• The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors recently approved the appointment of Antonette Navarro as the new director of the Behavioral Wellness Department. Navarro will assume duties from Dr. Pamela Fisher, who was the interim director following the departure of Dr. Alice Gleghorn in June. Fisher will return to her previous position as the assistant director of Behavioral Wellness and plans on retiring this winter, according to the county. Navarro has managed mental health programs since 2003, as Los Angeles County’s Tri-City Mental Health Authority executive director for seven years, and she was its chief clinical officer for six. As executive director, she was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing operations to provide outpatient specialty mental health services for Claremont, La Verne, and Pomona. Her prior experience includes a focus on youth and family mental health and substance use disorders. “I am honored to be joining the Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness team, and connecting with county staff, residents, Behavioral Wellness stakeholders, and behavioral health providers throughout the county to hear their perspectives on wellness and recovery,” Navarro said in a statement. Her first day will be Dec. 13.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California will begin a vaccination program with resources to vaccinate every newly eligible resident following federal approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be given to children ages 5 to 11. “Vaccines are how we end this pandemic, and they’re how we keep our kids safe—it’s time to get our children the protection they need from this deadly virus, especially as we head into the winter season,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is leading the nation in vaccinations with 54 million administered and 87 percent of the eligible population with at least one dose, and we’re moving swiftly to implement a robust and equitable vaccination program that will cover this newly eligible age group.” The state will begin vaccinating children ages 5 to 11, with 400 organizations across California receiving their first shipment and the federal government allocating 1.2 million pediatric doses to the state. There are more than 4,000 locations ready to vaccinate children as supply increases, with more than 3,000 school-located clinics covering more than 2 million students in the state, according to the governor’s office. Parents can also visit myturn.ca.gov or call the hotline at (833) 422-4255 to find a nearby vaccination site.
• U.S. Rep Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted to pass the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which represents an investment that will create well-paying jobs to rebuild America’s infrastructure, help tackle the climate crisis, and position the United States to compete in a 21st century economy, according to the congressman’s office. The bill is the largest federal investment in public transit, broadband, clean energy transmission, and clean water infrastructure in American history. This bill also includes a measure based on Carbajal’s forest act that will increase U.S. Forest Service funding to maintain roads and infrastructure to more effectively fight fires. “I have spoken to constituents and local officials across the Central Coast, and they have made it clear that federal investment in local infrastructure would be transformative for our economy and quality of life. Today, I proudly cast my vote for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will provide the funding needed to expand internet connectivity, fix dilapidated roads and bridges, and improve our public transit and clean water infrastructure,” Carbajal said in a statement. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act cleared the Senate in August, and passed the House 228-206. The bill now goes to the president’s office to be signed into law.
This article appears in Nov 11-18, 2021.
