The 1,600 programs serve hundreds of thousands of Californians with mental illness in every county

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 17, 2012) – Today, NAMI California released its anticipated report detailing the programs funded by $7 billion dollars generated by California’s historic Prop 63, the “millionaire’s tax.” The extensive report titled, MHSA County Programs 2012: Services Promoting Recovery and Reducing Homelessness, Hospitalization and Incarceration, is a compilation of the 1,600 programs throughout the state funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

The Report outlines programs serving the estimated two million Californians in need of mental health services. One in 12 adults lives with a mental illness and one in 10 children live with a serious emotional disturbance causing significant impairment. Programs include wellness centers, crisis intervention teams, community college pathways, early childhood counseling, parenting skills, treatment for depression, suicide prevention, and transitional programs for people who are homeless. The Report is available at www.namicalifornia.org.

Compiled by NAMI California, the Report lists all programs funded through the MHSA by county. This is the only comprehensive report of MHSA-funded programs and it provides a view into the wide range of programs, services and supports provided by Proposition 63 funds, serving the needs of communities throughout California.

“It is our hope that this Report will help Californians to see the value of MHSA programs,” said Dorothy Hendrickson, President of NAMI California. At a time when state funds formerly dedicated to mental health services are diminishing, NAMI California and its members are concerned about the weakening safety net. The ongoing budget crisis and recession makes our MHSA funds more important than ever. The services provided through these funds have positively affected our stakeholders. That is why NAMI California has advocated for preservation of MHSA funding to safeguard these programs.”

Organized by county, the Report names and describes each MHSA program, those served by the programs, and the names and contact information of county MHSA coordinators. Programs funded through MHSA can help a person with chronic and persistent mental illness toward recovery and a meaningful role in society, reducing the client’s risk of becoming a person who is homeless, incarcerated, hospitalized, dependent, or a forgotten statistic.

“In one way or another, virtually all California families are touched by mental illness. This report validates the vision of California voters who approved Proposition 63, understanding the necessity for more effective programs to help people turn around their lives,” said Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg. “Many counties are now seeing significant declines in homelessness, emergency room visits and incarceration of people with mental illness. I applaud NAMI California for its extensive research in compiling this guide to MHSA programs, to assist Californians in finding the services they need.”

As the Report shows, thousands of programs, serving hundreds of thousands of Californians over the past seven years, are available now to help improve the lives of those with serious mental illness. These programs have helped reduce hospitalization, homelessness, suicide, and incarcerations, reaching children, youth, transitional age youth (ages 16-25), adults, older adults, veterans and their family members.

ABOUT NAMI CALIFORNIA

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, California (NAMI California) is the largest membership organization comprised of families and individuals affected by serious mental illness in the state. As a non-profit grassroots organization, it advocates for lives of quality and respect, without discrimination and stigma, and provides leadership in advocacy, legislation, policy development, education, and support throughout California.

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Media invited to interview aerobatic performers and join them in the air

Rancho Murieta, Calif. (May 14, 2012)– The Rancho Murieta Airshow returns after eighteen years along with aerobatic performers in celebration of Armed Forces Day, May 19, 2012. The legendary Rancho Murieta airshows that took place in the mid-‘80s are making a comeback with military might and astonishing performances that will surely impress any spectator.

“The airshow will not only be an exciting event in our community,” said Bradley Beer, owner of the Rancho Murieta Airport. “It gives us an opportunity to support the USO by donating a portion of the proceeds to them. This will be the best airshow in our region this year.”

The Rancho Murieta Airshow is the perfect way to celebrate Armed Forces Day as top-notch talents fly memorable aerobatic performances. Military jets will fly over to honor our men and women in uniform and patrons can closely view static military aircraft. Unique aircraft, classic warbirds, P-51s, and Hawker Sea Furies will be on display as well as military aircraft, C-130s, and Blackhawk helicopters.

“The aerobatic performers are not just individual pilots and crews coming together to do a job,” said Beer. “This is a team on a mission to have fun and share the freedom of flying.”

Award winning pilot, Julie Clark will be available for interviews and to give airplane rides to the media on Thursday, May 17. Media airplane rides will also be given on Friday, May 18, and the entire lineup of performers will be available to interview – all leading up to the airshow on Saturday, May 19.

Located on the east edge of the Sacramento Valley, just off Highway 16, Jackson Highway, the Rancho Murieta Airport is a treasure for pilots and patrons alike. The airport is an intimate venue for seasoned pilots to demonstrate their airborne mastery and for patrons to be close enough to hear the roar of the engines and feel a tremble in the air as military aircraft and warbirds fly past.

Food, vendors, activities for the kids, and RC demos round out the day. General admission is $12 in advance, $15 at the gate, and free for children under 12. Parking is free.

VIP tickets are available for $100 in advance, which includes admission, a catered lunch and hosted bar in the Performer’s Tent, great show center seating, and shade all day.

Advance tickets are available at the Rancho Murieta Airport or by calling (916) 354-9889. For more information, please visit www.ranchomurietaairport.com.

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

WHAT:
The exciting airshows from the 1980s are making a comeback as the Rancho Murieta Airport hosts the Rancho Murieta Airshow on Armed Forces Day. Star aerobatic performers will show off their skills in aerobatic and military aircraft and are offering to take you along for a ride. Here is your chance to learn firsthand about aviation and interview phenomenal aerobatic performers. Look for us on Facebook at Facebook.com/RanchoMurietaAirshow.

WHEN:
Thursday, May 17, 2012– Meet and ride with award-winning pilot, Julie Clark (By appointment)
Friday, May 18, 2012– Meet and ride with the show’s aerobatic performers (From 2:00-4:00 pm)
Saturday, May 19, 2012– Rancho Murieta Airshow (From 10 am – 4 pm, gates open at 8:30 am)

WHERE:
Rancho Murieta Airport
7443 Murieta Drive
Rancho Murieta, CA 95683

WHO:
Performers include: Julie Clark- T-34 Mentor, Bill Stein- Edge 540, Eddie Andreini- Super Stearman, Dennis Sanders- Hawker Sea Fury, Vicky Benzing- Extra 300, Dan Buchanan- Northwing Glider and Dan Vance P-51 Mustang. There will also be military fly-bys such as FA-18, Blackhawk helicopter, C-130 and more!

VISIUALS:

• Ticket giveaways available.
• Open area ideal for early morning or evening broadcasts/live shots – Thursday-Saturday.
• Ability to take pictures, film and interview star aerobatic performers.
• Showcase these commercial and military aircraft up close and in motion.
• Meet these fascinating pilots and learn firsthand what it takes to be an aerobatic performer. Come out and see for yourself!
• Conduct your live weather or sports reports from the show.
• Willing and able to accommodate early morning, afternoon or evening live shots.
• Watch a short video here.

To schedule an interview or an airplane ride, please RSVP by calling (916) 658-0144 or by emailing yadira@perrycom.com.

$800 million in new visitation expenditures expected through 2016 in the Golden State

International Pow Wow 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As part of Visit California’s long-term strategy to boost the state’s economy by attracting more high-spending international visitors, Visit California joins the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board in hosting North America’s premier travel trade show – International Pow Wow (IPW) – April 21-25. Pow Wow 2012 marks the second consecutive year of U.S. Travel Association’s biggest event being staged in the Golden State, following Pow Wow 2011 in San Francisco. Visit California will lead a delegation of more than 225 California travel industry businesses and destinations to aggressively promote the Golden State to the thousands of international tour operators and media attending.

“In terms of economic impact and global exposure, International Pow Wow is the Olympic Games of the U.S. travel industry,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO. “Hosting IPW in Los Angeles this year and San Francisco last year gave Visit California an incredible opportunity to show off our diverse tourism product to the world’s most influential and top-producing buyers of U.S. travel products.”

U.S. Travel Association estimates that the IPW host city and surrounding areas can expect to generate an extra $400 million in incremental expenditures over the following three years. That means that the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions alone can expect to see up to $800 million in additional international traveler revenues through 2016. This opportunity, combined with Visit California’s significant global marketing investments in recent years, will result in more tourism business for California, which means more state and local tax revenues and more jobs.

In 2011, spending by 220 million visitors to California led to a record $102.3 billion in expenditures, supporting 893,000 jobs and generating $2.3 billion in local tax dollars. International tourism is the fastest growing segment and represents 20 percent of total visitor spending – adding up to $19.1 billion in 2011.

“While our long-term strategy of increasing investment in international markets is paying off – recent figures project a 21 percent increase in international visitation between 2011 and 2015 – we know we can’t take this growth for granted,” Beteta said. “California competes globally for these lucrative visitors, who stay longer and spend more than domestic travelers, and as the global economy continues to improve the competition will get even fiercer. Visit California will continue to look for high-impact opportunities like IPW to attract these high-value customers.”

Visit California commits more than $20 million to international marketing with in-market representation around the globe, from Europe and Australia to Asia and South America. This investment – about 50% of the overall destination marketing budget – funds an ever-growing global online presence, direct to consumer advertising in select markets and year-round travel trade and public relations activities. Visit California spent $23.68 million on global advertising in 2011 to reach 68.9 million consumers, generating $5.5 billion in incremental visitor spending – a remarkable return on investment of $231 to $1. (Tax ROI: $15 to $1).

Due in part to Visit California’s international investment, total visits to California grew by an estimated 3.3 percent in 2011, fueled by overseas travel (up 10.5 percent, versus domestic visits, up 2.8 percent). Growth in international visitor spending (up 12.6 percent) outpaced domestic spending gains (up 6.9 percent) in 2011, with total expenditures up a robust 7.6 percent.

The forecast for 2012 is also bright, with overseas visits expected to increase 5.7 percent, Mexican visits up 3.9 percent and Canadian visits up 3.6 percent. Total international spending, boosted by Visit California’s marketing investment, is anticipated to rise a healthy 6.8 percent, outperforming forecasted domestic growth (up 4.4 percent).

“We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to maintain and expand our robust marketing program targeting the international market, which we see as a long-term investment for California’s growth,” said Beteta, who also serves as Vice Chair of Brand USA, the country’s first-ever national marketing program to promote the United States travel brand to international consumers. “Aligning efforts with Brand USA to boost international tourism into our country is a natural extension of our global marketing program and key to our state’s future economic health.”

ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA

Visit California is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures total over $102 billion annually in California (20 percent of which is international), support jobs for 893,000 Californians and generate $6.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Visitor’s Guide, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com.

Contacts
Visit California
Jennifer Sweeney, 916-233-0255
PR Manager (U.S. & Canada)
jsweeney@visitcalifornia.com
Shannon Brooks
PR Manager (International)
sbrooks@visitcalifornia.com

We will soon witness the greatest transformation of the health care system in our nation’s history. California is on the frontlines and the first state in the country to create a program to implement the federal Affordable Care Act. The California Health Benefit Exchange will be an online marketplace for eligible individuals to purchase coverage, a universe also comprised of small businesses that is estimated to be more than eight million by 2016, according to University of California, Berkeley.

The California Partnership for Access to Treatment (CPAT) hosted two informative seminars which included discussions about the sources of health insurance in the state, the rising costs of health care, the Exchange’s vision, mission and values and issues and obstacles facing the execution of health care reform in the state. These seminars also focused on how Exchange will work, what it means for employers of all sizes and the Exchange’s potential impact on patients, health care providers and advocacy organizations, as well as the quality of care. Click here to watch the

• Riverside Presentation (pdf)
• Sacramento Presentation (pdf) (click here to watch presentation)

About CPAT:

The California Partnership for Access to Treatment (CPAT) is a diverse network of advocacy organizations, community groups, health care providers and employers, committed to ensuring a healthy and productive California. CPAT serves as a communications, education and resource network to keep its partners and the communities they serve informed about critical issues involving access to treatment in California. For more information about CPAT, contact us at (916) 658-0144.

PCG earns five CAPPIE Awards for accomplishments throughout 2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (March 26, 2012)– Perry Communications Group (PCG) dominated the awards field again this year garnering five CAPPIE Awards in a variety of categories. The annual CAPPIE Awards ceremony, hosted by the Sacramento Public Relations Association, honors the best public relations efforts from the previous year. The awards ceremony was celebrated March 22, 2012 at The Citizen Hotel in California’s capital city, including recognition of SPRA’s 25th anniversary.
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Sacramento Business Journal by Melanie Turner, Staff Writer
Date: Friday, March 23, 2012, 11:22am PDT

Big winners at this year’s CAPPIE Awards Gala included Perry Communications Group and 3fold Communications, each of which took home five awards, including a gold award, three silver awards and a bronze.

The 25th anniversary awards ceremony, held Thursday at the Citizen Hotel, recognized excellence in the field of public relations.

Perry Communications won a gold medal for a self-promotion campaign dubbed, “Eat. Drink. Be Perry.” Perry also won silver for a special or media event for Innovate California, a symposium on medical innovation, and a silver in the press release category for its work with Visit California, formerly known as the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

Read the Full Article

Cloud Application Tracks Maintenance, Improvements, Inventory, To Dos and Spending

SACRAMENTO, CA (January 27, 2012) – Starting today, homeowners across the country will be able to manage all their important home information in one online solution via the web or mobile application, thanks to HomeZada launching its new software technology in Sacramento.

“HomeZada revolutionizes the way homeowners manage the many aspects of homeownership by bringing together multiple applications and content in one online solution,” said co-founder Elizabeth Dodson. “Our product is much more than a new closet system or plastic container organizer that makes life less cluttered. HomeZada is the only company that organizes and manages the important things we tend to put off or have scattered in different locations, such as an inventory of our possessions, home maintenance checklists, To Do lists, home improvement projects, and home spending.”
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International Travel is Major Boost to State’s Economy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 19, 2012) – Visit California applauds President Obama’s efforts to boost international visitation to the United States. In an address today, the President praised the value of travel and announced a federal plan to ease entry requirements for international visitors in an effort to spur the nation’s economy.

Millions of visitors come to California each year from all over the globe, generating more than $17 billion in spending to the state’s economy and helping to support nearly 900,000 jobs.
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MedLion expands direct primary care to Valley residents without insurance

MONTEREY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nearly one in four Fresno residents is without any kind of health care coverage. MedLion, Inc., a pioneering Direct Primary Care practice, today announced the company’s expansion into the Fresno region by including William Work, M.D., in its fast-growing network of affiliated physicians. Dr. Work is a highly respected physician in the region and the latest to join MedLion’s direct primary care practice which provides patients access to high quality and affordable personalized primary care without the high cost and burdens associated with traditional health insurance.

“As people lost their jobs during this economic downturn, so too have they lost their health care coverage and have either gone without routine, preventive medical care or turned to emergency rooms for their care,” said Work. “MedLion is the solution to the crisis of the under and uninsured by providing affordable comprehensive primary care and I’m delighted to be part of this cutting-edge model of care.”
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Yolo County and CMSP Governing Board Agree on Participation

Sacramento, Calif. (December 21, 2011) – The County Medical Services Program (CMSP) Governing Board announced today that it has accepted Yolo County’s request to join the County Medical Services Program and participate in Path2Health – a new Low Income Health Program made possible by the State of California’s Federal Medicaid “Bridge to Reform” Waiver. Yolo County’s membership will be effective July 1, 2012. In the mean time, the County and the Governing Board will work on implementation. This is the 35th county to join CMSP and Path2Health.

“We’re excited to have Yolo County join CMSP and Path2Health,” said Lee Kemper, Executive Director of the CMSP Governing Board. “Yolo County’s residents will benefit from this early stage of federal health care reform.”
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