County extends Housing for the Harvest program

EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an agreement between the county and the Vo Neighborhood Medical Clinic to continue administering the $788,325 still available for the Housing for Harvest program.

The program announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July 2020 provides temporary hotel housing options for farm and food processing employees to self-isolate if they are COVID-19 positive and do not require hospitalization, or have been exposed and cannot properly self-isolate at home.

While the state of California secures hotel rooms in participating counties, local governments identify administrators to manage the program and local community organizations to provide additional services, like meals, wellness checks and in-language assistance.

The program also provides farmworkers who had COVID-19 or were infected $1,000 in two installments if they were isolated in a motel. Workers who isolated at home are awarded $500, also in two installments.

Imperial County joined the program in November 2020 and selected Vo Neighborhood Medical Clinic as the local administrating organization.

Dr. Tien Vo said not many migrant farmworkers have participated locally. He said the program came out so late and by the time it started, a good percentage of them were already vaccinated against COVID-19.

California Department of Social Services Spokesman Scott Murray said as of Monday Imperial County seven participants used the program for 89 nights.

Murray also said counties receive funding for this program based on the number of individuals the county serves.

Through this

$788,000 allocation, the Vo Neighborhood Medical Clinic will provide services, including outreach, wellness visits, transportation, meal or grocery services, toiletries, laundry services and family support.

While nearly

$800,000 is still available for the program in Imperial County, it’s unlikely most of those funds will be used. The county will only reimburse the clinic after services are provided and any money not used will be returned to the state.

The funding for this program expansion will end in June.

At Tuesday’s county board meeting, Supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar requested an update on participation and funds distributed specifically for the program.

Imperial County Social Services Director

Veronica Rodriguez said she didn’t know those numbers but would track them moving forward.

Escobar said it is his understanding that this program is on a state reimbursement basis, meaning monies are first spent by the medical providers and the funds are reimbursed by

the state via the county and wished to have more information.

“We are in the third quarter (of a football game), and we have no information,” he said. “Where is the funding, and what happens to the funds not used?”

Rodriguez said the funds are provided for reimbursements.

Supervisor Ray Castillo said he would like to commend Vo Neighborhood Medical Clinic for reaching out to the community to assist farmworkers.

“Vo Medical Services have been involved in the community, and this is a continuation of that.”