OWL ALERT October 31: TELL CONGRESS TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS

SITUATION: In May OWL devoted its Membership Meeting to a discussion of Gun Violence with a speaker from the Brady campaign.

And now we have yet another mass killing using a high-powered automatic weapon.

We must tell our Congress people to ban the sale of all automatic assault weapons.

ACTION: Please write again to Congresswoman Pelosi, and Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler. Tell them how you feel about this preventable violence in our country, town after town—565 mass shootings so far in the U.S. this year!

Also please share this message with friends, family and colleagues. 

Contact info:

Nancy Pelosi
1236 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4965
Click HERE to email Nancy Pelosi

Alex Padilla
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3553
Click HERE to email Alex Padilla

Laphonza Butler
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G-12
Washington, DC 20510 
(202) 224-3841 
Click HERE to email Laphonza Butler

OWL ALERT October 26: INFORM AND PROTECT SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY APEC

SITUATION: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting being held in San Francisco from November 11th to the 17th will involve dignitaries and heads of state visiting from 21 member nations—including U.S. President Joe Biden and potentially his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. For this reason, U.S. Homeland Security has designated the APEC summit a “National Special Security Event,” and has called for an “exclusion zone,” which will close streets and limit vehicular and pedestrian mobility in the South of Market Area.
 
This area is home to many vulnerable residents, including immigrants, unhoused and seniors, plus small businesses, childcare centers and schools.
 
The Mayor’s office recently announced that they surpassed their fundraising goal, and the bulk of these funds have been budgeted to advertise and promote APEC, along with plans and events to host dignitaries—while there has been very little information shared with the affected communities on how their daily lives and movement may be impacted.
 
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution urging Mayor Breed to prioritize funds—currently on reserve for residents and neighborhoods including community based organizations, schools, small businesses, and workers—to address and mitigate the local impacts and disruptions that will be caused by the APEC related activities.

SOLUTION: OWL-SF is very concerned about the impacts of the coming APEC summit. Please contact Mayor London Breed to request that she spend some of the $10 million in reserve funds set aside for the APEC conference to inform and assist seniors and people with disabilities as well as families living in the area. 

Mayor London Breed
phone: (415) 554-6141
E-mail:
 MayorLondonBreed@sfgov.org

OWL ALERT October 19: CELEBRATE OWL VICTORIES

OWL-SF would like to thank Members for your political participation via OWL Alerts. Congratulations are in order for a pair of recent victories:

The OWL Alert for September 6 asked Members to contact California State legislators to urge them to pass AB 645, which creates a pilot program in several California cities—including San Francisco—installing cameras to enforce speed limits. Not only did the legislature pass the bill, Governor Newsom signed it into law on October 13.
 

C   O   N   G   R   A   T   U   L   A   T   I   O   N   S   !
 
Then on September 28, the OWL Alert asked Members to contact Newsom to urge him to sign AB 360, a bill that will prevent the mislabeling of wrongful in-custody deaths as “excited delirium,” which frequently—and wrongly—justified the use of force by law enforcement. The Governor did in fact sign the bill into law on October 8, another victory!
 
C   O   N   G   R   A   T   U   L   A   T   I   O   N   S   !   A   G   A   I   N   !
 
OWL-SF is deeply proud of our contribution to grassroots social change!

OWL Alert October 13: WE’RE TAKING THE FIGHT TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

Please try to attend this important Medicare webinar and also forward this to friends across the country.


Dear Medicare supporter,

As we move into Medicare’s Open Enrollment period, PNHP is ramping up its campaign against corporate profiteering. The need is clear: Our recently released report shows that the so-called “Medicare Advantage” program is overpaid by a stunning amount—up to $140 billion per year. That’s money that should be going to patient care instead of profits for executives and shareholders. We have to put an end to this, and we need your help to do it.

Please join us on Monday, Oct. 16 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern (1 pm Western) for an important webinar kicking off our campaign against corporate profiteering in Medicare Advantage.

REGISTER HERE

We’ll be going over our new report, sharing powerful stories from patients and physicians, and providing lots of ways for you to join the fight. We’ll also be joined by several allies in this movement, and will hear a special message from Medicare for All lead sponsor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal!

 

Millions of Medicare champions are taking action to stand up for seniors and people with disabilities. Help build the kind of grassroots movement we need to confront the power of big insurance…and win!

This next phase of the campaign kicks off next Monday, Oct. 16 with the OPEN SEASON webinar.

Please join us. 

Physicians for a National Health Program
29 E Madison St Ste 1412 | Chicago, Illinois 60602
312-782-6006 | info@pnhp.org

OWL Alert Oct 3: Understanding Long Term Care and Who Pays For It

At our last OWL membership meeting on September 23 we had a good discussion of long-term care and Medicare with some questions still left unanswered. Here is an opportunity to hear more about this important topic from one of our partner groups—the Community Living Campaign—as part of their Zoom presentations each week.

Understanding Long Term Care and Who Pays For It
As if the fear and treatment related to this issue is not enough, the financial concern is an added burden. Join Sarah Hooper, j.d. UC School of Law as she discusses the options currently available to help.

Takes place, Friday, October 6, Noon to 1 pm.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT :

To join by phone, dial 669-900-6833 or 646-558-8656.
Enter Meeting ID: 298 110 801# and then the password: 671492

To join by video from a PC, Mac, Linux, IOS or Android device, 
Click this link: https://ucsf.zoom.us/j/298110801

Password is: 671492

For more information, see: https://sfcommunityliving.org/event/senior-connections-2023/2023-10-06/

NAVIGATING THE MEDICARE MAZE – A Detailed, Informative Report

OWL Presentation: Saturday, Sep’t. 23, 2023 11a
HELP!!!
Navigating the Medicare/Medi-cal Maze

by Chris Dillon

My professional credentials:
*Licensed Nursing Home Administrator; State and Federal Licensures
*Licensed Residential Care Facility Administrator/State of Ca.
*Certified Eden Alternative Associate: Culture Change facilitator
*Certified Social Services Designee/SNF Level
*Member of the employee/ownership team of Foresight Management Services.
* I ended my career in LTC as a consultant to the Foresight Management
Services buildings statewide.
*Current: District 11 appointee to Disability and Aging Services Advisory Board

My theme: Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Not as easy as it should be in the convoluted world of long term care!

    I. Understanding your care options
    II. Understanding the payor source

Acronyms commonly encountered:
SNF: skilled nursing facility. (medical model of care)
● Licensed through Ca. Dep’t of Public Health (CDPH) &/or Center for
       Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
● Includes: Rehab. Facilities, Sub-acute Facilities, Distinct Part Facilities
(these are special units within SNFs and Acute hospitals which receive higher Medi-cal reimbursment due to severity         of diagnosis and clinical care requirements)
You can learn more about this designation here:
https://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/what-part-a-covers/medicare-part-a-coverage-skilled-nursing-facility-care
This level of care receives strictly limited/tightly controlled Medicare A Reimbursement.

RCFE: Residential Care Facility for the Elderly

A.L.: Assisted Living Facility

CMS: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

CDPH: Ca. Dep’t of Health Services

D.S.S.: Ca. Dep’t of Social Services

    I. RCFE & Assisted Living

Options are rooted in your specific needs
1). This is Custodial Care – not clinical

a). Residential Care for the Elderly
This licensure is not clinical.
It is licensed through the state Dep’t. of Social Services & is a social model.
RCFE inspection/surveys are mandated to be unannounced
and performed annually by Department of Social Services.

b). Assisted Living (AL): these facilities offer assistance with some activities of daily living (ADLs).
              This is custodial care.
The staff member providing the service is not required to be
licensed or certified.

IMPORTANT: these facilities may not administer or assist a resident with actually taking their medications. They may not change dressings or provide wound care, etc.
*They may remind and encourage, but cannot put the med into a residents mouth, administer injections, etc.
*They may contract with a Medicare licensed Home Health Agency to provide preparation and/or administration of meds, wound care, etc.
*Services provided by a licensed home health agency must be ordered by the attending physician and are billed under Medicare Part B.
This link will provide an explanation of assisted living facilities:
https://www.aging.ca.gov/Care_Options/Assisted_Living_Facilities/#:~:text=The%20term%20%22assisted%20living%20facility,well%20as%20much%20larger%20facilities.

The above types of care are not covered by Medicare or Medi-cal. Some ‘Board and Care’ coverage may be provided by SSI assignment.
A board and care is a small home like facility, usually consisting of 6 to 8 beds, many in 2 bed shared rooms. It is licensed as an RCFE.

2). This link will take you to the overview of custodial levels of care.
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CCLD/OHC-RCFE.pdf

3). This link will take you the search engine which you can use to research the licensing record for facilities which you may be interested in learning more about:
https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/

II. Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)
This designation refers to a spectrum of services including both custodial
and skilled nursing.

1). You can learn about this type of care here:
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/continuingcarecommunities#:~:text=One%20of%20these%20options%20is,usually%20for%20a%20resident’s%20lifetime.

a). a caveat: be very careful of this designation at present. Read and understand the contract well, before signing. You may want to consult an elder care attorney. The skilled nursing facility component is changing rapidly at this level of care (LOC)

III. Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)

A). The majority are licensed through Ca. Dep’t of Public Health (CDPH) &/or Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) California licensing and certification is rooted in Ca. Title 22 Federal licensing and certification is rooted in OBRA ‘87
(the nursing home reform act)

1). Includes: Rehab. Facilities, Sub-acute Facilities, Distinct Part Facilities (these are special units within SNFs and Acute hospitals which receive higher Medi-cal reimbursment due to severity of diagnosis and clinical care requirements).
You can learn more about this designation here:
https://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/what-part-a-covers/medicare-part-a-coverage-skilled-nursing-facility-carehttps://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/what-part-a-covers/medicare-part-acoverage-skilled-nursing-facility-care

This level of care receives strictly limited/tightly controlled Medicare A Reimbursement. The majority of payment for this LOC is private or Medi-cal.

2). This is a clinical/medical model of care.
a). You must have a physician order to be admitted
*a facility may not admit anyone for whom it cannot provide the mandated quality of life and quality of care. Involuntary discharge from the level of care is almost impossible.
b). Care is rooted in your diagnosis & related physician orders. Care is provided by licensed and certified staff.
c). Assessment of the quality of care is rooted in your resident care plan (RCP) and your progress in attaining the interdisciplinary care plan goals
d). Data is gathered in strictly defined protocols and reviewed a minimum of quarterly or at change of condition.
*the resident &/or the resident’s agent must be included in this review and must approve of their care plan.

2). Medicare will cover a maximum of 100 Part A days in a SNF. To qualify, you must be admitted to an acute facility and remained there for ‘3 midnights’. Be careful: many acutes now hold elders on ‘observation’ for the regulatory capped 2 midnights…if this happens to you, you do not qualify for Medicare Part A coverage in the SNF.
a). Day 1-20 is covered at 100% of the cost, as determined by an assessment system known as the Minimum Data Set (MDS). On day 21 a co-payment of $200 per diem is required.
b). The MDS covers all aspects of the clinical care required. A resident must show measurable progress toward their Resident Care Plan goals in order to be medicare covered. With the exception of some types of G-tube feedings, ostomy care, wound care, etc which require clinical assessment, very few residents qualify for 100 days of coverage.
c). When a resident no longer qualifies, the resident &/or their agent will receive a m-care cut letter 72 hours prior to end of coverage. They have the right to appeal the finding. During the interim of the appeal, they cannot be billed privately. If they lose the appeal, they must then
pay the retroactive amount due.
d). Discharge planning is mandated to begin at the date of admission and be included in the Resident Care Plan.
3). Medi-cal is the major source of funding for most SNFs. At present, it’s re-imbursement rate is beginning to fall below the per diem cost of care.
4). Surveys for this LOC are in the purview of Ca. DPH/Licensing and Certification. They are mandated to be within a 15 month window and unannounced, inc. a certain percentage of which must be launched on the PM or midnight shift.
● CMS may also perform surveys for OBRA ‘87 compliance separately.
so as to confirm the accuracy and objectivity of the state survey process.

Further background information:

Financial:

LTC cost fact sheet: (this is from CAHF, the for profit nursing home advocacy org.)
https://www.cahf.org/About/Consumer-Help/Facts-and-Statistics

Medi-cal overview of costs and eligibility:
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/when-californias-medi-cal-will-pay-nursing-home-assisted-living-home-health-care.html

Medi-cal well spouse impoverishment program: (there will be significant changes in the program in Jan. 2024. I’ll update the link/info as it evolves).
https://canhr.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_MEDICAL_Spousal_Impoverishent_HCBS.pdf

Licensing Reports:

RCFE:
https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/

SNF:
https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?providerType=NursingHome

Resources to assist in making care choices:

You can access the quality of life/quality of care survey outcomes & complaint files for SNFs at this site:
https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/en/assets/resources/nursing-home/02174-nursing-home-other-long-term-services.pdf?redirect=true
This site is difficult to navigate but contains important information. It is worth visiting and working with to the best of your ability.

You can access the survey outcomes and complaint files for RCFEs at this site:
https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/

My preferred resources:

CANHR (California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform): this is an advocacy program which has often taken an adversarial stance toward SNFs. That being said: I’ve collaborated intermittently with the founder, Pat McGuiness, for 30 years. Most recently, I worked on a team led by CANHR, seeking mental health funding for SNFs. We were not successful, sadly. Pat and I respect each other and seek to collaborate, even when we disagree. This organization fills an important role in our complex long term care terrain! This organization can link you to elder care attorneys, as well.
https://canhr.org/

The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program:

This is a federally mandated program which is administered differently in each county in the nation. The ombudsman is essentially a problem solving resource for residents, and their families/friends, in long term care facilities. I found their services indispensable. When tours of our facility occurred, if I was present, I always encouraged the visitors to check in with the ombudsman before making a final choice. They have a different perspective and experience of the nursing homes to which they are assigned and can be an excellent resource.
https://aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Long-Term_Care_Ombudsman/

https://aging.ca.gov/Find_Services_in_My_County/

Legal Services for the elderly:
https://aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Legal_Services/

Financial
HICAP: Understanding your health insurance, includingMedicare, Medi-cal, Medicare Advantage Plans, et al. This is an important, invaluable resource:
https://www.hicapservices.net/

Information and Referral
Area Agencies on Aging:
https://aging.ca.gov/Providers_and_Partners/Area_Agencies_on_Aging/

For San Francisco residents:

The HUB: this one site will assist you in navigating all aspects of the aging services sector in our city. All I&R personnel and case managers have a minimum of a masters degree in social work or its equivalent. It is easy to access via Muni &/or BART. You can make an appointment or drop in. There is a small parking area.
https://www.sfhsa.org/locations/das-benefits-and-resources-hub

ADRCs (aging and disability resource centers)
These are ‘mini-HUBs’ scattered throughout the city:
https://www.sfhsa.org/aging-disability-resource-centers-adrcs

Community Living Campaign (CLC) – Aging in Place programs
https://sfcommunityliving.org/

OWL ALERT September 28: CALL WRONGFUL DEATHS BY THEIR RIGHT NAMES

SITUATION:  The term “excited delirium” has been used extensively when reporting on wrongful deaths in custody, frequently justifying the use of violence by law enforcement, and disproportionally applied to black people. In fact, neither the American Medical Association nor the American Psychiatric Association recognizes this term as a legitimate diagnosis.
 
California Senate bill AB 360, would prohibit “excited delirium,” as defined, from being recognized as a valid medical diagnosis or cause of death in this state.

AB 360 has been passed by the California Legislature and will become a law if Governor Newsom signs it.
 
ACTION: Write to Governor Newsom urging him to sign AB 360 to get rid of this racist term.   
 
Go to gov.ca.gov/contact
On the right column “by email,” select “an active bill.”
Select AB360
Purpose is to “leave a comment.”
Hit “next”
Choose “pro”
 
Paste the following for message subject and message:
 
Message Subject: AB360
 
What to Say:
 
Dear Governor Newsom,
 
I am writing to urge you to sign AB360 – Excited Delirium – to make California the leader in ending the fraudulent use of the term as medical science, which it is not.

It is rare that such an important issue can be passed by the legislature with almost universal bipartisan support. In the Senate, there was only one no vote, and in the assembly, 77 ayes and 3 NVRs. Please make California the first state to ban the use “Excited Delirium” and other similar fraudulent terms in death determinations. By signing AB360, you are promoting transparency, accountability and responsibility.
 
Sincerely,
 
Hit “next”
Add contact information (name and email), and submit.
 
 ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues in California. 

OWL ALERT September 21: INVEST IN TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY

“A developed city isn’t one where even the poor drive cars but where even the rich take public transportation.” Enrique Peñalosa

SITUATION: Underinvestment in transit too often leaves seniors and people with disabilities out in the cold. For the environment and for equity, we need to invest in transit that’s accessible for all. 

ACTION: Attend a rally IN PERSON at Market & 5th Street in front of the broken elevator on Wednesday, September 27, from 10 am to 11 am.

If you can’t attend the rally write to Mayor Breed, the supervisors, and members of the State Senate and Assembly urging them to be there. (Contact Info below)
 
What to Say:  I am a senior voter and a member of OWL, Older Women’s League.  Several organizations for seniors and people with disabilities–OWL, Senior & Disability Action,  California Alliance for Retired Americans– have joined other organizations to endorse the upcoming rally “Invest in Transit Accessibility” on September 27 from 10 to 11 at the Hallidie Plaza.  Please show that you care by attending–and perhaps speaking at– this rally. 

Click HERE for London Breed contact info.
Click HERE for SF Board of Supervisors contact info.
Click HERE for California State Assembly contact info.
Click HERE for California State Senate contact info.

OWL ALERT September 6: SPEED CAMERAS SAVE LIVES

SITUATION: About 30 people die and more than 500 are severely injured while traveling on San Francisco streets every year. Seniors are particularly vulnerable, and speeding is a major cause. Speed limits need to be enforced, and speed cameras would be a huge help.

California State Senate bill AB 645 creates a new speed camera program in pilot cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco. AB 645 is out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and heading for the full Senate for a vote on September 14.

ACTION:  Write to state senators, urging them to vote YES on AB 645. Thank Senator Wiener for advocating for the bill.

What to SAYWe need to enforce our speeding limits to save lives and prevent injuries. AB 645 has safeguards for privacy. Please support and vote for AB 645, the Speed Camera Pilot.

SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, September 27th 10:00-11:00 am at Hallidie Plaza (5th and Market, by the cable car turnaround)–a Transit Accessibility Event endorsed by OWL.

Click HERE for State Senator Scott Weiner’s contact info.

Click HERE to identify and locate California State Senate and Assembly Representatives.

OWL ALERT August 28: Laguna Honda Hospital Still Needs Our Help

Situation: Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH) has been recertified for Medi-Cal (Medicaid) as of August 16th, however, this important resource for older people and the disabled is not out of the woods yet! Several questions remain to be answered:

  • Will residents who were inappropriately transferred out of LHH be allowed to return?
  • Will 120 beds still be cut as demanded by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)?
  • Will the “flow project,” prioritizing hard to place patients from SF General Hospital over traditional nursing home patients, continue?

Action: Please call or email your SF Supervisors or SF Public Health Commission.

What to say:

  • Residents previously discharged from LHH must be readmitted.
  • There must be no loss of beds at the nearly new LHH.
  • Stop the “flow project” that allows unsafe and inappropriate admissions to LHH.
  • City, State and Federal agencies must provide sufficient mental health and substance abuse treatment and residential beds to give people the care they need.
  • Elders and people with disabilities must have enough services and housing to enable them to thrive in their communities.

Please share this message with friends, family and colleagues in and near San Francisco.

Contact info:

San Francisco Health Commission
(415) 554-2666
healthcommission.dph@sfdph.org

Click HERE to find contact info for your member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

OWL Alert August 11: Strengthen Financial Abuse Protection for California Seniors

SITUATION: The FBI’s 2022 Elder Fraud Report found that victims over the age of 60 suffered $3.1 billion in losses last year–losses from which victims sometimes never recover. In many cases, much of the loss could have been mitigated or prevented by intervention from banks. California State Senate Bill 278 (SB278) will clarify existing law to hold banks and financial institutions liable for detecting predatory practices.

SB278 has passed in the California State Senate and now heads to the Assembly.

ACTION: Passing SB278 is an important step to make sure banks do more to protect all seniors in California. Contact your State Assemblymembers, and urge them to vote yes on this crucial legislation.

Click HERE to identify and locate your California State legislators.

OWL ALERT JULY 25: MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK BY SUPPORTING REDISTRICTING REFORM IN SAN FRANCISCO

SITUATION: Every ten (10) years the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ election map is redrawn. At the conclusion of the redistricting process in 2022, a report sponsored by, among others, the ACLU of Northern California was issued, indicating that there was a lack of true independence in the process. The report included practical reforms to improve local redistricting and create fair maps

Since 2022, the SF Elections Commission and its FIERCE Committee have been working hard to formulate recommendations for improving the City’s important redistricting process before the next election map is drawn. It is important to act NOW while redistricting is fresh in the minds of people from the 2021-2022 cycle, and—in case a ballot measure is needed for implementation of the reforms— it can be added to the 2024 ballot. 

ACTION: Support the work of the San Francisco Elections Commission and FIERCE Committee by emailing them or attending a meeting. Thank them for working hard to reform the San Francisco redistricting process NOW, and urge them to immediately complete the process.

Also please share this message with friends, family and colleagues. 

Elections Commission: 
elections.commission@sfgov.org

If you prefer, you can give public comments at a meeting instead.

Information regarding Election Commission meetings can be found HERE. More information about the FIERCE Committee can be found HERE. And for an informative and detailed article on why redistricting reform is needed NOW, visit the San Francisco League of Women Voters HERE.

OWL ALERT July 15: RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAIN FOR THE FRAIL ELDERLY AT LAGUNA HONDA

SITUATION: The situation at Laguna Honda Hospital remains dire. Recertification of Laguna Honda Hospital has not been completed. Over 500 frail, elderly and disabled people could be forcibly moved and scattered—with some possibly moved out of state—and cut off from any friends, family or familiar surroundings. 
 

Imagine yourself or a loved one
in that helpless and lonely predicament.

 

San Francisco could lose scores of skilled nursing beds, adding to the already frightening shortage of such caring places. Any one of us might need such a place because of injury, illness or age. We cannot lose any more.

ACTION Yes we’ve done this before, but let’s do it again and keep up the pressure to prevent older and disabled people from the disruption of being transferred out of a facility that has served them in the past.

Contact those below and say “Laguna Honda Hospital must be saved with all beds intact:

 

  • No closure.
  • No bed cuts.
  • No forced relocation of patients.
  • No funding loss. 
OWLs: Even if you have done this before, please do it again. Make them hear us! Hoot and holler!

And share this message with friends, family and colleagues!Contact info:

Click HERE for phone and email contact of individual San Francisco Supervisors,
or write to them at:

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
City Hall, Room 244
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

Xavier Becerra (Secy. of federal Health and Human Services Dept.)
200 Independence Avenue, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email: xavier.becerra@hhs.gov
Phone: 1(877) 696-6775

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure (US Dept. of Health and Human Services)
200 Independence Avenue, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email: LaSure@cms.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 690-6329

OWL ALERT July 7: URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO REPLACE OR REPAIR THE ELEVATOR AT POWELL STREET BART

SITUATION: OWL-SF is informed that the elevator at BART Powell Street Station/Hallidie Plaza has been broken for a protracted period and needs immediate replacement or repair.

The broken elevator has a negative impact on the lives of people with disabilities, seniors who are unable to use the escalator, and people with baby strollers. How are they going to access BART Plaza and Powell and Market Streets? 
 

ACTION: OWL-SF is also informed that the City and County of San Francisco is responsible for maintenance of the elevator. Therefore,  it is vital that we contact the Director of Public Works and San Francisco 311 and report and ask Public Works to immediately replace or repair the elevator. 
 
Also please pass this message along to friends, family and colleagues in San Francisco.
 

Call the Director of Department of Public Works at (628) 271-3160.

Call 311 (or use app) to report and ask for repair or replacement of the elevator at Powell Street Bart/Hallidie Plaza.

For additional information please contact Senior and Disability Action:
Shaya@sdaction.org and Joni@sdaction.org

OWL ALERT JUNE 25: URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO FUND CLIMATE ACTION IN SF

SITUATION: San Francisco Mayor Breed’s recently announced budget included about $1 million dollars for Department of the Environment staff to implement the Climate Action Plan—but it did not include funding for the Climate Equity Hub. The Climate Emergency Coalition is lobbying hard for funds to start up the Hub, which would lay the foundation for the program that will begin to implement needed climate action, including community groups, social justice, jobs, unions, workers, and more.
 
The next step is the add-back process, in which the supervisors propose changes to the budget, reallocating some funds for programs they see as priorities
 
ACTION: It is vital that we contact our SF Supevisors who sit on the Budget Committee (listed below) and urge them to allocate funds for the Climate Equity Hub. All of us can contact Supervisors Peskin and Chan, the others being appropriate if they are the Supervisor for your district. Please identify yourself as an OWL Constituent and insist that they allocate funds for the Climate Equity Hub.
 
Also please pass this message along to friends, family and colleagues in San Francisco.

President Aaron Peskin: 415-554-7450
Connie Chan (chair):  415-554-7410
Rafael Mandelman:  415-554-6968
Hillary Ronen:  415-554-5144
Shamann Walton:  415-554-7670
Ahsha Safai:  415-554-6975

If you’d like to do more, you are invited to attend the following action by the Climate Emergency Coalition: Join the advocates running around City Hall visiting all the Supervisors’ offices to make absolutely sure they’re hearing us loud & clear! 10:30am Monday, just left of the Polk Street City Hall steps.

OWL ALERT June 18: SAVE LIVES–CURTAIL SPEEDING ON OUR CITY STREETS

Speed is the Number One cause of severe and fatal crashes in California.

Children and the elderly are at particular risk.

SITUATION: AB 645 would allow 6 cities, including San Francisco, to have a pilot program of speed cameras in known high accident areas. It has strong equity and privacy features built in.

ACTION: Call the state senators listed below and urge them to “pass this life saving bill – AB 645 – out of their Committee and on to the State Senate floor so the full Senate can vote on it. We need a flood of phone calls.

Senator Lena Gonzalez: (916) 651- 4033
Senator Tom Umberg: ( 916) 651 – 4934

Locate your California State Senator HERE .

OWL ALERT JUNE 10: RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAIN FOR THE VOICELESS FRAIL ELDERLY

SITUATION: Circumstances at Laguna Honda Hospital continue to be dire and cruel. Very cruel. Over 500 frail elderly and disabled people could be forcibly moved and scattered probably out of state and cut off from any friends, family or familiar surroundings. 

Imagine yourself or a loved one in that helpless and lonely predicament.

San Francisco  could lose 769 skilled nursing beds adding to the already frightening shortage of such caring places. Any one of us might need such a place because of injury, illness or age. We cannot lose any more.

ACTION: Contact those below and say “Laguna Honda Hospital must be saved with all beds intact:

  • No closure.
  • No bed cuts.
  • No forced relocation of patients.
  • No funding loss.

OWLs: Even if you have done this before, do it again.
Make them hear us! Hoot and holler!

And share this message with friends, family and colleagues!

Contact info:

Click HERE for phone and email contact of individual San Francisco Supervisors, or write to them at:
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
City Hall, Room 244
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

Xavier Becerra (Secy. of federal Health and Human Services Dept.)
200 Independence Avenue, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email: xavier.becerra@hhs.gov
Phone: 1(877) 696-6775

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure (US Dept. of Health and Human Services)
200 Independence Avenue, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email: LaSure@cms.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 690-6329

 

 

OWL ALERT May 31: WEAR ORANGE AND PROTEST GUN VIOLENCE

Situation: As we learned at OWL’s recent Membership Meeting on gun violence with Brady CA speaker Ruth Borenstein, there are more guns than people in the U.S. Additionally, according to the CDC, guns have become the leading cause of death among children. Women are often the targets of gun violence.

Action: We must demand stricter gun laws, more background checks, and insist that the glorification of guns and weapons be stopped in films, television, print media, advertising and the Internet.
                               _________________________________________________________

Join moms, grandmothers, students, gun violence survivors, and community partners from around the Bay Area at the annual Wear Orange march across the Golden Gate Bridge! Wear orange and gather for a rally at the Marin Vista point at 11 AM, with a march across the bridge to follow.

Click HERE to find out more about Wear Orange events near you.

If you can’t make it to the rally or the walk across the bridge, just wear orange on Sunday, June 4 and let everyone know that you support stricter gun laws, background checks and a stop to the continued glamorization of guns.