Health
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SACRAMENTO – On behalf of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC), Chair Andrew Poat and Vice-Chair Larry Poaster announced Wednesday that the new MHSOAC Executive Director is Ms. Sherri L. Gauger.
The MHSOAC is responsible for oversight and accountability of mental health services in California.
The 16-member MHSOAC was formed by the passage in 2004 of Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).
Gauger is currently the deputy director of the Division of Addiction and Recovery Services, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
She has previously served as a career executive (CEA) for the Governor’s Strike Force on Prison Reform; Deputy Director, Office of Legislative and External Affairs for the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs; and Assistant Deputy Director, Administration Division, for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.
MHSOAC Chair Andrew Poat enthusiastically welcomed Ms. Gauger to her new position saying, “Sherri Gauger is exceptionally well qualified to assume the duties of executive director of the MHSOAC. She brings a wealth of executive level state work experience to the commission and we are very fortunate to have her join us.”
MHSOAC Vice-Chair Larry Poaster seconded Mr. Poat’s comments in saying, “Sherri Gauger has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to lead the commission staff to better serve mental health clients, families, and stakeholders.”
Sherri Gauger will begin work at the MHSOAC later in April.
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LAKEPORT – Do you find yourself more stressed out than usual lately?
Although life can seem overwhelming at times, you have the power to choose how you will react to stress in your life. Studies published in medical and scientific journals show mindfulness-based programs are beneficial to one’s health and well-being.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital invites you to move towards greater balance and control in your life by participating in the stress reduction and relaxation clinic.
During this eight-week intensive program, participants will learn how to become stress responsive and let go of reactive habits when faced with life stressors.
Among those benefiting from these clinics are those suffering from depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and work stress.
“Stress is always a part of our lives and therefore unavoidable,” explained Leslie Lovejoy, PhD, clinic facilitator, “but we can change both how we perceive stress and respond to it.”
Through the use of abdominal breathing, progressive relaxation, mindful meditation, gentle movement yoga and other strategies, participants will learn how to consciously and healthily cope with life stress, improve self esteem and have greater enthusiasm for life.
“In making a change with how we respond to stress, we take back our lives and can regain the richness and joy of living,” said Dr. Lovejoy.
This program can offer great benefit by reducing work stress and improving balance between work and personal life.
The program begins Wednesday, March 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and meets at the hospital’s Integrative Healing House.
Dr. Lovejoy has provided this program for the past seven years and in 2006 Sutter Lakeside Hospitals Stress Reduction and Relaxation Clinic was featured on Sutter Health’s LifeStages television program.
The video can be viewed at https://mylifestages.org/MyLifeStages/videos/video_library.page .
To register for the program, call the Sutter Lakeside Hospital Wellness Center at 707-262-5171. Scholarships opportunities are available.
To learn more about Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s programs and physicians, or to hear what our patients have to say, please visit www.sutterlakeside.org .
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LAKEPORT – The Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health Advisory Board (MCAH) will hold its monthly meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 11, at a new location – the Lake Family Resource Center Community Meeting Room at 890 Bevins St. in Lakeport.
Agenda items include reports about the Dental Disease Prevention Program, First Five Lake Projects, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Adverse Childhood Experience Survey (ACES) Program, Dr. Ira Chasnoff’s Perinatal Prevention Program as well as current issues affecting children and families in Lake County.
Mother-Wise, the postpartum mood disorder prevention program, is gearing up to offer a two-and-a-half-day-long comprehensive training for volunteers and professionals.
On Wednesday, March 31, and Friday, April 1, potential Mother-Wise volunteers will receive information preparing them to be matched to provide support to new moms who may be at risk or experiencing some perinatal mood disorder such as postpartum depression.
On Friday, April 2, professionals such as counselors and medical providers who work with women and families can receive continuing education credits for attending the half-day training offered by Sonoma State instructor Allison Murphy. The trainings are at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Clearlake.
Mother-Wise program coordinator, Jaclyn Ley, can be reached at 707-349-1210 to register and get more information about the trainings and program.
Anyone is welcome to attend MCAH monthly meetings to learn more about Mother-Wise and many important local health matters.
For more information call Tom Jordan at 707-263-6169 or Catherine Rose at 707-263-3949.
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- Written by: Office of the California Attorney General
Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Monday announced that his office has secured an agreement with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. Inc., the manufacturer of American Spirit tobacco products, that requires the company to clearly disclose that its organic tobacco is "no safer or healthier" than other tobacco products.
Attorneys general from 32 other states and the District of Columbia signed onto today's agreement.
"Stamping an organic label on tobacco products is ultimately a distinction without a difference-organic or not, cigarettes are bad for your health," Brown said. "Today's settlement with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. ensures that all future advertisements make it clear that organic tobacco is no safer or healthier."
Today's agreement follows Brown's contention that Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company may have misled consumers in advertising its "organic" or "100% organic" Natural American Spirit cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco and pouches, leading consumers to believe these products were less harmful than other tobacco products. There is currently no competent or reliable scientific evidence to support this conclusion.
Under the terms of the agreement, all advertisements will clearly and prominently feature the following warnings:
For Natural American Spirit organic cigarettes: "Organic tobacco does NOT mean safer cigarettes."
For Natural American Spirit organic roll-your-own or pouch tobacco: "Organic tobacco does NOT mean safer tobacco."
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. has 30 days to meet these requirements, and all tobacco retailers selling these products must be contacted and instructed to dispose of old advertisements that do not feature these disclosures.
Organic tobacco is certified under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program. To receive organic certification, tobacco farmers have to follow a strict, labor-intensive growing regimen. Certified organic tobacco is grown without the use of pesticides and fertilizers prohibited under the program.
Thirty-two other attorneys general signed onto Brown's agreement from the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Additionally, the attorney general of the District of Columbia signed onto the agreement.
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