Community News

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) K-12 Guidance for the 2022-23 School Year (Updated June 30, 2022)

Screenings, Vaccinations, & Check-ups (from MCOE, August 2022)

Below is a news release from State health and human services leaders, recommending Californians catch-up with routine screenings, vaccinations, and check-ups:

SACRAMENTO – California law requires students to receive certain immunizations in order to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools as well as licensed childcare centers. Schools and licensed childcare centers are required to enforce immunization requirements, maintain immunization records of all children enrolled, and report students' immunization status to CDPH.

Families that are having difficulty obtaining required immunizations prior to the start of school can contact their local health department for help in finding a place to get needed immunizations.

Visit the www.ShotsforSchool.org CDPH page for information on immunization laws and required vaccinations for students in California. Local health departments and community organizations can use social media messaging and additional resources in the #DontWaitVaccinate toolkit to educate Californians about the importance of staying up to date on vaccination and routine screenings.

“Staying current and boosted with vaccinations and routine screenings are especially important for older adults,” said Susan DeMarois, CA Department of Aging Director. “As we are all re-engaging with our friends, families, and communities, prevention is key.”

Older adults needing additional information regarding vaccinations, screenings, or general resources may contact CDA’s Adult Information Line at 1-800-510-202 to be directed to your nearest Area Agency on Aging for local assistance.

Medi-Cal Health Coverage for Children

Children may enroll in Medi-Cal year-round, and immigration status does not matter. Medi-Cal provides free or low-cost pediatric services, including dental, vision, and behavioral health care, to children in need from families with limited income and resources.

“When state programs work together, they can reach more Californians and get them the care they need,” said Jacey Cooper, State Medicaid Director and Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Health Care Services. “The Medi-Cal program is redefining how care is delivered, what leads to health equity and healthy communities, how to better hold the health care delivery system accountable for transparency, quality and results, and ultimately how the state achieves a healthy California for all, including our children.”

Individuals may apply for Medi-Cal in person, by mail, by phone, or online. For more information, please view Ways to Apply for Medi-Cal.

California’s Cancer Control Plan

Cancer is currently the 2nd leading cause of death in our state. An estimated 189,220 Californians will be diagnosed with cancer, and 60,970 will die of the disease in 2022 alone.

In an effort to raise cancer screening rates back to pre-pandemic levels, the California Dialogue on Cancer (CDOC) and the California Comprehensive Cancer Control Program under CDPH are promoting California’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, 2021-2025.

The plan is designed to enhance preventive efforts, present opportunities for collaboration, reduce duplication, and provide guidance. California’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan includes primary prevention, early detection and screening, survivorship, as well as cross-cutting issues such as access to care, surveillance, and eliminating disparities.

More information is available at California’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan and http://www.cdoconline.net. Updated August 4, 2022.

Updates on Monkeypox (from MCOE, August 2022)

Below is a statement from the California Department of Public Health on the national public health emergency declaration for Monkeypox:

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, issued the following statement today on the national public health emergency declaration on the monkeypox outbreak.

“We appreciate the continued partnership and urgent action from the federal government in our ongoing efforts to slow the spread of monkeypox across California and the nation and we hope today’s action injects additional federal funding and resources into our collective response efforts. The state remains focused on slowing the spread of the virus in impacted communities, administering the limited number of vaccine doses we have, and raising awareness about prevention measures and access to treatment. Thanks to the state’s current public health infrastructure and readiness because of the COVID-19 pandemic, California is well-positioned to continue addressing this outbreak.

“Monkeypox can affect anyone; it spreads primarily by skin-to-skin contact, as well as from sharing items like clothing, bedding and towels. We remain steadfast in our support for the LGBTQ community and their families, who have been disproportionately impacted by this outbreak, and continue to reinforce that no single individual or community is to blame for the spread of any virus.”

To better protect Californians and make it easier to administer vaccines in communities hardest hit, Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this week declared a state of emergency related to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak in California.

As of August 2, 1,135 cases of probable or confirmed monkeypox have been reported in 28 local health departments.

California’s Actions in Response to the Outbreak:

• To date, California has distributed more than 51,000 monkeypox vaccines to local public health departments. In all, the state has received more than 109,000 doses, some of which were delivered directly to Los Angeles County.

• California has urged the federal government to provide additional vaccine supplies to the state.

• The state has expanded testing capacity to process more than 2,000 tests a week.

• As of August 2, the state has distributed nearly 1,713 treatment courses and 168 IV doses of Tecovirimat (also known as TPOXX) to various locations across the state and has partnered with 71 locations statewide to provide treatment.

CDPH maintains a monkeypox homepage, including a fact sheet, and communications toolkit for the public, community organizations, health care providers, and the media.