The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced expanded support measures for residents affected by the ongoing wildfires in Southern California. These actions are part of broader state emergency efforts initiated under Governor Gavin Newsom’s State of Emergency and Executive Order.
“Across our entire department, our teams are working toward the shared goal of supporting Californians impacted by these wildfires and easing their pain in whatever ways possible,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón. “Public health isn’t just about supporting physical health, but also mental health, document recovery, food supply, logistics, recovery safety, and other essential needs.”
CDPH has created a centralized online resource at go.cdph.ca.gov/wildfires to provide information related to wildfire response.
To address increased demand on healthcare facilities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, CDPH has coordinated with local agencies to transfer over 130 long-term care residents to safer locations. The department is working with 120 facilities to assess capacity and needs. Facilities have received blanket approval to add beds and expand services beyond traditional patient rooms. This move is intended to speed up the ability of healthcare providers to serve evacuated patients.
Facilities can request further waivers through guidance provided in All Facilities Letters. These waivers help manage surges caused by fire or windstorm impacts and staffing shortages.
For individuals who lost vital records such as birth, death, marriage, or dissolution certificates due to the fires, CDPH is waiving all replacement fees. Requests can be processed within two to three days at Disaster Recovery Centers and Local Assistance Centers across Southern California.
Families participating in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program who have lost benefits or cards can contact their local WIC office or use MyFamily.WIC.ca.gov for assistance finding nearby locations if they have been displaced.
CDPH staff are present in affected areas working with various partners on public health risks such as air quality, water safety, soil contamination, and debris handling following the fires.
The department has activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program so that those impacted can access prescriptions or medical equipment through participating pharmacies. Resource requests for personal protective equipment like N95 respirators as well as staffing resources have also been made.
Mental health resources are being promoted through CalHOPE Emotional Support Services for those experiencing stress from the disaster.
Additional information about air quality is available via the California Air Resources Board and AirNow.gov. Residents seeking updates on evacuation orders or recovery resources can visit Los Angeles County Wildfires Resources Page or CA.gov/LAfires for consolidated government information from multiple levels.
Covered California has introduced a special enrollment period until March 8, 2025 for residents of Los Angeles and Ventura counties who need health insurance coverage due to displacement by wildfires. Of the estimated 1.3 million uninsured Californians eligible for subsidies or Medi-Cal coverage through Covered California, about 356,000 live in Southern California (https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2024/07/01/special-enrollment-period-available-for-residents-of-los-angeles-and-ventura-counties-impacted-by-wildfires/).
State agencies have published guides for disaster preparedness tailored to different communities including immigrants (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/immigration/covid19-guide), people with disabilities (https://scdd.ca.gov/emergencypreparedness), older adults (https://aging.ca.gov/download.ashx?lE0rcNUVZ0aFvmtOgjwGVQ==), managed care enrollees (https://www.dmhc.ca.gov/Portals/0/Docs/Publications/dmhc_disaster_resource_guide.pdf), and others navigating disaster assistance programs (https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/disaster/Documents/DHCS-Disaster-Assistance-QA.pdf).
Californians needing social service benefits such as CalFresh food aid or Medi-Cal can apply online via BenefitsCal portal (https://benefitscal.com). Childcare resources are accessible at mychildcareplan.org.
Individuals and business owners suffering losses from wildfires may seek federal disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; multilingual support is available in more than 40 languages.
