South L.A. Residents to Receive Life Saving Care Faster

When someone is having a heart attack, time is of the essence; minutes after it stops receiving blood, the heart muscle begins to die causing permanent damage. Eventually, the heart will simply stop. In South Los Angeles, however, the nearest available treatment was more than 10 miles away – and many minutes away to hospitals around the county as far as Torrance or downtown Los Angeles.

No longer.

St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood is now a certified ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (known as STEMI) Center, offering trained cardiologists and immediate treatment for anyone suffering a heart attack.  There are now 34 such centers in LA County, with St. Francis and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center as the other such locations in the Second District.  The new center is particularly important for Los Angeles County, considering that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for residents–with blacks and Latinos suffering the highest rates among all other ethnic groups.

The Catheterization Lab where patients are taken to have any angioplasty procedures and stents placed.

“The heart is a muscle like the brain,” said Adam Garcia, a cardiovascular and radiology technician at St. Francis. “If it doesn’t get fed, it won’t do well. And so that is why we have to take care of the problem as fast as possible.”

Within minutes at St. Francis, trained staff can stabilize a patient, insert a stent in a blocked artery or perform surgery. The STEMI Center compliments The Heart Center at St. Francis Medical Center, which has a full-time staff of cardiologists, specialty trained nurses, surgeons and technicians who offer a full range of heart care services. Quick treatment can not only save lives, but also reduce the risk of long-term heart damage and prevent life-threatening complications.

“We needed to provide this care and so this is super exciting,” said Dr. Michael Stephen, Chief of Staff, St. Francis Medical Center.

Added Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who attended the launch of the new center: “The residents of South Los Angeles deserve access to high-quality services in their community and the opening of this new receiving center does just that.  Lives will be improved and even saved because of what is happening today.”

Healthcare Trailblazers to be honored with Women of the Year Award

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is pleased to announce his selection of Martin Luther King Community Health Foundation Board Chair Linda Griego and Board Member Candace Bond McKeever as the Second Supervisorial District’s Women of the Year; both women are being honored for their outstanding work as advocates for better healthcare, their philanthropy and community service.

Griego and Bond McKeever were chosen by the Supervisor for their vision and guidance on the MLK Community Health Foundation board. As members of the board, Griego and Bond McKeever play a crucial role in building a deep base of support for the new MLK Community Hospital. In January, Griego and Bond McKeever were instrumental in raising more than $600,000 for the new hospital at the Building the Dream Luncheon held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles. The new hospital, scheduled to open next year, will offer state of the art medical services and wellness and preventative health programs.

Griego and Bond McKeever will join six other honorees, selected by the other members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at the 29th Annual Women of the Year Awards Luncheon, sponsored by the Los Angeles County Commission for Women on March 10.

Griego plans to dedicate her award to her grandmother, who raised her, and who she said instilled in her a strong sense of entrepreneurship and work ethic and who taught her the importance of helping others.

Aside from leading the MLK Community Health Foundation Board, Griego has spent the last 28 years as president and chief executive office of Griego Enterprises, Inc., a business management company. Griego was also Interim President and CEO of the Los Angeles Community Development Bank, Los Angeles director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and President and CEO of Rebuild LA, Inc. She has also served on a slew of nonprofits, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the California Community Foundation.

“It is an extraordinary honor to be one of the recipients of the Woman of the Year Awards,” said Griego. “It means a great deal to me that Supervisor Ridley-Thomas has recognized my community advocacy work, social entrepreneurship and life-long dedication to improving the quality of the life of women and girls in Los Angeles County.”

Bond McKeever shares Griego’s passion for community outreach. She is the current president of Strategic Solutions Group, which specializes in strategic planning, business and nonprofit development. She is a member of President Obama’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a board member on both the California Science Center and the National Medical Fellowship.

“I consider myself privileged to be included among these outstanding women who are making a huge difference in the lives of women every day,” said Bond McKeever. “Whether it is improving access to health care, education or advancing economic and social equality, these women are responsible for catalyzing the lives for all LA County residents through the empowerment of women.”

The Los Angeles County Commission for Women is dedicated to ensuring that all women are treated equally regardless of race, ethnic and social backgrounds, religious convictions, sexual orientation and social circumstances. The Commission champions many causes including employment, gender equality, healthcare, ending violence against women and supporting legislation that positively impacts the lives of women.

“Linda Griego and Candace Bond McKeever are tireless in their efforts to help make Los Angeles a better place,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “I commend them and this year’s other honorees not just for their efforts, but for their successes in making a difference in the lives of many and for their strong leadership in bringing quality healthcare for all.”

Affordable Care Act Forum to Clarify Obamacare


On Thursday, March 6, families, residents, community leaders and health service providers will gather at Jesse Owens Park in South Los Angeles to learn more about the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare”, and how it can benefit families across the Second Supervisorial District. The forum comes one week before the next enrollment deadline of March 15. According to Covered California, residents who enroll by March 15 are eligible for coverage beginning April 1.

On February 19, the California Department of Health Care Services announced that more than 1.6 million California residents have had (one tense per sentence) signed up for either Covered California health insurance plans or for low-cost or no-cost Medical as of January 31. The same announcement concludes that, currently, African Americans have among the lowest rate of enrollment in California.

Some months back, we took to the streets to ask you for your thoughts about Obamacare. The resulting video is posted below and highlights your thoughts:

While some were excited about Obamacare and others had concerns, one theme became clear – more information is necessary.

“Many people, understandably, have been a bit confused about the Affordable Care Act,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “But forums like these help to dissolve myths and explain the benefits Obamacare can deliver.”

The March 6 forum is the next in a series of Second District Obamacare forums that began last year. A half-hour video from the first forum on December 5, 2013 is provided below:

The Affordable Care Act has the opportunity to be a lifeline for 1.7 million uninsured people in Los Angeles County. In fact, according to some studies, the Affordable Care Act can help 7 out of every 10 uninsured people in the county.

Join us on March 6 to find out if you or someone you know might benefit from the healthcare coverage under the ACA.

Click here to download a flyer for the March 6, 2014 Affordable Care Act Forum.

Can Housing L.A. County’s Homeless Families Save Money?


In Los Angeles County, 7,391 families struggle nightly to find a way to survive without shelter. In 2010, several agencies began to develop a regional approach to providing not just housing, but supportive services and need-based assistance to better help homeless families regain stability. In some cases, mental health and substance abuse services, or housing assistance made the difference.

The Family Solutions Centers started last March with $3.7 million in city and county funding, with the goal of rapidly rehousing homeless households and offering centers throughout Los Angeles County where homeless can go to have problems professionally assessed. To date, there are seven lead agencies that host Family Solution Centers in six of the eight service planning areas in Los Angeles County. These Family Solutions can direct families to health services, employment assistance services, rental assistance or emergency housing. And the program has already proven to be successful, having seen 1,542 families between March and December. Three hundred and two of those families were able to avoid homelessness, 305 were placed in interim housing, and 417 were provided permanent housing.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an additional $10.2 million to set up more Family Solution Centers to offer more services. An additional $2.4 million is also being considered for mental health services. The centers will extend to at least eight agencies and promises to service all eight service planning areas in Los Angeles County. The services will be expanded to include social service case managers and substance abuse treatment. The expanded program will promote collaboration between public agencies and homeless service providers and be called the Homeless Family Solutions System. The system also includes the collection of data to assess which programs are working and to track long term success with families.

“Families are the core of our community,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “And today we have the opportunity to improve the way we deliver services to those families most in need.”

Christine Mirasy-Glasco, executive director of Upward Bound House, a community-based social service agency, testified before Board of Supervisors Tuesday in support of expanding Family Solutions Centers. The centers, she said, have streamlined the process of getting help for families. “Families used to have to travel around the entire county every day looking for services,” Mirasy-Glasco said. “This changes all of that.”

A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that 85 percent of homeless people in Philadelphia who were given housing and support were still in housing two years later and were unlikely to become homeless again.
Research shows that people spend less time in expensive emergency rooms and hospital beds when they have housing. Children are able to attend school and do homework when they have a warm home, a bed to sleep in and a sturdy table to write on.

“It is a proven program. It works. And it’s been evaluated,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas added, “Without question, supporting homeless families with services and housing saves money in the long run. It simply costs less to serve and house than it does to ignore. It’s an investment in our future.”

Click here for more information about Family Service Centers.

Los Angeles County Combats the Flu

Do you have a tickle in your throat? Is someone nearby sneezing? What you may be noticing are not a run-of-the-mill cold, but the first symptoms of the flu.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is offering free flu vaccinations at its public health centers throughout Los Angeles County, with no appointment necessary, and many local community clinics and pharmacies in the Second Supervisorial District and across the county are offering seasonal flu vaccines for a low fee.

County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Jonathon E. Fielding urges flu vaccinations as soon as possible for all adults and children above six months of age. Flu strains change every year, making it important to get vaccinated once a year. There are two ways to be vaccinated, either through the influenza shot or nasal spray. In order to be protected from the flu with the nasal spray, one has to be a healthy non-pregnant individual between the ages 2-49.

While all people can contract influenza, medical research shows that some age groups are at greater risk of developing complications. Children under age five and adults above 50 years of age have been shown to have a greater risk of complications, studies say. Pregnancy, a compromised immune system and chronic medical conditions can also increase the risk of complications from the flu.

“Health is our priority,” says Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who encourages appropriate steps to prevention.

The common flu is highly contagious and effective ways to protect yourself and your loved ones include covering your mouth when sneezing and washing your hands before eating and after using the restroom. Additionally, if flu-like symptoms appear it is recommended that you drink fluids, stay home at least 24 hours and use over-the-counter medications.

This year has been particularly difficult; according to California state health officials, there have been 202 confirmed influenza deaths in individuals below age 65, including 26 deaths in Los Angeles County alone. In fact, this flu season is responsible for more deaths than any season in recent years. At this time in 2013, only 18 Californians below the age of 65 had died from the flu and only 106 people had died for the entire 2012-2013 season.

Click here, to find locations where flu vaccinations are currently available or call the LA County Information Line at 2-1-1 from any landline or cell phone in the county.

For health education materials including kid-friendly handouts, click here.

New Surgical Building Inaugurated at Harbor-UCLA

Walking through the gleaming new hallways, inspecting the state of the art equipment and monitors of the new emergency/trauma and surgery building at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in January,  Dr. Timothy Van Natta could not stop smiling. As the interim chief medical officer of the hospital, he remembers the challenges of performing heart surgery or operating on a gunshot wound in the cramped spaces and dated linoleum-lined rooms of the old hospital, built in 1963.

In April, however, his entire staff will be working in the new facility, which was constructed and finished on time and $10 million under budget. The expansive 190,000 square-foot facility features separate adult and pediatric emergency departments with a total of 80 treatment rooms, seven trauma resuscitation rooms, 16 operating rooms, and pre- and post-operative patient areas — significantly more than the capacity of the older facility.

“The people of the county who receive their healthcare here are going to have a much, much better experience than they have had in the past,” said Van Natta, noting that the ER has approximately 80,000 visits per year.

The new building also has a radiological suite that includes x-ray, ultrasound and CT technology housed directly in the ER so patients do not have to be transported across the hospital for diagnostic tests. The new facility forms one part of a larger, more holistic approach to healthcare that emphasizes prevention. With the Affordable Care Act, patients have more choices, so county facilities had to keep up to be competitive, noted Delvecchio Finley, chief executive officer of the hospital.

“For a long time county facilities have always been competitive on quality of care…but where we struggled a little bit was on the service side…Buildings like this, really provide a healthcare experience that complements the quality of care,” said Finley. Lastly, he noted that part of having a better patient experience includes aesthetics, so the new hospital has a vast collection of donated art hanging from its walls that is both soothing and pleasing to the eye.

The new hospital which was under construction for three years, has long been a priority for Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents the district where the hospital is located.

“This is a commitment on the part of the County of Los Angeles to deliver high quality emergency and trauma care in this new health care reform era,” the supervisor told a crowd of more than a hundred physicians, nurses, hospital staff and elected officials on the inauguration day. “This is a day to celebrate.”

For some patients, the new hospital is just the icing on an institution that already had excellent patient care. In December 2012, Richard Williams’ 13-year-old son Ricky was stabbed in the heart. Doctors gently warned Williams that it would be touch and go, but after several hours of surgery, Ricky was saved.

“This new building means a lot to me,” said Williams. “It signifies not only new technology, but also how many other families will be saved here.”

Lead Paint Removal Coming to LA County Homes

Los Angeles County is expected to receive more than $630 million to clean up homes that contain lead-based paint. The California Superior Court has ordered companies Sherwin Williams, National Lead and ConAgra to pay $1.15 billion into a fund to remove lead paint from homes in various counties and cities throughout the state.

The court decision is the largest public nuisance award in the history of the state and comes after 13 years of vigorous litigation. The case has already gone up to the Court of Appeal twice and the California Supreme Court once.

Children exposed to lead can suffer from neurologic impairments that hinder their ability to learn.  Even though lead-based paint was banned in 1978, more than 1.5 million homes in Los Angeles County still have traces of it.  In fact, the main cause of lead poisoning for children in the county is exposure to lead-based paint. From 2007-2011 there were more than 40,000 reported lead poisonings for children under the age of 21, with high blood lead levels. Nearly 500 of these children were treated for very high blood lead levels.

In 2007, while in the state senate, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas authored legislation that increased lead screenings of children at high risk of lead poisonings in California.  The bill also improved reporting to ensure that children with elevated blood lead levels are appropriately tracked and are getting the help they need.

“Lead poisoning continues to be an issue for too many families,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “I am pleased that the County of Los Angeles can begin to take steps to remediate that and protect the health of our children with this court decision.”

Homes with a current or past history of lead poisoned children will be given priority. In addition to the homes where children have been poisoned, Los Angeles County plans to target more than 85,000 homes that are in low income neighborhoods. Those worried that their child has been exposed to lead can ask their physician for lead testing and parents who do not have a doctor for their child can also call the hotline for referrals to free and low-cost health services for children and teens.

“California Superior Court Judge Kleinberg’s decision is clear,” said, Dr. Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Los Angeles County Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “Companies that knowingly manufactured and sold lead paint for interior use in residences despite knowing that it poisoned children, must be held accountable for their actions.”

For more information call the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Hotline at 1-800-LA-4-LEAD or visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/lead/

Construction Completed on Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital

Construction of the new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital has been completed, bringing the community of Willowbrook and surrounding areas closer to seeing their new health care facility become reality.

The hospital is expected to serve 1.2 million residents from all over South Los Angeles including Compton, Inglewood, Watts-Willowbrook and Lynwood. It will also create more than 5,000 jobs in the area with approximately 700 directly at the hospital. The hospital, which will be privately run, is scheduled to open to the public in early 2015 after the new staff is in place and it passes through rigorous state licensing requirements.

The hospital, which houses four operating rooms, 21 treatment bays and will include 131 patient beds, cost $285 million to build.  It will be governed by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Los Angeles Healthcare Corporation (MLK-LA), an independent, nonprofit organization that is committed to establishing and maintaining high quality medical services in the community.

Both the Hospital and Outpatient Center were constructed with more than 50 percent local worker participation.

The adjacent Outpatient Center is also near completion and is scheduled to open in late spring of 2014. The Outpatient Center, meanwhile, will have 104 exam rooms, radiology and mammogram equipment and five operating rooms and cost $175 million to build.

The Hospital and Outpatient Center are part of a medical complex that will focus on preventive care in addition to inpatient services.

The closure of the former Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center in 2007 left the area without a hospital or true healthcare.  When he was elected to office in 2008, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas made opening a new state of the art hospital and outpatient center a priority.

“This medical campus is coming together as promised, with state of the art facilities, technology and highly experienced professionals,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “This community deserves top notch health care facilities that will be looked upon as a first-rate, 21st century medical village.”

Mobile Eye Clinic Helps Kids See

Seven-year-old Carlos Urrutia has struggled for years to see the front board in his classroom, which always seems to be blurry. But recently, he stepped into the Vision to Learn mobile clinic to get fitted for a new pair of glasses.

“I’m excited because I’ll be able to see with glasses,” Carlos said. “Right now it looks blurry, I can’t see far away.”

In about three weeks, his new pair of glasses will be delivered to him at school.

“When I get my glasses I’m going to see my ABC’s good,” said Carlos, a 2nd grader at 52nd Street Elementary school.

Founded by former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor, Austin Beutner, Vision to Learn brings trained doctors and state-of-the-art mobile eye clinics to elementary schools throughout low-income communities in Los Angeles and provides students with free eye exams and glasses. Since the program began in March 2012, the mobile clinics have provided free glasses to more than 14,500 students and have visited 108 Los Angeles Unified School District, charter and catholic schools an average of 25 times each month.

Samuel Sanchez, also a second grader, has trouble with assignments in the classroom because he can’t see well.

“When my teacher writes words on the board, I can’t see them and I write the wrong letters,” Samuel said.

Samuel is excited about his new pair of glasses but he is a little worried he might break or lose them.

“I’m a little nervous that I’ll drop my glasses,” said Samuel. “I’m going to protect them and keep them away from my 2-year-old sister, she breaks everything.”

[raw]According to Vision to Learn, nearly one-quarter-million young children across California do not have the glasses they need to read their books, see the chalkboard, or participate in class. According to a study by the UCLA Schools of Medicine and Public Health, more than 20 percent of elementary school students in low-income communities have a vision problem and 96 percent of those students who need glasses do not have them.

The Vision to Learn program has changed the lives of many children, but also the doctors who drive around in the mobile eye clinic.

Ramon Vega, an optician with Vision to Learn has been with the program since it began last year.

Monday through Friday he leaves his home in Cudahay at 6:15 a.m. to meet fellow optician Sherry Pastor to pick up the mobile eye clinic from an LAUSD school bus parking lot in downtown Los Angeles and drives to the scheduled school for the day.

“I love my job and I love what I do,” said Vega, whose most cherished memory of his job is having children hug him to say thank you for the glasses. “I fulfill my purpose and serve my community.”

Pastor recalls distributing glasses this time last year at Rose Hills Academy Elementary in Lincoln Heights when she noticed a magnifying glass attached to a fourth graders backpack.

“I asked what it was for and the little girl said that it was to read and do her homework,” Pastor said. “I put the glass on her and she covered both hands with her mouth. She was shocked. I drove home and cried.”
After being examined, first grader, Heber Romero, 6, chose a pair of red glasses.

“I’m going to wear my glasses all day –when I do my homework, at lunch and in class,” Heber said.

Similarly, once the black glasses were placed on 7-year-old, Michael Alexander’s face he didn’t want to take them off.
“I like these glasses,” Michael said. “Now I can see.”
[/raw]

Star Apartments Open New Clinic

The Star Apartment project, a newly built supportive housing site for the homeless, also will be home to a new Department of Health Services primary care clinic that will specialize in providing integrated health care services to homeless people and residents of supportive housing.

The building, owned by the Skid Row Housing Trust, will house the Star Clinic on the ground level and the department’s Housing for Health offices, with 102 residential units above. Funding for the clinic was recently approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Seventy-Eight tenants already have moved into the building, located on 6th Street and Maple Avenue, with the rest scheduled to move in by the end of December. Designed by notable architect Michael Maltzan, the building is made of prefabricated residences that were placed on top of a concrete superstructure. Formerly an elevated parking garage, the building will include a basketball court and track on its former roof for the tenants. The UniHealth Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Gensler Architecture also contributed to the project.

Based on other similar projects, the Department of Health Services anticipates a 75 percent reduction in unnecessary emergency room visits and inpatient admissions for tenants who are housed in the the Star apartments.

Located along the border of Skid Row, the project has been praised by architecture and urban design experts for setting a new standard for remodeling an existing 1-story building and adding new community spaces and residential levels above. In addition, there will be a community garden in the space for residents to enjoy.

“The Star Apartments will offer high quality housing, services and amenities to help folks get back on their feet and live productive lives,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose office contributed $400,000 for the project. “It is essential that we offer these types of homes for people in need across our community.”