Category Archives: Health

Del Norte Seeks $20 Million Grant For Behavioral Health Clinic; Supes Also Support Regional Mental Health Services Project

Thumbnail: Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services employees and their clients commemorated Mental Health Awareness Month with a ceremonial walk to the Flynn Center in May. | File photo by Monique Camarena

Though her department is pursuing the same grant to build a local outpatient behavioral health clinic, Ranell Brown urged supervisors to support a Shasta County project that she says will provide services Del Norte County can’t.

Brown, director of the Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services, said her department’s application for $20 million in Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) seeks to expand the services Del Norte offers. 

The “True North” Behavioral Health Campus, a collaboration between Signature Health Care, Arch Collaborative and the Shasta Health Assessment and Redesign Collaborative is a more regional project, she said.
“The project includes triage and crisis stabilization and inpatient psychiatric care, residential treatment for children and youth and partial hospitalization and social rehabilitation,” Brown said of the proposed “True North” facility. “It’s a much broader project than what we can do in Del Norte County.”

Continue reading Del Norte Seeks $20 Million Grant For Behavioral Health Clinic; Supes Also Support Regional Mental Health Services Project

Water Board Hosts Meeting Focusing On Smith River’s Easter Lily Bulbs

Thumbnail photo: Ninety-five percent of Easter lily bulb production in the United States occurs in the Smith River coastal plain. | Photo courtesy of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

Conservationists seeking to eliminate pesticide use in the Smith River Easter lily bulb industry are urging residents to tell water regulators how they have been impacted on Wednesday.

The California Northcoast Regional Water Quality Control Board isn’t expected to take action, Senior Water Resource Control Engineer David Kuszmar told Redwood Voice Community News. Instead, staff will present findings from a local water quality monitoring study and provide an update on the development of water quality regulations for lily bulb growers.

“This meeting represents an important opportunity for interested members of the public to speak directly to the Board about water quality issues that concern them, Kuszmar said. “Board members are free to offer suggestions and/or provide direction to staff at any time based on information provided and comments received.”

Continue reading Water Board Hosts Meeting Focusing On Smith River’s Easter Lily Bulbs

Huffman Discuses Government Shutdown, ICE, Healthcare With Del Norters

Thumbnail photo and videos by Heather Polen

“This is not a normal time,” Del Norte County’s representative in Congress told his constituents on Sunday.

On the fourth day of a federal government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman began a town hall meeting in Crescent City by addressing who he felt was responsible for 10 months of chaos. Yet it wasn’t only President Donald Trump’s tariffs, executive orders and military deployment to Los Angeles, Portland and other American cities Huffman was referring to.

“We’ve never seen so many of these executive orders from any president in history, and my colleagues in this Congress are comfortable with that,” he said. “They’re pretty comfortable with just yielding their Article 1 independent branch of government authority over to the president.”

Continue reading Huffman Discuses Government Shutdown, ICE, Healthcare With Del Norters

Working Group Battling Opioid Calls Using Settlement Dollars to Build Treatment Capacity, Increase Naloxone Access

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Jermaine Brubaker

Editor’s note: Rx Safe Del Norte and KFUG Community Radio LLP — Redwood Voice’s parent organization — are currently partnering together on TACOCAT, a teen-based program aimed at spreading awareness about opioid abuse in Del Norte County.

Calling the roughly $4 million in opioid settlement dollars Del Norte County is set to receive a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” members of a local coalition stated that it plans to use that money to close the gaps that contributed to the crisis.

The opioid litigation work group’s plan calls for increasing treatment capacity in the jail as well as inside and outside of Del Norte County, according to Behavioral Health Deputy Director Shiann Hogan. The plan also aims to use settlement dollars to better equip law enforcement, emergency personnel and other providers to meet the community’s needs.

According to Hogan, the group’s plan focuses on using opioid settlement dollars Del Norte County currently has.

Continue reading Working Group Battling Opioid Calls Using Settlement Dollars to Build Treatment Capacity, Increase Naloxone Access

Animal Rescuers Wonder Where Pets Will Fit In At New Homeless Shelter, Micro Village

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Del Norte County; Above, Camp Berry founder Rhonda Berry says that of the 150 puppies she’s rescued in about a year 80% of them have come from the homeless encampments. | Photo courtesy of GoFundMe

Gloria Bobertz says she understands that for some people struggling with homelessness, their dog is often their only friend.

She doesn’t think they shouldn’t have pets, but after nearly 20 years working as a behavioral health specialist for Del Norte County, Bobertz, who’s now retired and works with cadaver and search and rescue dogs, said she’s seen the conditions some of these animals are in. She said she had a particularly hard time with a litter of puppies she brought to Camp Berry in July

“They were starved,” Bobertz told Redwood Voice Community News. “I don’t know what they were given to eat, but I can tell you it smelled so rotten. And just the look in their eyes — how can you do this to another living creature?”

Continue reading Animal Rescuers Wonder Where Pets Will Fit In At New Homeless Shelter, Micro Village

Ruth Compound Barriers Will Stay Put; Supervisors Call For Further Remedies To Illegal Dumping, Camping In The Area

Thumbnail photo: Del Norte County Supervisors on Tuesday decided that K rail blocking vehicular access to an area commonly called the Ruth Compound should remain. | Photo by Heather Polen

(Updated at 7:51 p.m. to correct the spelling of Randy Pincombe’s name)

District 1 Supervisor Darrin Short argued that barriers are part of the solution to curtail illegal dumping and camping in the Ruth Compound, though he said Band-Aid is an apt term for them too.

“Band-Aid” was the phrase District 2 Supervisor Valery Starkey coined in February 2024 when Short initially proposed blocking the area. 

On Tuesday, though she ultimately voted with the rest of her colleagues for the barriers to continue, Starkey asked for statistics on the number of illegal dumpsites as well as the number of deputy patrols in the area. 

Continue reading Ruth Compound Barriers Will Stay Put; Supervisors Call For Further Remedies To Illegal Dumping, Camping In The Area

Analysis Finds Del Norte Ambulance Meeting ‘Minimal Requirements’ Though Response Time to Klamath, Gasquet Can Exceed 30 Minutes

Thumbnail photo: Del Norte Ambulance is meeting the terms of its contract with Del Norte County, an analysis of the emergency medical system found. | Photo courtesy of Del Norte Ambulance

Del Norte Ambulance is meeting the minimum requirements of its contract with the county, an assessment of the community’s emergency dispatch system found.

This conclusion is contrary to what several local fire chiefs reported to the Board of Supervisors more than two years ago when it considered awarding the ambulance company sole operating rights in Del Norte.

But the assessment, conducted by EndPoint EMS Consulting LLC, stated that the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office is unable to provide emergency medical dispatch services or provide data on 911 medical call reports. Response times to remote areas in the county often exceeded 30 minutes, and there was a lack of understanding and coordination between Del Norte Ambulance and fire department personnel.

Continue reading Analysis Finds Del Norte Ambulance Meeting ‘Minimal Requirements’ Though Response Time to Klamath, Gasquet Can Exceed 30 Minutes

Lobbyist Talks One Big Beautiful Bill, SRS, EAS and Last Chance Grade With Del Norte Supervisors

Thumbnail photo: Passengers board Advanced Air’s inaugural flight from Crescent City to Hawthorne on March 17, 2024. | Pnoto by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Nearly three weeks after President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law, Greg Burns helped Del Norte County supervisors unpack how it may affect their constituents.

Burns, a representative with Thorn Run Partners, Del Norte’s advocate in Washington D.C., started his presentation to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday by mentioning a program not included in the legislation — the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act.

The lobbyist touched on the Essential Air Service Program, the Community Development Block Grant program, a funding proposal from California’s senators on behalf of the Veterans Memorial Hall as well as the Last Chance Grade project’s long-awaited final environmental clearance.

Continue reading Lobbyist Talks One Big Beautiful Bill, SRS, EAS and Last Chance Grade With Del Norte Supervisors

“29 and Time to Shine” 2025 Community Health Fair

A press release from the Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Branch:

Hello Del Norte County Community Members,

The Del Norte County Public Health Branch is excited to announce our 29th annual Health Fair! This year’s theme is “29 & Time to Shine!” Together, we can transform lives, foster hope, and create a healthier future for our community.

The Health Fair is more than just an event—it’s a movement. It’s about bringing people together to share resources, connect with one another, and inspire change. Families show up for the free resources and giveaways, but they leave with so much more: knowledge, connections, and a renewed sense of community. Let’s make this year the most impactful yet by coming together and providing the tools and services that truly make a difference.

This year, we are introducing the Puzzle Piece Project, a unique opportunity to showcase the incredible community-based programs that help Del Norte County thrive. We invite you to partner with us at Public Health to record short videos that highlight how your program or service contributes to the health and well-being of our community. These videos will symbolize how all of us—like puzzle pieces—fit together to build a stronger, more united Del Norte County. If you are interested in being part of the Puzzle Piece Project, please reach out to Anna Porter.

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Del Norte’s School Wellness Guide Prompts Discussion Over Birthday Parties, Cupcakes, and Equity

Thumbnail photo: Fish tacos were on the menu for Del Norte High School students in this file photo from last year. Julie Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of nutrition services, presented an updated wellness policy and guide to the DNUSD Board of Trustees last week. | Photo courtesy of Josh Mims

Julie Bjorkstrand’s attempt to clear up confusion surrounding a wellness policy and accompanying guide turned into a plea for community involvement after questions about classroom birthday parties, cupcakes, pizza and other treats persisted.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires school districts participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs to adopt a school wellness policy. Such policies are required to include guidelines that set nutrition standards around food and drink sold or provided to students on campus during the school day. 

Treats for classroom parties fall into the latter category, said Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of Nutrition Services, but it doesn’t mean having to give them up entirely.

Continue reading Del Norte’s School Wellness Guide Prompts Discussion Over Birthday Parties, Cupcakes, and Equity