Soboba Tribal member helps others find their path

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

Special to the Valley News

Damon Joseph Miranda II has been a Peer Support Specialist at Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health Inc.’s Behavioral Health Services for about two years. His duties are to share his lived experience with other Native brothers and sisters, detailing what has worked for him in his life.

“I have adult, youth and family Talking Circles and I administer a Wellbriety meeting at the Soboba Clinic,” Miranda, 35, said. “I work with the youth at Noli Indian School and have organized three Family Kick Ball events that have been great for the people of my land.” His most recent event Wednesday, July 12, drew great participation and he was happy to see the attending families have fun while taking advantage of the many resources made available to them at the free Soboba Sports Complex event. Along with food, crafts and of course lots of kick ball games, families could learn about the clinic’s behavioral programs and services offered, such as the MAT Program, Celebrating Families, Tribal Victim Services and the Community Mental Health Promotion Program. Substance use prevention guidance and other useful information was also provided.

“The highlight of the event for me was watching the kids compete against their parents in the kick ball games; everyone was having a great time,” said the married father of two boys who has another child on the way.

Miranda has lived in the San Jacinto Valley his entire life. As a Peer Support Specialist, he uses his past experiences with drug and alcohol addiction to help others find their way back as he did, stay on the right path to start with and/ or overcome their problems in a way that works for them.

“I started using cannabis at a very early age and by the time I was 16, I started using other drugs. One thing led to another, and I became a full-blown addict,” he said. “I was struggling with my addiction, and in 2010, I was

Tri-City Oceanside Medical Center to suspend Women and Newborn Services

OCEANSIDE – A confluence of unfavorable circumstances and market changes has resulted in progressive erosion of Women and Newborn Service (WNS) lines across multiple organizations, including TriCity Medical Center.

A notable negative contributor was a neighboring healthcare district’s well documented encroachment into the Tri-City Healthcare District boundaries and ensuing transfer of laboring mothers out of Tri-City’s district. The subsequent ratification of that decision by the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission, despite repeated warnings from the district of the dangerous consequences for laboring mothers and infants, has made the situation even more daunting.

Tri-City Medical Center now delivers less than one infant per day, on average. This has accelerated district financial losses to levels that are unsustainable, and it is the opinion of the administrative team that inaction will negatively impact other critical service lines.

As a result of these circumstances, the administrative team has pursued conversations with a variety of potential affiliate partners in search of a collaboration that would not only save but grow this service line.

Those discussions have been robust and have broadened to include consideration of more expansive affiliation opportunities. Unfortunately, it has become clear that a solution will require more extensive due diligence, along with continued dialog with internal and external constituents to assess community needs, both in terms of WNS and wider hospital operations. in rehab. Unfortunately, I did not stay sober and was in and out of programs until 2015. A couple months before entering my last treatment facility, I became suicidal and hopeless because I was driven by guilt, shame, anger and depression from throwing my family away.”

In the absence of an imminent solution, the current and expected financial losses associated with continued operation of WNS, coupled with the progressive loss of staff necessary to continue operating the units, the administrative team must now recommend suspension of WNS, to include labor and delivery, postpartum and the neonatal intensive care unit.

If this decision is ratified by the Board of Directors, we expect final suspension of operations to occur no later than Oct. 1. A complete communications plan is in development for noticing the community and all relevant stakeholders.

While suspension of WNS is extremely difficult, the district remains optimistic that ongoing exploration of a collaboration or affiliation with a regional healthcare partner will allow TriCity Medical Center to rebirth a more comprehensive, long-term, sustainable solution for WNS, much like the district was able to achieve in behavioral health culminating in the development of the Psychiatric Health Facility.

Submitted by Tri-City Oceanside Medical Center.

Miranda felt at that lowest point, going to prison for the rest of his life or death were his only options. He called the Soboba Indian Health Clinic crying for help one more time and was guided to the Betty Ford Center.

“One day, this counselor was praying for the wellbeing of my family and 20 minutes later my wife and kids showed up. That day was my first spiritual experience with my Creator,” he said. “While in treatment, this woman came to see me and said ‘Damon, you need to get back to your roots and culture’ and introduced some traditional medicine to me and showed me how to smudge.”

That was the turning point for Miranda. He found that the one thing that was missing from his entire life and journey to staying sober was his spirituality.

“All due to the Creator, I’ve stayed sober, got married and have been a productive member of society and my reservation,” he said. “I attend recovery meetings, started a recovery meeting on my reservation, volunteer at other rehabs, share my story, attend traditional ceremonies and have learned to sing traditional songs from my culture.”

As with many others, Miranda admits life still has its ups and downs, but he said his family brings him back to a place of gratitude every time.

“The past few years have been rough due to losing my father, being diagnosed with a severe lung condition that could have killed me and losing a cousin all in the same year. But through it all, my Creator, family, support group and ceremonies have helped me stay strong and sober for nearly eight years,” he said. “I believe my purpose is to carry the message to all, not just my Native brothers and sisters but to all nations of color. My message to the youth is: don’t lose focus on who you truly are and want to be.”

The Soboba Indian Health Clinic is located at 23119 Soboba Road and can be reached at 951-6540803 or 951-487-9627. For more information about Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health, visit http://www.rsbcihi.org.

California Poison Control offers prevention tips about wildfire smoke dangers

SAN FRANCISCO – California

Poison Control System, the largest single provider of poison control services in the U.S., has issued a warning about the dangers of wildfire smoke for children and adults with fires now burning throughout California.

“Our dangerous heatwave has elevated the chance of wildfires through the state of California. People are suffering from smoke exposure which can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs,” Dr. Rais Vohra, medical director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS, said. “Infants and young children, as well as seniors and pregnant women tend to be more susceptible than others. Those with current or chronic illnesses, such heart or lung disease, should take extra caution keeping their medications with them at all times, especially when evacuating or relocating.”

Symptoms of smoke inhalation vary. Consult a health care provider for difficulty breathing, chest pain or tightness, headache, coughing, eye irritation, sore throat and fatigue.

Vohra recommended those in the vicinity of wildfires check the air quality reports on the news frequently. Changes in wind or other conditions can severely impact air quality.

Avoid using devices that increase local pollution in your home or neighborhood, such as fireplaces, barbeques, gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc. Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in smoke-impacted areas.

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, not sodas.

Check with a health care provider to see if they want you to make any changes to your regular medications.

Follow all local mandates related to masking in public places. If you have lung disease, you may need to use a higher grade of respirator masks, such as those rated N95, as they offer the best protection.

If anyone sees or smells smoke, they should head indoors or leave the area to prevent further exposure. Keep windows and doors closed tightly, to avoid bringing smoke into a home.

Want to learn more? Check out the CPCS fact sheet online at https://calpoison.org/aboutwildfire-smoke CPCS, http://www.CalPoison. org , is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date information regarding poison prevention. In case of an accidental poisoning, consumers should immediately call the nationwide number from any state at 800222-1222. Pharmacists, nurses, physician-toxicologists and poison information providers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Weekly tips about safety are available by texting “TIPS” to 20121 for information in English or text “PUNTOS” to 20121 for Spanish. Follow CPCS on Facebook and on Twitter @poisoninfo. CPCS is part of the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy and is responsible to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority.

Submitted by California Poison Control System.