Latest news with #BeWell
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Laguna Beach to keep Be Well OC mobile mental health services, will scale back hours
Laguna Beach will continue to contract mobile mental health services from Be Well OC, as the City Council approved an amended agreement that city officials say will allow the service to continue to be provided without dipping into the general fund. Be Well OC began working in the community in August 2023. The deployment of the big, blue van and crisis intervention specialists ran 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The amendment, passed unanimously on May 20, will scale back the hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for two crisis intervention specialists, as the city looks to maintain daily coverage at a reduced rate. 'There was less happening at 7 in the morning, obviously, and less happening at 6 in the evening, so I don't have concerns about the overwork,' said Jeff Tennen, executive director of mobile operations for Be Well OC. They plan to tell police and fire departments about the new hours in case any dispatch calls come in before 10 a.m., he said. Implementing the new schedule will contribute to bringing the anticipated costs down from approximately $850,000 to $493,000, city staff said. 'The price is right for us at this particular time,' Councilwoman Sue Kempf said. 'I'm hoping that we can continue with the program because we need the help.' A staff report noted the funding sources that will cover the cost of the program through June 2026. The city had $406,812 remaining in state appropriated funds. Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris also approved the allocation of an additional $100,000, and a private donation was made in the amount of $85,000 to support the program. Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frimond said the city would also like to explore placing a small break area and report writing station in the Laguna Beach Community and Recreation Center, saying it would save 'tens of thousands a year.' The city plans to terminate a lease for a downtown field office. Other cost-saving measures include plans to consolidate organizational roles by eliminating the separate program manager and case manager positions. City officials referred to the mobile mental health services as 'not just a homeless program.' Among the 1,144 people who accessed services through the program, about 57.6% were unhoused. From its launch date to January of this year, Be Well OC made 7,301 contacts and accrued 3,187 service hours. Frimond said the Be Well OC program has supported the efforts of the alternative sleeping location in the canyon by 'allowing for the ASL to focus on housing navigation.' Be Well OC has stepped in on matters related to mental health, substance abuse and crisis intervention, he said. 'A large opportunity … is emergency room discharges and how this program can be there to support,' Frimond added. 'We know that that's a port of entry for certain people in this community, that we have a dumping issue there, and perhaps we can better manage this issue in the community through a compassionate program like Be Well.' Blair Contratto, chief strategy officer of Be Well OC, said the city is 'gifting to our community an incredible resource for mental health and substance use management,' adding that increased visibility among the residents was important. Councilman Bob Whalen asked if a percentage increase in residents' utilization of the services could be forecasted. 'I'd like that to be our goal because we have to find permanent funding for this program if we want to keep it going, and we're not going to get it from the state of California,' Contratto said.
Sunday Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday Post
Life according to... Myra Dubois
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up Myra Dubois on cosmic powers, Paris in spring and Scotland in autumn… How are you, Myra? I am very well thank you, how are you? I love how professionally blurred your background is (on Teams). I feel like I'm watching a very important piece of independent cinema. Thank you! Can you tell me about your new show? Your past shows focused on helping people, but this one seems more introspective. The shows relate to each other, because that's just my natural progress as a creative person. My previous show, Be Well, I was manifesting my manifesto of 'Ad-Myra-ism' across the UK and Ireland (I have to say 'and Ireland' even though I only played Dublin). People started asking questions, I started asking questions – where does this gift of compassion that has been bestowed upon me come from? And my only conclusion is that it comes from the stars. That's nice, isn't it? That's a nice bit of poetry. So, it's really an exploration on where these powers that I have come from, and our connection to the cosmos. There's a little bit of spirituality in there as well, and a lot of reflection on the self. But it's not just going to be a sermon of self. I invite the audience to talk to me, and we'll be discussing some things and having fun along the way. Lest we forget that it's also a fun night out at the theatre. Your fans look to you for advice. Is there anyone you look to for guidance? Oh, yes. Did you see my last show? Don't be bashful if you didn't. I didn't! I was making it easy for you to say you didn't, but you came in there fast like a freight train. Well, I talked about this in my last show, if you'd have been there. I have my own personal wellness guru, Malcolm. He has a practice, a wellness detention centre, that's just on the north-west… it's south… well, it's in Blackpool. But I go there to rebalance myself and bring myself back to me as well with a mixture of things. We do little bit of Reiki, little bit of yoga, and every Thursday, they do bingo. Are you excited to come back to Scotland? Well, I'm not performing at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, but I'm doing a few shows in Edinburgh and Glasgow in October. And when you're at the Fringe, you're playing to, you know, Jean and John from Swindon who've come up for the weekend, and they sit there in their cagoules, and you only really get the Scottish audiences towards the end of the Fringe. I like coming to Scotland outside of Fringe season to meet genuine Scottish audiences because I find that they're a little more up for fun, a little rowdy in a positive way, a little more engaging than your standard Edinburgh Fringe audience. People say: 'Aren't you going to the Fringe?' and I'll say: 'No, I'm going in October.' And they'll say: 'Oh, we won't be there then,' and I'll say: 'Well… exactly!' Are Scots really rowdier? Every time I do a press interview, it doesn't matter where it is, they'll always ask 'how do audiences here differ?' and, for the most part, people are people – I think people are largely the same and usually wonderful. However, Scotland does have a reputation. People used to say that Glaswegian audiences in particular would let you know if you're not very good, and that's probably true, but I'm very good, so I've never experienced that. What surprises people about you? People might be surprised to know that I've never visited Paris, it does surprise people – I think it's the Dubois name. But I am rectifying that this year, although I shouldn't say that because I'm not going professionally, I'm going privately, and I can't assure the same international security that I might do if I was going publicly. So – maybe – I'm going to Paris in August. Who can tell… Myra's new show, Cosmic Empath, will visit Glasgow and Edinburgh on October 25 and 26.
CTV News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Calgary Surge and students team up for slam dunk on mental health
More than 2,500 Calgary Board of Education students piled in to the WinSport Event Centre Wednesday for the 2nd annual 'Be Well' School Day Game featuring a full Calgary Surge scrimmage (Mark Villani, CTV News)
CBS News
24-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
San Joaquin County approves $261 million budget for Be Well Campus
San Joaquin County approves budget for Be Well campus south of Stockton San Joaquin County approves budget for Be Well campus south of Stockton San Joaquin County approves budget for Be Well campus south of Stockton SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY - The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to approve a $261 million budget to move forward with the Be Well Campus project. "We want to increase access to behavioral health in the community, divert people needing this care from jail or going to emergency rooms," said Genevieve Valentine, the director of the county's health care services, in Tuesday afternoon's board meeting. The campus will have sobriety centers, treatment beds, and other mental health resources. County officials are using $1.6 million to outline the process of building the campus and the scope of care. "We want to create the first in-county medical substance abuse residential program, increase treatment bed capacity, allow for an integrated care model between behavioral health, the health clinics and public health," Valentine said. The campus will be built at Hospital Road and Interstate 5. "We have a massive problem here and I think it'll fill a gap that we are missing," said Jessica Velez. Velez is the founder of Red Rabbit Advocacy Programs in San Joaquin County, which helps those struggling with homelessness, drug abuse, and mental issues. She said that there aren't enough beds or treatments to go around for those who need them. "You're homeless, you go there, you're seen, then where? You got to go back to your camp to start taking [medicine]? That doesn't really work," she said. Velez hopes the Be Well Campus can put the county in the right position to help those who want it. "I hope people are willing to give these alternatives a chance because, obviously, what we're doing isn't working," she said. This campus will be built in two phases, starting with the south side of the campus and then the north. The county's goal is to have part of it built and ready in 2026.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmaker looks to proceed with Medicaid Forward plan, despite federal funding uncertainty
A new motto emerged among staff at BeWell, New Mexico's health insurance marketplace, after the 2024 election: "Stay calm, enroll on." "When the presidential election happened, we really came together as a staff because there was a lot of what-if now, right?" said Alex Sanchez, BeWell's chief experience officer. "Comments had been made. Things had been said." The health care marketplace is one result of the federal Affordable Care Act, which President Donald Trump has long criticized and threatened to repeal. Trump's reelection — in the midst of BeWell's busy open enrollment period — brought uncertainty, Sanchez said, but it didn't change the agency's mission. The first weeks of Trump's presidency have created copious uncertainties surrounding federal funding. U.S. House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a plan to cut spending by $1.5 trillion, including slashing a series of benefits targeted at low-income Americans. The proposal includes extensive cuts to Medicaid, the federal and state-funded health coverage program for low-income people — including more than 800,000 New Mexicans, according to 2024 data from the state Health Care Authority. This comes as New Mexico Democrats are moving forward with legislation that would greatly expand access to Medicaid. House Bill 186, which passed the House Health and Human Services Committee last week and now faces the powerful House Appropriations and Finance Committee, would require heavy federal investments. The cost of the proposed Medicaid Forward program would be shared on a 72%-28% split between the federal and state governments, with New Mexico paying an estimated at $995 million for more than 290,000 new enrollees. The initial federal share for the new enrollees then would be more than $2.5 billion. A fiscal impact report for HB 186 warns about the potential of expanding Medicaid in the state during the Trump administration. The report offers a "cautionary note": "Given the transition to a new federal administration significant policy changes at the federal level may impact New Mexico's Medicaid program." The Trump administration previously has advocated for changes to Medicaid that could "alter the structure of federal Medicaid funding and increase fiscal uncertainty for the state," the fiscal impact report states. By full implementation in fiscal year 2029, the report estimates, the total annual cost of Medicaid Forward would be around $4.5 billion — roughly the amount of the K-12 public education spending plan for the next fiscal year, which is the largest single share of the state's proposed $10.8 billion budget. The federal share would be more than $3.2 billion. Rep. Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, a sponsor of HB 186, argues New Mexico should move to expand Medicaid access, despite concerns about federal changes during the Trump administration. "It's important for folks to remember that Medicaid Forward is based in the law," she said. "It is based in the Affordable Care Act. Federal law already allows states to expand Medicaid in this way, and our federal funding remains in place until Congress takes action to change that." The Legislature often adapts to federal switch-ups, she said. "It is our responsibility as a Legislature to continue to bring our ideas forward," Szczepanski said. "We as a state, I think, have a responsibility to innovate, think creatively and try to solve the problem of people not having access to health care." She added, "It's important for New Mexico to be in the lead on lowering health care costs. We cannot wait for Washington to act, and we [cannot] guess what they're going to do. We have to take ownership of this issue here, now." 'Opportunity to expand access' Medicaid Forward is another step in a "careerlong passion" for Szczepanski: ensuring New Mexicans have access to affordable, accessible health care. "For me, this is an opportunity to expand access to health care — to make sure that families don't have to make those tough decisions between paying the bills and filling that prescription," she said. About 200,000 New Mexico residents currently go without health insurance. HB 186 would authorize the state Health Care Authority to create a state-administered health coverage plan, removing Medicaid's income limit and allowing families and individuals making more than 133% of the federal poverty level to enroll. The program would be open to some immigrants with legal residency status but would not cover undocumented immigrants. Health coverage through Medicaid Forward would be free for those making less than double the federal poverty level — equivalent to more than $64,000 for a family of four. Enrollees above that threshold would pay health insurance premiums capped at 5% of their total household income, consistent with an existing Medicaid rule. Study: Patient costs would decline New Mexico lawmakers have been considering such a program for some time. In 2023, the Legislature passed House Bill 400, which tasked the Health Care Authority with studying the program's feasibility. The final version of that study, released in November 2024 and completed by the government and human services consulting firm Mercer, found Medicaid Forward would significantly increase New Mexico's Medicaid spending — but there is a scenario in which the state's revenue from the program would outpace that cost by more than $45 million. The study also found Medicaid Forward would decrease the individual cost of coverage for "virtually any eligible New Mexican." Medicaid enrollment is separate from the BeWell marketplace, which would continue to offer individual health insurance policies for people who don't qualify for Medicare and don't receive health benefits through an employer. During the House Health and Human Services Committee hearing last week, Szczepanski told lawmakers BeWell wouldn't disappear with the passage of HB 186, though initial estimates indicate Medicaid Forward could pull a significant number of patients from BeWell's client list. BeWell itself has no official position on Medicaid Forward, Sanchez said. "BeWell supports New Mexicans in the threshold where they don't qualify for Medicaid now, and we are seeing the utilization of subsidies. ... We absolutely are on board to brainstorm how to get more people to utilize affordable and reliable health insurance, and we're here to get them enrolled," she said.
