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Funding will support emergency preparedness, health care services, and public safety

March 14, 2022 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that he secured over $5.4 million in federal funding for four projects across Wine Country. These projects were included in the bipartisan FY 2022 appropriations package that passed the Senate yesterday. The bill is now headed to President Biden to be signed into law.

Padilla also advocated for increased federal funding to research the impact of wildfire smoke taint on wine grapes and help develop mitigation methods. A total of $4.5 million to support this research was included in the FY 2022 appropriations package, an increase of $1 million from the previous fiscal year.

“I am proud to have secured funding for projects throughout California’s Wine Country to improve our emergency preparedness, support health care services, and make our communities safer,” Senator Padilla said. “This funding will go to the local governments and community organizations that are directly serving our neighborhoods. Federal dollars will support projects to respond to the effects of recent wildfires and better prepare for future natural disasters. We are also investing in a healthier California by supporting projects that will increase California’s capacity to treat patients and deliver mental health services.”

Projects in and around Wine Country that will receive federal funding include:

• $1.8 million to Upgrade Napa Countywide Public Safety Radio and Communication Infrastructure
  This funding will support an upgrade of public safety radio and communication systems in Napa to meet federal standards.

• $1.052 million for the Santa Rosa Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
  This funding will help establish the Santa Rosa Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, a mobile crisis response program focused on vulnerable communities, specifically those with individuals experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. The program would address mental health related calls, including conflict resolution, welfare checks, substance abuse, suicide threats, and also handle non-emergency medical issues, avoiding costly ambulance transport and emergency room treatment.

• $1.6 million to Expand the Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) Sonoma initiative
  This funding will help expand Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) Sonoma initiative cohorts to respond to and address the community impact resulting from repeated wildfires, flood, and power shut off events. These cohorts are staffed by clinicians, social workers, Adult Protective Services workers, probation officers, housing specialists, and eligibility workers who work to collaboratively coordinate care.

• $1 million for Construction of the City of Santa Rosa’s Emergency Operations Center
  This funding will support construction of a permanent Emergency Operations Center to expand and ensure continuity of operations and communications during wildfires and other natural disaster events.

A full summary of the FY 2022 Appropriations Omnibus package is available here.
Source: Senator Alex Padilla