The Orange County Mental Health Board, which I proudly serve on, is excited to announce the launching of a new social marketing campaign in Orange County called Stigma Free OC. This social marketing campaign will focus on reducing and eliminating the stigma associated with behavioral health conditions by raising awareness and encouraging an environment where affected individuals and their families are supported. The ultimate goal of this effort is to create stigma free communities across Orange County so everyone gets the help they need.

Mental illness affects us all in some way. One-in-four adults experience a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, and one-in-twenty-five adult lives with a serious mental illness. Yet many do not get the help that they need or delay accessing services until a crisis occurs. A primary reason individuals do not seek help is due to the stigma associated with behavioral health conditions. Misinformation about mental illness is contributing to this fear, and there are steps that we can all take to educate others and ourselves and show support to someone who is struggling. This effort involves everyone including any concerned individual; any organization, including businesses, schools, churches, etc.; and cities.

These efforts are nothing without the support of the community.

Join me as I take the pledge to be stigma free here, and share with your family, friends and neighbors the importance of access to mental health treatment in our communities.

Together, we can make Orange County a stronger community.

Orange County continues to keep our neighborhoods safe, expand access to mental health services and make progress to address homelessness. With your help and involvement, we can do even more! That’s why I’m asking for you input.

I am hosting a series of neighborhood coffees to discover new ways that Orange County can serve you better. My goal is to provide you with an opportunity to share your concerns, priorities and ideas for the County.

The following is a list of coffees we have scheduled already, with more on the way. I will continue to share with you where I will be in the community if you wish to attend a neighborhood coffee and will provide a recap of each one that I hold. I look forward to meeting with you and building on our efforts to serve the communities of the First District accurately and authentically.

Garden Grove

What: Garden Grove Neighborhood Coffee - Acacia Pkwy Neighborhood

Where: Acacia Adult Day Services

When: 12:30PM to 1:30PM

Visit our Facebook event page here.

What: Gilbert Neighborhood Coffee - Garden Grove

Where: Paris Baguette

When: 8AM to 9AM

Visit the Facebook event page here.

Westminster

What: Westminster Neighborhood Coffee - Calespana Neighborhood

Where: O.C. Community Service Center

When: 12PM to 1 PM

Visit the Facebook event page here.

Santa Ana

What: Santa Ana Neighborhood Coffee - West Grove Valley Neighborhood

Where: St. Barbara School

When: 6PM to 7PM

Visit the Facebook events page here.

Last week was National Police Week, and the Garden Grove Police Department hosted its annual memorial service. This year honored five officers who lost their lives in the line of duty serving the community. Our law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe from harm. Memorials like the one in Garden Grove remind us how real that sacrifice is. Thank you to all of our courageous law enforcement personnel who make incredible contributions to the safety of our communities. 

This Memorial Day weekend, come out to the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival for food, fun, and a parade! Admission is FREE! The festival will be held Friday, May 24^th through Monday, May 27^th, the hours are as follows:

• Friday- 1 PM to 10 PM
• Saturday and Sunday - 10 AM to 10 PM
• Monday - 10 AM to 9 PM

On Friday evening the official giant strawberry cake-cutting ceremony at 6:00 PM. at the Showmobile (Acacia & Main streets) where free cake is served to over 2,000 people. On Saturday, the parade starts at 10 AM with floats, bands, equestrians and characters, plus 15 film and TV celebrities.

My staff and I will be there for the parade on Saturday morning so keep an eye out for us, I hope to see you there!

Angel is an adorable bunny who’s looking for his fur-ever home! He’s very social and has a great personality! He would love a home with lots of hay and fun toys that he can play with. Some of his favorite things are being pet, and he would love to be neutered so he can live a happier and healthier life. Come on down to OC Animal Care and adopt Angel today!!

Animal id: A1625181

Rabbit SH

Male

1 Year 8 Months Old

Stray from the City of Orange