Service Categories: Basic Needs

Basic Needs

Enrollment Links to CA Counties Emergency Alerts

Each County in California has an alerting program that you can sign up for to receive alerts if an emergency situation were to arise in your county. If you work in one county, but you live in another, you can sign up for both. Just find your county in the list below to sign up! In most cases you will need to provide a mobile phone number and an email address.

AirNow.gov

The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map provides information that you can use to help protect your health from wildfire smoke.

Santa Clara County Dept of Health Climate and health

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department created a Climate and Health Program to respond to the climate crisis. The program helps our communities prepare and adapt to our changing environment. Several projects are funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through a Building Resilience Against Climate Effects grant. These projects focus on adapting to high heat and poor air quality. Key Words: Climate Change.

E https://publichealth.sccgov.org/health-information/climate-and-health

3 Ways to Make a ‘Breath Break’ Part of Your Daily Routine

The deep, methodical breathing works by stimulating the vagus nerve, which in turn triggers a calming response in the body. “Slowing your breath can lower your heart rate, release tension, and calm your nervous system, relieving symptoms of stress and anxiety” she explains. “It can also help take the focus (away) from thoughts that may be causing you tension, (and moving it) to your breath.”
This article describes three breath exercises to kick things off. Keu Words: Mental Health

Archive – 2019 Financial Literacy Annual Report

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) issued its Financial Literacy Annual Report for fiscal year 2019.
Promoting savings has also been a key part of the agency’s work. The Bureau launched Start Small, Save Up, an initiative to encourage the public to save and be better prepared for emergencies or unplanned expenditures. As part of the initiative, the Bureau launched a Savings Boot Camp, a multi-week email course to guide people through the fundamentals of savings.
The Dodd-Frank Act requires the Bureau to report on its work to provide consumers with information to make informed decisions about financial products.

US Living Wage Calculator

The tool helps individuals, communities, and employers determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living. Since 2020, childcare expenses are ground-truthed (established data values for all 3142 counties in the country). We collected data from providers and data aggregators with a focus wherever possible on registered child care centers.

VTA ACCESS paratransit service

VTA ACCESS paratransit service is provided to eligible individuals with disabilities who cannot use conventional accessible bus and light rail transit service due to their physical, visual or cognitive disabilities. Paratransit is shared ride public transportation, operating within the same service area and service times as VTA bus and light rail service. Fees = double current transit route fees. Multi-language:
English Brochure | Spanish Brochure | Vietnamese Brochure | Chinese Brochure | VTA ACCESS PARATRANSIT Rider’s Guide May 2023 Update Key Words: AFN,

VTA Transit App

The Valley Transit Authority is proud to officially endorse Transit as the best transit app for trip planning and real-time information. With Transit, you can easily plan your trip with up-to-the-minute accuracy and view arrival and departure times for nearby routes.
Download Transit in the App Store or Google Play.
Key Words: Public Transportation, Bus, Light Rail

MALDEF

MALDEF’s mission is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil rights of the 40 million Latinos living in the US and to empower the Latino community to fully participate in our society.

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

Food, Health Care, Mental Health, Foster Care, Rental Assistance, Immigration Legal services,  refugee resettlement,  Disaster Casework., other free and sliding scale social programs for children, adults and seniors. provided in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, at offices in San Jose and Gilroy.   Member of the SCC Citizenship Collaboration and CADRE.  https://www.facebook.com/WorkingToEndPoverty/?ref=ts Key Words: RIF, CADRE, Disaster

Dial 211 for Essential Community Services

In many states, dialing “211” provides individuals and families in need with a shortcut through what can be a bewildering maze of health and human service agency phone numbers. By simply dialing 211, those in need of assistance can be referred, and sometimes connected, to appropriate agencies and community organizations in the county where the caller is located. Key Words: Resource Directory. Multi-lingual:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |
Korean |

SCC Launches 988 Phone Number Dedicated to Crisis Mental Health Services

7/15/22 The lifeline, similar to 911, is staffed 24 hours a day, every day, and provides compassionate support to those having a mental health or substance use crisis
The service is free, anonymous, and confidential, with no information shared unless in-person dispatch is required. Calls to 988 are routed by area code; if the phone used does not have a 408, 650 or 669 area code, the Santa Clara County service can be accessed by calling 1-800-704-0900 and pressing 1. The same 800 number can be used for non-emergency calls to County Behavioral Health Services regarding general mental health and substance use treatment services information and referrals. Multi-Language: interpretation is available in more than 200 languages.

Tenant Power Tool Kit

We are in this together. This is how it works:
You answer some questions about your eviction and debt situation. We help you fight your eviction and your rent debt, link you with legal resources and tenants’ rights groups, and our housing justice work including collective action campaigns.

Multi-language: SPANISH

The Missing Link: Connecting Eligible Asylees and Asylum Seekers with Benefits and Services

Multiple options exist under current law to improve asylees’ links to the benefits and services for which they are eligible, as this report explores, and doing so would help support asylees’ well-being and integration. The U.S. communities in which they live would also reap benefits from these investments as asylees upskill to meet staffing shortages, contribute to local economies, and become active members of their communities.

California makes history with food benefits for undocumented residents

6/28/22 California will become the first state to provide undocumented residents over age 55 with state-subsidized food assistance benefits. On Sunday night, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an agreement on the 2022-2023 state budget, which includes $35.2 million in funding to expand the California Food Assistance Program to low-income people 55 years and older, regardless of immigration status; the funding is expected to increase to $113.4 million annually in 2025-26
:

DISABILITY INFORMATION AND ACCESS LINE (DIAL)

7/1/22 COVID-19 vaccination support for people with disabilities. DIAL was created through a partnership between the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help older adults and people with disabilities get
COVID-19 vaccines.
888-677-1199 Monday-Friday 6:00am. to 5pm PT
or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org Key Words: Information & Referral, Pandemic

Tests for people who are blind or have low vision

6/30/22 Testing is a critical part of the fight against COVID-19, but some people who are blind or have low vision face barriers using many of the COVID-19 tests on the market.
A new initiative to expand the availability of testing options that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. This initiative complements the Administration’s efforts to expand production of more accessible tests and work with private sector partners on the development of new accessible tests.
Order online or by calling 1-800-232-0233.

HANDA California

Audio recordings in Mexican Indigenous languages. There’s a recording for Preparing for Disaster Safety Tips in Mixteco, Zapoteco, Triqui, Chatino, Tlapaneco, Purepecha, and MAM. Key Words: Language Access, Translation, Spanish

Archive – Information for WIC Families on Infant Formula Availability

6/22 The infant formula supply chain problems have affected all consumers, including California families using WIC benefits to purchase formula. WIC families unable to find their regular formula can temporarily mix and match over 100 formulas found in the lists on this site. Please contact your local WIC office if you have any questions about your new options. This is the latest information and connect California families to helpful resources. Multi-language: Spanish

Binational Center for the Development of Oaxacan Indigenous Communities

Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueno – Serving the indigenous migrant communities from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico that reside in CA. (CBDIO) works to increase the participation of indigenous women in the life of the migrant community by providing training and promotion of gender equality, so that they may exercise self-determination in their civic lives.
CBDIO also promotes health education on prevention and treatment of different illnesses.
Located in Fresno, Greenfield, and Madera, but offer translation services for the following indigenous languages: Mixteco, Triqui, Tlapaneco, Zapoteco, Punjabi translations. COVID-19 audio recordings for some Indigenous languages that are not written. Key Words: Language Access, Interpreter

Maya Interpreters

INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION AGENCY
Our interpretation agency is here to help you. Request an interpreter for legal, medical, social, immigration, court and business purposes. Multi-language: Maya Key Words: Indigenous, Language Access

Mixteco Indigenous Language Services

Since launching in 2010, the Indigenous Language Services program has seen an immense increase in the need for indigenous interpreters and we are now serving clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We continue our collaboration at large with school districts, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and social services agencies. We are actively contracting with regional agencies at a statewide and national level. Key Words: Language Access Multi-language: Mixteco

Esperanza United Language access plan template

This Language access template is designed to help your program create or enhance your language access plan. The template includes sample language that is relevant for working with survivors with limited English proficiency. The template is offered as a PDF document that is editable with Adobe Acrobat, and options for sample language that you can adapt to fit your organizational and community realities.

UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center

Helping Undocumented Students Thrive at SJSU
The UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center provides for undocumented students”and connects them with supporters throughout the SJSU community.
The UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center (USRC) provides direct services such as financial aid resources and legal support to students who are undocumented and to those from mix-status families. Our goal is to ensure that students, regardless of their immigration status, have access to reliable information, equitable resources, and opportunities that support their academic and personal success.

San Jose African America Community Services Agency (AACSA)

The AAACSA, founded in 1978, is one of the only African American cultural centers in the Silicon Valley. Our mission: providing quality educational, cultural, social and recreational programs, services and activities in order to perpetuate and strengthen African American identity, culture, values, traditions, knowledge and family life, is at the heart of all programs. AACSA’s membership is open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, age or disability. The Agency’s diverse activities and services offer a natural gateway to African American life.  Key Words: SCC

United Effort Organization

We assist clients apply for public assistance programs. We find resources for our clients to help them achieve their goals towards self-sufficiency. We match our clients with mentors who work with clients to develop career path, as well as provide guidance, motivation, emotional support, and role modeling.

SCC Section 8 Interest List

Santa Clara County Housing Authority (SCCHA) would like to remind you to update your information or refresh your application in the Interest List for the Section 8 program. Or, if you haven’t signed up yet, the Interest List is always open and taking applications!
The Section 8 Program is a federally funded rental assistance program that helps eligible low-income individuals and families pay for rental housing. Interested households may register to be considered for two types of rental assistance, either a Housing Choice Voucher or a Property Voucher. Multi-;language:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |

Just Serve

JustServe.org is a website where the volunteer needs of organizations may be posted and volunteers may search for places to serve in the community, providing opportunities to help those in need and enhance the quality of life in the community.
JustServe is a service to help link community volunteer needs with volunteers and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in posting projects or in encouraging volunteers to serve according to our guidelines. Sponsored by the LDS Church

San Jose Bridge Communities (SJBC)

SJBC is a grass roots organization with the philosophy of service that facilitates opportunities to form cross cultural and cross class friendships. Programs include: Parenting Classes, Language Exchange Classes, Food Distribution, Tutoring, Getting Ahead Class, Hands and Voices (focus on equipping students with the tools to express themselves through painting, drawing, Film, photography and more), Arte y cafe (an art class design for destressing and self care) . Multi-language: Spanish

COVID-19 Funding Stalls Over Immigration Dispute as Virus Cases Tick Up

4/8/22 For weeks, the White House has pressed Congress to pass new funding in order to keep up the federal government’s testing capabilities and purchasing power of therapeutics and vaccines. Senate negotiators struck a bipartisan agreement on Monday to replenish those funds. But a day later, the GOP blocked a procedural vote over an immigration-related public health order.

Understanding the Impact of Extreme Heat Events

3/28/22 The Los Angeles Times recently published an article detailing the impact of heat-related deaths in California and found that extreme heat caused approximately 3,900 deaths in California over the past decade”that is six times more than the state’s official count. Even so, extreme heat receives substantially less awareness than other disasters, despite killing more Americans each year than wildfires, hurricanes, and floods.

Adult Refugee Services Unit (ARSU) newsletter #7,

April 14, 2022 The ARSU NEWSLETTER shares pertinent information relevant to the needs of Refugees and Non-citizen Crime Survivors and includes resources and updates for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), Refugee Social Services (RSS), Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), and the California Repatriation Program. Published by the CA Dept of Social Services (CA DSS).

Housing for Ukrainian Refugees

3/10/22 UkraineTakeShelter.com is an independent platform connecting Ukrainian refugees with potential hosts and housing.
This website is a public bulletin. We encourage everyone with spare space to post a listing and to mark their listing as filled once they have successfully taken in refugees.
For refugees, UkraineTakeShelter.com asks for your nearest city to display the closest listings. We do not track your precise location. Hosts are only required to provide minimal information, such as their city and contact information. Multi-language: English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, German, French, Dutch, Slovakian, Spanish and more.
For more information: ukrainetakeshelter@gmail.com.

FHFA Mortgage Translations Clearinghouse

An easy-to-use collection of translated documents and tools to assist lenders, servicers, housing counselors, and others in helping mortgage borrowers who have limited English proficiency? (LEP). Created by FHFA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac in collaboration with industry, consumer, and government partners, the SITE contains resources such as translated documents, borrower education materials, a standardized glossary of mortgage terms, and more.
Multi-language: English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tagalog.
Key Words: Language Access, housing

2023 HHS Language Access Plan Update

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating effectively in English, you may need an interpreter or document translation in order to have meaningful access to programs funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires recipients of Federal financial assistance to take reasonable steps to make their programs, services, and activities accessible by eligible persons with limited English proficiency. Read the Press Release   Lea el comunicado de prensa en español   阅读中文新闻稿 (Chinese – Simplified)     閱讀中文新聞稿 (Chinese – Traditional)     Read the Report – PDF   Leer el informe (Spanish) – PDF   阅读报告 (Chinese – Simplified) – PDF*   閱讀報告 (Chinese – Traditional) – PDF*  Key Words: LEP, Language Access, equitable 

The Black-White Wealth Gap Left Black Families More Vulnerable

12/20/20 The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted devastating effects on the U.S. economy, with job losses especially concentrated among women, minorities, and low-wage workers. Economists have described the uneven and unequal economic recovery from the COVID-19 recession as a “K-shaped” recovery, characterized by divergent recovery trajectories for the affluent relative to those of less means. While considerable attention has been devoted to examining the preexisting disparities in labor market outcomes that left some households more vulnerable than others to the COVID-19 recession, less attention has been paid to the role of wealth in determining a household’s ability to buffer the pandemic’s economic shocks. Key Words: Equity

With protections ending, what tenants and landlords need to know

4/1/22 After two years, four extensions and untold numbers of public and private aid programs, California’s broad safety net for renters struggling through the pandemic is being dismantled this month. Lawmakers this week extended a statewide eviction moratorium through June but only for families that have applied to the state’s emergency relief assistance program, Housing is Key. The $5.5 billion relief fund closed to new applications March 31.

Drowning just below the surface: The socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic

11/22/21 The COVID-19 pandemic has had major economic, as well as health, impacts on every nation in the world. It has amplified existing inequalities, created new ones, and destabilized communities”reversing development gains made in recent decades.
The enormous socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 are wide-ranging and have not affected everyone equally. Throughout this pandemic, those facing the greatest vulnerabilities have been the people and groups most neglected by society”those who were already drowning just below the surface. Multi-language:
Spanish |
Arabic |
French |

SEPARATION AND STIGMA: Transgender Youth & School Facilities

2017 Schools across the country have a legal obligation to
enforce policies that protect students from harassment
and discrimination”and that obligation includes
protecting transgender students from discrimination,
harassment, and violence. Unfortunately, too many
transgender students experience school to be a place
where they are unsafe and unsupported”a place where
they can’t even safely use the restroom. A school’s
responsibility and ability to keep all students safe is not
compromised by allowing a transgender student to use
the facilities consistent with their gender identity. When
schools deny transgender students access to these
facilities, they are inflicting profound harm on these
students, and making it impossible or unsafe for some
transgender students to attend school at all.

Santa Clara County Tackles Children’s Covid-19 Grief

2/25/22 More than one in 330 children in the state have lost at least one of their caretakers to Covid-19, a disease that has now killed more than 928,000 people nationwide.
Loss is crushing for anyone, but the death of a parent or guardian carries potentially lifelong impacts for children ” and could very well be one of the most enduring consequences of this pandemic.

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.  The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.  The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Go to Affordable Connectivity Program Consumer FAQ for more information and to GetInternet.gov to check your eligibility and start the application online. Eligible households can also enroll through an approved provider.
Spanish |   Vietnamese |   Chinese |   Tagalog |   Korean |

Elevate Mt. View guaranteed basic income (GBI) pilot program

2/22/22 The City Council approved over $1 million in funding for 166 families The Elevate MV pilot program will involve:
**Aiding extremely low-income Mountain View families and custodial caregivers with at least one child under the age of 18. Income eligibility would be set at 30% Area Median Income (AMI).
**Restricting eligibility to Mountain View residents without regard to immigration documentation and/or housing status.
**Providing participants $500 a month from 12 to 24 months ($6,000 per year), serving approximately 166 families.
The City anticipates applications for Elevate MV will start being accepted in the May/June timeframe through an online portal available in multiple languages.

Multilingual COVID-19 Resources

This FDA toolkit is designed to help community, health and social service organizations, lay health advisors (promotoras), YMCAs/YWCAs, fraternities, school organizations (e.g., PTAs/PTOs), senior centers, faith-based organizations, and others to share accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines in their social media networks and educational channels using FDA official COVID-19 messages to fight misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. In this toolkit, you will find Twitter, Facebook and Instagram messages and images about the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines. Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccines Myths Social Media Toolkit in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Korean Tagalog, Vietnamese

California leaders rush to improve student mental health care

3/4/22 As California kids struggle with the emotional toll of the pandemic, natural disasters and community-wide trauma, and schools grapple with an inadequate supply of mental health care services and clinicians to support students, state leaders are sprinting to pass a bill that could allow public schools to hire as many as 10,000 new mental health counselors.

COVID Collaaborative

12-9-21 We’ve assembled a diverse and comprehensive team of leading experts in health, education, and the economy to shape the work of the COVID Collaborative, develop consensus recommendations, and engage with state and local leaders across America – ensuring that our efforts are truly from the nation, for the nation.

Vietnamese – American Service Center (VASC)

4/10/22 All Health Services now Open
offer a wide range of culturally competent services including resources will eventually include primary care, dental care, social services, on-site child supervision, and an array of community programs to promote wellness. Language capacity at the center will include, at minimum, English, Vietnamese, and Spanish, reflecting the communities and populations that will be served at the Center, located at 2410 Senter Road in East San José.
call (408) 828-4981 or email VASC@ceo.sccgov.org. Multi-language: Vietnamese and Spanish

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)

A majority of our rapidly growing community is comprised of graduate students, and early career rising leaders. We are a proud member of the Council of National Psychology Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests (CNPAAEMI) Leadership Development Institute.
Committed to advancing and promoting, learning and teaching, mentoring and networking about mental health in the AAPI communities! Scholarships, awards, online forums, mentorship programs, leadership development program, and annual conventions.
COVID related Mental Health Resources for Asian Americans

California’s new plan for moving from “pandemic” to “endemic” COVID-19

2/17/22 State’s top health official unveils a strategy for living with the virus. The plan promises more reliable supplies of essential tools, so California is less dependent on unstable global supply chains. It will stockpile thousands of ventilators, 75 million masks and 30 million over-the-counter tests.

Covid-19 hospitalizations average $4,000 in out-of-pocket costs per visit, research says

2/18/22 Measures to protect patients hospitalized with Covid-19 from financial liability have been rolled back by most insurers in the US, leaving the vast majority of patients with an average out-of-pocket bill of about $4,000 for each hospital stay,.
Between March 2020 and January 2021, less than 9% of patients with private health care insurance had any cost-sharing associated with Covid-19 hospitalization. By March 2021, more than 84% of patients with private insurance had some financial responsibility.
In December, the risk of hospitalization was 44 times higher for unvaccinated adults than it was for adults who were fully vaccinated and boosted, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Supreme Court Blocks Biden’s Virus Mandate for Large Employers

1/13/22 The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a vaccine-or-testing mandate for large employers, dealing a blow to a key element of the White House’s plan to address the pandemic as coronavirus cases resulting from the Omicron variant are on the rise.
But the court allowed a more modest mandate requiring health care workers at facilities receiving federal money to be vaccinated

SCC COVID Testing Guidance

1/14/22 With a high demand for COVID-19 testing locally and throughout the nation, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is offering guidance to those unsure of what kind of test to use and whether or not they need one.
The testing options are a PCR test, typically administered in a clinic or drive-through operation; and an antigen test, which are also available for home use.
The County recommends that the antigen tests be used for purposes of shortening isolation or quarantine periods for those who have tested positive or been exposed to a person with COVID.
Positive antigen results should be recognized as valid – there is no need for a follow up PCR test at a healthcare or County facility.
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |

Bay Area Vanpool Program

Enterprise and MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) connect employees who live near each other and provide them with a recent-model van or SUV. Riders commute together, saving money, freeing up time to relax or catch up on work. MTC will subsidize eligible* commutes up to $350/month. Vanpools must start or end in one of the 9 eligible Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties). Check for other program requirements.

Health Equity Considerations & Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups

Health equity is when all members of society enjoy a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Public health policies and programs centered around the specific needs of communities can promote health equity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought social and racial injustice and inequity to the forefront of public health. It has highlighted that health equity is still not a reality as COVID-19 has unequally affected many racial and ethnic minority groups, putting them more at risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Multi-language: Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Korean |
Social determinants of health (SDOH)

Family Calming Kit from First 5

A Family Calming Kit is a set of tools that supports children and families with understanding and regulating emotions and lowering feelings of stress. By using the Family Calming Kit, children develop and understanding of their feelings to be better prepared to engage with others and learn in school. To register and schedule a time to pick up a calming kit, please call 1-888-479-0837.
Multi-language:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QgjtBCVy_-N7N6EOfRdqB1qEsM3W-k_P/view
Spanish

Archive – CA Community College Immigration Legal Services & DACA Scholarship Funds

Free immigration legal services are available to students, staff and faculty affiliated with the Community Colleges. Priority for services is given to undocumented students, staff and faculty. The immigration legal service providers offering services at the 65 campuses have developed scheduling, intake, and reporting processes that ensure student information remains confidential and protected. Contact the closest provider in your region. For questions contact Alonso Garcia at algarcia@foundationccc.org or at 916-400-2778.
.Legal Service Providers
DACA Scholarship Fund

Omicron in Santa Clara County and Boosters for Everyone 16+

12/11/21 County Public Health Department publichealth@phd.sccgov.org via mailchimpapp.net
As anticipated, the COVID-19 variant Omicron has been detected in Santa Clara County.
“Although there are still many unknowns about this variant, we strongly recommend getting vaccinated and getting your booster if you haven’t already to help guard against Omicron” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer and Director of Public Health, County of Santa Clara. “It is a new variant, but we know what to do, and that’s to continue with all our layers of protection: Vaccinate, boost, mask, ventilate, distance, and test often.” Multi-language:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |

Who Are the Adults Not Vaccinated Against COVID?

12/28/21 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that as of December 14, roughly 85% of adults ages 18 and over in the United States had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but 15% remained unvaccinated.
Who are the unvaccinated and why are they choosing not to get a COVID vaccine? Household Pulse Survey Shows Many Don’t Trust COVID Vaccine, Worry About Side Effects

SCC Quick Guide to Services 2019

Santa Clara County provides essential services that people need on a daily basis to work and live in Silicon Valley – whether residents need a marriage license, access to children’s health services or want to know about local recreational facilities. Customer service is a top priority for the County, which oversees services and programs for a multilingual, culturally diverse community. This is a Quick reference for many services that are provided to the community.

CDC is expanding eligibility of booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old

1/5/22 CDC is expanding eligibility of booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old. CDC now recommends that adolescents age 12 to 17 years old should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.
Data show that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents aged 12-17.

Santa Clara County offers COVID vaccine booster to all adults

11/10/21 “No one will be turned away who wants a booster” said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, the county’s COVID-19 vaccine officer, setting new rules for county vaccination clinics. With the late summer decline in COVID-19 cases leveling off at an uncomfortably high level and showing signs of rising again, county health officials urged vaccinated adults to get a booster shot ahead of the winter holidays ” fearing another eruption of outbreaks as families and friends gather.

Bill Wilson Here4You Shelter Call Center

Here4You is designed to centralize referrals to temporary housing programs for people needing shelter. It can help:
** Match people to emergency shelters, including transportation
** Provide assistance to sustain current housing situation
Make referrals and linkages to community resources
Here4You: 408-385-2400
Call Center hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
In addition to referrals for openings at emergency shelters/ temporary housing programs, BWC’s staff will help those seeking rental assistance by directing them to additional Homeless Prevention Services.
For additional information contact: Malisha Kumar, Program Director at
408-316-4270 or mkumar@billwilsoncenter.org

Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index

Every community must prepare for and respond to hazardous events, whether a natural disaster like a tornado or a disease outbreak, or a human-made event such as a harmful chemical spill. Several factors, including poverty, lack of access to transportation, and crowded housing may weaken a community’s ability to prevent human suffering and financial loss in a disaster. These factors are known as social vulnerability. Using U.S. Census data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first version of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) in 2011 to enable emergency response planners and public health officials to identify, map, and plan support for communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a public health emergency.

Child Tax Credits a Huge Boost for Many, But Not All, Latino Families

11/23/21 The expanded child tax credits are working to help families make ends meet and experience less stress, a new survey shows.
As part of the American Rescue Plan, Congress expanded the child tax credit in March 2021. Since July, the IRS has been providing cash benefits to most households with children, including some of the country’s poorest families.
Now, given sufficient time to study this effort, a survey by the Center for Law and Social Policy found that the enhanced child tax credit made a difference for many parents and children. Many Latinos and other families of color benefitted, but many immigrants also were left out.

We Debunk 5 Anti-Vax Myths About Kids’ COVID-19 Vaccines

10/28/21 On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee recommended that the agency authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11. That approval could come any day now”listen closely, and you may hear a collective sigh of relief emanating from millions of parents.
But not everyone is celebrating: Anti-vaccine activists are already planting seeds of doubt. Among disinformation experts, there’s a strategy called “prebunking””basically, educating people about the kinds of rumors they can expect to encounter. It’s like, well, an immunization”but for disinformation. In that spirit, here are five claims that anti-vaxxers are already making, along with the reasons they’re wrong.

Archive – COVID-19 Vaccination Shots Now Available for Children Ages 5-11 in Santa Clara County

11/3/21 SCC is now providing COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5-11. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only option for this newly approved age group, which numbers just over 167,000 members of our community. All children ages 5-11 who sign up for an appointment are eligible.
Parents and guardians should visit www.sccfreevax.org to sign up for an appointment or to find a convenient drop-in location. Vaccines for children ages 5-11 are smaller doses and specially formulated. Families are also encouraged to check with their primary care physician or their local pharmacy about vaccine appointments for children. Multi-language:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |

SCC Cultural Communities Wellness Program (CCWP)

A Family Outreach and Engagement Program (formerly known as ECCAC or Ethnic and Cultural Communities Advisory Committee) providing linguistic and culturally competent outreach, education, advocacy and peer support to ethnic communities. The goals are to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of behavioral health issues, increase willingness to seek help, and access to services. CCWP staff is multicultural and multilingual, representing at least 10 cultural communities, and speaking at least 12 languages. There are 7 CCWP teams:
African Heritage Community |
African Immigrant Community (Eritrean, Ethiopian, and Somali) |
Chinese Community |
Filipino Community |
Latino Community |
Native Family Community | and
Vietnamese Community |
Formerly ECCAC
Multi-language:
Language Assistance Services

Multi-Lingual Counseling Center

In recognizing the need for cultural and language specific mental health services in the Bay Area and lack of multi-lingual speaking counselors, we created Multi-lingual Counseling Center to serve the needs of growing multi-lingual community. Our mission is to provide mental health services and treatment to individuals suffering from different mental health symptoms such as depression, PTSD, Bipolar, anxiety, ADHD and all other mental health
Diagnosis. Multi-language: Dari, Farsi.

Muslim American Society-Social Services Foundation (MAS-SSF)

10/21 The (MAS-SSF) offers peer mental health and social support services in five languages: English, Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Arabic, and Urdu. Support Services in-person, on the phone, and over the internet include: * A completely confidential and HIPAA-compliant peer mental health service that gives you the ability to interact with a dedicated peer specialist from virtually anywhere. Call 916 486-8626, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm * Email MAS-SSF at counseling@mas-ssf.org

CDC Guidance for Refugees Upon Arrival in the United States

2021 Refugees come from diverse regions of the world, and professionals working with them need to understand the health risks, including the risk of COVID-19, in the countries from which they are departing. One resource is CDC’s Travel Health Notices, which are resources for travelers, including refugees, to help understand the risk of COVID-19 in destinations around the world. Learn how CDC determines the level of a destination’s COVID-19 Travel Health Notice. Multi-language: :Welcome Booklet for Refugees Amharic, Arabic Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Haitian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya Ukrainian

Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI)

9/15/21 Hiring Dari/Pashto speaking Therapist to serve arriving Afghan Refugees. Founded in 2005 by a group of bilingual/bicultural mental health professionals, CERI provides culturally-relevant mental health and other social services. We are dedicated to transforming the lives of refugees and immigrants and their families, many of whom suffer from weakening intergenerational relationships, layers of complex needs, and exposure to violence and trauma both in their current environments and in their native countries.