Next Tuesday, October 6^th, the Board of Supervisors will be considering a proposal authored by Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and I, to create an Office of Suicide Prevention within the Orange County Health Care Agency.

The Office of Suicide Prevention is a recommendation from the Community Suicide Prevention Initiative that the Board funded in March of 2019.

The Office of Suicide Prevention will execute initiative recommendations in collaboration with Mind OC. This public-private partnership is an integral part of Orange County’s ongoing expansion of mental health services, including Orange County’s new regional Wellness Hubs.

Click here for more information. 

Orange County is following our public health experts' advice in protecting our community from COVID-19 and this upcoming flu season by providing access to flu shots throughout the county.

While walk-ups may be accepted at some events listed below, residents are encouraged to make an appointment prior to attending a community flu shot event. This will allow for appropriate screening of COVID-19 and flu symptoms. The registration site will be live five days before each event and will be available in multiple languages.

For more information about flu clinics, and to make an appointment, please visit ochealthinfo.com/getyourflushot.

Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a proposal, which I collaborated with OC Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen, that eliminates discriminatory language from Orange County property records – free of charge to property owners.

This action represents an important step forward in removing longstanding barriers to immigrant and minority communities in Orange County.

When Working Wardrobes’ headquarters was destroyed in February of this year by a catastrophic fire, it was an incredible loss to Orange County and so many individuals who rely on them for vital career development services.

Today, I was honored to speak at the grand opening of their new Career Development Center right here in Santa Ana. I am excited to see Working Wardrobes resume providing life-changing services to veterans, domestic violence survivors, and so many others with barriers to employment.

Thank you for all you do, and congratulations on your inspiring comeback!

Della Rosa, a 50-unit affordable housing project in Westminster, celebrated their Grand Opening today!

Half of the units at Della Rosa will function as supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals with access to on-site services, while the remaining half will be for low-income families.

Thank you, Affirmed Housing and the City of Westminster for helping us get closer to reaching our goal of developing 2,700 new supportive housing units by 2025.

Click here to check out the virtual Grand Opening.

The Moon Festival, which marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, is usually celebrated with friends and family, eating moon cakes and parading with lanterns.

While we cannot physically come together as a community this year, you can tune in tomorrow to an incredible show celebrating the art and culture of our community.

For more information on how you can view the show, click here.

There are many ways to help our community during this pandemic, one of them is by donating blood.

Our actions now can save lives – especially those who have recovered from COVID-19 and can provide their plasma to those who are most in need.

People interested in donating blood can visit www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter the Sponsor Code: MSASA to schedule an appointment.

For more information, click here.

On October 15, the County of Orange, in partnership with a consortium of Orange County chambers and organizations, will host a free virtual job fair to help people connect with employers looking for talented people.

This event is free and open to the public. Residents seeking employment and businesses with job openings are encouraged to participate.

Click here to register.

When a service member makes the ultimate sacrifice, it is not only a profound loss to our nation, but an inexplicably personal loss for their families.

On Gold Star Mother’s Day, we honored the sacrifices of the mothers and families who have lost a loved one in the service of our nation and recognize the ongoing suffering experienced in their absence. We must uplift and pay tribute to the families of our fallen. Thank you to all Gold Star Families for your contributions to the preservation of our democracy.