Upcoming Events for the Week of September 4th

September 4, 2023 LA Best Babies Network Los Angeles County, Upcoming Events

Here is a roundup of this week’s conferences, webinars, and trainings for home visitors and others who work with pregnant people and families with little ones. Also included: events around L.A. County that you can share with the families you serve. Want to look further into the future? See the comprehensive lists we update weekly for:

Do you have something for us to include? Email snish@labestbabies.org. And stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!

September is:

Ongoing Opportunities

California Coalition for Black Birth Justice is Requesting Your Support – Complete Survey
The California Coalition for Black Birth Justice would like feedback on their first draft agenda, and so are encouraging people to complete their 5-minute survey to weigh in. To access the survey, be sure to click on the following link.
Presented by The California Coalition for Black Birth Justice

Request for Application (RFA): Grant Opportunity for Home Visiting Programs
Deadline: October 6, 2023
The California Department of Health Care Services is seeking to scale early childhood wraparound services to support relevant skill building among adults who work with infants, young children, expectant and new parents, and caregivers. Funding will focus on home visiting services and select practice components of consultation services. To learn more, click here.

Facility Fee Waivers for Child Care Providers for Infant & Toddler Spaces (Spanish)
The L.A. County Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE), in partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is offering facility fee waivers for renovation or construction projects for child care facilities that need plan reviews and/or permits.
Presented by OAECE and others

Request FREE COVID-19 Home Antigen Tests to Distribute in the Community You Serve
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) is distributing FREE home antigen COVID-19 test kits to agencies in high-need communities to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. If your agency is interested in distributing these in the community, please submit your request online using this link.

Free COVID-19 Vaccines
Safe, effective and free – COVID-19 vaccines are widely available (even for babies who are at least 6 months old), regardless of health insurance and immigration status. There are hundreds of vaccination sites across L.A. County, and many are open late and on weekends with no appointment required. Visit VaccinateLACounty.com to find a location near you. See the CDC’s page on COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens.
Presented by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Test to Treat COVID-19 Program
Get free same-day testing and free antiviral medication across LA County sites. Click here, call 211, or text 844-833-1334 to find a free county testing location.
Presented by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Join the Antelope Valley Birth Work Worker Pipeline!
Complete the brief interest form to be contacted with available workforce development and opportunities.
Presented by Black Infants and Families Los Angeles

Parents and Families of Children Ages 0-8 living in LA County, Make Your Voice Count! (Spanish)
Register to join Families Together for Kids in LA County to share your experiences and opinions through online surveys that can improve the future for all children in LA County. Each survey will give you the opportunity to receive a $5 gift card for your participation.
Presented by First 5 LA

Apply to Be a Bus Driver with LA Unified School District (LAUSD)
LAUSD is hiring light bus drivers. Qualified applicants must have a HS diploma / GED, 6+ months of paid experience in driving a bus/truck or completed an LAUSD bus driver course, a valid CA Driver’s license Class A or B with passenger and air brake endorsement, and a valid CA school bus driver certificate. Visit the LAUSD jobs website here for additional information.

File with Free Tax Prep LA and Get Your Young Child Tax Credit
People who make less than $60,000 annually may be eligible to file for free at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. IRS-certified volunteers provide free, basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Eligible families can claim the Young Child Tax Credit, which may be worth more than $1,000, if they file before October 16. Find a nearby location.

CalFresh Benefits Market Match
Use the CalFresh Market Match program at your neighborhood farmers’ market to maximize your CalFresh rewards. When you use your EBT card at a farmers’ market to receive CalFresh benefits worth $15, you will also receive $15.

Get Help with Southern California Edison – Energy Saving Assistance Program
Southern California Edison’s Energy Savings Assistance program helps cover the cost of new energy-efficient appliances. The program is available to homeowners and renters if income qualifications are met.
Presented by Southern California Edison

Get Child Care Financial Assistance
The Child Care Resource Center helps families find and apply for child care assistance. Apply here (or here in Spanish). Learn more at CCRCCA.org or call 1-866-67-4KIDS. See CCRC’s flyer for parents in English and Spanish.

Metrolink’s Low-Income Fare Discount Program
Metrolink’s new low-income fare discount program offers a 50% discount on ANY Metrolink ticket or pass for riders with a valid California Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Learn more here.

Help Paying for DWP Energy and Water Bills
There’s up to $15,000 in tax-free utility bill assistance available through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) per eligible households. There is no impact on other benefits or public charge determinations. Learn how to apply at Help Is On the Way (ladwp.com). Non-DWP customers can use this search feature to contact a local LIHEAP agency for more information.

Consumer Relief for Natural Gas Bills
Various resources are available to assist income-qualified customers with high gas bills. Learn more here.
Presented by SoCalGas

CSU Dominguez Hills Study: Seeking Participants Who are Expecting Their First Child
Are you currently pregnant for the first time? You are invited to participate in a new research study at CSU Dominguez Hills focused on daily emotions and experience during pregnancy. You can earn up to $150 for participation in this study. For more information, contact perch@csudh.edu or call (323) 379-9118.
Study conducted by the CSU Dominguez Hills Department of Psychology

UCLA Breastfeeding Study: Seeking Interview Participants
Get a $75 gift card for doing a 45- to 60-minute phone/zoom interview about breastfeeding. Must be pregnant or have recently given birth and identify as Asian American, Black or African American, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Select a time to do the interview here. Contact ajscheitler@ucla.edu if you have questions.
Study conducted by UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

MotherToBaby Study: Seeking Participants
MotherToBaby is currently enrolling pregnant women in an observational study to explore how asthma and its treatment affect pregnancy. All studies are conducted through phone interviews — no changes to your normal routine or travel required.
Study conducted by MotherToBaby

CalKIDS Program Gives Money to Families to Save for College
Low-income families with public school students in grades 1-12 can now open college savings accounts, and California will contribute seed investments of up to $1,500 for each child. All California families with newborns (born on or after July 1, 2022) can also open these accounts and receive up to $100 from the state. Read more about eligibility, and see this FAQ page. To see these pages in another language click “Language” on the right side.

Pregnant? Sign up for LAist’s Pregnancy Texting Service
Get answers to your questions about pregnancy, birth and parenting. Text “heybb” to 73224 to sign up.

Food Giveaways
See our list of events across L.A. County.

Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) Program
This program is open to low-income individuals who live in Los Angeles County. LIFE offers discounts on weekly and monthly transit passes on Metro and any LIFE participating transit agencies.
Presented by Metro

Golden Bear Pass
CalWORKs families can receive a complimentary 2023 Golden Bear Pass, which grants free entry at 200+ state parks and beaches. Learn more and apply here (or in Spanish here). Questions? Contact the California Dept. of Social Services at (916) 651-0515 or calworksoutreach@dss.ca.gov.

Opportunity LA Offers Free Savings Accounts for Children
The City and County of Los Angeles, along with LAUSD, are working together to provide all LAUSD first-graders with a FREE Child Saving Account (CSA) to help save for college — regardless of the student or parent’s income, background or immigration status. All eligible students will receive an initial $50 deposit. Additional deposits can be made by students and families. To learn more about the program, visit OpportunityLA.com or watch videos in English and Spanish here.
Presented by the City and County of L.A., in partnership with LAUSD and Citibank

WIC Fruits and Vegetables Benefit Increase
Through September 30
WIC families can get extra money to buy fruits and vegetables at WIC-approved stores and farmers’ markets. Use this tool to find your nearest farmers’ market that accepts WIC, and learn more about the benefit here.

Teen Parent Prosper Program
Pregnant or parenting teens living in the City of Los Angeles are eligible for this 800-hour paid internship program. The opportunity is limited to the first 40 eligible applicants. Apply here or contact Claudia Castillo at (213) 808-8652 or Claudia.Castillo@lacity.org for more information.
Presented by the City of Los Angeles’ Community Investment for Families Department and others

Registration Open for Fall Classes and Activities at LA County Parks
Whether you’re taking up a new hobby, learning a new skill or being more active, LA County Parks invites you to join a fall class! They are offering a variety of in-person and virtual classes to help you get active, stay healthy, and enjoy a new hobby. From yoga and sports to music and arts, there is a class for everyone! Check out their fall classes and register for an activity at reservations.lacounty.gov.
Presented by the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation

Participate in the Equity in Infrastructure Community Survey
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works invites you to share your thoughts on improving important services, such as road repairs, flood control, water quality, bike lanes, and waste removal, in your community. Your feedback will be used to create a more just and equitable L.A. County for all.

Youth at Work
Are you between 14 – 24 looking for a job? You can earn money while learning valuable life and work skills. This program provides an array of services that offer access to paid work-based learning, work readiness, personal enrichment training, academic and career development, and advanced career services. Apply here.
Presented by Youth@Work

California State Digital Equity Plan: Public Survey
The state of California is asking residents to take the Digital Equity Online Survey to share their experience and barriers to using the internet. The survey is accessible in 14 different languages and should be completed by one individual per household.

CalWORKS Home Visiting Program Offers Support to Parents
CalWORKs parents who are pregnant or parenting a three-year old or younger child, can receive FREE home-based support to help keep their family healthy through various programs. Pregnant parents can also receive help through the Family Nurses Program. To learn more and sign up please call 800-427-8700

LA County Library & LA County Library Foundation Partner with Seattle Seahawks Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu
Uchenna Nwosu is partnering with the Library and LA County Library Foundation to fund a My Brother’s Keeper Peer Advocate position at Carson Library for the next three years. If you are interested and would want to make an impact in the Carson community you can learn more about the MBK Peer Advocate position and complete an interest form here.

Nature Everywhere Grant Opportunity
Two-year commitment during which community teams develop citywide Nature Everywhere visions and implementation plans using a systems-change approach.
Application due date is August 25.

UCLA Study Focus Groups
Participate in focus groups and receive incentives by giving your feedback on the new UCLA wellness app. They are recruiting high school students and parents of high school students. To learn more about the study, contact Christine Lee at 714-822-0649 or at kungeunlee@mednet.ucla.edu.

Beat the Heat!
As temperatures continue to rise, it’s a good reminder for everyone to understand that children are more vulnerable to heatstroke and that all hot car deaths are preventable. Here are also some heatstroke safety tips in English and Spanish from Safe Kids Worldwide. You can also find cooling centers, other cooling spots, and more information in the LA County area here.

Florence – Firestone Bike Safety Classes
Now – September 19, Monthly, Time Varies: Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, 7600 Graham Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90001
For more info, contact: Alejandra Alvarez, alejandra.alvarez@bike-la.org
Presented by BikeLA and others

Beach Eats Food Trucks
Now – October 26, Thursdays, 5:00pm – 9:00pm: Marina del Rey Harbor, 14101 Panay Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Presented by the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell

Hundley Fatherhood Program for Fathers of Any Age
July 6 – September 21, Thursdays, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Presented by Eisner Health and others

Hundley Fatherhood Program for Fathers of Any Age (Spanish)
July 12 – September 27, Wednesdays, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Presented by Eisner Health and others

Monday, September 4

Happy Labor Day! We don’t know of any events happening today.

Tuesday, September 5

Virtual Training: Promoting Placement Stability: Utilizing the Child and Family Team Process
September 5, 9:00am – 12:00pm
To register for this training, you must create an account with eventsHUB.
Presented by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health

Webinar: African American Boys’ Journey to School Readiness – Part 3
September 5, 12:00pm
Presented by the Office of Head Start National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning

Free Snacks are Back at L.A. County Parks!
September 5 – May 24, 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Children and youth ages 18 and under receive a “grab and go” nutritious snack that include vegetables, fruits, seeds and healthy dairy products like milk, string cheese and yogurt, at 47 locations. This free nutrition program will run for a total 34 weeks. Please see dates below for when the program will not be offered due to county holidays.

Wednesday, September 6

Emerging Leaders Development Program
September 6 – April 4
This program is designed for individuals who have been in leadership roles for less than three years. This program will strengthen participants’ leadership style and develop their management skills as they lead community-based child and family well-being programs.
Presented by CalTrin

Webinar: Medi-Cal Doula Benefit Informational Session
September 6, 10:00am – 11:00am
Presented by the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Initiative Doula Team

Webinario: Cómo promover el aprendizaje social y emocional de los niños en el hogar
6 de septiembre, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Presentado en español con subtítulos en español e inglés.
Presentado por la Oficina de Head Start Centro Nacional de Compromiso de Padres, Familias y Comunidad

Thursday, September 7

Connecting at the Intersection of Faith, Community and Mental Health: The Urgency of Now
September 7, 9:00am – 5:00pm: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hubert Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C, 20201
Presented by The Partnership Center

Virtual Training: Promoting Placement Stability: Utilizing the Child and Family Team Process
September 7, 9:00am – 12:00pm
To register for this training, you must create an account with eventsHUB.
Presented by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health

Child Development Workshop for Parents and Caregivers
September 7, 9:30am – 11:00am
This is offered monthly. See additional dates below and here.
Presented by Help Me Grow LA and others

Webinar: Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
September 7, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Part of the Protective Factors Series
Presented by California Training Institute

Webinar: Fathers, Families, and Mental Health
September 7, 10:00am – 11:00am
Presented by National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety

Webinar: Perinatal Maternal Mental Health 101
September 7, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Presented by Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and Postpartum Support International

Webinar: Fostering Inclusive Play for All Preschoolers
September 7, 12:00pm
Presented by Office of Head Start

Virtual Training: Overview of Major Psychiatric Disorders
September 7 & 8, 9:30am – 12:00pm
Presented by DMH + UCLA Wellbeing for LA Learning Center

Webinar: Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
September 7, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Part of the Protective Factors Series
Presented by California Training Institute

Webinar: Fathers, Families, and Mental Health
September 7, 10:00am – 11:00am
Presented by National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety

Webinar: Perinatal Maternal Mental Health 101
September 7, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Presented by Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and Postpartum Support International

Webinar: Fostering Inclusive Play for All Preschoolers
September 7, 12:00pm
Presented by Office of Head Start

Virtual Training: Overview of Major Psychiatric Disorders
September 7 & 8, 9:30am – 12:00pm
Presented by DMH + UCLA Wellbeing for LA Learning Center

Friday, September 8

Virtual Training: Promoting Placement Stability: Utilizing the Child and Family Team Process
September 8, 9:00am – 12:00pm
To register for this training, you must create an account with eventsHUB.
Presented by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health

Saturday, September 9

Brunch Talk & Learn: “I’m Black, I’m Gay, and Our Family is OK – A Conversation on Black Parents Loving Their Children.”
September 9, 11:00am – 2:00pm: Regency West, 3349 West 43rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Presented by Better Brothers Los Angeles

3^rd Annual Jazz in the Knolls Festival
September 9, 5:00pm – 9:00pm: Budlong Avenue (between 79th and 83rd Streets), Los Angeles, CA 90044
Presented by The Historic Vermont Knolls Residents Association

Sunday, September 10

We don’t know of any events happening today.