Yesterday, Orange County moved from the Purple Tier to Red Tier as a part of the Governor Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

As Orange County moves along the State’s new tier system, we must all continue to be vigilant and not let our guard down.

Adhering to social distancing guidelines, good hygiene, and using face coverings, will ensure that we continue to trend in a positive direction so we can reopen more business sectors while ensuring the safety and security of all of Orange County residents.

Orange County residents may search for a business or activity type by visiting https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/ and typing in “Orange” in the County field, entering the business or activity type, and clicking, “GET LATEST STATUS.”

For more information, click here.

During last week’s CalOptima Board of Directors Meeting, I was honored to be elected as the new Chair, serving as the first Vietnamese-American in that position.

Congratulations are also in order for the newly elected Vice Chair, Isabel Becerra, who is also the first Latina to be elected to this position.

CalOptima is the single largest health insurer in Orange County, providing coverage for more than 770,000 low-income children, adults, seniors, and persons with disabilities through four programs funded by the state and federal government: Medi-Cal, OneCare Connect, OneCare, and PACE.

Read about it in my press release here.

Free COVID-19 testing is more accessible than ever.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic Orange County residents within priority groups can access free contactless COVID-19 testing at one of many testing sites in the county, including our two new Super Sites in Anaheim and Costa Mesa.

Last week, I visited one of our testing sites to show our residents just how safe and easy the process is. Check out the video below to see how it works.

For more information, and to make an appointment, click here.

For general questions, you can also call the Orange County Hotline at 714-834-2000.

On Wednesday, the First District Team helped nearly 1,000 families with critical food assistance at Mile Square Park.

Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers, many of whom have been serving at each of our food distributions! Keep an eye out for future events!

Below are the dates for our future drive thru meal distributions.

Need help reconfiguring your small business for physical distancing?

Orange County’s Back2Business Initiative gives small businesses free access to 3D Event Designer’s software that easily allows for efficient outdoor space planning.

To find out how you can apply, call 714-480-6500 or check out the website here!

Congratulations to The Cambodian Family for celebrating 40 years of service to the community! From the beginning, they have been dedicated to the well-being of refugee and immigrant families.

Thank you to Executive Director, Vattana Peong, and staff for your commitment to our most vulnerable populations!

September is National Suicide Prevention Month.

With the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, it is important now more than ever to stay alert of those most at risk in our own lives. Take a moment to know the signs to look for in people who may be at risk for suicide, among other resources, at:

https://www.eachmindmatters.org/mental-health/suicide-prevention/. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Neighborly Message Winner

Thanks for helping get the word out through your social media platforms!

Back to School Winner

With the new school year comes new COVID-19 challenges. Many students are continuing remote learning, but some are headed back to campus. Happy to see Chapman University encouraging its students to #MaskUpOC!