Press Releases

May 04, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Department of Health Services host special mental health forum

With Sonoma County experiencing a rise in substance use disorders, homelessness and a shortage of services to address an unprecedented mental health crisis, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Department of Health Services on Tuesday convened a first-of-its-kind summit of behavioral health professionals from across the county for a listening session on the mental health care needs of the community. Read full story

April 27, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Department of Health Services to host special mental health forum May 2

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Department of Health Services are hosting a day-long community forum on Tuesday, May 2 concerning the state of mental health in the county. The forum, to be held at the Finley Center in Santa Rosa, will include panels of county behavioral health officials and mental health service providers discussing key challenges and issues facing the community. Read full story

April 18, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County supervisors approve $250,500 in mental health funding for students; additional funding set to be approved later

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today approved $250,500 to provide behavioral health services in schools in partnership with the Sonoma County Office of Education. The funding is from Measure O, the quarter-cent sales tax measure voters approved in 2020 to fund mental health and homelessness services. Read full story

April 06, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County health officer provides final COVID community update

Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase today provided her final COVID-19 community update before stepping down at the end of this week after three years in her post. Her recorded message includes the latest numbers on COVID cases and vaccinations in Sonoma County and includes lessons learned during the past three years of the pandemic. Read full story

April 06, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana to be appointed Sonoma County’s interim Health Officer

Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, an experienced public health official who helped lead Sonoma County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been named interim health officer by the director of the Department of Health Services. A pediatrics specialist with a master’s degree in public health, Dr. Baldwin-Santana has served as Sonoma County’s deputy public health officer since July 2020. Read full story

February 16, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County to lift public health emergency at the end of February

Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase announced today that she will lift at the end of the month the local public health emergency that has been in place since March 2, 2020 to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The local emergency will expire on Feb. 28, the same day that Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the state public health emergency will expire. Read full story

February 02, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Two Sonoma County vaccine clinics to close at the end of February

COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the Rohnert Park Community Center and the Roseland Community Clinic in Santa Rosa will close by the end of February. The Roseland clinic will close on Feb. 25 and the Rohnert Park clinic will close on Feb. 28, the day that Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to lift California’s COVID-19 state of emergency. Read full story

February 01, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Board of Supervisors endorses region wide strategic plan to address homelessness

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted today to support a five-year strategic plan to reduce homelessness, one developed by the Continuum of Care, the county’s homeless services system of care. The Continuum of Care Board approved the plan unanimously on Dec. 14, 2022. Read full story

January 27, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Optum Serve to close COVID-19 testing centers in Sonoma County

Due to declining usage, COVID-19 testing contractor Optum Serve has announced that it will deactivate its two Sonoma County testing buses on Sunday, Feb. 5 as part of a statewide demobilization effort. The Roseland Community Clinic will continue to provide COVID-19 testing that is free to the public, regardless of insurance or citizenship status. Read full story

January 25, 2023 | Department of Health Services

Sonoma County Supervisors approve $28 million in mental health funding

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an updated mental health services support plan for Sonoma County, utilizing more than $28 million in funds provided through Proposition 63, which California voters approved in 2004. Read full story