Back to School Health Fair Events

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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – In recognizing and promoting National Health Center week, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is excited to present a series of “Back to School Health Fair” events hosted at three (3) of our Health Care Centers throughout the county. The series of health fairs will be at the Santa Maria Health Care Center at 2115 Centerpointe Pkwy, Santa Maria on Tuesday, August 8th, 2023, 11am-3pm; Santa Barbara Health Care Center at 345 Camino del Remedio, Santa Barbara on Wednesday August 9th, 2023, 4pm-7pm; and at Lompoc Health Care Center at 301 North “R” St, Lompoc on Thursday August 10th, 2023 11am-4pm.

In the 2022 Santa Barbara County Community Health Needs Assessment, 4 in 10 adults delayed or did not get medical care they felt they needed in the past year. Regularly seeing a medical provider is important to discuss health concerns, get screened for cancer and other diseases, and get scheduled vaccines to prevent illnesses. Especially for children, talking to a medical provider is essential to help track growth and development. The CDC and World Health Organization estimated that 40 million children missed their measles vaccinations in 2021. Children in California, per State law, are required to receive certain immunizations in order to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools as well as licensed child care centers. Now more than ever, it is important to make sure your family gets routine medical care and are up-to-date on all recommended vaccines.

The “Back to School Health Fair” events will provide free information on how to stay healthy, conduct free health screenings (i.e., blood pressure and sports physicals), and offer free or low cost COVID and Mpox immunizations. Open to all Santa Barbara County community members, including families and individuals with no insurance. Staff will be on site to link families to medical insurance and other resources that they may be eligible, which they can then follow-up with a provider in their community.

The health fairs will feature many of our partners (based on location) offering information on their services and resources, including CenCal, Cottage Health, Family Service Agency, First 5, Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization (LVCHO), Mixteco Indigena Project (MICOP), Santa Barbara County Behavior Wellness, Santa Barbara County Promotores Network, and so many more. The events will also feature food trucks, a variety of prizes (including gift cards, backpacks, bike helmets, etc.) and a presentation of speeches from our local elected officials and leaders.

“As the Public Health Department, we want to improve the health of our county by preventing disease, ensuring access to needed health care, and promoting wellness and health equity. So, our health fairs intend to help the families in Santa Barbara County by raising awareness of health risks, demonstrating healthy habits, and promoting available resources that family can access,” said Public Health Director Mouhanad Hammami.

For more information, call: (805) 681-5102 or visit: www.countyofsb.org/phd