoor play brings many health benefits to the entire family. Motivate your communities to engage in enjoyable physical activities:
Here are some quick and easy ideas to get outdoors:
- Plant a garden
- Ride a bike
- Go for a walk
- Watch sunrises and sunsets
- Toss a frisbee
- Discover blooming flowers
- Have a picnic
We challenge you to encourage those around you to explore daily outdoor fun!