FIRST LADY

New mapping tool to connect immigrants to resources

Now more than ever, immigrants who call Los Angeles County home desperately need resources and services to help them get through the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout.

In response, the LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA), in the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), has launched a newly redesigned website to serve as an open door for the County’s 3.6 million immigrants to access information about critical wraparound services available for them and their families.

The website, immigrants.lacounty.gov, has a new, interactive, map-based immigrant services directory – the first tool of its kind for an immigrant affairs office.

This tool allows visitors to search by topic and location for critical services like COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, health care, food assistance, housing support, legal representation, and small business services provided by over 200 County agencies and community-based organizations.

The new website also has information about some of the most pressing immigration questions, including public charge, DACA, and evolving immigration policies.

To design the much-needed solution, OIA partnered with U.S. Digital Response (USDR) and the County Enterprise Geographic Information Systems (eGIS) team. USDR provided a team of pro bono developers, content strategists, designers, and data scientists. eGIS assists County departments in developing location-based tools and analytical applications.

“We are continually seeking innovative methods to serve those who live and work in Los Angeles County and we are proud to see the outstanding results of this County and nonprofit collaboration between OIA, eGIS and USDR,” said Rafael Carbajal, DCBA’s Director. “OIA’s new website and its services-locator feature are tools to help improve the lives of millions of people in LA County.”

“This location-based approach helps people find services that are nearby, something that may be difficult to accomplish when reviewing a list of service options,” said Dr. Steven J. Steinberg, Geographic Information Officer for the County of Los Angeles.

“The platform also provides OIA with an easy-toupdate system so that service options and locations can be updated on a more frequent basis to help ensure the most accurate information.”

“Equitable access to services and information is a common thread we’ve seen across many of USDR’s engagements, and the proactive, user-centered approach taken by OIA helps pave the way for other agencies and governments to tackle similar projects,” said Raylene Yung, USDR’s CEO.

“This partnership between LA County and USDR shows how impactful work can be accomplished in weeks, not years, when tech and government come together to support our communities.”

As the pandemic unfolded, OIA saw an increase in inquiries regarding the immigration status implications of tapping into County services, as well as urgent requests for any resources available to immigrants and their families.

“OIA is the home for all immigrant Angelinos to access wraparound support services available for them and their families, regardless of their immigration status,” said Rigo Reyes, OIA’s Executive Director.

“This helpful website, made possible by the generosity and expertise of our partners, is the latest addition to our efforts to help them.”

On Tuesday, the Rose Bowl Ride bicycle training, which has been in existence for many years, resumed with the participation of about a hundred cyclists. Although, state and local officials have indicated their desire for a full re-opening of California on June 15, they reminded everyone not to let their guards down against the killer coronavirus.

Unfortunately, as the insert photo shows, only a few cyclists wear mask during the training that lasted for an hour.

Photo by Abner Galino

FIRST LADY... FRom PAge 1

Forces will center on the needs of military families in the following areas: Employment and Entrepreneurship; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

Speaking to the military families in virtual attendance, Dr. Biden linked their strength and wellness to military readiness and national security: “Military and veteran families, caregivers and survivors may not wear a uniform, but you serve and sacrifice for us all. So much of a ship’s power is unseen beneath the waves: the engines, the anchor, the rudders that give it direction and purpose. You are the rudder that steers our military, and supporting your physical, social and emotional health is a national security imperative.”

Standing up the next phase of Joining Forces began even before Inauguration Day with the appointment of its Executive Director, Rory Brosius, during the White House Transition in January.

Brosius, a Special Assistant to the President and the spouse of a Marine Corps veteran, served as Deputy Director of Joining Forces during the Obama-Biden Administration.

“It was important to the First Lady that the substantive work of Joining Forces begin within the first 100 days of the Administration. She understands that the families of our service members and veterans, caregivers, and survivors deserve the White House’s attention and focus now and in the long-term,”said Brosius.

Military families face the same challenges as any other working families, but they have the added stressors of multiple deployments, frequent moves with little control over their geographic location, caregiving, family separation, and more. The global pandemic has exacerbated many of these challenges, and created others.

Currently, there is significant focus from federal agencies and a robust non-profit and corporate ecosystem dedicated to serving the needs of active duty military members and veterans. The mission of Joining Forces is to support those who also serve: military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

A military mother and grandmother, Dr. Biden added: “We have an all-volunteer force—and it continues only because generations of Americans see the honor, dignity, and patriotism of military service. How can we hope to keep our military strong if we don’t give our families, survivors, and caregivers what they need to thrive? That’s what Joining Forces is about.”

Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces will center on the needs of military families in the areas of: Employment and Entrepreneurship; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

Employment and Entrepreneurship:

The Department of Defense’s 2019 Active Duty Spouses Survey indicates, even pre-pandemic, a military spouse unemployment rate of approximately 22%.

Frequent moves and transfers, state licensing requirements, child care (costs, long waitlists for onbase providers, and lack of access to off-base providers), caregiving, and deployments, all contribute to the unique challenges military spouses face to building sustainable and long-term careers.

Joining Forces will work with government at all levels and the non-profit and private sectors to mitigate these challenges and drive economic opportunities. We will work with employers to create more flexible, transferable, and remote job opportunities for military spouses, as well as increasing resources for those interested in entrepreneurial endeavors. We will also ensure that military families are included in the administration’s overall policies aimed at improving economic security for all families.

Military Child Education:

There are more than 2 million children in classrooms in the United States whose parents are active-duty military service members, National Guard or reservists, or military veterans. Military life can be unpredictable: these children often experience multiple moves, extended separation from family members, and increased fear for their parents’ safety during deployments. We must understand and account for the lifelong impact of service on military-connected children and ensure that children in veteran families, caregiving families, and surviving families will also be included in the initiative’s work. We also recognize that military children with disabilities, including those enrolled in DOD’s Exceptional Family Member Program, face additional challenges with changes of duty station. Joining Forces will advance programming to support military-connected children in their classrooms, and help ease the burdens created by the highly mobile military lifestyle.

Health and Well-Being:

Supporting the overall physical, social, and emotional health of military families is a national security imperative. While our country lauds the strength and resilience of military families, it is critical to acknowledge that they too shoulder the weight of the past 20 years of sustained warfare. Members of military families and caregivers may experience mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

Caregiving for a wounded, ill, or injured family member can have an outsized impact on a caregiver’s health, financial stability, and economic security. Additionally, some military families report a lack of consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy lifestyle.

The global pandemic over the past year has intensified these stressors. We will also work closely with service providers in the civilian community to ensure they have the knowledge and tools to effectively support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

Going forward, Joining Forces will convene and collaborate with federal agency partners, non-profit organizations, corporate stakeholders, and service providers to develop comprehensive, meaningful, and long-term solutions to address the holistic well-being of military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

We will work to understand where gaps in support exist, while also improving access to available resources. Additionally, Joining Forces will call on all Americans to support and harness the special skills, strengths, and experiences of military families.