PANDEMIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE FROM
NOW COME TO ORDER. GOOD
AFTERNOON BEFORE HE BEGAN THE
HEARING. LET ME FIRST MAKE A FEW
OF THE USUAL HOUSEKEEPING
ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WE CONTINUE TO
TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO MANAGE
ONGOING COVID 19 RISK. THE
SENATE CONTINUES TO WELCOME THE
PUBLIC, AND IT'S PROVIDED ACCESS
TO BOTH IN PERSON AND
TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPATION FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS
WISHING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
SERVICE, THE PARTICIPANT TOLL
FREE NUMBER AND ACCESS CODE. IS
POSTED ON OUR COMMITTEE WEBSITE
THAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
NOW I WILL ALSO ANNOUNCE IT NOW.
TODAY'S PARTICIPANT NUMBERIS
8772. AGAIN. THAT'S 8772268163
AND THE ACCESS CODE IS SIX YEAR
ONE FOR 832. AGAIN THAT ACCESS
CODE IS 6014832. AS CHAIR. I
WILL MAINTAIN DECORUM DURING THE
HEARING, AS IS CUSTOMARY IN ANY
INDIVIDUAL WHO IS DISRUPTIVE MAY
BE REMOVED FROM THE REMOTE
MEETING SERVICE OR HAVE THEIR
CONNECTIONS FROM MUTED. ALL OF
THE PANELISTS, FOR TODAY'S
HEARING ARE PARTICIPATING
REMOTELY. SO I ASK ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR
PHONES OR COMPUTERS. WHEN YOU
ARE NOT SPEAKING. THIS WILL
GREATLY AID IN ELIMINATING ANY
ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK. I ASKED THAT
EVERY TIME YOU WISH TO BE
RECOGNIZED THAT YOU USE THE
RAISE YOUR HAND FEATURE IN THE
PROGRAM. EACH TIME YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK A POP UP
WINDOW WILL APPEAR ASKING IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO MUTE. PLEASE CLICK
ON MUTE BEFORE HE BEGINS
SPEAKING. OUR IT PERSONNEL WILL
PUT YOU BACK ONMUTE WHEN YOU
ARE FINISHED. ONCE YOU
RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK, PLEASE MAKE
SURE YOU CAN BE SEEN ON THE
SCREEN STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN
PROCEED TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE
FOR TODAY'S HEARING. WE WILL WE
WILL BE HEARING FROM EACH OF THE
PANELS OF WITNESSES. ON THE
AGENDA PRIOR TO TAKING ANY
PUBLIC COMMENT. ONCE WE HAVE
HEARD FROM ALL OF THE WITNESSES,
WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO
COMMENT ON TODAY'S AGENDA. IN
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS, I WILL
ENDEAVOR AS BEST I CAN TO, UH,
MAINTAIN AT LEAST 30 MINUTES FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT TO ALLOW FOR ONE
MINUTE PER COMMENTER. NOW LET ME
BEGIN BY THANKING ALL OF THE
PANELISTS IN ADVANCE FOR
PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S
PROCEEDING AS WE EXPLORE AND
ASSIST SOME OF THE LESSONS
LEARNED FROM COVID 19 WITH A
DELIBERATE I TOWARDS LOOKING
AHEAD TO ENSURE CALIFORNIA IS
PROPERLY PREPARED FOR THE NEXT
LARGE SCALE PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY OVER THE PAST MORE
THAN A YEAR AND A HALF. I'VE
BEEN VERY PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS
THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, AND
MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN
UNENDINGLY. INTERESTING THOUGH,
AT TIMES VERY CHALLENGING AS
THIS PANDEMIC, WHICH ADMITTEDLY
CAUGHT CALIFORNIA THOROUGHLY OFF
GUARD AT ITS INCEPTION CONTINUES
TO UNFOLD IN MY CAPACITY AS
CHAIR. DEEPLY APPRECIATED THE
PARTICIPATION SUPPORT OF SENATOR
PEN AND SOME OF MY OTHER
COLLEAGUES, AS WE HAVE GRAPPLED
WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES
ARISING FROM THE PANDEMIC AS WE
STAND ON THE CUSP OF OUR THIRD
AUTUMN IN THE SHADOW OF THIS
HISTORIC PANDEMIC, IT APPEARS
THAT MANY CALIFORNIA ACROSS THE
STATE ARE AT THIS POINT.
THOROUGHLY DONE WITH COVID AS
EVIDENCE. A RECENT POLL
CONDUCTED IN APRIL BY THE
INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENTAL
SUBSIDIES FOUND THAT A HOST OF
ISSUES INCLUDING HOUSING,
AFFORDABILITY, HOMELESSNESS,
PUBLIC SAFETY, GAS PRICES AND
INFLATION, NOW OUTRANK THE
PANDEMIC ON THE LIST OF VOTER
CONCERNS. THE RECENT
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS AS WELL AS
CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE
CONTINUED MUTATION OF THE VIRUS
, AND ITS SUB VARIANTS REMINDS
US THAT COVID IS STILL
UNFORTUNATELY VERY MUCH WITH US.
THE PRESIDENT DESERVES KUDOS.
FOR MANAGING TO AVOID INFECTION
UNTIL NOW, BUT THAT IS A FEAT
THAT'S BECOMING HARDER AND
HARDER TO ACCOMPLISH. THIS.
DEMOCRATS LATEST, HIGHLY
INFECTIOUS IN A NEW, INNOVATIVE
SUB VARIANT B A FIVE CONTINUES
TO RAGE ON THE GOOD NEWS, AT
LEAST SO FAR, IS THAT COMPARED
TO PREVIOUS VARIANTS LIKE DELTA
, THE SYMPTOMS WOULD BE A FIRE
BE A FIVE APPEAR TO BE LESS
SEVERE. OVERALL THIS MAY BE AT
LEAST PARTLY BECAUSE AT THIS
POINT MORE PEOPLE HAVE EITHER
BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST OR
INFECTED BY THE VIRUS, BUT IT'S
MANY LEADING EXPERTS, INCLUDING
THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY
HAVE POINTED OUT REPEATEDLY.
VACCINATIONS FOR BOOSTERS ALONE
WILL NOT GET US TO THE OTHER
SIDE OF THIS PANDEMIC.
CONSEQUENTLY THE UNDERLYING
QUESTION BEFORE US TODAY IS HOW
CAN CALIFORNIA AVOID FALLING
INTO WHAT THE BRILLIANT REPORTER
ED YOUNG WITH THE ATLANTIC HAS
APTLY CHARACTERIZED AS A
DISPIRITING PANIC NEGLECT CYCLE
AS MR YOUNG? WHY IS HE OBSERVED
IN MARCH 2022 ARTICLE THAT
TENDENCY OF GOVERNMENT
INSTITUTIONS IS FIRST TO PANIC
AS NEW PATHOGENS EMERGE,
GOVERNMENT THROWS MONEY,
RESOURCES AND ATTENTION AT THE
THREAT. THEN ONCE THE DANGER
DWINDLES, NEGLECT SETS IN HIS
BUDGET SHRINK AND MEMORIES FADE
AND WE END UP WHERE WE STARTED
FORCED TO CONFRONT CONFRONT EACH
NEW DISEASE ON PREPARED BY
VIRTUALLY EVERY ACCOUNT,
CALIFORNIA THE NATION IN MUCH OF
THE GLOBE WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD
WHEN COVID 19 TOO COLD IN 2020,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE ARRIVAL
AND RAPID GLOBAL SPREAD OF THE
PANDEMIC EXPOSED SHORTCOMINGS IN
OUR INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE
CAPACITIES TO PREPARE FOR DETECT
AND RESPOND TO A CRISIS OF THIS
MAGNITUDE TO THE PUBLIC. IT
OFTEN APPEARED AS THOUGH ACTION
CAME TOO LATE, AND THAT
APPROACHES TO BALANCING PUBLIC
HEALTH OF THE ECONOMIC CONCERNS
SEEMED HAPHAZARD. THERE WAS ALSO
A CHRONIC SYSTEMIC FAILURE TO
COMMUNICATE CLEAR SCIENCE BASED
CONSISTENT MESSAGES OR EVEN A
FEAR OF SAYING AT ANY TIME THAT
WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT
CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PANDEMIC
OR THE CRISIS AT CRITICAL
POINTS. IN OUR RESPONSE,
RESPECTIVE ROLES OF FEDERAL,
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN
PANDEMIC RESPONSE HAVE SEEN
MUDDLED. FAST FORWARD TO NOW,
WHEN MUCH OF THE PUBLIC SEEMS TO
HAVE MOVED ON, BUT THE THREAT
POSED BY THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS
AND ITS VARIANCE AND VARIANCE
HASN'T GONE FULLY AWAY TODAY.
WITH ALL OF THIS IN MIND, WE
WILL HEAR FROM KEY LEADERS IN
THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS ABOUT
WHAT HAS OR HAS NOT WORKED OVER
THE PAST TWO PLUS YEARS SO WE
CAN BE BETTER EQUIPPED AS A
STATE TO TAKE ACTIONS NOW THAT
WILL ENABLE US TO CONFRONT THE
INEVITABLE PANDEMICS AND OTHER
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES TO
COME. THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF
THE PANELISTS IN ADVANCE FOR
YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS. I LOOK
FORWARD TO TODAY'S MEANINGFUL
DISCUSSION. WITH THAT. LET'S
MOVE TO OUR OPENING PANEL OF
EXPERTS WHO PROVIDE THEIR TOP
LINE RESPONSE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE
CURRENT PANDEMIC AND SHARE THEIR
PERSPECTIVES ON THE STRATEGIC
PLANNING NEEDED TO RESPOND FULLY
AND EFFECTIVELY TO THE NEXT ONE
KICKING THINGS OFF WILL BE DR
MICHAEL OSTERHOLM JOINING US
REMOTELY FROM MINNESOTA DOCTOR
OSTROM SERVICES, DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE,
RESEARCH AND POLICY, AS WELL AS
HOSTING A VERY POPULAR COVID 19
PODCAST. THE OSTER HOME UPDATE.
DR OSTERHOLM WILL SHARE HIS
EXPERIENCE. AS A CO AUTHOR OF
THE ROADMAP FOR LIVING WITH
COVID AND PROVIDE HIS THOUGHTS
ON WHAT THE VARIANT MUTATIONS
FROM THE PAST. YOU HAVE TAUGHT
US HOW THOSE LESSONS CAN INFORM
FUTURE PANDEMIC RESPONSE
FOLLOWING DR OSTERHOLM, WE'LL
HEAR FROM PROFESSOR RICH
CALLAHAN, WHO OVERSEES THE
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO'S
EXCUSE ME, MASTER OF PUBLIC
HEALTH PROGRAM HERE IN
SACRAMENTO AND AS A FELLOW WITH
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION, PROFESSOR
CALLAGHAN WILL SHARE HIS
INSIGHTS TO SUPPORT THE STATE'S
LEADERSHIP IN INCREASING OUR
CAPACITY FOR MORE NIMBLE,
INEFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO FUTURE
PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS. WELCOME
THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING THE
TIME TO SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE
WITH US TODAY WITH THAT, DR
OSTERHOLM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
PLEASE PROCEED. WELL FIRST OF
ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SENATOR NEWMAN. FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY WITH YOU HERE TODAY
. IT'S A REAL HONOR. I HOLD VERY
HIGH HIGH REGARD THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PROSPECTIVELY
AND GOING FORWARD WITH PARTNERS
AS YOU DO TODAY, WITH THE PEOPLE
HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR IN THIS
PARTICULAR HEARING. AS SOMEONE
WHO HAS TESTIFIED STATE HEARINGS
HERE IN MINNESOTA NOW FOR 46
YEARS AND MY ROLE, BOTH AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. I
UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT
LEADERSHIP SUCH AS YOURS CAN BE
FOR HELPING ALL OF US WHO ARE ON
THE FRONT LINES OR IN STATE
RUNNING PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS AS
WELL AS ACADEMIA. UH CAN IN FACT
BENEFIT FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP. SO
THANK YOU. LET ME JUST START OUT
BY THINK FIRST OF ALL,
APPRECIATING WHAT COVID HAS DONE
TO US, NOT ONLY FROM A MEDICAL
STANDPOINT A DEMOGRAPHIC
STANDPOINT AND TERRIBLE,
TERRIBLE PAIN AND SUFFERING AND
DEATH WAS CAUSED AS WELL AS ALL
THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE.
ECONOMIC MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL
AS PHYSICAL HEALTH, ETCETERA.
BUT JUST IMAGINE WE'RE AT THIS
PLACE IF I HAD SAID TO YOU. FOUR
YEARS AGO. THREE YEARS AGO THAT
WE WOULD HAVE A NEW VIRAL
INFECTION THAT WOULD COME FROM
NOWHERE. THAT WOULD SUSTAIN
ITSELF AS AT LEAST THE NUMBER
FOUR CAUSE OF DEATH IN THIS
COUNTRY. NO ONE PROBABLY WOULD
HAVE BELIEVED THAT YET TODAY FOR
THE LAST 12 WEEKS WE'VE BEEN
SEEING WITH VÀ FIVE AND OUR
COMMUNITIES AROUND THIS COUNTRY
NOT NECESSARILY CONCENTRATED
ANYONE GEOGRAPHIC REGION. 450 TO
500 DEATHS A DAY DUE TO COVID.
AND YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT AND
ADD THAT UP FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR
THAT NOW PLACES THIS IS THE
NUMBER FOUR CAUSE OF DEATH IN
THE COUNTRY. NOW WILL THAT
CONTINUE TO BE LIKE THAT? WHAT
WILL HAPPEN WITH THE FUTURE IS
UNCLEAR. COULD IT BE WORSE? SURE
COULD BE. WE COULD SEE NEW
VARIANTS OR SUB VARIANTS
DEVELOPED THAT EVEN MAKE CURRENT
SITUATION IS SOMETHING WE WISH
WE WERE BACK TO. BUT I THINK THE
BOTTOM LINE MESSAGES WE HAVE
SHIFTING BASELINES AND THE
PUBLIC IS YOU SO WELL NOTED, IS
DONE WITH THIS PANDEMIC. IT'S
NOT DONE. PANDEMIC VIRUS AND
FOREST IS NOT DONE WITH US. AND
SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WE HAVE TODAY IS HOW
DO WE NOT ONLY BRING ALONG A
COMMUNITY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF
RISK REDUCTION, TRYING TO
PREVENT INFECTION, WHETHER IT BE
THROUGH VACCINES, THE USE OF
DRUGS FOR NON FARMERS GO
pRECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE FOR
HOW PEOPLE CAN REDUCE THE RISK.
BUT ALSO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO
TO BRING SOCIETY WITH US IN AN
AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS THE
PRUDENT APPROACH TO TAKE AND
THAT THEY WILL BE FULL PARTNERS
IN THAT OPERATION? I THINK
EVERYONE IN THE PEOPLE WHO
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM TODAY WHO
ARE THE REAL HEROES, THE
FRONTLINE WORKERS THE STATE
LEVEL READINESS, PEOPLE WILL
TELL YOU THAT UNTIL THIS VIRUS
GOES AWAY, WE WILL BE IN A FIGHT
WITH IT, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO
GO AWAY. NECESSARILY IN THE KIND
OF JUST ONE DAY IT'S GONE. IT
WILL BE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
LIKELY VACCINES THAT IMPROVED
AND THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO
ADDRESS IN TERMS OF HOW THAT
HAPPENED. BUT I THINK THE OTHER
POINT TO MAKE HERE WHICH IS A
CRITICAL ONE, AND AS YOU NOTED,
LOOK NO FURTHER THAN MONKEYPOX.
WELL, SURELY WE'RE NOT SEEING
THE SAME MORTALITY ASSOCIATED
WITH IT, AS WE SEE WITH COVID,
WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING,
ALTHOUGH ANYONE WHO'S HAD
MONKEYPOX WILL TELL YOU HOW
PAINFUL IT'S BEEN. BUT THE
BOTTOM LINE LOOK WHERE THAT CAME
OUT OF NOWHERE. THINK ABOUT
THIS. 40 YEARS AGO IN CENTRAL
AFRICA, WE STOPPED VACCINATING
FOR SMALLPOX. WHEN WE DID THAT
THOSE 12 COUNTRIES WHERE THE
MONKEY POX VIRUS WAS INDIGENOUS
IN THE ANIMAL POPULATION. WE
COULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN. WHY? BECAUSE
THIS MANY YEARS OUT WE HAVE NOW
OVER 370 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING
IN THOSE SAME COUNTRIES WHO ARE
UNDER THE AGE OF 40, WHO HAVE
NEVER BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST
SMALLPOX, HAVING EVEN A
SEMBLANCE OF PROTECTION AGAINST
MONKEYPOX. WE COULD HAVE JUST AS
EASILY PREDICTED THIS IS
PREDICTING WINTERS IN MINNESOTA
AND BEAUTIFUL SUMMERS IN
CALIFORNIA. AND YET WE DIDN'T
AND I THINK THAT THIS IF NOTHING
ELSE IS AN IMPORTANT POINT TO
MAKE, YOU CAN'T RESPOND TO
SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW
ABOUT. AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS
MUCH MORE IN THE WAY OF I CALL
CREATIVE IMAGINATION TO IMAGINE
WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BE LIKE
WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND I
THINK THAT STARTS RIGHT HERE
WITH THE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE
HAVING NOW AND THEN BECOME VERY
GRANULAR WHEN THOSE OUTBREAKS
THOSE PANDEMICS OCCUR. HOW DO WE
RESPOND? BUT IF WE DON'T THINK
ABOUT WHAT THESE FUTURES COULD
BE LIKE, AND WE HAVE RIGHT NOW,
CYRUS, KOBE TWO AND MONKEY POX
SITTING ON OUR LABS. WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU. I THINK YOU HAVE AS A
LEADER IN THE STATE REALLY
BROUGHT IN IMPORTANT FOCUS TO
THIS ISSUE. AND IF I LEAVE YOU
WITH ANY LAST MESSAGE, WE'RE NOT
DONE. WE'RE NOT DONE BY A LONG
SHOT. AND ANYONE THAT THINKS WE
ARE EVEN IF WE HAVE WHAT THEY
BELIEVE IS A RESPITE AND
ACTIVITY WILL SOON BE AWAKENED
TO THE FACT THAT INSULTS AGAINST
THE BUGS AND IF I COULD QUOTE
AND CLOSE WITH A QUOTE FROM THE
LATE JOSH LETTER BERG NOBEL
PRIZE LAUREATE JOSH WINTERBERG
THE GERMANS WERE HERE BEFORE US.
THE GERMS WERE HERE WHILE WE'RE
HERE AND THE GERMANS WILL BE
HERE AFTER WE'RE GONE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR
. APPRECIATE ABOUT THE INSIDE
THE VERY KIND WORDS I WANT TO
KNOW FOR THE RECORD THAT MY
CONSULTANT KAYCEE RICE IS ONE OF
YOUR BIGGEST FANS AND HE'S A
RABID LISTENING TO YOUR PODCAST.
SO SO THANK YOU. AND NEXT STEP,
PROFESSOR CALLAGHAN. WELCOME.
PLEASE PROCEED. UM, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. SENATOR NEWMAN, THE
MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMITTEE AND
YOUR STAFF CASSIE AND OTHERS. I
JOIN YOU TODAY AS THE COACH
CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS WORKING
GROUP ON THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
DIMENSIONS OF THE COVID 19
RESPONSES. AND UM, THIS WAS A
GROUP OF 17 NAPA FELLOWS, CO
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. THE
WORKING GROUP ALONG DR KING
KAISER, FORMER HEALTH DIRECTOR
FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT I
ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I DON'T
SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH
YOU OUR FINDINGS. WHAT'S
DISTINCTIVE ABOUT IT THAT
CALIFORNIA MIGHT THINK ABOUT.
AND THEN SOME SUGGESTIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOVING
FORWARD. UM FIRST AND FOREMOST,
WHAT WE EXPLORED AND FOUND IS
AND IT'S AN UNDERAPPRECIATED
ASPECT. THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
DIMENSIONS OF THE PANDEMIC
RESPONSE ARE CENTRAL AND SO FOR
CALIFORNIA MOVING FORWARD, UM
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
CONCEPTUALIZE FUTURE RESPONSES
AS CALIFORNIA IS NOT ALONE,
THERE IS A NEED TO WORK WITH
OTHER STATES, THERE'S NEED TO
WORK WITH A RANGE OF FEDERAL
AGENCIES. TO WHAT WE FOUND IS
THERE'S NOT ONE RESPONSE.
THERE'S NOT ONE PANDEMIC
RESPONSE. BUT THERE IS A RANGE
OF RESPONSES ACROSS LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. THREE WE IDENTIFIED
FOUR DIMENSIONS OF THE RESPONSE
THAT CUT ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL MANAGEMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, WAS TESTING SECOND
WAS THE NON PHARMACEUTICAL AND
INTERVENTIONS. THIRD WAS VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION AND FOURTH WORST
SERIES OF OVERARCHING ISSUES
SUPPLY CHAIN DATA COLLECTION AND
FINANCE. ACROSS ALL FOUR OF
THESE DIMENSIONS. THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM LOOM
LARGE. THEY'RE INTERCONNECTED
AND ONE CANNOT BE SOLVED WITHOUT
ADDRESSING OTHERS. WE DEVELOPED
37 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PROTECTING LIVES MOVING FORWARD
IN EACH OF THESE KEY AREAS, SO
WHAT WAS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT THESE
FINDINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP,
AND WE HAD FIVE DIFFERENT STATE
HEALTH DIRECTORS ON IT. WE HAD
FOUR DIFFERENT BEANS FROM
SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC POLICY AND
PUBLIC MANAGEMENT. WE HAD A
RANGE OF FEDERAL, STATE AND
COUNTY EXPERTS ON THIS COMMITTEE
. UM WHAT'S DISTINCTIVE ABOUT
THIS TO THANK AS CALIFORNIA
SHAPES IS, UM, PANDEMIC RESPONSE
. MOVING FORWARD, UM, IS THAT
THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL DIMENSIONS
ARE UNDERAPPRECIATED, BUT ARE
CENTRAL FOR EFFECTIVE AND EQUITY
DRIVEN. PANDEMIC RESPONSES. UM
THAT MECHANISMS NEED TO BE IN
PLACE TO REALLY ENSURE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL FROM CITY
COUNTY STATE. FEDERAL RESPONSES.
UM WHO IS THERE ARE ASPECTS THAT
WERE POINTED OUT THAT WORK AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT ARE WELL
APPRECIATED, BUT CAN BE EXPLORED
IN GREATER DEPTH. UH JOHN
BARTRAM FROM OUR COMMITTEE, IN
PARTICULAR TALKED ABOUT THAT
THREE DATA COLLECTION IS CENTRAL
TO EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING,
AND THAT'S AN UNDERAPPRECIATED
ASPECT OF IT. UM WE COULD GO
INTO THAT IN GREAT DEPTH, BUT
REALLY EFFORTS TO COLLECT AT IT
TO SHARE DATA IN REAL TIME IS
ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT. UH FOUR
FOR TESTING THE REAL NEED TO
AVOID BOTTLENECKS AND USE OUR
FULL CAPACITY, INCLUDING
UNIVERSITY LABS RIGHT AT THE
FRONT END AND NOT WAIT AND NOT
GET CAUGHT UP. AND NUMBER 55
VACCINE DISTRIBUTION REALLY WAS
A FUNCTION OF, UH, LONGSTANDING
UNDER INVESTMENT IN THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEM AND THE HISTORY
THAT AFFECTS HOW PEOPLE PERCEIVE
VACCINATIONS AND THE
TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THAT SO THAT
ALL THOSE TYPES OF HISTORY AND
UNDER INVESTMENT NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED. SO FOR CALIFORNIA
MOVING FORWARD I THIS INTO THREE
SETS OF ACTIONABLE RECORD
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE THIS
COMMITTEE TO THINK ABOUT, AND I
JOINED, UH, DR ESTHER HOME IN
COMMANDING CENTER, NEWMAN AND
EACH OF YOU FOR THINKING ABOUT
THIS, WHICH STANDS IN MY MIND IS
THE WORDS OF DOCTOR CAN KAISER.
UH, IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF
IT'S A QUESTION OF WHEN THERE
WILL BE FUTURE PANDEMICS THAT
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. SO THE
THREE GENERAL AREAS TO REALLY
THINK ABOUT OUR ACCEPT THE
REALITY OF A HIGHLY
DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM OR FEDERAL
SYSTEM OR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM
IS HIGHLY DECENTRALIZED. THE
QUESTION ISN'T CAN WE MAKE IT
MORE CENTRALIZED? THE QUESTION
IS, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT WORK
BETTER IN A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM
, SO THIS REALLY PUTS A PREMIUM
ON CALIFORNIA WORKING FEDERAL
AGENCIES AS WELL AS THE WHITE
HOUSE, THE DIRECTOR OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS FOR
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS JULIA CHAVEZ
RODRIGUEZ FROM CALIFORNIA. UM
WHO WORKING OF NOW WE THINK
CALIFORNIA THE CALIFORNIA STATE
OF SEARCH COUNTIES, GRAHAM NASH
AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS AT THE
COUNTY AND IN CALIFORNIA, THREE
OF THE CITY'S LEVEL WORKING.
MHM. PROFESSOR CAROLYN, WE SEEM
TO HAVE LOST YOU HERE. I SAID.
THERE SHOULD BE ANYBODY'S
WATCHING. WE'VE SEEN HAVE LOST
THE CONNECTION FOR BOTH. I SEE A
BLANK IMAGE FOR NOW. I'VE LOST
PERFECT HERE COMES DON'T KNOW
WHERE I WENT, BUT I HAVE TWO
MORE PEOPLE. GOT YOU. THANK YOU
FOR COMING BACK. YOU KNOW WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT WORKING
ACROSS CALIFORNIA CTIES AND
COUNTIES ACROSS WORK ACROSS THE
ASSOCIATION'S WORK ACROSS STATE
AGENCIES AND WORK ACROSS THE
NONPROFIT FOUNDATION SECTOR. TWO
MORE SESSIONS. TWO MORE PIECES.
ONE IS REALLY THE RELENTLESS AND
SHARING THE LESSONS LEARNED WITH
DECISION MAKERS TRANSFORMING
CALIFORNIA INTO LEARNING
ORGANIZATION. THIS SENATE
COMMITTEE IS ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL AND CENTRAL TO THAT
THE CHAIR MENTIONED JOURNALIST
ED YOUNG AND HIS PULITZER PRIZE
WINNING WORK. THERE'S ALL THE
JOURNALIST MICHAEL LEWIS AND
OTHERS TO DRAW ON. THERE'S
ACADEMIC RESEARCH. CALIFORNIA IS
UNIQUELY SITUATED WITH THE
CALIFORNIA RESEARCH BUREAU TO
PULL TOGETHER A RANGE OF
ACTIONABLE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS
VARIOUS STATE REPORTS. THE STATE
AUDITOR, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHERS AND
REALLY SHARING THOSE LESSONS
LEARNED RELENTLESSLY WITH
DECISION MAKERS AND FINALLY TO
FINISH UP ON THINKING ABOUT WAYS
OF FUNDING ACTION RESEARCH. AND
CONVENING GETTING PEOPLE TO TALK
TO EACH OTHER. THE FIRST LESSON
I LEARNED THAT EMERGENCY
RESPONSE WAS IF YOU'RE
EXCHANGING BUSINESS CARDS AT THE
INCIDENT COMMAND CENTER, IT'S
TOO LATE. YOU REALLY NEED TO
CONNECT EARLIER. I'D SUGGEST
WORKING WITH NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
AND MEDICINE OR OTHERS TO FUND
RESEARCH THAT LOOKS AT HOW YOU
ADVANCE HEALTH, EQUITY AND
OUTCOMES IN A PANDEMIC. WHAT ARE
THE BEST PRACTICES FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH TO EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE
WITH DECISION MAKERS AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS? UM ALSO TO IDENTIFY
SUCCESSES WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGH
PERFORMING PUBLIC HEALTH
PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THAT
THOSE LESSONS CAN BE SHARED. AND
WHAT ARE THE INSTITUTIONAL
DESIGN FEATURES CAN THAT CAN
ADDRESS THE MULTI DIMENSIONAL
ASPECTS OF HIS DOCTOR? ULSTER
HOLMES SAID. THE BUGS THAT ARE
AROUND US AND THAT WERE HERE
BEFORE US AND AFTER US SO WITH
ADAM NUMBER GLAD THAT SHARE THE
THIS OUTLINE WITH THE COMMITTEE
. I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS AND
REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO DRAWING THESE
LESSONS OUT AS FACULTY AND
DIRECTOR OF A PUBLIC HEALTH
PROGRAM IN SACRAMENTO. UM THE
WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE IS
ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF
US. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SENATOR NUMA AND THANK YOU,
PROFESSOR CALLAGHAN SO AND THANK
YOU TO BOTH OF THE PANELISTS,
YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, I DO
BELIEVE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE
HOLDING ENSURING THAT WE THAT WE
DO HAVE TO BE VERY DELIBERATE
AND VERY CLEAR SIGHTED ABOUT
LEARNING THE LESSONS, NOT JUST
DOING IT NOW, WITH APPLYING
THOSE LESSONS IN A METHODICAL
WAY, MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S
DR OSTERHOLM POINTED OUT. IT IS
NOT A QUESTION OF IF IT'S A
QUESTION OF WHEN, WHEN WE'LL
HAVE THE NEXT PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY, SO IT IN AN IDEAL
WORLD. IT'S NOT SOON BUT THE
LONGER THE INTERVAL BETWEEN
THOSE TWO CRISIS, THE MORE
LIKELY IT IS THAT WILL LET OUR
RESOURCES AND OUR SKILLS ATROPHY
FIND OURSELVES AND PREPARED. I'M
JOINED NOW BY SENATOR MONIQUE
LAMONT. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. WHICH WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ANYTHING BEFORE WE MOVE ON. NO
JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. I THINK ONE OF THE
THEMES WE HEARD, UH AND WE'VE
BEEN HEARING, I THINK FOR SOME
TIME IS WITH 58 COUNTIES IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ALL REALLY
REPRESENTING DIFFERENT PARTS OF
OUR STATE DIFFERENT
CONSTITUENCIES. AH YOU KNOW HOW
WE THINK ABOUT DELIVERING ACCESS
IN ALL OF THOSE IS CERTAINLY
PART OF IT, ESPECIALLY DURING
THE PANDEMIC THAT REQUIRES UM.
ACTIONS THAT WE ARE NOT ALWAYS
PREPARED FOR OR THAT ARE
UNEXPECTED OR COMING LAST MINUTE
, SO I'LL BE LISTENING TO THE
REST OF THIS PARTICULAR PANEL ON
SOME OF THE REMARKS, BUT
CERTAINLY THAT'S ONE OF MY
TAKEAWAYS AND TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE BEST
PRACTICES AS WE THINK ABOUT THE
GEOGRAPHY AND THE POPULATION%
THAT THAT REALLY VARY ACROSS 50
DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND HOW WE
ACCESS HEALTHCARE ALSO VARIES IN
THOSE, SO THANK YOU. AND SENATOR
THE MONTE TO YOUR POINT INTO THE
POINT THAT PROFESSOR KELLYANNE
MADE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
DIMENSIONS TRULY ARE ESSENTIAL.
AND SO YOU KNOW IF YOU LOOK BACK
, AND THERE'S A TENDENCY AS YOU
MOVE FORWARD TO TRY AND YOU
KNOW, KIND OF PUT SHARE THE BEST
LIGHT ON THE SITUATION, THE
ABSENCE OF THE ABILITY TO
COORDINATE SMARTLY
INTERGOVERNMENTAL BUT ESPECIALLY
AROUND DATA. EXPLAINS TO A VERY
LARGE EXTENT, SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE WANT TO
FACING AND NOT ADDRESSING
PARTICULARLY WELL IN THE
PANDEMIC, SO THAT POINTS
PARTICULARLY WELL TAKEN, AND SO
WITH THAT. THANK YOU TO BOTH THE
PANELISTS. I APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO STAYING IN TOUCH AS WE MOVE
FORWARD. MY GOAL YOU KNOW IS FOR
THE LEGACY OF THIS COMMITTEE IS
TO BE EXACTLY THAT TO LEAVE US.
BETTER AND MORE FULLY PREPARED
FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY. IF WE DON'T DO THAT,
THAT IS ON ALL OF US. LET'S NOW
MOVE TO OUR NEXT PANEL TO
EXPLORE LESSONS LEARNED FROM A
CROSS SECTION OF PANELISTS WITH
FRONTLINE PERSPECTIVES OF THE
PANDEMIC. FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM
LAURA RAMOS, WHO SERVES AS THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF PROVIDENCE ST
JUDE MEDICAL CENTER IN ORANGE
COUNTY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE IN
MY SENATE-DISTRICT. MISS RAMOS
WILL OFFER HER COMMENTS ON
LESSONS LEARNED FROM HE
HOSPITALS PERSPECTIVE. THEN
CHIEF OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
RECOVERY SERVICES WITH THE
ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY
, HAS.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
DR AMY SISON. PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER FOR YOLO COUNTY DOCTOR
SYSTEM BRINGS ANOTHER CRITICAL
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE ON TODAY'S
DISCUSSIONS SHE WILL ADDRESS HER
LESSONS LEARNED AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL CAN BE APPLIED TO
IMPROVING FUTURE STATEWIDE
PANDEMIC RESPONSE IN MANY OF THE
WAYS THAT CENTER LEMON TOUCHED
ON EARLIER. WELCOME TO ALL OF
YOU WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR
TESTIMONY. MISS RAMOS. IF YOU
COULD PLEASE START THINGS OFF.
I'D BE HAPPY TO AND THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO,
UM, TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS
AFTERNOON AS SENATOR NEWMAN, I
GREATLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY AND JUST SHARING
THIS. SOME OF THE LESSONS
LEARNED. CERTAINLY THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY THAT WE LEARNED GOING
THROUGH THIS VERY UNPRECEDENTED.
UM PANDEMIC THAT WE EXPERIENCED
AT ST JUDE HERE IN FULLERTON.
ONE OF THOSE, UH, WAS THE REALLY
THE IMMENSE IMPORTANCE AND THIS
WAS MENTIONED ALREADY THE
COMMAND CENTER. WE CERTAINLY HAD
A COMMAND CENTER AT OUR SYSTEM
AND AT OUR REGION, BUT IT WAS
HERITAGE THAT WE HAVE. VERY
ACTIVE COMMAND CENTER AT ST JUNE
BECAUSE THE NEED TO BE REVIEWING
THE DATA. UH AND SEEING WHAT NOT
ONLY WE WERE EXPERIENCING, BUT
WHAT WE WERE PLANNING FOR IN THE
FUTURE. SO IN THAT FIRST WAVE,
UM WE COULD BEGIN TO SEE THAT
THIS WAS GOING TO REALLY
CONTINUE TO BE RATHER DRAMATIC,
SO WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. TO UM
PREPARE SURGICAL NURSES, GI
NURSES, PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS
AND BEGAN TRAINING FOR WHAT WE
KNEW WOULD BECOME THE INEVITABLE
AND THAT WOULD BE THAT FOR
PERIODS OF TIME SURGERIES WOULD
BE STOPPED, PROCEDURES WOULD BE
STOPPED AND WE WOULD NEED TO
REDEPLOY. UM OUR NURSES, OUR
PHYSICIANS, AND SO THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHAT'S
COMING, COME UP WITH A PLAN AND
THEN BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
EXECUTE WAS ABSOLUTELY, UM JUST. NEEDED FOR US TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS
THAT WE WERE SEEING. THE OTHER
THING THAT BECAME INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT THROUGH OUR COMMAND
CENTER WAS TO BE BRINGING ALL OF
OUR PHYSICIANS TOGETHER ON A
WEEKLY BASIS. YOU HAVE COVID
GROUND ROUND SO NEPHROLOGIST CAN
TALK WITH NEUROLOGISTS CAN TALK
TO INTENSIVE THIS BECAUSE WHAT
WE WERE SEEING AND WHAT WE WERE
EXPERIENCING WAS, IN FACT VERY
UNPRECEDENTED AND SO HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE CUTTING
EDGE OF CLINICAL TRIALS ALSO, AS
SERVED OUR PATIENTS AND OUR
COMMUNITY AS WELL AS POSSIBLE,
WHILE SO MCH WAS YET UNKNOWN
DURING THE VARIOUS PHASES THAT
WE EXPERIENCED WITH COVID. WE
HAD WHAT WE ALSO CALL AN
EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION PLAN
THAT WE SUBSTANTIATED TRIGGERS
FOR WHEN WE WOULD NEED TO OPEN
ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENTS. WHEN WE
WERE IN OUR PEAK. WE WERE AT
TUNA AND 26% OF CRITICAL CARE
BEDS BEING OCCUPIED THAT WERE
FROM OUR BASEMENT TO OUR
TRADITIONAL CRITICAL CARE TO OUR
PACK YOU BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ANY
LONGER IS ABLE TO DO SURGERY, SO
THE ABILITY TO SWIFTLY UM KNOW
THAT WE HAD NO OUR PLANT HERE
AND THEN, UM, MAXIMIZE EVERY BED
THAT WE COULD, AS WE WENT TO OUR
PEAK AND COVID PATIENTS WHICH AT
THAT TIME WAS 298. UM AND WE ARE
A LICENSED FACILITY FOR 329, AND
WE WERE UPWARDS OF 490 PATIENTS
STILL WITHIN THE WALLS OF SAINT
JUNE. WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY
WITH CD PH. THEY WERE ELEMENTS
SUPPORT AND HELP AS WE OBTAINED
WAIVERS TO ALLOW US TO UTILIZE
SPACE IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT
HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN D LICENSE.
UM ALSO WORKED REALLY CLOSELY AS
WE STOOD UP A FACILITY TENDS OUT
IN FRONT OF OUR ORGANIZATION AS
WE CONTINUE TO REALLY PLAN FOR,
UM WHAT WAS STILL TO COME I'M DR
OSTERHOLM MENTIONED THE
IMPORTANCE OF, UM, CREATING
IMAGINATION AND UNDERSTANDING.
YOU KNOW OUR REALITIES IN THE
THIRD WAVE OF COVID. WE BEGAN TO
SEE A NUMBER OF, UM, INCREDIBLY
ILL PREGNANT MOTHERS, AND WE HAD
BEGUN TO BRING TOGETHER DRILLS
OF R O B DOCTORS ARE AN I C U R
INTENSIVE NOUS AND BEGAN TO
PREPARE AND PRACTICE FOR
EMERGENT CRASH SEE SECTIONS OF
OUR MOTHERS TO ENSURE THAT WE
COULD SAVE THE LIVES OF UNBORN
CHILD AS WELL AS THE MOTHER. UM,
THANKFULLY, JU TO THOSE PLANNING
WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY AND HAD TO
EXERCISE JUST THAT VERY SCENARIO
AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN. SO WITH
EACH WAVES THAT CAME AND THAT WE
EXPERIENCED IT, IT WAS A LITTLE
BIT DIFFERENT, BUT YET THE
STRUCTURES AND THE PROCESSES
THAT WE HAD PUT INTO PLACE. UM
REALLY SERVED REALLY SERVED AS
WELL. EARLY ON AS SOON AS THE,
UM THE VACCINE WAS ALSO
AVAILABLE. WE WERE EARLY
ADOPTERS THAT SEEMED TO OPEN UP
A PUBLIC CLINIC, AND SO WE
VACCINATED AS MANY OF OUR
CAREGIVERS ARE POSITIONS THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEN WE
CONTINUE TO OPEN THAT AND SPREAD
THAT. TO OUR COMMUNITY. WHERE UM
, WE DID PROUDLY VACCINATE OVER
65,000 FOLKS UNTIL MORE OF THE
CLINICS HAD REALLY BECOME UP AND
ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR OF
OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK
MENTIONED ALSO, YOU KNOW, PRIOR
WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS WAS THE
FACT AND THE REALIZATION THAT
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE OUR LAST
SIGNIFICANT CRISIS. THE STRAIN
TO OUR NURSES, OUR POSITIONS ARE
COLLECTIVE CAREGIVERS HAS BEEN
IMMENSE. SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY
FOCUSING ON BRASILIENSE AND HOW
WE CAN SUPPORT THEM. BUT JUST AS
SOON AS COVID SEEMED TO
STABILIZE, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY
HERE TO WHERE THE, UM THE BLOOD
SHORTAGE IS THAT THAT WE
EXPERIENCED ACROSS THE NATION.
FOLLOWED BY THE CONTRAST
SHORTAGE. AND SO I DO CHOOSE THE
STRUCTURE THAT WE HAD IN PLACE,
AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE IN PLACE
. WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE HAVING
TO CANCEL SURGERIES. LIKE MANY
ORGANIZATIONS DID. WE BROUGHT IT
REOPENED TO COMMAND CENTER
BROUGHT THOSE SPECIALTIES
TOGETHER AND WERE ABLE TO, UM,
SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUE TO TAKE
CARE OF OUR PATIENTS. THE SAME
THING WITH THE CONTRAST BULLYING
THAT TEAM BACK TOGETHER
REOPENING. OF CONTRAST, COVID
COMMAND CENTER WAS ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT, UM,
THE IMAGING AND WHERE IT COULD
BE, YOU KNOW, MODIFIED OR
PIVOTED TO A DIFFERENT MODALITY
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT AND
COMMUNICATE. AND ENSURE THAT THE
CARE OF BEING UM, BEING OFFERED
HERE AT ST JUDE WAS WAS NOT
GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IMPACT,
BUT WE CONTINUE TO STAND READY
AND PREPARED FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD
OF US, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAD
LESSONS LEARNED AND AS EACH
PHASE CAME. IT'S AH IT REALLY
ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO COME
TOGETHER TO INNOVATE AND TO
PREPARE OUR WORKFORCE FOR WHAT
WAS NECESSARY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR ROBERTS. NEXT LET'S
LET'S HEAR FROM DR KELLY. DR
VERONICA KELLY IS VERONICA KELLY
IS THE CHIEF OF MENTAL HEALTH
AND RECOVERY SERVICES WITH THE
ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE
AGENCY. WELCOME BACK TO KELLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR NEWMAN AND
MEMBERS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO
THE EXPERIENCES OF BEHAVIOR.
HEALTH SAFETY NET, UM I AM THE
CURRENT PAST PRESIDENT OF THE
COUNTY BEHAVIOR HEALTH DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATION AND, AS SENATOR
STATED, I'M THE VEHICLE HEALTH
DIRECTOR FOR
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS. TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMUNITY
VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPRESENTING THE NEEDS OF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND A DISASTER
OR EMERGENCY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
AGENCIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONTINUED DELIVERY OF LIFESAVING
TREATMENT TO SOME OF
CALIFORNIA'S MOST COMPLEX AND
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. WE ALSO
PLAY A CHRISTIAN CRUCIAL ROLE IN
LOCAL DISASTER RESPONSE BY
SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AND FIRST
RESPONDERS WITH EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT AND TREATMENT SERVICES.
WE ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO ARRIVE
AT THE SCENE OF A CRISIS AND THE
LAST TO LEAVE AND SENATOR YOUR
YOU WILL ALL RECALL DURING
DECEMBER. 2ND 2015. WE HAD A
DIFFERENT TYPE OF CRISIS IN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY WITH AND A
TERRORIST SHOOTING INVOLVING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH. WE
RESPONDED, I LET OPERATIONS FOR
THAT FROM THE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE
AND WE STILL ARE PROVIDING
SERVICES THAT HAPPENED IN 2015.
WE ALL KNOW THAT COVID 19 WILL
REQUIRE YEARS WORTH OF CONTINUED
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT OUR OWN
FIRST RESPONDERS AND STAFF HAVE
BEEN STRETCHED WELL BEYOND OUR
LIMITS. I PERSONALLY HAVE LOST
AS MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE MANY
FRONTLINE STAFF TO COVID
SPENDING ENDLESS HOURS PROVIDING
SUPPORT TO MY STAFF WERE MAKING
DECISIONS TO REMOVE THEIR LOVED
ONES FROM LIFE SUPPORT, AND THEN
THEY CAME BACK TO WORK. WE HAVE
COUNTIES THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO
DELIVER SERVICES DESPITE LOSING
THEIR HOMES OR THEIR BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CLINICS, SO WILDFIRES
THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO OCCUR
OVER THE COURSE OF THIS
PANDEMIC. THIS PANDEMIC ALSO
REVEALED A LOT OF WAYS THAT ARE
STATEWIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES
RESPONSE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, OUR
COMMUNITIES NEEDS TO BE
STRENGTHENED. T OFTEN
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FELL THROUGH
THE CRACKS. WE ARE SPREAD ACROSS
MANY REGULATORY BODIES. THEY'RE
NOT OFTEN LINED UP TO GET TIMELY
ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND HEALTH
. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF OUR PSYCH
FACILITIES ARE LICENSED UNDER
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE
SERVICES, BUT THEY THE EXPERTISE
AND COMMUNICATION ALONG WITH
RAPID REGULATORY GUIDANCE WAS
FLOWING THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH,
DIFFERENT ENTITY. IT WAS REALLY
FOCUSED ON ON HOSPITALS AND
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES THAT
THEY REGULATE AS WELL AS THE
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES
THAT THEY COORDINATE WITH. WE
ENCOUNTER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. WE
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
IMPROVED POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS
TO ENSURE BEHAVIOR. HEALTH
SAFETY NETS ACCESS TO EMERGENCY
GUIDANCE SUPPLIERS AND WORKFORCE
DURING ANY FUTURE EMERGENCY
RESPONSES, INCLUDING POSSIBLE
ONGOING COVID SURGES OR THE
MONKEY POX. PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY. WE SPECIFICALLY
RECOMMEND DIRECTION FROM CD PH
TO LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS THAT CLEARLY
ARTICULATES THE PRIORITIZATION
OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DURING ANY
EMERGENCY OR DISASTER. THIS
CANNOT BE ASSUMED. LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE SUCH
GREAT PARTNERS, THE COUNTY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BUT MANY
CAREFULLY FOLLOWED THOSE STATES
GUIDANCE ON HOW AND WHEN TO
PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF THE
LOCAL LEVEL. AND IF WE WEREN'T
SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT AS
SUBSTANCE USE, DISORDER OR
MENTAL HEALTH SIMPLY DIDN'T
EXIST. WHEN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS
NOT SPECIFICALLY NAMED. BECOMES
MORE CHALLENGING FOR COUNTY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO ACCESS THE
SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT AFFORDED TO
OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH CARE CARE PROVIDERS AND
EXTREME EXAMPLES. PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS I'M SORRY. EXTREME
EXAMPLES, SOME OF OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS ACTUALLY SAID,
YOU'RE NOT LISTED ON OUR
ADVISEMENT. UM AS A AS A
BEHAVIORAL, OTHER HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER. THEREFORE WE CAN'T
PROVIDE YOU WITH ANYTHING.
REGARDING SUPPORT FOR THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE.
CURRENTLY THE STATE OVERSEAS
LOCAL OPERATION OF THE MOHAWK,
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH
OPERATIONS AREA COORDINATOR
LOCALLY TO COORDINATE REQUESTS
FOR P P E AND WORKFORCE THROUGH
CD PH, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES AUTHORITY, EXISTING.
WALK FORMS OF POLICIES DO NOT
SUPPORT WE HAVE A HALL PROVIDERS
BEYOND REQUESTS FOR MUTUAL AID,
MEANING WE CAN GET ACCESS TO OUR
COMRADES AND OTHER COUNTIES. BUT
WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING THE SAME
IMPACT. IN A STATE WHERE
DISASTER SUCH AS COVID 19 MUTUAL
AID IS SIMPLY NOT SUFFICIENT. WE
REQUEST A TOP DOWN REVIEW OF THE
POLICIES, FORMS AND PROCEDURES
TO ENSURE THAT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS CAN ROUTINELY REQUEST
THE WORKFORCE VIA THE MOONWALK
DURING EMERGENCIES AND TO BUILD
OUT THE AREA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
WORKFORCE AVAILABLE THROUGH THEM
A LOT. AND FINALLY AND PERHAPS
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE TO
PRIORITIZE PEOPLE. WITH MANAGER
WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS FOR SUPPLIES AND
SUPPORTS DESPITE A DOCUMENTED
BIDIRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION
BETWEEN COVID 19 AND PSYCHIATRIC
ILLNESS, WHICH SHOWED VERY EARLY
ON IN THE PANDEMIC, THAT
PATIENTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO
EXPERIENCE A NEW MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITION FOLLOWING COVID 19
DIAGNOSIS AND DESPITE THE FACT
THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH
SCHIZOPHRENIA OR FOUR TIMES MORE
LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID 19, WE
STILL STRUGGLE TO GET
PRIORITIZATION AND ACCESS TO
VACCINES AND TESTING SUPPLIES
FOR OUR CLIENTS. FOR EXAMPLE,
DURING THE OH MACON'S CROWN
SURGE TESTING SUPPLIES WERE
DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, HOSPITALS,
PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE CLINICS AND
SCHOOLS, BUT NOT TO ARE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SAFETY NET.
IDEALLY CAN BEHAVIOR HELP WITH
THE ADDED AS A DIRECT RECIPIENT
OF TESTING AND OTHER SUPPLIES.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE GAPS
ARE STRUCTURAL. WE WOULD ASK
THAT LEADERS FROM CP PH. THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES,
EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITY, D
. H. D. S AND CBS S JOINTLY
EVALUATE THE STATE'S EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PLANNING AND PROTOCOLS
WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING US, WE
HAVE OUR HEALTH DIRECTORS SO
THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE WAYS IT
CAN PROVIDE AND IMPROVE ACROSS.
DEPARTMENT CRISIS AND EMERGENCY
RESPONSE. COORDINATION MOVING
FORWARD. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M HAPPY TO
TAKE ANY QUESTIONS WHEN THE TIME
IS RIGHT. GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I
DO THINK WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
FOR YOU AT THE END OF THIS
PANEL. LET ME FIRST INTRODUCE DR
AMY SIMPSON, WHO IS THE PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICER FOR YOLO COUNTY.
WELCOME DOCTOR SYSTEM. GOOD
AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A FEW
LESSONS LEARNED FROM MY
EXPERIENCE RESPONDING TO THE
COVID 19 PANDEMIC FIRST IS THE
HEALTH OFFICER IN PLASTER COUNTY
AND NOW AS THE HEALTH OFFICER IN
YOLO COUNTY FOCUS TODAY ON FOUR
LESSONS LEARNED, ALTHOUGH THERE
ARE COUNTLESS MORE FIRST OF ALL
BUSINESS, AS USUAL, HAS NO LACE
STARING AT EMERGENCY DURING A
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO GET OUT OF
ITS OWN WAY SO IT CAN ACT FAST.
EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS AND
ORDERS NEED TO CUT THROUGH RED
TAPE AND EXPEDITE GETTING TO YES
, INSTEAD OF THE MORE TYPICAL
GOVERNMENT ANSWER OF FILL OUT
THESE 20 FORMS AND WAIT FOR
APPROVAL. OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE
WENT WELL WHEN WE SUSPENDED THE
USUAL RULES AND IMPORTED MASS
FROM OVERSEAS DESPITE HIGH COSTS
AND WITHOUT NIOSH APPROVAL, AND
WHEN WE EXPANDED THE TYPES OF
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WHO COULD
ADMINISTER VACCINES. OUR
RESPONSE WENT POORLY WHEN WE
CREATED A DUPLICATIVE MECHANISM
TO ALLOCATE VACCINES TO
PROVIDERS AND WHEN WE REFUSED TO
ALLOW LABS TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN
COVID TESTS. SECOND LESSON
LEARNED, CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT
COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL. FALSE
REASSURANCES SUCH AS THOSE
PROVIDED IN THE EARLY DAYS THAT
THE RISK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
WAS LOW, UNDERMINE TRUST AND
AWA ENACTMENT OF PROTECTIVE
MEASURES. PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS AND OTHER LEADERS NEED
TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE
KNOW AND WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. WE
NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE
MAKING CERTAIN DECISIONS RATHER
THAN ISSUING UNEXPLAINED EDICTS.
WELL UNCERTAINTY IS PREVALENT
DURING A PANDEMIC OUTLINING AS
MUCH OF A PLAN AS POSSIBLE TO
HELP PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS TO COME,
IS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH
ROLE. THIRD LESSON LEARNED. WE
MUST INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
WORKFORCE. UNDERFUNDED FOR
DECADES, LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS WERE SEVERELY SHORT
STAFFED WHEN THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC BEGAN. WITH ONLY A
HANDFUL OF FULL TIME
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE STAFF. WE
STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE
INCOMING CASES AND THEIR
CONTACTS. THE STAFF. WE DID HAVE
WORKED NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS IN A
FUTILE ATTEMPT TO KEEP UP WITH
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH. FORTUNATELY
EMERGENCY FUNDING ALLOWED HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS TO BRING ON
ADDITIONAL STAFF, BUT THESE WERE
NOT TRAINED STAFF. THEY HAD TO
GO THROUGH A CRASH COURSE IN
CONTACT TRACING. THE GOVERNOR
AND LEGISLATURE HAVE SINCE
RECOGNIZED THE KEY ROLE OF LOCAL
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND
APPROPRIATED AN ADDITIONAL $200
MILLION ANNUALLY FOR LOCAL
PUBLIC HEALTH. HOWEVER THIS
FUNDING ALONE WILL NOT CREATE
MUCH NEEDED LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE THERE ARE
NOT ENOUGH QUALIFIED STAFF TO
HIGHER WE NEED TO DEVELOP
WORKFORCE PIPELINES FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH NURSES, DISEASE
INVESTIGATORS, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS
AND HEALTH OFFICERS. AND
FINALLY, THE FOURTH LESSON
LEARNED. WHAT DO YOU CANNOT BE
AN AFTERTHOUGHT. EQUITY MUST BE
CONSIDERED IN EVERY ASPECT OF
OUR RESPONSE. STAY AT HOME
ORDERS DID NOT PROTECT ESSENTIAL
WORKERS FROM COVID INFECTION
WHEN VACCINES BECAME AVAILABLE
FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.
APPOINTMENTS ONLINE WERE QUICKLY
TAKEN BY TECH SAVVY INDIVIDUALS
WITH FREE TIME AND THE ABILITY
TO TRAVEL WHO ARE AT LOWER RISK
THAN THOSE IN THE COMMUNITIES.
THE VACCINES WERE INTENDED FOR.
WHEN ANTIVIRAL TREATMENTS BECAME
AVAILABLE PERSONS WITHOUT A
PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER OR UNABLE
TO ACCESS TREATMENT WITHIN THE
NARROW FIVE DAY WINDOW TO START
THERAPY. AS IMPORTANT AS EQUITY
IS, WE CAN'T EXPECT LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS TO MAGICALLY CREATE
EQUITY DURING A PANDEMIC WHEN
THE ROOTS OF INEQUITY RUN DEEP
AND RUN WIDE. WHILE RAPIDLY AN
ACTIVE PANDEMIC POLICIES
WORSENED INEQUITIES. THEY DIDN'T
CAUSE THEM, AND THEN ALL OF
SOCIETY APPROACH IS NEEDED TO
ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THESE
INEQUITIES BEFORE THE NEXT
PANDEMIC ARRIVES. THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU. LET ME LET ME FIRST
SENATOR MORNING. ANY QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS FROM YOU? WE HAVE ONE
MORE OPINION. NOPE THIS IS THE
TIME FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS
PANEL. APPRECIATE SO I WANT TO
COME BACK TO BUT SOMETHING THAT
DR KELLY SAID OR TOUCHING, SO
MENTAL HEALTH AND SO AGAIN
LOOKING FORWARD, BUT ALSO
LOOKING BACKWARD. THE IT'S
FAIRLY OBVIOUS AS YOU MENTIONED
THAT THE LATENT IMPACTS OF THE
PANDEMIC ON BEHAVIORAL MENTAL
HEALTH ARE SUBSTANTIAL. AND THEN
THE DOCTOR SYSTEMS POINT THAT
YOU KNOW WE ARE CLEARLY UNDER
RESOURCED. FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY AS IT RELATES
TO THE NEED TO DEPLOY MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO MEET THE
CURRENT NEED, BECAUSE THERE'S A
WHOLE BUNCH OF COMPOUNDING
EFFECTS THAT COME WITH THE
INABILITY TO DO THAT. SO IF YOU
HAD ONE RECOMMENDATION FOR BOTH
OF YOU AS TO HOW TO HOW TO
ENSURE THAT WE STAY FOCUSED ON
THIS, AND WE INVEST MOVING
FORWARD, WHAT WOULD YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS BE IN THAT
REGARD, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES
TO STATE. POLICY. I'M SURE THAT
DR SYSTEM WILL SAY THE SAME IS
SO IMPACTED RIGHT NOW, UM, IN
THE COUNTY LAND. WE ARE ABOUT
35% VACANCY RATE. AND WHILE
THERE ARE SOME PATCHES ON YOU'RE
WORKING WITH HK I ON SOME
POSSIBILITIES FOR HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO BUILD UP OUR
WORKFORCE. WE NEED LONG TERM
PLANNING. WE NEED SUSTAINABLE
FUNDING TO REBUILD THE WORKFORCE
THAT REALLY WAS INADEQUATE TO
BEGIN WITH. UM WE KNOW THAT
THERE ARE COMPETING INSTANCES
RIGHT NOW IN OUR STATE, AND I
THINK WE COULD LOOK AT THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WHO'S
MAKING A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT
ADDING 10,000 COUNSELORS TO THE
CLASSROOM, WHICH IS HELPFUL.
HOWEVER I DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE
10,000 COUNSELORS ARE GONNA COME
FROM, EXCEPT FROM MY COUNTY FROM
ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS. THEY'RE
GOING WHERE STEALING FROM ONE
ENTITY TO KIND OF OFFSET NEED IN
ANOTHER AND SO HAVING SOMETHING
THAT IS SUSTAINABLE. THAT'S LONG
TERM. THAT'S NOT JUST A ONE TIME
FUNDED POLICY THAT AN ACTUAL
SHIFT WHERE IF YOU GO INTO
PUBLIC HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH THAT YOUR LOANS ARE
FORGIVEN, OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT
WE CAN THINK OF TO USE AND I
KNOW FUNDING IS THE ISSUE THERE,
BUT WE CANNOT DO A THING IF WE
DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE TO MOVE
FORWARD. NOT ONLY ARE THEY HAVE
THEY LEFT IN DROVES, BUT THEY
DIED. WE ALL KEPT OUR CLINICS
OPEN. WE NEVER SHUT DOWN AND
COUNTY LAND WE DID INDIVIDUAL
FACE TO FACE WITH OUR PATIENTS
BECAUSE THEY NEEDED INJECTIONS.
THEY NEEDED MEDICATION, ASSISTED
TREATMENT. ALL OF THOSE THINGS
THE VERY SAME THINGS. I THINK MY
COLLEAGUES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
WOULD SAY, BUT WITHOUT A
WORKFORCE, WE WILL BE IN A WORSE
PLACE WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC
HITS. I APPRECIATE THAT DOCTORS
ASSISTING YOUR THOUGHTS. YEAH I
MEAN, I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH DR
KELLY. FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
PERSPECTIVE. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
GOING UPSTREAM, AND I THINK
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO
DO WITH OUR INVESTMENTS. UM, THE
THINGS THAT DR KELLY TALKED
ABOUT IN TERMS OF LOAN REPAYMENT
. WE ALSO NEED MORE COMPETITIVE
SALARIES FOR PARTICULARLY PUBLIC
HEALTH NURSES WERE TRYING TO
COMPETE WITH WITH CLINICAL
NURSING, WHICH PAYS, YOU KNOW
WELL, MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH AS
WELL. WE CAN PAY IN PUBLIC
HEALTH, SO WON'T REPAYMENT CAN
HELP OFFSET THAT AN ADDITIONAL
FUNDING, BUT WE NEED TO. AS I
SAID. GO FURTHER UPSTREAM TO
WHERE WE'RE DOING OUR RECRUITING
FOR THE FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH
WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE LEARNED DURING
COVID AGAIN TOWARDS THAT EQUITY
EQUITY PIECE IS WE NEED PUBLIC
HEALTH EMPLOYEES WHO LOOK LIKE
THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE
SERVING AND SO TARGETING OUR
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND, UM,
DEVELOPING THAT PIPELINE
UPSTREAM EARLY ON IN THEIR
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS TO MAKE
PUBLIC HEALTH SOMETHING
INTERESTING AND ATTRACTIVE TO
THEM, AND THEN CREATE AND IN
SUCH AS LOAN REPAYMENT THAT HELP
SHEPHERD THEM ALONG THE WAY
THROUGH THIS PIPELINE ALL THE
WAY TO EMPLOYMENT IN A LOCAL
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY, SO IT'S AN
INVESTMENT IN FUNDING. BUT IT'S
ALSO A INVESTMENT IN THE STAFF
TO DO THE RECRUITING, AS WELL AS
PARTNERS TO DO THE EDUCATION.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. MONTH. THANK
YOU. AND JUST A FOLLOW UP TO
THESE QUESTIONS. ARE THERE ANY
PILOTS OR ANYTHING AND OTHER IN
COUNTIES THAT ARE HAPPENING
ALONG THIS LINE YOU'VE MENTIONED
SPECIFICALLY RECRUITMENT. THE
LABOR SHORTAGE RIGHT, BUT ALSO
THE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS. IS
THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN POINT TO
WHETHER IT'S A PARTNERSHIP
WITHIN A COUNTY WITH A HIGHER ED
INSTITUTION? WHERE WE CAN MODEL
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE I
THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'VE
HEARD I'VE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD
THAT WE HAVE THIS SHORTAGE OF
HEALTHCARE WORKERS, NOT JUST IN
THE MENTAL HEALTH SPACE, BUT
ACTUALLY IN OTHER SPACES AS
WELL. AND I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF
POST PANDEMIC WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
TAKE THAT IMMENSE NEED AND
TRANSLATE IT TO MAYBE SOMETHING
THAT IS HAPPENING THAT WILL GET
US THAT WORKFORCE WE NEED IN A
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER
TIMELINE. SO I'LL START. YES
WE'RE LOCALLY. WE HAVE THESE
THINGS HAPPENING. I CAN SAY HERE
IN ORANGE COUNTY WITH CAL STATE
FULLERTON, WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT
JUST MASTERS LEVEL CLINICIANS
THAT WE NEED, BUT ALSO BACHELORS
. WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THE STATE
WITH GETTING INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL SO THAT STUDENTS
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
THIS TYPE OF A JOB. BUT IT'S
HARD TO COMPETE WHEN FAST FOOD
ENTITIES SOMETIMES MAKE MORE
THAN WE DO. IT IS VERY HARD TO
COMPETE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE PUT
IN SO MUCH MORE AND IT'S A
REALLY HARD JOB. WE'RE LOOKING
AT EQUITY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
ONLY AN HONORABLE JOB THAT WE
ALL DO. IT'S ALSO A JOB THAT'S
MISUNDERSTOOD BY MANY OF OUR
HOME CULTURES. SO WE'RE WORKING
REALLY WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO
UNDERSTAND THAT AND HELP US IN
THAT, BUT HAVING SAID THAT CAL
STATE FULLERTON IS ONE OF THE
COST STATES AND IF WE COULD GET
A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR ALL OF
OUR CAL STATES FOR ALL OF THE
UCS, WORKING MORE REGIONALLY
WITH EACH OF OUR PROFESSIONAL
SCHOOLS BECAUSE LICENSED
PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIANS ARE
NEEDED, THAT'S A TWO YEAR DEGREE
AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELORS
ARE NEEDED. THAT'S A TWO YEAR
DEGREE. THOSE FOLKS WHO GO INTO
THOSE FIELDS OFTEN DON'T HAVE AS
MUCH MONEY OUT FRONT. SO LONG.
FORGIVENESS ISN'T HELPFUL. THEY
NEED TO HAVE A FULL RIDE GOING
IN. AND IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING
LIKE THAT STATEWIDE, I THINK
THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL.
AND DR KELLY, YOU TOUCHED ON
SOMETHING WHICH I THINK IS
REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT. YOU KNOW
THE ABILITY TO HAVE SUFFICIENT
RESOURCES DURING A CRISIS TO
MEET THE SURGE IN NEED, AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY
CHALLENGING, YOU KNOW. HOW DO WE
? HOW DO WE CREATE THAT SURGE
CAPACITY WITHOUTOVER INVESTING
OR ALLOCATING RESOURCES IT MIGHT
BE OTHERWISE USED SO THAT IN THE
EVENT OF THE NEXT PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY THAT WERE PREPARING TO
IN MISS RAMOS ACTUALLY TOUCHED
ON SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S
RELATED WHICH IS YOU KNOW THE
NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY IN A CRISIS
AS IT RELATES TO WAIVERS TO
CROSS TRAINING, YOU KNOW, AND TO
OTHERWISE FILLING THE NEED.
WHERE GENERALLY SPEAKING WHEN
YOU KNOW WHERE WE LICENSE AND
SORT OF DICTATES COPRA
PRODUCTION, CALIFORNIA IS QUITE
NARROW, AND THAT'S MAKES A LOT
OF SENSE IN A NORMAL
ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN A CRISIS, IT
DOES NOT. SO I'D BE INTERESTED,
ESPECIALLY DOCTOR, MISS RAMOS IN
YOUR THOUGHTS IN THAT REGARD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES HONESTLY
, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO HAVE
THAT LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY, WE
WOULD WE WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN
STOPPED COMPLETELY SO THAT THAT
PARTNERSHIP IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ALREADY MENTIONED THE CHALLENGES
AND THE STRAIN AND WORKFORCE
MANY OF OUR CLINICAL NURSES AND
THERAPISTS HAVE HAVE REALLY JUST
DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS
ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THERE IS
THERE IS WAS TRUE TRAUMA, UM,
THAT THAT WAS, UM THAT WAS
PERSONALLY FELT. AND SO I'M
ALREADY MENTIONED WERE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACADEMIC
ORGANIZATIONS. WE CERTAINLY HAVE
DONE THAT WITH A NUMBER OF
NURSING SCHOOLS, UM, REALLY
WORKING ON THAT PIPELINE
STRATEGY THERE IS, YOU KNOW,
STILL A FAIR AMOUNT OF NEW
GRADUATE NURSES. HOWEVER THERE
YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THAT WITH
WITH ALSO EXPERIENCE AND SO, YOU
KNOW, TAKING A LOOK AT AT WHAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE THOSE
INCENTIVES. LIVES. I THINK FROM
, YOU KNOW IF THERE'S LOAN
FORGIVENESS TO COME BACK INTO
THE CLINICAL ARENA COULD BE
COULD BE VERY POWERFUL. BUT
AGAIN TO YOUR POINT, SENATOR
NEWMAN, DUTCH THAT FLEXIBILITY
WHEN THERE IS A ACKNOWLEDGED
SPRAIN IN IN THE HEALTHCARE
ENVIRONMENT, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR
THE ACUTE HOSPITAL. UM IT IS
DEFINITELY NECESSARY AND NEEDED
DURING DURING THESE TIMES OF
CRISIS, AND DR KELLY ALSO
TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THAT I
BELIEVE IN OTHERS HAVE AS WELL.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. IS THE NEED
. IN RETROSPECT FOR A VERY
THOROUGH AND CLEAR EYED AND
HONEST, TOP DOWN REVIEW OF YOU
KNOW THE STATE'S CRISIS AND
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCESSES AND
CAPABILITIES, AND IT'S NORMAL
RIGHT AS WE MOVE OUT OF THESE
THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE ON,
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. NEXT
YEAR I'LL BE LEADING AN EFFORT
TO SECURE THE RESOURCE IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS ACROSS
YOU KNOW IT'S SUFFICIENT BREADTH
OF STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE DO
GET AN HONEST ASSESSMENT AS WE
WOULD DO YOU KNOW, I WAS THE
MILITARY AFTER ACTION REPORT
THIS THE ONLY WAY YOU REALLY
FULLY LEARN AND PREPARE FOR THE
NEXT SIMILAR INSTANCES TO DO
EXACTLY THAT, AND THERE'S A VERY
NATURAL TENDENCY TO WANT TO MOVE
ON. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU
REMINDING US THAT IS NECESSARY.
TO DO SO. SO ANY ANY FINAL
COMMENTS IN THE MORNING? I WOULD
JUST ADD THAT I WILL ECHO HAVING
SPENT 14 YEARS IN HIGHER ED.
CERTAINLY I WOULD ECHO AND I
WOULD SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS.
SENATOR NEWMAN, YOU KNOW IN THIS
BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, WE
HAVE. WE HAVE NOW UNDERSTOOD
THAT WE HAVE SUCH A SHORTAGE,
BUT PARTNERING AND TAKING OUR
LESSONS AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY ARE NOT LOST, BUT ALSO
INSTITUTIONALIZING PRACTICES. TO
ADDRESS ONGOING NEEDS, I THINK
IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK
FOR ME ON THIS PIECE RELATED TO
THE WORKFORCE, AND THERE REALLY
IS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH
OUR HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS AND
SEE IF WE CAN INSTITUTIONALIZE
AND PIECES IN. THE STATES WOULD
LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT,
IF THAT'S ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE
THAT, SO, MISS RAMOS DR KELLY DR
SUSAN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION. VERY GRATEFUL AND
AGAIN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
STAYING IN TOUCH WITH US. WE
MOVE FORWARD. NOW. LET'S MOVE TO
THE HEARINGS FINAL PANEL WHERE
WE'LL EXPLORE THE VERY IMPORTANT
ISSUE OF STATEWIDE READINESS AND
RESPONSE, SPEAKERS WILL DESCRIBE
HOW AS A RESULT OF EXPERIENCE
DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE STATE
WILL BE BETTER PREPARED FREE
FUTURE LARGE SCALE EMERGENCY AND
TO SOME DEGREE, I SUPPOSE THE
FUTURE IS NOW AS SOME OF YOU MAY
BE AWARE THERE'S A PARALLEL
HERE, HEARING GOING RIGHT NOW
FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED MONKEYPOX
IS THERE'S A HEARING NEXT DOOR
GOING ON ABOUT THAT EXACT
SUBJECT AS PARTS OF CALIFORNIA
NOW CONFRONTING A NEW PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY AROUND
MONKEYPOX, WHICH IS ADMITTEDLY
DIFFERENT THAN COVID, BUT IT IS
CERTAINLY BETTER TO GET ENGAGED
IN AROUND THE LATER SO WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE OUR FIRST
PANELISTS WITH US DR TOMAS
ARAGON. THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH DATA. ARAGON WILL
HIGHLIGHT THE INVESTMENTS THAT
ARE MADE TO STRENGTHEN OUR
STATES, PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE AND DISEASE
DETECTION SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS
AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE
LESSONS LEARNED EARLY IN THE
PANDEMIC. AFTER THAT, WE'LL
WELCOME STEPHANIE WELSH, THE
DEPUTY SECRETARY, BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH WITH THE STATE'S HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, MISS
WELCH WILL SPEAK TO STATE
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY.
OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
AND DISASTER RESPONSE. AND OUR
FINAL PRESENTER OF THIS PANEL,
AND OF THE DAY WILL BE MITCH
MEDICA VICH, WHO IS THE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, MR
MADIGAN, WHICH WILL DESCRIBE HOW
SUPPLY AND LOGISTICS
INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE BEEN SHORT
UP TO BETTER RESPOND TO A FUTURE
PANDEMIC EVENT. WE'RE PLEASED TO
HAVE ALL OF YOU JOINING US. AND
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
EXPERIENCES AND YOUR EXPERTISE.
DOCTOR ARAGON. WELCOME. PLEASE
PROCEED. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN NEWMAN AND
SENATOR LEHMAN. I'M DR TOMAS
ARAGON, STATE PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE LESSONS
LEARNED FROM THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC AND HOW CD PH HAS TAKEN
THE LESSONS TO MAKE INVESTMENTS
TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE EVENTS
WITH ALONG WITH A SMARTER PLAN
WILL BETTER PREPARE CD PH AND
LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTIONS TO
RESPOND TO FUTURE EMERGENCIES.
THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY OF OUR
LIFETIME. IT HAS BEEN JUST OVER
2.5 YEARS SINCE GOVERNOR GAVIN
NEWSOM DECLARED A STATE OF
MEMBERS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID
19 PANDEMIC. THE PANDEMIC,
STRESS STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEMS BEYOND ANY
EMERGENCY RESPONSE WE'VE HAD
BEFORE AND EXPOSED SIGNIFICANT
GAPS IN THE ABILITY OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEMS TO RESPOND
RAPIDLY AND SUSTAINABLE. THESE
GAPS EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR
ADEQUATE INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC
HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. IN THE
EARLY STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC. WE
LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
FOLLOWING WHETHER JUST HIGHLIGHT
SEVERAL OF THEM THE FIRST ONE IS
THE OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE, MOBILIZE AND
COORDINATE SERVICES ACROSS THE
STATE. WE HAD REGULAR AND TIMELY
BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION FROM
NGUYEN CD PH LEADERSHIP AND
LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTION
LEADERSHIP IN REAL TIME, AND WE
WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF ON THE
GROUND INPUT INTO OUR STRATEGY
AND HOW TO ADJUST TO THE
PANDEMIC. THE CALIFORNIA COVID
19 RESPONSE WITH MASSIVE WITH
OVER A DOZEN DIFFERENT RESPONSE
WORK STREAMS IN A RAPIDLY
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT WITH
SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY. HE WAS
CRITICAL TO ESTABLISH A SINGLE
AND CONSISTENT POINT OF CONTACT
FOR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH,
LEADERSHIP AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS
, SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND HEALTHCARE
SYSTEMS WERE INFORMATION COULD
BE CONVEYED DIRECTLY TO STATE TO
STATE LEADERSHIP AND TO RESPONSE
LEADS. CALIFORNIA PUBLIC HEALTH
DEVELOPED MANY GUIDANCE
DOCUMENTS FROM MANY SECTORS,
INCLUDING HEALTH CARE,
BUSINESSES, WORKPLACES AND
SCHOOLS, SO WE CAN SAFELY
REOPENED THAT THE ECONOMY AND
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIONS,
ANOTHER IMPORTANT AREA WITH THE
AREA OF BUILDING TRUST. AND THAT
WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO WORK
WITH LOCAL, LOCAL AND STATE
LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP THE RIGHT
TYPES OF MESSAGES, ONE OF THE
AREAS WHERE WE DID A LOT OF WORK
WAS IN DEVELOPING OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS WE HAD
TEAMS DOING AFTER GRAPHIC
RESEARCH AND FOCUS GROUPS. WE
WERE DOING A SURVEY OF PUBLIC
OPINIONS TO SEE WHETHER OUR
MESSAGES WERE WORKING. AND WE
ALSO WORK WITH TRUSTED
MESSENGERS WHO ARE TRUSTED IN
THE COMMUNITY TO DELIVER TO
DELIVER. OUR MESSAGE IS IT'S
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE RIGHT
ANSWER. THERE ARE ONLY TRADE
OFFS AND WITH THE STATE AS
DIVERSE AS OURS. WE STARTED
TRYING TO GET IT. WE TRIED TO
HIT THE RIGHT SPOT, BUT YOU CAN
IMAGINE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SAID WE
DID TOO MUCH, AND THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO SAID WE DID TOO
LITTLE, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DID IT THE
RIGHT WAY, ESPECIALLY BASING IT
ON SCIENCE. THE OTHER IMPORTANT
AREA IS AN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS. WE
INVESTED A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO
IMPROVING OUR SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEM SO THAT WE COULD DO DATA
MONITORING. WE HIRED A TEAM OF
MATHEMATICAL MODELS THAT ALLOW
US TO DO PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS.
AND REALLY HELPLESS ASSESS WHERE
THE EPIDEMIC WAS GOING SO THAT
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT
STRATEGIES THAT THAT MADE MADE
SENSE. UM ARE TESTING CAPACITY
WAS EXPANDED RAPIDLY EARLY IN
THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT MEANS
MOBILIZING RESOURCES, INCLUDING
WORKING WITH UNIVERSITIES
BUILDING A DEDICATED LAB HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. THAT WE CAN MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAD THE SUPPLY
CHAIN OF EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL
SO THAT WE COULD TEST EVERY SO
YOU CAN TEST EVERYONE OTHER
IMPORTANT AREA I WANT TO MENTION
IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH A
FOCUS ON EQUITY HERE. WE WORK
WITH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING
THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES
THAT WE WERE ELEVATING THE
VOICES OF THE DIVERSE THE VERSE
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE THE MOST
MOST IMPACTED. AND THEN THE LAST
AREA THAT I'M NOT GOING TO
MENTION, BECAUSE I KNOW
STEPHANIE WALSH IS GOING TO
COVER. THIS IS REALLY THE
IMPORTANCE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
AND SHE WILL. SHE WILL COVER
THAT, IN MORE DETAIL. THE NEXT
MAJOR CATEGORY IS INVESTMENTS IN
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, SO. DURING THE PANDEMIC CD
PH INVESTED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS
AND STAFFING CONTRACTS TO
AUGMENT PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH
CARE STAFFING, PARTICULARLY TO
FACILITIES THAT WERE IMPACTED,
ESPECIALLY HOSPITALS THAT WERE
EXPERIENCING STAFFING STAFFING
SHORTAGES BECAUSE STAFF WERE
SICK OR WERE EXHAUSTED, AND SOME
OF THEM WERE LEAVING, LEAVING
LEAVING THE FIELD. WE USE
FEDERAL STATE FUNDS TO STAND UP
TESTING SITES, VACCINE SITES,
MOBILE VACCINATION, MOBILE
VACCINATION POP UPS. VACCINATION
CLINICS AND AS WELL AS AT HOME
VACCINATION CAPABLE CAPABILITY.
WE DID ALL OF THIS TO REACH NOT
JUST HARD TO REACH POPULATIONS
BUT ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
SCHOOLS. IN TERMS OF OUR I T
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE EXPANDED
DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE
DEVELOPED A BRAND NEW SYSTEM
CALLED CAL CONNECTED A LOT OF
THE CASE INVESTIGATION AND
CONTACT TRACING ACROSS
JURISDICTIONS, WHICH WAS REALLY
CRITICAL BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVE IN
ONE JURISDICTION BUT WORK IN
ANOTHER ONE. SEE A NOTIFIED WAS
THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO USE
THEIR SMARTPHONE TO RECEIVE
NOTIFICATIONS IF THEY'VE BEEN
EXPOSED. MY FEAR IS BACK WITH A
COMPLETELY NEW SYSTEM TO ALLOW
VACCINE PROVIDERS TO ORDER AND
TRACK COVID VACCINE. UM AND THEN
MY TURN WITH THE ABILITY FOR THE
PUBLIC ANYWHERE IN CALIFORNIA TO
GO TO GO TO MY TURN AND BE ABLE
TO SIGN UP FOR VACCINE CLINICS.
WE INVESTED OVER $50 MILLION IN
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OVER 200
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO
DO PEER TO PEER OUTREACH,
INCLUDING APPOINTMENT ASSISTANCE
, CANVASSING, PHONE BACKING AND
TEXT MESSAGING CAMPAIGNS. I'M
GONNA NOW MENTIONED THE NEXT
IMPORTANT AREA, WHICH IS THE
FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. WE
PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH TO COME UP WITH A WORK
PLAN. AND SO THIS LED TO WHAT WE
CALL THE FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH
INITIATIVE, WHICH RESULTS WHICH
RESULTED IN $300 MILLION DOLLARS
IN INVESTMENT TO CALIFORNIA'S
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.
OVER 200 MILLION IS GOING TO
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH. THAT'S 61
LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTIONS AND
THEN 99.6 BILLION IS GOING TO
STATE UP OPERATIONS. FUNDING
INCLUDES IMPORTANT AREAS AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AS WE
MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE
CREATING A REGIONAL PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE WE
HAVE THE ABILITY TO COORDINATE
REGIONS OF THE STATE, WHICH IS
WHICH IS REALLY LARGE AND
CHALLENGING. WE'RE ALSO CREATING
A 24 7 INTELLIGENCE HUB TO BE
ABLE TO RESPOND MORE RAPIDLY
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES
ACROSS THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF
EMERGENCY TYPE. BUT WE'RE ALSO
GOING TO BE DEVELOPING A PUBLIC
HEALTH COMMUNICATION STRATEGY,
SO THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE STATE.
THIS IS JUST BEGINNING. THIS IS
FOR A LONGER LONGER TERM
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. AND THEN
THE LAST AREA THAT I'M GOING TO
BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE IS WHAT WE
CALL THE SMARTER PLAN. SMARTER
PLAN WAS WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT
THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD EVOLVED
INTO THE TYPE OF PANDEMIC THAT
WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE
AND CHANGE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
EVOLUTION OR EMERGENCE OF
VARIANTS, AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE
A STRATEGY THAT WAS GOING TO BE
SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN TO
BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CURRENT
THREAT, BUT ALSO TO HAVE OUR
CITY STINTS IN PLACE. SO THAT WE
CAN SCALE SHOULD WE NEED TO
SCALE SO THE SMARTER PLAN, THE
ACRONYM IS ASKED FOR SHOTS AND
FOR MASKS. HEY FOR AWARENESS ARE
FOR READINESS. T PROTESTING E
FOR EDUCATION AND RX FOR
TREATMENT AND PRETTY MUCH AS YOU
GO THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES THAT COVERS ALL OF
THE CORE. FUNCTIONS TO
RESPONDING TO A COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE THREAT. BUT SO WHAT? I
WANT TO MENTION KEY THINGS THAT
HAVE COME OUT FROM THE SMARTER
PLAN IS NOT JUST STRENGTHENING
OUR CORE CAPABILITIES THAT HAVE
ALREADY MENTIONED WHERE WE'VE
ALSO INVESTED IN OUR WASTEWATER
SURVEILLANCE AND ALSO ARGENTINA
GENOMIC SEQUENCING NETWORK
ACROSS THE STATE FOR WASTEWATER
SURVEILLANCE. YOU CAN YOU CAN
SEE ALREADY. WE'VE WE'VE HAD THE
ABILITY TO DETECT MONKEY POX.
AND AS YOU MAY KNOW THAT IN NEW
YORK, THERE'S AN OUTBREAK OF
POLIO. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETECT THE
REEMERGENCE OF FUTURE OF PRIOR
PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS. WE'VE
ALSO HAD THE ABILITY TO REALLY
LEARN HOW TO USED TELEHEALTH TO
BE ABLE TO DO. TEST TO TREAT
STRATEGIES DEVELOPING OUR STRONG
NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS
THE STATE AND THEN ALSO THE
ABILITY TO REACH HARD TO REACH
POPULATIONS. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF
WORK AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT
TYPE OF ETHNOGRAPHIC ON THE
GROUND RESEARCH THAT HELPS US
REACH. THOSE POPULATIONS. SO
TODAY, CALIFORNIA WE FEEL IS
BETTER PREPARED TO RESPOND TO
FUTURE PANDEMICS, AND WE'RE
LEVERAGING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE
RIGHT NOW FOR MONKEY POX, AND SO
ALL THESE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
THAT HAVE BEEN STOOD UP FOR
COVID OR BEING RETOOLED FOR
MONKEY POX. I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND STOP THERE AND TURN
IT. TURN IT BACK TO THE CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME
THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND I
APPRECIATE THAT WITH JUST THANK
YOU FOR YOUR INPUT SO FAR, AND
WE'VE JUST BEEN JOINED BY DOCTOR
PEN. LET'S WORK OUR WAY THROUGH
THE PANEL, AND I KNOW HE'S GOT
SOME REMARKS. HE'D LIKE TO MAKE
THE NEXT STEP, PLEASE WELCOME
STEPHANIE WELSH DEPUTY
SECRETARY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
WITH THE STATE'S HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES. EVENTUALLY, MISS
WELCH WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. I'M
SORRY. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR
NEWMAN AND SENATORS. I'M
STEPHANIE WELSH. I'M THE DEPUTY
SECRETARY OF BEHAVIOR HEALTH AT
THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AGENCY, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR
PREVIOUS PANELISTS FOR THE
COURAGEOUS WORK THAT YOU DID,
AND THE WORK THAT WE DID
TOGETHER IN THE IN THE MIDST OF
SOME OF THE HEAVIEST EARLY
LIFTING IN THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
, AND I APPRECIATE AND REALLY,
UM I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU SHARE TODAY, I
REALLY WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND TO
DESCRIBE SOME OF OUR THINKING
REGARDING THE INTERSECTION OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND FUTURE
DISASTER PLANNING, AS DR ARAGON
AND THE OTHERS HAVE OUTLINED
COVID 19 HAS FUNDAMENTALLY AND
WILL FOREVER CHANGE HOW WE THINK
ABOUT DISASTER RESPONSE. THE
IMPACT THAT DISASTERS HAVE ON
MENTAL HEALTH AND THE IMPACT
THEY HAVE ON OUR BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM
THAT'S CHARGED WITH PROVIDING
TRAUMA, INFORMED CARE SUPPORTS
AND SERVICES BOTH DURING AND
AFTER A DISASTER. AND FRANKLY,
THE TRADITIONAL MODELS OF
DISASTER RESPONSE OR NOT IDEAL
IN A PANDEMIC THAT SPREADS FAR
AND WIDE AND LAST FOR MONTHS,
AND NOW, AS WE KNOW FOR YEARS
COVERED 19 AND COVERED MANY
THINGS ABOUT OUR BEHAVIORAL
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. UM IT
UNCOVERED THAT WE HAD NOW WE'RE
IN A SITUATION EXACERBATED
ACCESS TO CARE, WHICH FRANKLY,
WAS ALREADY DIFFICULT AND
CHALLENGING, EXPOSED AND
INADEQUATE SYSTEM CAPACITY. BOTH
WORKFORCE AND TREATMENT
FACILITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITY
PLACEMENTS AND HOUSING. AND IT
LED TO DISPROPORTIONAL LOSSES BY
COMMUNITY JUST PROPORTIONAL
LOSSES BY COMMUNITY, ETHNICITY,
CULTURE, AGE AND HEALTH STATUS.
FRANKLY PEOPLE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE
THE IMPACT OF COVID THE SAME, UM
EVERY CALIFORNIAN'S MENTAL
HEALTH HAS BEEN IMPACTED AND
REALLY TESTED OVER THE LAST 2.5
YEARS. WE ALL HAVE OBSERVED THE
IMPACT TO OUR FAMILIES, OUR
COWORKERS OR NEIGHBORS AND
BEYOND THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
IMPACT OF THE DISASTER WILL
OFTEN BE FELT LONGER THAN THE
PHYSICAL IMPACTS. IN RESPONSE,
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE
LEGISLATURE HAVE DEEPLY
COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
AND HAVE PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT
RESOURCES TO HELP US BUILD OUT
OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE
CAPACITY. I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A
FEW EXAMPLES BRIEFLY. FIRST IS
OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM
INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AND THE
COMMUNITY CARE EXPANSION
PROGRAM. TOGETHER THEY PROVIDE
$3 BILLION TO BUILD FACILITIES
AND COMMUNITY BASED CARE,
INCLUDING INCLUDING LONG TERM
RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS. THE
BEHAVIORAL BRIDGE HOUSING
PROGRAM ADOPTED THIS SUMMER
THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROVIDES $1.5
BILLION IN FUNDING TO ADDRESS
THE IMMEDIATE HOUSING AND
TREATMENT NEEDS OF PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING OR AN IMMINENT RISK
OF HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE SERIOUS
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE
PROVIDES $4.4 BILLION TO
REDESIGN CHILDREN AND YOUTH
ACCESS AND USE OF MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES AND SUPPORTS IN THE
FUTURE. AND AS MUCH AS WE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY, THE CARE ECONOMY
WORKFORCE PACKAGE, WHICH WAS
PASSED IN HIS LAST BUDGET
PROVIDES OVER A BILLION DOLLARS
IN RESOURCES TO CREATE
INNOVATIVE AND ACCESSIBLE
OPPORTUNITIES TO RECRUIT TRAIN
HIGHER. AND ADVANCE AN
ETHNICALLY AND CULTURALLY
INCLUSIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES WORKFORCE. THESE
INVESTMENTS WILL AID AND HAVING
A HEALTHIER AND MORE ROBUST
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE
FUTURE, BUT FOR TODAY'S
DISCUSSION, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
HOW THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM
LEARNED TO ADAPT TO EXECUTE TWO
CHALLENGING ROLES DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN
FROM IT. FIRST UH, THE SYSTEM
NEEDED TO FULFILL ITS DUTY TO
RESPONDING TO THE IMPACT OF THE
DISASTER. AND WHAT THAT DISASTER
WAS HOW THAT DISASTER WAS
IMPACTING CALIFORNIANS,
INCLUDING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
ARE HEALTHCARE WORKERS, OUR
FAMILIES, TEACHERS, STUDENTS,
ETCETERA. SECOND THEY HAD TO
CONTINUE DOING THEIR DAILY WORK
AND DOING IT WITH A POPULATION
WHO WAS LIVING WITH REALLY
EXACERBATED MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT NEEDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS BOTH AN
ACTOR IN THE RESPONSE AND ALSO
DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THE DEPEND
EMMICK OR DISASTER. BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH IS PART OF OUR OVERALL
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. BUT OFTEN
THERE'S NOT A COMPREHENSIVE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT
SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE OUR CARE
CONTINUUM LIKE PHYSICAL HEALTH
CARE. ALSO RANGES FROM
PREVENTION TO CRISIS SERVICES
AND ALSO TO LONG TERM CARE. WE
HAVE EVERYTHING FROM INPATIENT
PSYCHIATRIC FREESTANDING
HOSPITALS TO WELLNESS DROP IN
CENTERS. ALL OF THESE SERVICE
MODALITIES WERE IMPACTED NEEDED
TO ADAPT AND TO DO SO QUICKLY
AND FORTUNATELY, WITH SO FEW
RESOURCES TO GO AROUND,
ESPECIALLY IN THE VERY EARLY
INITIAL SURGES OF COVID 19
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WAS OFTEN NOT
PRIORITIZED. WE WORKED QUICKLY,
AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK
FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS, AS
MENTIONED BY DR KELLY DHC S THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO
REALLY THINK THROUGH, HOW COULD
WE ADDRESS GAPS AND ADAPT
GUIDANCE TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF
OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
AND ITS PROVIDERS? THE SWITCH TO
TELEHEALTH AND THE
RESOURCEFULNESS OF OUR FIELD WAS
INCREDIBLE. AND IT WAS SWIFT AND
FOR MANY TELEHEALTH INCREASED
ACCESS TO CARE, BUT ATTENTION
NEEDS TO BE PAID TO ENSURE THAT
APPROACHES ARE CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR
INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH
DISABILITIES. AS OUR SYSTEM
ADAPTED DURING AH, DURING THE
PANDEMIC TO SERVE AS OUR SYSTEM
ADAPTED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO
SERVE THOSE ALREADY IN TREATMENT
THROUGH THINGS LIKE TELE HAIR,
TELE HEALTHCARE, THERE WERE ALL
SORTS OF NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE
HAVING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH TRIED
AND TESTED DURING THE PANDEMIC,
AND WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT
QUICKLY HOW WE WERE GOING TO
HELP PEOPLE ON A VERY LARGE
SCALE AND TO DO IT FAST. SO
TYPICALLY DISASTER RESPONSE FOR
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IS
BOOTS ON THE GROUND. THEY ARE
DEPLOYED TO DISASTER SITES, SUCH
AS FIRES TO PROVIDE CRISIS
COUNSELING. WITH THE PANDEMIC.
THAT APPROACH WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT
POSSIBLE. WE NEEDED TO BE
INNOVATIVE TO ADDRESS THE STRESS
, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. THE
PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA WORKS, PIRI
INSISTING. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
CARE SERVICES WORKED WITH
FEDERAL PARTNERS, BOTH FEMA AS
WELL AS THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION TO EXPAND IN AN
EXISTING BUT VERY SMALL CRISIS
COUNSELING LYING CALLED CAL
HOPE. AND IT WAS REALLY
REIMAGINED INTO A STATEWIDE
COMPREHENSIVE DISASTER RESPONSE
SYSTEM FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND
THE COMPONENTS OF CAL HOPE
INCLUDE A BROAD MEDIA OUTRAGE
AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TRULY TOO
SIMILAR TO VACCINES REALLY LIKE
NORMALIZING HELP SEEKING
BEHAVIOR FOR YOUR STRESS,
ANXIETY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
NEEDS. IT ALSO INCLUDES A
COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE THAT HAS
LINKS TO ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT
RESOURCES, INCLUDING APPS THAT
PEOPLE CAN DOWNLOAD FOR FREE. IT
ALSO INCLUDES A PIERRE WARM LINE
AND I THINK I CAN'T UNDERSTAND.
UNDERSCORE WITH THE DISCUSSION
TODAY ABOUT HOW INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT IT IS TO FOCUS ON, NOT
ONLY CREATING A LARGER WORKFORCE
BUT ALSO A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.
HOW INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ARE
PURE WORKFORCE WAS IN SUPPORTING
CALIFORNIANS DURING THIS CRISIS
AS CRISIS COUNSELORS AND THROUGH
THE CRISIS COUNSELING CHAT
PROGRAM AT CAL HOPE. UH CHAT,
PHONE AND EVEN IN PERSON CRISIS
COUNSELING FOR THOSE WITH THE
HIGHEST NEEDS WAS PROVIDED BY
OVER 500 TRAINED COUNSELORS WHO
SPOKE OVER 50 LANGUAGES AND WARM
HANDOFFS TO TREATMENT WERE
PROVIDED WHEN THEY WERE NEEDED.
ALJOSA WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH
FEMA AND SAMSA EVER FUNDED A
STATEWIDE APPROACH TO CRISIS
COUNSELING. UM, SYSTEM ALLOWED
US TO BETTER MEET THE DIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIANS THROUGH A WIDE
RANGE OF TRUSTED MESSENGERS,
MESSENGERS AND TO HELP FIND AND
GUIDE PEOPLE TO THE SUPPORT THEY
NEEDED. CAL HOPE HAS
DEMONSTRATED THAT PRECLINICAL
PEER LEVEL SUPPORTS AND WEB
BASED BAG, WEB BASED DIGITAL
SERVICES CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE
ACROSS THE STATE AND HIS
SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES IN NEED.
THE IMPACT OF CAL HOPE HAS BEEN
SUBSTANTIAL. IN ITS SHORT TIME
IT HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND IT WAS
ACCOMPLISHED, AND WANT TO
REALLY POINT THIS OUT,
ESPECIALLY WITH DR KELLY
PRESIDENT. IT WAS REALLY
ACCOMPLISHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
ALL OF OUR COUNTY BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH DIRECTORS WHO BAND
TOGETHER AND USE THEIR JOINT
POWERS AUTHORITY TO HELP US
DEVELOP VERY QUICKLY. A NETWORK
OF CBOS THAT COULD COULD PROVIDE
US WITH COUNSELORS WHO
REPRESENTED DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
AND SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
PROVIDE THROUGH CAL HOPE NEARLY
100,000 INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
SESSIONS. WE HAVE SERVED NEARLY
200,000 PEOPLE IN GROUP SESSIONS
OR OTHER PEER EDUCATOR, PUBLIC
EDUCATION EVENTS, AND, UM WE ALL
HAVE BEEN AMAZINGLY ABLE TO
PROVIDE BRIEF EDUCATIONAL
SUPPORTS TO OVER A MILLION
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA. UM
DISASTER RESPONSE BEFORE, UM OR
MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO WAS EPISODIC
. UM IT IS NOW CONSISTENT AND I
SO WE MUST START THINKING ABOUT
HOW TO BUILD INNOVATIVE CAPACITY
FOR A STRONGER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM, WHICH CAN BE NIMBLE
, UM, HERE AT THE CALIFORNIA
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY
. WE ARE DEVELOPING A PLAN TO
SUPPORT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
PREVENTION EFFORTS LIKE HOTLINES
AND PEER SUPPORT LINES. THE NEW
9 88 SUICIDE, UM AND CRISIS
LIFELINE CENTERS WHO HAVE JUST
TRANSITIONS FROM OUR NATIONAL
LIFELINE. NATIONAL SUICIDE
LIFELINE. WE'RE ALSO ROLLING OUT
MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL AS PART OF OUR
MEDICAL PROGRAM. WE WANT TO HAVE
EXTENSIVE PLANNING EFFORTS AND
AS PART OF THOSE EFFORTS, WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO
IMPROVE DISASTER RESPONSE, BUT
ALSO BUILD OUT OUR CRISIS
RESPONSE SYSTEMS AND THINK ABOUT
THE EVOLUTION OF CAL HOPE. WITH
OUR DEPARTMENTS AND WITH OUR
STAKEHOLDERS AS A RESOURCE IN
THE FUTURE, SO CAN WE ADDRESS
CALIFORNIA'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
NEEDS AND INACCESSIBLE AND
EFFECTIVE WAY THAT CAN BOTH BE
USED FOR DISASTER RESPONSE, AS
WELL AS ONGOING NEEDED
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORTS.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO EXPLORING
SOLUTIONS TO THAT QUESTION, AND
WE REALLY WELCOME THE
COLLABORATION OF THE LEGISLATURE
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR RAJ
, OUR FINAL PRESENTER OF THE DAY
WILL BE MITCH MEDICA VICH, WHO
IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICEOF MERCY
SERVICES. WELCOME AND PLEASE
PROCEED. WELL THANK YOU. CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT ON THE
LESSONS WE LEARNED PARTICULARLY
LOGISTICS OVER THE COURSE OF THE
PANDEMIC. MITCH MEDICAL, WHICH
FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
LOGISTICS HERE IN CALABRIA, AND
HERE WITH ME, TODAY IS MARK
GREEN, WHO HAS BEEN NEWLY
APPOINTED AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF LOGISTICS. THAT CALLOWAY YES.
AND IT SEEMS AMAZING TO THINK
BACK TO JANUARY 2020 WHEN WE
STARTED THE REPATRIATION EFFORTS
FROM HUBEI PROVINCE AND ALL
THOSE CONSULAR OFFICIALS AND
OTHER AMERICANS TO BRING THEM
BACK, AND THEN IN MARCH. 6 2020
, THE GRAND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP
, AND IT'S UM, YOU KNOW, DOCKING
HERE LOCALLY IN CALIFORNIA, BUT
THOSE TWO EVENTS WERE CRITICAL
FORCE BECAUSE IT ALLOWED US TO
DEVELOP KEY RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OUR YOU KNOW, FEDERAL
COUNTERPARTS EARLY ON ACTIVATED
OUR VITAL RESPONSE PLAN OR
LOGISTIC PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN
STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS. AND THEY ALL CAME
TOGETHER AND CAME TO RELY UPON
ONE ANOTHER. THE GOVERNOR, OF
COURSE LEAD EARLY ON IN MARCH,
4TH WITH A STATE OF EMERGENCY TO
BUILD UPON THE WORK THAT WAS
ALREADY UNDERWAY AND TO ENGAGE
ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
ANTICIPATION OF HIGHER LEVELS OF
COVID. AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
WE DID IN LOGISTICS WAS
ESTABLISHED A TASK FORCE AND
THAT WAS LED BY CALLOWAY. YES,
AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE
KEY CHALLENGE OF PROCURING
STORAGE AND MOVING MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS COMMUNITY AND
THIS BECAME A WHOLE OF
GOVERNMENT APPROACH. AND SINCE
THAT TIME WE HAVE MOVED A
STAGGERING 1.8 BILLION PIECES OF
PB AND EQUIPMENT PROFESSIONALLY
KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA PRIME
OPERATION HERE, AND IT DIDN'T
STOP THERE. WE SUPPORTED TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS, CHAMBERS, COMMERCE
, WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS,
NONPROFITS AND CBOS. YOU KNOW,
CLOSE TO 163 MILLION ITEMS THERE
AND THEN RECENTLY AS WE STARTED
OPENING SCHOOLS AND HAD THOSE
CHALLENGES THERE, WE WORK
CLOSELY WITH DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION WILL BE ANOTHER 284
MILLION ITEMS TO SUPPORT THEM
AND ENSURING THAT OUR FACULTY'S
STUDENTS COULD OPERATE SAFELY IN
THIS COURSE, INCLUDES THE TEST
KITS THAT DR ARROGANT TALKED
ABOUT 30 MILLION OF THOSE TWO
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALONE.
SOME OF THE KEY LESSONS THAT WE
LEARNED WITHIN PROCUREMENT
RELEASED, UH, REVOLVED AROUND
CONSOLIDATING HOW WE'RE DOING
OUR PROCUREMENT OPERATIONS,
VALIDATING VENDORS, BETTING,
ONLINE PORTALS AND REALLY
ESTABLISHING THOSE IN CONTINUE
TO DEVELOP THE STATE TO STATE
RELATIONSHIPS WAS AN
UNPRECEDENTED TIME AND THE
WORLDWIDE COMPETITION FOR
SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT WAS WAS
JUST REMARKABLE AND VERY
DIFFICULT. AND SO WHEN I TALK
ABOUT WORKING WITH ESTABLISHED
MANUFACTURERS THAT WE WOULD GO
TO LITERALLY THE THREE M TO MAKE
SURE THEY WOULD VALIDATE BECAUSE
THERE'S SO MANY DISTRIBUTORS OUT
THERE WHO'S AUTHORIZED TO SELL
THEIR PRODUCTS SO THAT WE COULD
ACTUALLY GET THE RIGHT PRODUCT.
THAT WAS, UM TO THE STANDARDS IN
THAT THREE AM AT AUTHORIZED TO
DO SO. WE ALSO DIDN'T WANT ARE
SIMPLY RELY ON A SINGLE SOURCE
OF SUPPLIES, AND SO EVEN WHEN
CHINA HAD TO SHUT DOWN
PERIODICALLY FOR ITS EXPORTS,
AND SO WE WORK TO IDENTIFY
SUPPLIERS AND IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES BOTH DOMESTICALLY
THAT WE CAN RETOOL OPERATIONS
HERE AND THAT INCLUDED BAY AREAS
ON OAKLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR FACE
SHIELDS AND IN LOS ANGELES. WE
USE USE DRIVE TO MAKE MAKE CLOTH
MASK, BOTH OF WHICH WE PROCURED
AND PUSHED OUT. BUT I'M PLEASED
TO REPORT. BUT THE STATE IS WELL
PREPARED, LOGISTICALLY FOR
PANDEMIC RESPONSE. A STATE
CURRENTLY STOCKPILES MILLIONS OF
MASKS, RESPIRATORS, GLOVES AND
OTHER VARIOUS TIMES OF PB AND WE
SUPPORT THE TESTING TASK FORCE
WITH MILLIONS OF COVID TESTS
THAT WE MAINTAIN IN STORAGE,
ALONG WITH NUMEROUS MEDICAL
SUPPORT ITEMS SUCH AS OXYGEN,
CONNOR CONCENTRATORS. HOSPITAL
SAYS AND MORE ALL OF THIS, WE DO
CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CDP
SUPPORT OUR CURRENT MISSIONS AND
PREPARE REALLY FOR ALL HAZARD
EVENTS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE NEXT EVENT IS GOING TO
BE. WE CAN'T GO BACKWARDS. WE
HAVE TO MAINTAIN THIS RADIUS AND
WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BE READY
FOR THIS ALL HAZARDS APPROACH.
OF COURSE, WHILE WE WERE DOING
COVID WE WERE THIS WAS NO EASY
FEAT BECAUSE WE WERE DEALING
WITH MULTI MULTI INCIDENT
RESPONSES YOU KNOW, SUCH AS
CIVIL UNREST AND WILDFIRES AND
SPS SHOUT OUTS AND OTHER
EMERGENCIES WHILE WE'RE DOING
THE PANDEMIC, AND THIS REQUIRED
US TO BE VERY AGILE, THE THOUGHT
NICKEL AND REALLY ADJUST OUR
RESPONSE FRAMEWORK. BUT THE TASK
FORCE WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND I'M
PLEASED TO REPORT THAT IT
REMAINS CURRENTLY ENGAGED TODAY
. HE'S STILL RE MEET, MEET
REGULARLY, AND WE TALK ABOUT THE
ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING. ALL OF
THIS HARD WORK AND PREPARATION
PUT US IN A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL
POSITION SO THAT WE COULD LEAD
NOT JUST LOCALLY BUT REGIONALLY
AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE WERE
ALLOWED TO SHARE PPE WITH OUR
NEIGHBORING STATES. WE WERE ABLE
TO SEND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO THE
UKRAINE AND INDIA. UM CAN WE ARE
CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATING OUR
POSTURE AND OUR CAPABILITIES AND
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK. THE
LEGISLATURE AND FUTURE BUDGET
CYCLES, UM, ACCORDINGLY,
SPECIFICALLY WITH WAREHOUSING
AND OTHER ITEMS THAT WE DO. I
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. UH THE
GREAT WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY
EVERYBODY INVOLVED. AND LET YOU
KNOW THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE
THE MODEL OF THE NATION FOR
PREPAREDNESS, AND WE'RE READY TO
BUILD UPON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED
OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS AND
MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE
AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND SO GLAD TO SEE I'M
JOINED NOW BY SENATOR PANTS
CENTER PARENTS. I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU WERE NEXT DOOR AT THE
MONKEY POX HEARING, SO I THINK
IT'S FAIR TO CONCLUDE THAT YOU
HAVE NOW SOLVED THAT PROBLEM.
AND COME OVER TO THIS HEARING,
BUT I'M I WANT TO THINK NOT ONLY
DOCTOR PEN, BUT DR ARAGON
CALAVIUS DR PLAN AND I HAVE
WORKED AS PART OF A SEPARATE
PARALLEL EFFORT OVER LAST YEAR
AND A HALF SOMETHING CALLED THE
LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING GROUP
WHERE WE'VE MET PERIODICALLY
WITH ALL THE LEADS WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION DEALING WITH
VARIOUS FACETS OF PANDEMIC.
RESPONSE THAT HAS BEEN A
FASCINATING LIKE I SAID EARLIER
, VERY OFTEN CHALLENGING
PROCESS, BUT I'M LEFT, YOU KNOW,
IMPRESSED AND VERY GRATEFUL FOR
ALL THE WORK DONE BY ALL THE
PROFESSIONALS ON THE OUTSIDE, SO
, DOCTOR PEN WELCOME, AND I'M
SURE YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS. WELL THANK YOU AND
AGAIN REALLY APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATIONS. I WAS ABLE TO
CATCH AND I'M ACTUALLY SORRY
THAT I MISSED THE DOCTOR AMY
SISON, WHO IS A HEALTH OFFICER
IN YELLOW COUNTY, WHICH IS PART
OF MY DISTRICT, SO I'M SORRY, MR
PRESENTATION. UM BUT IT'S
INTERESTING TO NOTE WE ARE
ACTUALLY HAVING TWO SIMULTANEOUS
HEARINGS ON PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES
. RIGHT? SO THIS ONE SORT OF
LOOKING AT LESSONS FROM COVID
19, THE OTHER ONE ON ON MIKEY
PACKS. AND TO SORT OF REPEAT
WHILE SOMETHING I SAID OVER AT
THE OTHER HEARING. UM, WE SHOULD
NOT THINK ABOUT CONTAGIOUS
DISEASE OUTBREAKS AS BEING
SOMETHING THAT IS UNUSUAL. WE'VE
HAD MANY CERTAINLY, SINCE I'VE
BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE. WE'VE
HAD MEASLES OUTBREAKS FOR TEXAS
. WE YOU KNOW BOLA WAS RENOWNED
OUTBREAK, BUT WE WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT THAT. WE'VE HAD ZIKA AND
SO FORTH. SO, UM, HOWEVER, I
THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
WE'VE ALSO FACED IN PUBLIC
HEALTH IS THAT OFTENTIMES
FUNDING COMES IN BURSTS. RIGHT
AND SO, WITH THE OUTFIT
PARTICULAR OUTBREAK, THERE'S A
BURST OF FUNDING, PERHAPS AND
THEN IT FALLS AND THEN IT'S BEEN
CHALLENGING. I THINK TO MAINTAIN
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, I
THINK TALKING ABOUT TESTING
RIGHT? SO WE THINK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED WITH COVID AND THE LACK
OF TESTING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
MONKEY POX AND THE LACK OF
AVAILABILITY OF TESTING RIGHT
AND ABILITY TO ACTUALLY IDENTIFY
WHO MAY HAVE THE DISEASE AND
WHO'S WHO DOESN'T. AND YET WE'VE
HAD CLOSURES OVER PUBLIC HEALTH
LABS SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION
AND SO I THINK THAT'S CHALLENGE
I WOULD WANT TO RECOGNIZE,
THOUGH, THAT HERE IN CALIFORNIA
, AT LEAST AND I WANT TO THANK
GOVERNOR NEWSOM FOR HIS
COMMITMENT TO DO $300 MILLION
PER YEAR THAT START WITH THIS
YEAR. THIS THIS BUDGET YEAR TO
DO 300 MILLION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE WE NEED
THE WORKFORCE. WE NEED THE LABS.
WE NEED THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE,
AND I DO APPRECIATE THE DOCTOR
ARROGANCE, LEADERSHIP AND TRYING
TO TRYING TO HELP START
REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE
STATE, BUT WE NEED SUSTAINED
CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN. YOU CAN'T DO
THAT WITH A BURST OF FUNDING
THAT, ACTUALLY, FRANKLY, MOSTLY
HAS TO USE TOWARD ACUTE
RESPONSE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION FROM OH, YES AS
WELL. YOU KNOW THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE, BUT THEN YOU ALSO NEED
THE INFRASTRUCTURE. IN FACT,
THAT ACTUALLY DECREASES THE COST
OF ANY SORT OF EMERGENCY
RESPONSE. AND THEN I WOULD MAKE
NOTE. THAT IS WE'VE LEARNED, SO
WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH TOOLS
AVAILABLE TO US, RIGHT? UM NOW
THE CHALLENGE IS, IS THAT
WHETHER THOSE TOOLS ARE THINGS
LIKE VACCINATIONS AND TREATMENT
, WHETHER THE THINGS LIKE
ISOLATION, CONTACT TRACING, YOU
KNOW OTHER TYPES OF BARRIERS,
LIKE WEARING MASKS AND SO FORTH.
AH, THE SUCCESS OF BEING ABLE OF
THOSE INTERVENTIONS TO ACTUALLY
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTAGIOUS
DISEASES. DEPENDS ON PEOPLE
ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THEM, AND SO
I THINK THERE I THINK PEOPLE
IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR ALSO
INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF YOU
KNOW, UH, BEHAVIORAL AND OTHER
BASICALLY METHODOLOGIES TO HOW
DO WE BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH
THE PUBLIC? HOW DO WE BRIDGE THE
YOU KNOW THAT THE SOME OF THE
TRUST ISSUES THAN UNFORTUNATELY
I THINK BEEN EXACERBATED BY
SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER PEOPLE
WHO OTHER OTHER MEANS THAT TEND
TO AMPLIFY THE MOST EXTREME
VOICES INSTEAD OF FACTS AND
SCIENCE. YEAH AND THEREBY
UNDERMINED TRUST AND THEREFORE
ALLOWED DISEASES TO CONTINUE TO
SPREAD. THEN, OF COURSE, AND WE
TALKED ABOUT THIS AND IN REGARDS
TO MONKEY PARKS, WHERE WE'VE
SEEN THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
DIFFERENT CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
AND COVID IT TO THE CAN. YOU GOT
TO ACT WHERE STIGMA AND UH AND
HATE HAS BEEN ALSO DIRECTED
AGAINST PARTICULAR GROUPS. UH
WE'RE JUST BLAMING STIGMA AND
APPROPRIATELY DIRECTED AS WELL,
SO THAT'S AGAIN PART OF ANY SORT
OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE. I DO
APPRECIATE THAT. WE'VE ALSO
INCLUDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WITH A
MILLION DEAD AMERICANS OVER A
MILLION KEEP IN MIND. THAT'S
COVID OVER A MILLION. THAT'S
MORE THAN ANY, YOU KNOW,
ACTUALLY, ANY WAR THAT WE'VE
EXPERIENCED HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES? UM YOU KNOW, AND THEN
NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DISABLED
WITH WHO MAY BE FACING
DISABILITY AND BECAUSE OF LONG
COVID AS WELL. AH THEY'RE
CERTAINLY GOING TO AND OF
COURSE, THE DISRUPTION THAT HAD
TO HAPPEN IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, OF
COURSE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ISSUES. ALTHOUGH I WOULD MAKE
NOTE THAT FOR THOSE WHO FALSELY
CLAIMED THAT THERE'S LOCKDOWNS
THAT CAUSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD A THAT
ACTUALLY, BEHAVIORAL AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES HAVE
ACTUALLY WERE ALREADY ONGOING.
IN FACT, TRAJECTORY OVER THE
LAST 10 YEARS SHOWED WE'VE HAD
AN INCREASE IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CONCERNS FOR THE TEAM PRIOR,
CERTAINLY FOR YEARS, PRIVATE
PRIOR TO COVID. AS WELL. SO UM
SO I GUESS I KNOW IT'S A BIT OF
A SET OF REMARKS, BUT MAYBE IT
MAYBE LIKE TO POSE A QUESTION
FOR DR ARAGON. SO IN TERMS OF
DEVELOPING OUR SERVICE STRATEGIC
PLAN ON PUBLIC HEALTH, THEY KNOW
YOU'VE YOU KNOW, START TALKING
ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIAL THINGS
BUT PART OF IT, FOR EXAMPLE,
LIKE I T INFRASTRUCTURE, MANY
THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT WHERE
ARE. FOR SER. IT'S POSSIBLE WE
COULD USE IT FOR OTHER THINGS.
DO WE HAVE? THE SURVEIL
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
LABORATORY INFRASTRUCTURE
NECESSARY TO NOT JUST DEAL WITH
IN RESPONSE TO COVID. NOT JUST
IN RESPONSE, ALTHOUGH ONE CAN
ARGUE IT. LUCKY PACKS ARE
FALLING BEHIND, BUT ONE THAT'S
FACILE AND ABLE TO ADDRESS
UNKNOWN BECAUSE THE THING IS WE,
OF COURSE, COVID. WE DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT ITS BRAND NEW MONKEYPOX.
ACTUALLY, WE'VE KNOWN FOR A
WHILE THERE, SO THERE'S DISEASES
OUT THERE WHO? THAT. TO BE
PAYING ATTENTION TO. HOW ARE WE
PREPARING FOR THOSE BEFORE THEY
BECOME A PROBLEM LIKE MONKEY
LIKE MONKEY POX IS WE'RE HAVING
THE HEARING AND DOWN THE HALL
AND ANOTHER HURRY ROOM RIGHT
NOW. DID DR ARROGANT. SORRY
ABOUT THAT. YES. SO THAT'S A
REALLY GOOD QUESTION. SO CD PH
FOR THE FIRST TIME IS ACTUALLY
DEVELOPING AN OFFICE OF POLICY
AND PLANNING. SO CITY PH IS AN
ORGANIZATION IS RELATIVELY NEW.
AND SO WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A
TEAM OF PEOPLE WHOSE FOCUS IS
GOING TO BE DOING THIS ADVANCED
TYPE OF ADVANCED. TERMS OF THE I
PART OF THE PART OF THE PLANNING
IS GOING TO IT'S GOING TO BE
MORE THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF OUR
DATA MODERNIZATION. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE DO GET THIS RIGHT.
THE CURRENT THAT THI I T
EMPHASIS. WORK. FINE. EXISTING
COMMUNITY. DISEASE. MAIN THEM.
REQUIRED. ON GOING ON. INV. MAKE
SURE.
PUBLIC PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY
CURRENTLY PUBLIC HEALTH
LABORATORY, THE BIOLOGISTS,
MICROBIOLOGISTS PAID
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, SO WE LOSE A LOT
OF STAFF. UM AND PEOPLE ARE
RETIRING. SO THAT'S AN AREA OF
FOCUS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
FOCUSING ON IS TO MAKE SURE
THERE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOR
GETS THE TIME. OF INVEST WE
NEED. IN THE IN THIS AREA AS
WELL. AND I THINK I THINK, AS
YOU SAID, IT'S GOING TO TAKE
SUSTAINED SUPPORT, RIGHT. IT'S
NOT THAT ALL. WE GOT A BUNCH OF
MONEY FOR COVID, AND THEN WAS
THAT WINDS DOWN. WE NOW DON'T
HAVE ANY MONEY SO AGAIN. THE
CÂM. FROM THE GOVERNOR. AND LOOK
FORWARD. TO HOPEFULLY SUSTAINED
SUPPORT. THREE THAT. STARTED
THIS. YEAR WITH THREE MILLION.
AMONG YOU KNOW, YOUR CRITICAL
LEARNING, YOU KNOW, BUILDING
TRUST THE NEED TO BUILD TRUST.
AND DO IT VERY DELIBERATELY
EXTREMELY IN THE NEXT HEALTH
EMERGE. YOU KNOW YOU IN YOUR AS
TO HOW TO DO THAT. AND DOCTOR,
HAMAS WELL. AND I ASKED HIS
QUESTION. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING
MOVE FROM HERE. INTO PUBLIC. I
FULLY EXPECT TO.
pWHEN YOU DO A TRAINING FOR US.
IS THAT CREDIBILITY IS THE
CURRENCY OF PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS. SO CREDIBILITY IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING. AND YOU
HEARD DR ASSISTANT SOME OF THE
CORE CORE. IDEAS. OF BEING,
BEING.
BUILDING TRUST IS REALLY IS
REALLY CRITICAL. THE OTHER THING
BUILDING TRUST IS GOING TO BE
WORKING CLOTHES. WITH COMMUNITY.
UM EVERY WILL SEEK FROM VERY
PERSPECTIVE AND EVERY COMMUNITY
IS VERY IS VERY DEEP.
BEFORE BEFORE DISASTERS, IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HAVE ONGOING
RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPERIENCE
THAT I HAD WAS IN MY PRIOR JOB.
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH JOB IS WE
WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE
FAITH BASED COMMUNITY. SO WITH
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES
AND WE WORKED FRUITS THAT WAS
THE THAT WE FOCUSING. ON FOOD.
SECURITY. BUT THOSE WERE REALLY
CAME IN HERE. WHEN WHEN Cí
HIPPIE WE ARE HAD.
MORE. EFFECTIVELY. AND MORE.
RAPIDLY. THE TRUST. OF THE
PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THE NEXT
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. WELL I
THINK YOU JUST HEARD SOME VERY
WISE WORDS AND I APPRECIATE VERY
MUCH WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAID. AH
I THINK THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT
WORDS THAT I OWN TODAY IN ALL OF
THE WORK THAT I'M DOING IN COVID
AND FRANKLY THROUGHOUT MY CAREER
RIGHT NOW IS I DON'T KNOW. NO.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO FIND
OUT? AND I THINK WE HAVE FAR TOO
OFTEN FELT THE NEED TO HAVE ALL
THE ANSWERS AND WE HAVE WE
NEEDED A MUCH GREATER SENSE OF
HUMILITY. AH YOU KNOW, I WILL
SAY IN JANUARY OF 1 4021. WHEN I
SAW THE FIRST VARIANTS EMERGE%
AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT THAT MIGHT
MEAN WITH REGARD TO THE
TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS, THE
IMMUNE EVASION. I THOUGHT THE
DARKEST DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC
COULD STILL BE AHEAD OF US. AND
BASED ON WHAT WE WERE SEEING
WITH WHAT THESE VARIANTS COULD
DO. I WAS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN OUT
OF THE WOOD SHED BY COLLEAGUES
LIKE MEDIA, ETCETERA. I ACTUALLY
HAD MEDIA SHOWS THAT WOULD NO
LONGER WANT ME ON BECAUSE I WAS
TOO SCARY. AND THEN ALONG CAME
DELTA NORMAL CRIME AND THE DARK.
DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC. SURELY NOT
YET. AND I THINK OUR INABILITY
TO THAT IMAGINE BUT ALL TO SAY
WE DON'T. IS REALLY A VERY
IMPORTANT POINT.
AND CALLAGHAN. AYE. YOU'RE STILL
WITH US. THANK YOU. YOU GET THE
LAST WORD YOU SPOKE FOR. AYE.
THINK. IN SAFE ABOUT NEED FOR
COORDINATE. AMONG LAYERS OF
GOVERNMENT. SPEAK. BIT ABOUT
TRUST. HOW HOW DO THAT. IN THE
CONTEST.
UH, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS SENSE.
OF EXPERIENCES. EMERGING MANAGE.
AND HOW YOU DO GOLD GUARDIAN
EXERCISE AND OTHER EFFORTS. IN
ADVANCE OF CRISIS. AND SO, YOU
KNOW, IS REAL. TO QUOTE JOSH
SHARP. IN RECENT DAYS. HEARD OF
. IT'S DELIVERING. WHAT YOU
PROMISED THAT YOU'RE. GOING TO
DELIVER. SO UM. I THINK IT'S
INTO WE HEARD. FROM.
REALLY? THAT INTERGOVERNMENTAL
COORDINATION AND INTERVIEW
COOPERATION. IS UM, LEARNED AND
IT'S AN ACQUIRED. IT'S NOT
INNATE SKILL, UM, WITH PEOPLE
CHANGING POSITIONS, IT HAS TO BE
UPDATED REGULARLY AND RECOGNIZE
THAT THERE ARE REALLY PEOPLE WHO
ARE REALLY GOOD AT NAVIGATING
AND NEGOTIATING INTER
GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS. AND THAT
WHAT THEY GOOD AT AND THOSE.
SHOULD SHARED. AND I, UH YOU AND
YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE
FOR THIS TYPE OF SPECIFICALLY
THIS HEARING BECAUSE THE
FUNDAMENTAL FINDING IN OUR
RESEARCH IS THAT YOU CAN'T GET
TO GOOD OR GREAT PERFORMANCE
UNTIL YOU HAVE CANDID
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING
AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING, AND BOTH
OF THOSE PIECES ARE REALLY
CRITICAL IN MOVING FORWARD. WHAT
HAS WORKED AND DO WE CAN? TO
IMPROVE? SO I YOU, SIR. AND
SENATOR PAN. AND INTO THE
CENTER. OF JOY. US. THIS
AFTERNOON. AS I DO THAT I'D LIKE
TO INVITE THE PUBLIC WANTED TO
PARTICIPATE TO CALL IN. NOW
PLEASE DIAL THE FOLLOWING TOLL
FREE NUMBER 877. THAT'S 8772.
WHEN PROMPTED. PLEASE USE THE
ACCESS CODE SIX YEAR 14832
AGAIN. THAT'S SIX YEAR 14832.
AND BEFORE I GET TO PUBLIC
COMMENT HERE IN THE HEARING ROOM
LET ME DO TWO THINGS. ONE IS
IT'S 3:10 P.M. WE'RE GOING TO GO
TO 3 45. I DID ONE MINUTE PER
COMMENTER. I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE
CIVIL, BUT ALSO, I WOULD INVITE
YOU TO FOCUS YOUR THOUGHTS ON
HOW TO BETTER PREPARE CALIFORNIA
FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC HOUSE
EMERGING AND AS A JUST BEFORE WE
DO THAT, I WANT TO WELCOME
SENATOR PAT BATES. SENATOR
BATES. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANY
COMMENTS NOW WOULD BE OPPORTUNE
. JUST WANT TO THANK YOU,
SENATOR NEWMAN. I THINK YOU'VE
BEEN PURSUING THIS FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING AND A LOT OF
INFORMATION THAT'S COME FORWARD
WILL REALLY HELP AS WE GO
FORWARD. I LIKE THE VERY LENGTHY
DISCUSSION, FRANKLY ON THE
CREDIBILITY ASPECT, BECAUSE THAT
IS IN THE IN THE TRUST ASPECT,
BECAUSE IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO
THAT. AND UH SO THANK YOU FOR
KIND OF OPENING THE DIALOG
LIFTING THE SHALL WE SAY THE
CURTAIN AND GETTING TO THE
THINGS THAT WORKED WELL, AND WE
ALL HAVE TO ADMIT, SOMETIMES
THINGS DON'T WORK, BUT WE LEARN
FROM OUR MISTAKES. IN FACT, I
THINK PSYCHOLOGY TELLS US A LOT
OF TIMES. WE LEARN A LOT BETTER
FROM OUR MISTAKES, BECAUSE WHEN
WE LEARN THE LEARNING LAST A
LONGER TIME, SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE
GONNA SEE THAT THROUGH WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE AND CERTAINLY OUT
IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AYE
APPRECIATE THAT, AS I MENTIONED,
I SUSPECT THAT WE WILL HEAR LOTS
ABOUT BOTH THE MISTAKES WE MADE,
BUT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND
CREATING A KIND OF TRUST THAT I
THINK IS NECESSARY. SO WITH THAT
WE'LL BRING COME TO BACK IN THE
HEARING ROOM SO FIRST AND
AND YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOU'LL
HAVE ONE MINUTE TO COMMENT.
THANKS VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
CHAIR MEMBERS. JANE. O'MALLEY
ADVOCATE WITH AMERICAN
FEDERATION. OF COUNTY.
MUNICIPAL. EMPLOYEES. ASSISTANT
ON THE FRONT LINE WORKERS,
FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS,
BUT IN PARTICULARLY I'D LIKE TO
BRING UP ALL FRONTLINE WORKERS
WHO ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH
THE STRESS THE FATIGUE AND
MENTAL TRAUMA. AND AS WE LOOK TO
ADJUST TO THE COVID COVID AS AN
ENDEMIC, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE
DISEASE IS NO LONGER HARMLESS
REMEMBERS ARE LOOKING FOR THE
STATE TO STEP UP TO THEM WITH
THE RESOURCES AND TOOLS. DO
THEIR JOBS. ACCESS TO TIMELY AND
ACCURATE. INFORMATION ON. AND
RESPITE AND RECOGNITION FOR
THEIR ESSENTIAL WORK. MORE
SPECIFICALLY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT
PERMANENT STANDARDS FOR
HEALTHCARE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
TO COVID 19 CREATIVE WAYS TO
RETAIN AND RECRUIT WORKERS TO
ADDRESS INCREASING VACANCIES AND
INVEST IN CHILDCARE IN THE
CHILDCARE WORKFORCE. AND FINALLY
, WE MUST PRIORITIZE A PERMANENT
AND REALISTIC PAID SICK LEAVE
PROGRAM TO ALLOW FOR WORKERS TO
TAKE THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO
RECOVER. FROM COVE. 19. AND
FUTURE. PANDEMICS. THANK YOU. HI
THERE. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG WE
WERE GONNA GO FOR SO I PREPARED
FOUR MINUTES. MY FRIEND. MY
COLLEAGUE IS WILLING TO GIVE ME
HER A MINUTE AND THEN TWO PEOPLE
ON THE PHONE ANDREA HEADS FROM
AND HER HUSBAND DAN SAID THEY
WOULD GIVE ME THEIR MINUTES. I
WILL TAKE THAT DEAL THAT DEAL.
SO YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. PLEASE
PROCEED. WONDERFUL MY NAME IS
JOSHUA COLEMAN AND I AM THE CO
FOUNDER OF THE VACCINE. WORLD
LARGE. EDUCATION. ORGANIZATION.
ON.
KNOWN VERY EARLY ON. IT WAS THE.
PERSON. WITH HEALTH.
COMPLICATIONS AND OBI.
EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF THE VIRUS
. IT IS EXTREMELY RARE THAT AN
ASYMPTOMATIC PERSON IS
CONTAGIOUS. THE FOLLOWING IS A
DIRECT QUOTE FROM DR ANTHONY
FAUCI. I'M QUOTING NOW. THE ONE
THING HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE NEED
TO REALIZE IS EVEN IF THERE IS
SOME ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN ALL THE HISTORY OF
RESPIRATORY BORNE VIRUSES OF ANY
TYPE. TREND. NEVER THE DRIVE. OF. THERE IS A RARE ASYMPTOMATIC
PERSON THAT MIGHT TRANSMIT AND
EPIDEMIC IS NOT DRIVEN BY
ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIERS AND QUOTE
SO HERE'S THE POLICY IF YOU'RE
SICK WITH A COUGH AND A RUNNY
NOSE, YOU STAY HOME. YOU CAN'T
GO TO WORK. YOU CAN'T GO TO
SCHOOL IF YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS,
THERE'S NO RES. TO QUARANTINE OR
ECONOMY CAN'T TAKE IT. HIT. DID
DO. THE LAST LOCKDOWNS?
SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE? THAT I
HOPE? IS NEVER RIP. AGAIN. WAS
OUR. HOMES TO ADD? COVID NOW?
PAS? PATIENTS.
OF COVID DEATH. IN CALIF. PEOPLE
80. TO 34. MADE UP ONLY ONE
POINT. OF CALIFORNIA'S COVID 19.
DEATHS. EVEN REGISTERING A
SINGLE PERCENTAGE POINT AND
COVID DEATHS IS ILLOGICAL. AGAIN
QUARANTINE THE SICK ONES
EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS AT THEIR
HOME, THE ONES THAT RISK THE
ELDERLY AND PERSONS WITH HEALTH
COMPLICATIONS SHOULD BE GIVEN
QUARANTINE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT AT
THE SAME TIME, IT SHOULD BE UP.
THEM. SO THERE THE ONES THAT
RISK. WELL LET'S BE CLEAR NOW.
THE COVID 19 DOT CA.GOV WEBSITE
SAYS AND I'M QUOTING COVID 19
VACCINES TEACH OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
HOW TO FIGHT THE VIRUS THAT
CAUSES COVID 19. YOU CAN STILL
GET COVID 19 AFTER VACCINATION,
BUT SYMPTOM ARE TO BE MUCH LESS.
SEVERE. END QUOTE.
DONATED IT ONLY CLAIMS TO
POTENTIALLY PREVENT INSTEAD.
ILLNESS OF THE VAX. THERE. IF
YOU WANT TO MAKE VACCINES, GO
AHEAD. BUT IT SHOULD ALL BE A
CHOICE. AND I WANT TO END. BY
READING. TO YOU. THE DEFINITION.
OF BODY AUTONOMY. BODILY. THE
RIGHT TO MAKE. DECISIONS. ABOUT
YOUR BODY.
ACTS OF THE COVID. PANDEMIC. BE
FELT. FOR YEARS TO COME SINCE
THE PANDEMIC HALF OF CALIFORNIA
HOSPITALS ARE NOW OPERATING IN
THE RED AND AS WE HEARD THE
PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN A HUGE TOLL.
ON THE WORK. LOOKING AT. WILL BE
. KÞT FLEXIBLE THROUGH THE STATE
ARE AVAILABLE. THAT HOT CAN
EXPAND THEIR THEIR. TO CARE FOR.
PATIENTS. AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL. AND MENTAL HEALTH. CARE. WE
LOOK FORWARD. CONTINUE. TO WORK.
WITH YOU. THESE IMPORTANT
ISSUES.
THE FRONT. LINE WORKERS.
PRESUMPTION IN SP. 50 AND
ESPECIALLY THE EXCLUSION PAY IN
THE COVID. 19. S. SO THAT THEY
CAN GO HOME AND RECOVER. HAS
SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES HAS
PREVENTED WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH
ILLNESS AND AS MUCH AS WE WOULD
LIKE TO GO BACK TO NORMAL AND
NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PROGRAMS
LIKE THAT. THE NEED TO CONTINUE
THEM IS VERY CLEAR, AND WE HOPE
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE CONTINUE
THAT NEED NOT JUST TO AT IT AS A
LESSON. TO KEEP US OUT. OF OR US
OUT OF THE CURRENT PLAN. IS
QUICK. AS WE CAN. BUT ALSO
THINGS CONCEPTS. THAT CAN BE T
BETTER MANAGE THE NEXT ONE.
WHATEVER THAT GOING TO BE.
EARLIER LOCAL PANEL YOU COULD
ASKED WHAT COULD THE STATE DUE
TO ASSIST LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
AND I WOULD NOTE THAT CALIFORNIA
DOES NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT
ASSESSMENT OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
LANDSCAPE. AND AN ASSESSMENT
WILL HELP US KNOW WHAT OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE AND
INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE
. WE BELIEVE IT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT
BE CONDUCTED BY SEED PH TO
EVALUATE THE ADEQUACY OF PUBLIC
HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKFORCE
POSITIONS, TRAINING PIPELINE
PROGRAMS AND SUFFICIENT FUNDING
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES,
ALONG WITH OUR CALIFORNIA CAN'T
WAIT. COALITION HAS A MEASURE
CURRENTLY PENDING IN THE SENATE,
MAYBE TO 40 BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RODRIGUEZ. TASK CD PH WITH
CONDUCTING THIS ASSESSMENT. THE
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THE REPORT REQUIRED BY THE
MEASURE WOULD SERVE AS AN
IMPORTANT ROAD MAP FOR THE STATE
TO SUFFICIENTLY PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT LOCAL
HEALTH DEPARTMENT WORKFORCE AND
TO PROTECT THE STATE FROM COSTLY
PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS AND
PREPARE THE STATE FOR FUTURE.
EMERGENCIES YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR ARMSTRONG. NEXT PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, SENATOR NEWMAN.
OKAY UM, PATRICIA BEDS. MY NAME
IS KATHERINE MCBRIDE, RETIRED
TEACHER, SISTER OF THE DECEASED
AIDS AND EASY TO POISON VICTIM.
THE LINES RUN DEEP PERPETRATED
BY THOSE WHO WANT FINANCIAL GAIN
AND CONTROL AND PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANIES AND PLAYERS SUCH AS
FAUCI AND GATES AND CAL SCHWAB.
KEEP US IN FEAR IN ORDER TO
REACH THEIR NEW WORLD ORDER
GOAL. THE PAID MEDIA HAS SUCCESS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CONVINCING
THE TRUSTED MASSES THAT THEY
SPEAK TRUTH AND WE SHOULD BE
AFRAID THEY'VE STOLEN OUR
FREEDOMS, CLOSED BUSINESSES AND
SCHOOLS TORN FAMILIES APART AND
INCREASED MENTAL ILLNESS AND
HEALTH. AND DEATH. COVID 19 IS A
BIOWEAPON. THERE'S A PATENT ON
IT. CORONAVIRUS PATTON IS PATENT
NUMBER 10,130,701 ARTICLE STATES
THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP.
CAPACITY TO CONFRONT FUTURE
BIOSECURITY THREATS ARE THESE
PLANNED INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON
THINGS LIKE MASKING VACCINES,
PCR TESTING AND LOCKDOWNS, LET'S
HOLD THE PERPETRATORS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY. COVID DEATH NUMBERS
HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED ON DEATH
CERTIFICATES, DEATH NUMBERS IN
HOSPITALS OR INCREASED BY
WITHHOLDING EARLY TREATMENT WITH
VIABLE PRESCRIPTIONS LIKE
IVERMECTIN AND H C Q. AND BY
USING THE DANGEROUS REMDESIVIR
AND VENTILATORS ON PATIENTS,
LETTING THEM DIE ALONE. LIES AT
THE PCR TEST IS AN ACCURATE
MEANS TO DIAGNOSE AND THAT
MASKING SOCIAL DISTANCING AND
LOCKDOWNS PREVENT THE SPREAD THE
VACCINES WORK. WHY ARE THE
VACCINATED GETTING COVID MORE
THAN THE UNVACCINATED? WHAT
ABOUT NATURAL IMMUNITY? THE
VACCINES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE
SOLUTION TO GET MORE VARIANTS
AND MONKEY POX, WHICH ARE
PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE VACCINES
STOP THE SPREAD OF LIES. LET THE
TRUTH BE HEARD. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MISS MCBRIDE. NEXT, PLEASE.
BUT AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KASHA
WILLIAMS. I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL
LIBRARIAN. I WORK WITH CHILDREN
T K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE. OVER
THE LAST TWO YEARS I'VE
WITNESSED MY STUDENTS WERE
VISIBLY DIRTY AND WHAT MASK FACE
GATHERINGS. I WITNESSED THEM.
STEP ON THE MASK. PUT THEM BACK
ON. IT WAS REALLY CONCERNING TO
ME. SO PLEASE DON'T MANDATE
CHILDREN TO WEAR A FACE MASK ONE
PREPARING FOR NEXT PANDEMIC. S
SO IT DOESN'T WORK WITH CHILDREN
. AS A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, I WAS
TOLD ONLY VACCINATED WILL GET
PAID TIME OF EVENING TO
QUARANTINE. MANY OF MY
VACCINATED AND BOOSTED CO
WORKERS GET SICK WITH COVID AND
COULDN'T BE AT WORK. I REMAINED
UNVACCINATED AND I WAS ALWAYS AT
WORK. NEVER TESTED POSITIVE.
NEVER GETS SICK WITH COVID. SO
I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE DON'T
INTRODUCE BILLS SIMILAR TO A B
1993, WHICH WOULD MANDATE EVERY
CALIFORNIA UM, EVERY
CALIFORNIANS TO GET COVID
VACCINATION, I'LL BE ALLOWED TO
WORK. SIMILARLY I UNDERSTAND AS
BLADE 71 HAD GOOD INTENTIONS,
BUT AS AN EMPLOYEE, I REALLY
WOULD LIKE ALL THE CHILDREN TO
BE AT SCHOOL. SO I'M ASKING.
DON'T INTRODUCED BILLS LIKE A B
1993 AND SB 871 ALSO I REALLY
NEED MY DOCTOR. HE HELPED TO
CURE MY CHILD FROM A COUGH,
WHILE OTHERS THOUGHT THAT HE HAD
ASKED MY DOCTOR COULDN'T LOSE
HIS LICENSE, AND IF A B 2098
PASSES WE NEED TO CRITICAL.
THINKER. CREATE LOSSES. THEIR
SILENCING DODD. DISCRIMINATING.
AND EMPLOYEES. JUST WORK. POLICE
LISTEN MORE TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS. BE SERVED. THEM
NOW. EVERYBODY. HOW THEY COME.
AND SPEAK. HERE OR THEY CAN.
PARTICIPATE. IN THE PROCESS.
PUBLIC YOUR CONSTITUENTS, UM
LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE, SAID
WILLIAMS SENT ME YOU CAN WRAP UP
QUICKLY IF YOU WANT TO. OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
WELCOME SIR. HELLO MY NAME IS
MAX BONY AND I'M WITH REBUILD
CALIFORNIA. HERE'S THE THING.
POLITICIANS CONSTANTLY USED THE
INFLATED LANGUAGE OF DOUBLESPEAK
INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUES
RATHER THAN RECOGNIZING THAT A
CITIZEN WHO GOES TO THEIR CITY
COUNCIL HAS CONCERNING QUESTIONS
INSTEAD, DEMONIZING, INSTEAD
DEMONIZE THEM BY SAYING THEY TO
QUOTE AUTHOR. TWO PANDEMICS
EFFECTIVELY BUT MUST ALSO ALLOW
THE PUBLIC TO VOICE THEIR
OPINIONS IN ORDER TO BE A
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. THIS
MEANS NOT PASSING BILLS SUCH AS
SENATE BILL 1100, WHICH IS LEFT
VAGUE AND NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT
WHAT DISRUPTS ORDER. VACCINES
AND BOOSTERS WILL NOT
EFFECTIVELY ENDING PANDEMIC ONE
INFECTED THE LEVEL OF VIRUS IN
THE NASAL, PHARYNX AND
VACCINATED PERSON IS THE SAME AS
THAT IN AN UNVACCINATED PERSON.
THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB IS TO MAKE
VACCINES AVAILABLE, NOT MANDATE
THEM. NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, WE
WILL ALWAYS HAVE DISEASE. I
THINK WE'D BE MORE PRODUCTIVE,
ENCOURAGING OUR CITIZENS TO
EXERCISE AND HAVE A BETTER DIET.
AND EIGHT AND IF EIGHT AND 10 OF
COVID DEATHS ARE AMONG THOSE 65
OLDER, ACCORDING TO THECDC, WHY
ARE WE PUNISHING THE YOUNG
PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA? WE'RE DONE WITH THE
STATUS QUO AND THE MISMANAGEMENT
OF OUR STATE POLITICIANS HAVE
SEEMINGLY DENIED ONE'S ABILITY
TO CHOOSE WHETHER MASKING OR
VACCINATION IS RIGHT FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE BEEN RELENTLESS AND
INSINCERE IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST
FAMILIES. I HOPE YOU CAREFULLY
CONSIDER YOUR STEPS BEFORE
TAKING ACTION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR BERNIER. NEXT, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE COME TO
ADDRESS RESEARCH YOUR NAME FIRST
, PLEASE. CHERYL MCEWAN, HARPER
FATE LEAD OF THE PEOPLE'S
MOVEMENT OF CALIFORNIA. WE ARE
NOT RED OR BLUE, SIMPLY HUMAN.
RESEARCH ISN'T NECESSARY TO
DETERMINE HOW TO REGAIN OUR
TRUST. I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND
YOU TO SIMPLY LISTEN I HAVE
LEARNED MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT
POSSIBLE BY LISTENING TO PEOPLE
THAT I DISAGREE WITH, OR HAD
BEEN TAUGHT TO HATE THE ONE
THING PEOPLE SEEM TO AGREE UPON
, REGARDLESS OF PARTY. IS THAT
OUR GOVERNMENT? THE PEOPLE ARE
NOW IRRELEVANT AND WE ARE NOT
BEING HEARD. AS FOR PANDEMIC AND
MEDICAL SITUATIONS, WE NEED TO
LISTEN TO ALL DOCTORS, NOT JUST
THE ONES WITH WHOM YOU AGREE.
LET THEM DO THEIR RESEARCH. FIND
TREATMENTS. LET THEM SPEAK. LET
THEM DO THEIR JOBS. MEDICINE IS
NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL REMEMBER
WHEN ASKING FOR A SECOND OPINION
WAS NOT JUST OKAY BUT ENCOURAGED
. LISTEN TO ALL OF THE SCIENCE,
ESPECIALLY SCIENCE YOU MIGHT NOT
AGREE WITH. IT IS THE ONLY WAY
WE LEARN. GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT
BE PRACTICING MEDICINE IF YOU
WANT OUR TRUST, BEHAVING A
TRUSTWORTHY MANNER, DO
TRUSTWORTHY THINGS. GIVE US
ACCESS TO ALL OF THE INFORMATION
. SO WE'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE
DECISIONS FOR OUR OWN MEDICAL
CARE WITH OUR DOCTORS WITHOUT
FEAR OF REPERCUSSION OR
INTERFERENCE FROM OUR GOVERNMENT
. WE REALLY ARE NOT STUPID. AND
YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY MEDICAL
EXPERTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT
YOU ARE HUMAN, TOO, AND YOU TOOK
AN OATH TO PROVIDE A REPETITION,
TENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
WHETHER WE ARE RED, WHETHER WE
ARE BLUE, WHETHER WE ARE PURPLE
OR POLKA DOT MOST OF US DO NOT
FEEL WE ARE BEING REPRESENT
ANYMORE, PLEASE HEAR US. THIS
CAN REESTABLISH TRUST, NO
RESEARCH. NECESSARY. THANK YOU
FOR YOU. TIME. YOU. MARK
MARTHALER. UM, KIND OF ANXIOUS
TO GET THIS POINT ACROSS. UH,
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. UM THERE'S LOTS OF
MOVING PARTS AND WHAT WAS SAID
TODAY BY THE SPEAKERS.
PANELISTS. AND IT WAS LOOKING AT
THE PAST AND THEN LOOKING
TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF WHAT TO DO
WHAT I ONE OUT OF THE MANY
THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND THIS
LAST YEAR A COUPLE OF YEARS. ONE
WAS ONE WAS IDEA OF, UH BACK.
FOR CHILDREN. UM UNDER GOING,
YOU KNOW.
SO THE IDEA THAT WOULD PROVIDE.
MAKE THEM MANDATORY OR PERHAPS,
YOU KNOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MHM
. I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO BE,
UH, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT SO
REAL, HOPEFULLY BRIEFLY. UM
GOING BACK TO THE VACCINE AND
THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION.
THAT IT WAS GIVEN IT IS STILL
UNDER RESIDENCY, YOUTH USE
AUTHORIZATION BACK ABOUT A YEAR
AGO. UM AND I'M SORRY TO RUSH
YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TO
OTHER COMMENTERS ON THE PHONE.
SO IF YOU COULD WRAP UP, PLEASE.
OKAY. BUT LET ME SAY BEFORE YOU
DO YOUR HAPPY TO TAKE WRITTEN
COMMENT ALSO, SO THERE'S ANOTHER
VENUE FOR THAT. BUT IF YOU COULD
CONCLUDE YOUR MARKS TO PROVIDE
TIME FOR OTHERS, OKAY, WELL, I
JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN
THIS LETTER IN AUGUST 23RD 2021
ABOUT A YEAR AGO. UH, THERE'S
SECTIONS IN THIS LETTER, WHICH
SPELL OUT PEDIATRICS PEDIATRIC
REQUIREMENTS FOR FURTHER
STUDIES. UM. IN SAFETY AND
EFFECTIVENESS IN CHILDREN 12 TO
15 YEARS OF AGE WITH THE FINAL
REPORT SUBMISSION DUE IN 2023.
AH IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN SIX
MONTHS TO 12 YEARS OLD. FINAL
REPORT SUBMISSION DUE MAY 31ST
2024 NOT TO BE OUTDONE. BYE. AH!
POTENTIAL LONG TERM SEXUALLY OF
MAYO CARD VITUS AFTER
VACCINATION. IN THESE CHILDREN
AND INFANTS WITH THE FINAL STUDY
COMPLETION D IN DECEMBER. 20
31ST 2026, MR MARTIN. THANK YOU
POINT BEING THAT'S FIVE YEARS
AWAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. SO TO
RECOMMEND THESE VACCINATIONS FOR
KILLED CHILDREN AT LEAST WAIT
FOR THE STUDIES TO BE COMPLETED
. POINT HAS BEEN MADE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AS
I SAID, I'D INVITE YOU TO SEND
THAT IN RETURN FOR AS WELL.
SURE. MY NAME IS JOSE. AND THANK
YOU FOR LIFE US HAVE, YOU KNOW,
SHOW UP IN THE IN PERSON TO THIS
LITTLE MEET, SO THANK YOU GUYS.
SO QUICK. I GUESS THE MAIN
QUESTION OUT HERE WAS HOW DO WE
TRUST THE SCIENCE RIGHT? LIKE
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MR FAMILY,
SAYING, I THINK THAT'S HIS NAME
. HE WAS SAYING, HOW DO WE TRUST
THE SCIENCE? BUT I MEAN THIS IS
RIGHT. SOME I MEAN, LIKE TWO
GENDERS, YOU KNOW, BUT NOW WE
KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE
THAN TWO GENDERS. SO THE SCIENCE
IS WRONG. HOW DO WE TRUST THE
SCIENCE WITH THE SCIENCE IS
WRONG SOMETIMES YOU KNOW SO UM,
YOU KNOW, AND ALSO WITH THE
HEALTH WORKERS THAT THEY SAID
THEY QUIT IN THE HOSPITALS AND
ALL THAT. WELL I MEAN, ARE YOU
GUYS TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE ONES
WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO WORK WITH
HELPING THE HEALTH WORK INDUSTRY
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED?
UM YOU KNOW, IN THE THERE'S SOME
COUNTIES OUT THERE THAT THEY
BOUGHT SOME SOME BANKRUPT
HOSPITALS, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY THEY BOUGHT,
I THINK WAS FOUR. YOU KNOW,
NOBODY VOTED FOR IT, YOU KNOW,
AND I THINK THE STATE WAS GIVING
OUT MONEY TOO YOU KNOW, BUT, UM,
LET'S SEE. LET'S SEE FOR INVITES
YOU TO EXPECT YOUR MARKS. SORRY
WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME.
OKAY WELL, ANYWAYS, THANK YOU
GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
MAKING THE TIME AND TESTIFYING
AGAIN, DID NOT WANT TO CUT
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS WAITING TO
TESTIFY ON THE PHONE AS N
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. AND SO WE
ARE GOING TO BE MR NEWMAN. OH MY
GOODNESS. I AM SO SORRY. YOU
WERE BLOCKED BY THE THERE.
PLEASE PURSUE. BUT WE ALSO NEED
TO MAKE CONSENT BETWEEN PATIENT
AND DOCTOR NOT TO HAVE
GOVERNMENT FORCED UPON THESE
DECISIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND APOLOGIES FOR NOT
ACKNOWLEDGING THANK YOU, MR
HOLLIDAY. AND NOW WITH APOLOGIES
WILL MOVE ON TO THE TELEPHONE
LINES, SO ANYONE WANTING TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT VIA THE
TELECONFERENCE LINE. THE
OPERATOR WILL KILL YOU DUE TO
TIME CONSTRAINTS AGAIN. WE'RE
GOING TO LIMIT O ONE MINUTE WE
ARE GOING TO GO TO 3 50 TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE GIVE AMPLE TIME. SO
THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES
FROM NOW, MR MODERATOR, IF YOU
WOULD PLEASE PROMPTLY.
INDIVIDUALS WAITING TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BEGIN AND
WILL PROCEED THROUGH THE POWER
OF 3 50. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY,
PLEASE PRESS 10 THAT COMMAND
AGAIN, 10. FIRST WE'LL GO TO
LINE 24. GRACIE SUPPORTED A
BIRCH IT WITH VAQUITA RESERVE
FAMILIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA
WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. COVID
VACCINE MANDATE FOR STUDENTS IN
OUR SCHOOL IS ON HOLD CURRENTLY
AND AT LEAST UNTIL JULY. 23 IT
IS SO LOOMING DENMARK ADVISEMENT
THAT CHILDREN THROUGH AGE 17
WILL NO LONGER BE OFF WITH THE
COVID VACCINES. THE COVID
VACCINES IS NOT NOT A PERSON
FROM GETTING OR TRANSMITTING
COVID. MOST CHILDREN HAVE HAD SO
BID. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO
SUPPORT OF COVID VACCINE MANDATE
FOR ANY OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR
SCHOOLS OR ANYONE. I ENCOURAGE
THIS COMMITTEE TO KEEP THIS IN
MIND AS WE GO INTO THE 23
LEGISLATIVE YEAR, OUR CHILDREN
AND OUR CALIFORNIA NEED TO
RETURN TO NORMAL. REACH OUT TO
SEA DPH TERMINATE ANY REMAINING
MASS ORDERS IN SUCH PLACES AS
HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CLINICS.
AND TERMINATE THE VACCINE
VERIFICATION FOR WORKERS IN
SCHOOLS ORDER. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND THANK YOU, MR
MODERATE. BEFORE YOU PROMPT THE
NEXT CALLER, CAN YOU GIVE US AN
IDEA OF HOW MANY COLLEGE WE HAVE
WAITING AND I WILL APOLOGIZE,
GENERATE? WHO DOES NOT MAKE THE
CUT OFF? WE'RE GOING TO END THIS
HEARING AT 3 50, MS MODERATE.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE IN THE
QUEUE? RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE NINE
MORE PEOPLE IN CUBA. THIS MIGHT
WORK OUT, PLEASE PURSUIT. NEXT
WE'LL GO TO LINE 27. HI. MY NAME
IS DAMIEN. YES, YOU ARE. PLEASE
PROCEED. AWESOME. MY NAME'S
CHERISH CASTANEDA AND I
REPRESENT SP HIâU LOCAL 1000
STATE WORKERS FROM ASKING IF YOU
COULD PLEASE, MR NELSON, GIVE ME
A LITTLE MORE TIME THAT'S OVER
100,000 EMPLOYEES FOR THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA GOT TWO MINUTES,
PLEASE. AND THEN WE'LL STILL
FINISH IT ON TIME. PLEASE
PROCEED. AWESOME I'M ALSO A
MINISTER OF HEALTH FOR THE LIFE
COMPANIES INDIGENOUS, UH, PRIORY
, AND SO IN THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC
, I'VE BEEN FRONT LINE WITH
PEOPLE HANDS ON. WE DIDN'T HAVE
PPE FOR SIX MONTHS. THEN COMES
THE MASK MANDATE. BDC CED PH.
BOTH AGREE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE PREVENTED FROM MASKING.
HOWEVER IN THE OFFICE, THEY
WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE ANYBODY.
YOU WERE SENT HOME ON AN UNPAID
LEAVE OF ABSENCE. COMPLETELY
UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND UNLAWFUL,
BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF
DISCRIMINATION WE HAD TO DEAL
WITH. WE DID WHAT WE COULD WHEN
WE WERE OUT IN THE PUBLIC
WITHOUT ALL THOSE EQUIPMENT. WE
DIDN'T GET SICK WHEN WE DID. WE
TOOK TIME OFF LIKE WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO. WHEN YOU'RE SICK.
YOU STAY HOME. ALL OF A SUDDEN
COMES WITH FALSE MANDATE FROM
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT WE
HAVE TO GET VACCINATED OR BE
SUBJECT TO WEEKLY TESTING. WELL
I REQUESTED A COPY OF THAT
MANDATE AND THERE IS NO MANDATE
DPH LIES THEY FALSELY SIGNED A
CONTRACT BEFORE THEY BARGAINED
WITH THIS. YEAH YOU LOCAL 1000.
AND THEY GAVE AWAY ALL OF OUR
DNA AND PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION
INFORMATION. THIS IS CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY THAT ARGON IS
PARTICIPATING IN. HE SIGNED A
CONTRACT WITH COLOR GENOMICS
SPEAKS GIVING ACCESS TO COLOR
GENOMICS NEED TO HAVE THE DATA
AND INCLUDING DNA OF ALL THE
STATE EMPLOYEES. I COULD NOT
FIND THAT CONSENT FORM BECAUSE
IN ORDER TO HAVE CONSENT, THERE
NEEDS TO BE INFORMATION. YOU
HAVE TO HAVE A RIDING CALIFORNIA
TO INFORMED CONSENT. I WAS
TERMINATED UNLAWFULLY AS BEING
TOLD THAT I WAS BEING WILLFULLY
DISOBEDIENT. I WAS JUST BEING
EDUCATED AND ALSO IT VIOLATES MY
RELIGIOUS POLICE TO GIVE MY D N
A TO A TESTING COMPANY THAT'S
GOING TO MUSIC FOR MARKETING AND
RESEARCH PURPOSES. IN CALIFORNIA
. WE HAVE RIGHTS TO PRIVACY
RIGHTS FOR GOTTA. THIS IS FAST
AND IT'S EXTORTION. AND IT IS A
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT ARE GONE
IS PARTAKING IN THERE WAS NEVER
A MANDATE. AGAIN THERE WAS NEVER
A MANDATE. ALTHOUGH I MISS CASH
NET I'M SORRY. YOU'RE TWO
MINUTES IS UP. I APPRECIATE YOUR
TESTIMONY. MR MODERATOR NEXT,
PLEASE. NEXT WE'LL GO TO LINE
21. 21 YEAR MIKE IS OPEN. ME.
HMM. AND THAT'S WHY WE GOTTA
LINE 32. YES MY NAME IS BRENDA
MATTER. I DIDN'T PLEASURE COUNTY
. I'D LIKE TO AGREE WITH MR
HARDY AND EVERYTHING. I OPPOSE
SNACK MANDATE THAT THE MANDATE
MM. HI. EVERYONE IS THE SAME.
AFRAID THAT THESE VACCINES ARE
ACTUALLY TELLING PEOPLE THAT
DON'T REALLY NEED THEM. NEVER
HAD A FLU SHOT. I NEVER HAD THE
FLU. I'VE BEEN AROUND PEOPLE
WITH SO GOOD. I'VE NEVER HAD ANY
SENTENCE, NOR HAVE I TESTED
PARTNER. ARE LIKE, PLEASE DON'T
GO THROUGH WITH THESE MEN BE.
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR
MARTORANA. NEXT, PLEASE. NEXT
WE'LL GO TO LINE 19. HI THERE.
MY NAME IS LINDA RICH FROM
PLASTER COUNTY. UM I APPRECIATE
ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT
OVERVIEW TODAY AND THE OPINIONS
OF THE UM AND I AGREE THERE MAY
VERY WELL BE FUTURE HEALTH
EMERGENCY COORDINATED EFFORTS
WILL BE OF BENEFIT ALL CITIZENS
IN OUR STATE. BUT WHEN WE'RE
CRAFTING THESE NEW IDEAS, WE
NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE CURRENT
DATA REGARDING COVID, AND THAT
SHOULD INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST
TWO CATEGORIES. UNVACCINATED
PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD COVERED
WITH NATURAL IMMUNITIES. SO WE
STILL HAVE. WE STILL HAVE NOT
SEEN THIS DATA IN CHARGE
STATEWIDE OR NATIONALLY, UM, AND
ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE'S
OTHER PROTOCOLS THEY COULD WORK
AND DO WORK. 10 I THINK IS
INCORRECT, SAYING THAT PEOPLE
WHO DISAGREE PEOPLE THAT GET THE
IMPROPER INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA I PERSONALLY KNOW DOCTORS
AND I CAN'T SEE WHO CREATED
COVID PEOPLE AND HAVE BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN USING OTHER
PROTOCOLS. SO AT THE END, I JUST
LIKE TO SAY, PLEASE, AS YOUR
CRAFTING THESE NEW IDEAS AND
TRYING TO NAVIGATE AND
COORDINATE FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, YOU REALLY SHOULD
LOOK AT ALL THE INFORMATION.
THAT IS RELATED TO, UM COVID AND
ALSO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT METAL, MEDICAL EQUALITY.
IT SHOULD ALSO APPLY NOT JUST TO
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, BUT
ALSO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, UM
WORLD VERSUS CIRCUMSTANCES FOR
ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN
OUR STATE, SO I'D LIKE YOU TO
KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND LASTLY, I
THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE GREATER
PUBLIC INPUT BECAUSE THIS IS NEW
TERRITORY. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD
IN FIELDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. MR RICHARD.
APPRECIATE THAT NEXT CALLER,
PLEASE. NEXT WE'LL GO TO LINE
12. HI I JUST WANT TO SAY ON THE
RECORD, IT'S CHAIR. YOU HAVE THE
DISCRETION TO EXTEND THE HEARING
. AND ALTHOUGH I DO, HEDSTROM,
WE MADE A DEAL. WE GIVE YOUR
TIME TO MR COLEMAN. MODERATOR
NEXT, PLEASE. NEXT WE'LL GO TO
LINE 29. SORRY. WE MADE A DEAL
NEXT, PLEASE. IN 29. YOUR MIC IS
OPEN. MHM LINES. 13 YOUR MIC IS
OPEN. NOTHING IS HONORABLE
CHANCE. SENATORS THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMENT TODAY. MANILA'S EDGAR
TEASING HIM AT THE CALIFORNIA
IMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER. 126
STATES IS THE FIRST COVID 19
CASES WORKING FROM AND
CALIFORNIA. UNFORTUNATELY MANY
OF THE SAME EXCLUSIONS THAT WERE
IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE
RESPONSES THAT CALIFORNIA
CREATED TO RESPOND TO THE COVID
19 PANDEMIC ARE STILL IN PLACE,
AND, AS A RESULT IS SPORTS
MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS
FACE TO EXTREMES EITHER BEING
FORCED TO WORK IN AND SINGAPORE
CONDITIONS WITH THEM THE HEALTH
RISKS OR LOSING THEIR JOB
WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL RECOURSE.
SMALL ONE TIME PAYMENTS WEREN'T
ENOUGH, UNFORTUNATELY, AND WE'RE
ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT
OTHER CALIFORNIANS WERE ABLE TO
GET ACCESS TO IT IN ORDER TO GET
BY. DRINK THE NAVY OF THE
PANDEMIC AND WHEN IT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT FOR INDUSTRY TO STAY
OPEN. BE EXCLUDED FROM
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND
EQUITABLE PANDEMIC RELIEF MEAN
THAT COVID 19 PANDEMIC IS STILL
BEING FELT BY IMMIGRANT WORKERS
WHO HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR SAVINGS
HAVE GONE INTO DEBT, LOST THEIR
HOMES AND LOVED ONES AND THROW
THE PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AMONG
MANY OTHER BURDENS THAT THEY'VE
HAD TO SHOULDER AS IT CONTINUED
BRAIN, HIGH HOUSING, ECONOMIC
AND HEALTH BURDENS, IN
PARTICULAR, AS COST OF LIVING
INCREASE EVERYWHERE. AND THE
LONG COVID THREATENS TO
UNDERMINE RECOVERY. FIRST
PANELIST SHARED COUSIN 19
EVERYONE ANYWHERE FOREVER LONG
TIME AFTERWARDS OR IT'S PAST
TIME FOR CALIFORNIA TO
RECONSIDER HOW SUPPORT
IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE INDELIBLE
PART OF OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN
ECONOMIC CRISIS PANDEMIC OR
NATURAL DISASTER STRIKE. WE URGE
YOU TO CONSIDER REMOVING
EXCLUSIONS FROM THE BASIC
PILLARS OF SEEKING IT, STARTING
WITH UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS,
WHICH RESEARCH SHOWED HELPING
AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
MORE THAN ANY OTHER PROGRAM TO
BE ABLE TO WEATHER THE ECONOMIC
IMPACTS INDEPENDENCE. PART OF
THE SECOND COALITION. CALIFORNIA
IMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER SUPPORT
ASSEMBLY, 28-7, WHICH WOULD DO
JUST THAT BY CREATING AN EXCLUDE
WORKER PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE
CRITICAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT,
BECAUSE THOSE EXCLUDED IMMIGRANT
WORKERS AND TO CREATE A MORE
EQUITABLE AND REGIONAL IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME. AND THANK YOU, MR
ORTIZ. NEXT, PLEASE. NEXT WE'LL
GO TO LINE 16 3 MORE. CAN YOU
HEAR ME? YES. PLEASE PROCEED.
ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. HELLO
PARENTS REMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
SERENA, MOTHER OF THREE. AND AN
ADVOCATE AND MEMBER OF EDUCATE
ADVOCATE BUT WE WEREN'T
SOMETHING ENDEMICS OF MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS LOST THEIR JOBS,
GOVERNMENT SHUTTING DOWN
BUSINESSES CLOSING SCHOOLS. THE
CLOSING GYMS AND DEEMED ONLY
CERTAIN PROFESSIONS AS ESSENTIAL
WHILE THE REST OF US QUICKLY
REALIZED WE WERE NOT SIDE.
THAT'S NOT BEING ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE EVEN WITH OUR LOVED
ONES WHO ARE PASSING AWAY. THIS
IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY AND
COMPLETE ABUSE OF GOVERNMENT
POWER. CHILDREN HAVE SUFFERED
THE MOST DURING THE LAST TWO
YEARS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN WITH
LEARNING DISABILITIES OR GENDER
DISPARITIES AND THE LITTLE LEVEL
OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES. INSTEAD
THE RESPONSE WITH MILLIONS ON UM. PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT VACCINES
THAT DID NOT STOP THE SPREAD OF
COVID AND DENY MILLIONS THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTS. WE
SAID WE WOULD NOT LEAVE CHILDREN
BEHIND. THOUSANDS OF SUICIDES
PROVE OTHERWISE. I WOULD SUGGEST
, BUT ISOLATED BY I WOULD
SUGGEST I THOUGHT A VIRUS, NOT
ISOLATE HUMANITY BACK TO MANAGE
SHOULD NEVER BE FORCED UPON. AN
INDIVIDUAL MINISTER IS NOT ONE
SIZE FITS ALL KEEP CLINICS OUT
OF SCHOOL. AND KEEP THEM
SEPARATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME AND LOOSENING AND
THANK YOU AND MR MODERATOR,
QUICK CHECK HOW MANY COLORS
REMAIN? WE ONLY HAVE ONE LEFT.
VERY GOOD LAST CALLER. YOU GET
THE LAST WORD, PLEASE PURSUIT.
LINE, 21. THIS IS WARREN HEATLEY
ON THE CHAIRMAN OF REBUILD
CALIFORNIA DOT COM. I'M ALSO
RETIRED SERGEANT WITH THE YOLO
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND
I PARTICIPATED IN PANDEMIC
TRAINING THROUGH THE MCCOOL WAS
A WAS A MEMBER OF OUR EMERGENCY
CARE COMMITTEE. UM AND EMERGENCY
MEDICAL CARE COMMITTEE. AND YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE. I JUST HAVE TO SAY
THAT PEOPLE HAVE GOOD CAUSE AND
CONCERNED TO QUESTION THE
SCIENCE. SCIENCE HAS BEEN WRONG
BEFORE AND YOU KNOW, LOOK BACK
TO THE FIFTIES, YOU HAD DOCTORS
WHO ARE BEHOLDEN TO BIG TOBACCO
AND CHAMPIONING, UM YOU KNOW,
TOBACCO USE AND SMOKING AND
ACTUALLY DOING ADVERTISEMENTS
FOR CAMEL CIGARETTES. YOU CAN
LOOK IT UP, GO TO YOUTUBE. UM SO
YOU KNOW, AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE
GOOD CAUSE FOR CONCERN BECAUSE
IT WAS THE SITE THAT CONDUCTED
THE EXPERIMENT ON THE TUSKEGEE
FOLKS, SO THERE IS GOOD CAUSE
FOR SOME CONCERN, AND PEOPLE
HAVE AN INNATE SENSE OF
SURVIVAL. SIX. SENSE WHERE THEY
KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS AMISS.
THEY KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS
WRONG AND NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU
TRY AND PULL THE WATER OVER
THEIR EYES, THEY'RE GOING TO
DISCOVER THE TRUTH AND THEY'RE
GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF
IT. THAT IS HUMAN NATURE, FOLKS.
SO WELCOME, YOU KNOW, UH, OPEN
AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT WOULD
WELCOME THEIR QUESTIONING AND
CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU NEED TO
QUESTION GOVERNMENT AT EVERY
LEVEL ALL THE TIME. THANK YOU
AND GOD BLESS AND THANK YOU AND
I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH MUCH OF
WHAT YOU SAID. THANK YOU FOR
CALLING IN THAT CONCLUDES OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK EVERYBODY WHO CALLED IN
AND EVERYBODY WHO CAME AND
TESTIFIED IN PERSON TO MR
HEALY'S POINT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS
WHAT GOVERNMENTS ABOUT AND WE
ARE BETTER FOR A FREE AND UNFAIR
DISCUSSION. EVEN IF WE SOMETIMES
DISAGREE, AND EVEN IF WE DON'T
KNOW THE ANSWERS, SO WITH THAT,
LET ME OFFICE IN DEBATES A
CHANCE FOR ANY CLOSING REMARKS
AGAIN. JUST THANK YOU, AND I
THINK ONE OF THE TAKE AWAY IS
REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN THE
SCIENTISTS THEMSELVES SAID THAT
IT'S OKAY TO SAY WE DON'T KNOW.
AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT AND
I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD A LOT
OF THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND
THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR HOPEFULLY
NOT FOR THE NEXT ONE, AND WE
DON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS IN
THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT AGAIN,
THANK YOU, SENATOR NEWMAN AND
APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE TODAY. AND I
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, SO
LET ME CLOSE. BY SAYING, YOU
KNOW, WRAPPING UP. TODAY'S
DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ABOUT MOVING
BEYOND OUR CURRENT EXPERIENCE
WITH THE PANDEMIC. MUCH OF IT
HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING. IN
MANY CASES AS BOTH THE WITNESSES
ALSO, THE COLLEGE OF POINTED
OUT, WE HAVE STRUGGLED FOR
INFORMATION WE HAVE GRASS FOR
CELL. IN SOME CASE. WE HAVE
SUFFICIENTLY EARNED THE PUBLIC'S
TRUST. TO ENSURE THAT CALIFORNIA
IS FULLY READY TO TACKLE THE
NEXT SIMILAR AND SADLY
INEVITABLE PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY. THE QUESTION IS NOT
IF BUT WHEN THAT WILL COME AS
WITH EARTHQUAKES IN CALIFORNIA,
THESE THINGS ARE INEVITABLE. OUR
GOAL OUR OBLIGATION AS
POLICYMAKERS REPRESENTATIVES TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULLY
READY FOR IT. CALIFORNIA SHARED
EXPERIENCE WITH COVID 19 HAS
BROUGHT INTO SHARP FOCUS THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF
INVESTING. IN ADVANCE
PREPAREDNESS AND SHARING OF
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE SO
THAT WE CAN LEARN EARLY AND
THOROUGHLY FROM MISSTEPS AND
PREPARE FOR FUTURE MUTATIONS AND
NEW PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS. THE
INHERENT CHALLENGE IN ADDRESSING
AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO
ENSURE PREPAREDNESS IS THAT THE
RISK CAN SOMETIMES FEEL
INTANGIBLE OR SEEM INVISIBLE OR
THAT WE GET TOO COMFORTABLE IN
BETWEEN CRISIS TOO OFTEN.
EFFORTS TO SOUND THE ALARM, THEN
GO UNHEEDED UNTIL TOO LATE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPERATIVE.
THE COVID 19 SERVE AS A WAKE UP
CALL FOR ALL OF US. IT WILL TAKE
ACTION FROM ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT TO RECALIBRATE AND
REPRIORITIZE RESOURCES TO
ADDRESS THE NEW REALITY OF
GLOBAL THREATS. SO MY DEEPEST
THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN
TODAY'S PROCEEDING, IT WAS
PRODUCTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL
CONVERSATION. VERY GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR INSIGHT. AND FOR YOUR TIME
. THANK YOU AS WELL AGAIN TO ALL
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CALLED IN OR
MADE THEIR WAY HERE TO
PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC TESTIMONY,
PARTICULARLY THANKS TO SENATE
STAFF, ESPECIALLY CASSIE ROYCE.
OUR COMMITTEE CONSULTANT
CONTINUES TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
IN MAKING THE WORK OF THE
COMMITTEE. SMOOTH AND EFFECTIVE
IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO TESTIFY
VIA TELECONFERENCE SERVICE, YOU
CAN STILL SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS
OR SUGGESTIONS WE WOULD WELCOME
THEM IN WRITING. TO THE
COMMITTEE AT S. C P R. S C P R
THAT'S FOR SENATE COMMITTEE ON
PANDEMIC. EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT
CNN DOT CA DOT GOV. YOUR
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE
IMPORTANT. WE WANT TO INCLUDE
YOUR TESTIMONY IN THE OFFICIAL
HEARING RECORDS. THANK YOU,
EVERYBODY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR
PARTICIPATION. WE HAVE NOW
COMPLETED TODAY'S HEARING WITH
THAT THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
PANDEMIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS
ADJOURNED.