Taking care of each other on the coast
Here in our sleepy little coastal towns, we can often escape the complex challenges of the wider world, but not this time. Right now, our country is reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of racial injustice. Although we don’t have a lot of cases on the coast, COVID-19 is here and the numbers are likely to increase as the shelter-inplace restrictions continue to lift. And make no mistake, we have racial bias and racially motivated violence here, too.
Each of us has to decide how to respond to these challenges. Some people will put their heads down and go about their daily lives as though none of this affects them. Others will march in the streets in hopes of changing a broken system.
At Mendocino Coast Clinics, we are a diverse group of employees dedicated to improving health equity in the communities we serve. We do this by assuring that no one who needs medical care is turned away because of the color of their skin, because they cannot afford to pay, because of who they love, because of the language they speak, or because of their immigration status.
We do not judge patients who suffer from mental illness or substance use disorder. We do not judge patients who struggle with obesity or eating disorders. We do not judge patients who have unintended pregnancies. We do not judge patients who live on the street. We open our hearts to all who want to heal. We meet patients wherever they are in life’s journey and we help them get healthier.
Even before COVID-19, many people in our coastal communities faced economic challenges and poor health. With the shut-down, things have only worsened. So, what do we do?
We take things one day at a time. We work with what we have. We help each other.
One way we can improve our community’s economic well-being is for every single person to get counted in the 2020 Census. The census is important because census data help us get our tax dollars back into our community. The government uses census data to determine how federal funds are spent, including support for schools, roads, parks, public health, transportation, neighborhood improvements, and more.
The Census began in March and closes July 30. Every ten years, the government counts every person in our country, not just citizens and voters, but everyone. Understandably, some people are nervous about completing a government survey, but the benefits outweigh the risks.
The census asks for your name, date of birth, race, sex and the number of people living in your home, but personal information gathered as part of the Census cannot be shared with anyone or any other federal agency, including the Internal Revenue Service or Immigration or Customs Enforcement. Data is only released in summary tables; no individual records are released. (The penalty for wrongful disclosure is up to five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.)
It is easy to participate. The 2020 Census is the first one in history that allows people to participate online. Most people have received a unique identifying number in the mail, which allows them to complete the online form. You may also receive a paper survey in the mail.
Census Bureau employees will also visit some people at their homes. These employees will never ask for money and they will have a photo ID badge with a Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date. (If you suspect fraud, call 1-800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative or visit census.gov to learn more.)
Times are tough, but so are we. Our coastal communities have survived hardship before, and by pulling together and taking care of one another, we will do so again.
Lucresha Renteria is the executive director at Mendocino Coast Clinics, a local, non-profit, federally qualified health center offering medical, dental and behavioral health care to people in the coastal communities of Mendocino County.