Family Connections

Here is some good news for San Bernardino County students in elementary, middle and high school across the county, and especially for teens without cars: K-12 students can ride free every day on every bus system in San Bernardino County. This includes Omnitrans, Victor Valley Transit, Mountain Transit, Basin Transit and Needles Area Transit.

The K-12 Student Free Fare Program is sponsored by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and is a one-year pilot project paid for primarily with Low Carbon Transit Operations funding, which seeks to reduce carbon emissions by increasing transit use.

This program is one way transportation agencies have stepped up efforts to get people out of individual cars and into public transportation. In this case, it’s helping students and families. This program gives students a little financial break, too.

Students can use the buses to go to school or anywhere else. The free-fare program is being implemented separately by each system. Riders should contact their local bus system for more information and for schedule details.

• Omnitrans: omnitrans.org, 800-966-6428
• Victor Valley Transit Authority: vvta.org, 760-948-4021
• Mountain Transit: mountaintransit.org, 909-878-5200
• Basin Transit: basin-transit.com, 800-794-6282
• Needles Area Transit: cityofneedles.com/transit, 760.326.2113, ext. 115

Each year, thousands of schools and youth organizations nationwide participate in Start With Hello Week, a national call-to-action week dedicated to making new social connections and creating a sense of belonging among youth. Serrano High School has participated in Start with Hello Week for the past few years and now the SIA Department is pleased to offer the program to our elementary and middle school students as well.

Snowline will be participating in Start with Hello Week from September 25th-29th as part of our focus on suicide prevention and awareness. A recent study from the Center for Disease Control found, "Youth who felt connected to adults and peers at school were significantly less likely than those who did not to report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (35% vs. 53%); that they seriously considered attempting suicide (14% vs. 26%); or attempted suicide (6% vs. 12%)."

We hope that by encouraging our students to reach out to their peers who are feeling isolated and including them in activities will help us to increase the sense of belonging our students feel.

Watch the video below to learn more about Start with Hello Week or visit the Sandy Hook Promise Website.

Join us in the Serrano Performing Arts Center on 9/19/2023 at 5:30 pm to learn how to recognize the warning signs and risk factors for suicide. Learn how to talk to your student about mental health and what resources the district has available.

Regular school attendance is not just important to the success of the student, it is mandated by California Educational Codes 48200-48263. The Student Intervention and Attendance Office is available to assist you. We intervene by notifying parents when a student becomes truant (3 or more unexcused absences, 3 tardies greater than 30 minutes, or 10 or more excused absences) and provide resources to help you support regular school attendance. The graphic below outlines Snowline's SARB Process.

Medi-Cal covers vital health care services for you and your family, including doctor visits, prescriptions, vaccinations, mental health care, and more. If you or your child have Medi-Cal, make sure you renew it when it’s time.

You need to renew your family’s Medi-Cal every year! Every family’s renewal date is different. Annual renewals are usually due in the same month you or your child first enrolled for Medi–Cal. For example, if you first enrolled in October of 2020, you will need to renew on October of 2023.

Click Here for More Information

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO STAY COVERED:

1. Update your contact information – Make sure to let your county Medi-Cal office know about any changes to your contact information (mailing address, phone number, email) so they can contact you with information about your coverage.

2. Check your mail – When it is time to renew your coverage, Medi-Cal will mail you a letter to let you know if you need to complete a renewal form or if your renewal can be completed automatically. If you do need to complete a renewal form, you will receive a renewal packet in a yellow envelope!

3. Complete your renewal form – If you receive a renewal form, your coverage will not be renewed unless you complete it. Fill out the form and return it to your county Medi-Cal office right away to help avoid a gap in your coverage.

4. Sign up for alerts at KeepMediCalCoverage.org to get updates about what is happening with Medi-Cal renewals by signing up for email and SMS text messages.

Renew your Medi-Cal coverage and report changes by:

• Setting up an account online at benefitscal.com

• Contacting your county Medi-Cal office, by mail, phone, or in person. To find your county Medi-Cal office, visit dhcs.ca.gov/COL or call (800) 541-5555.

• Visiting the ALL IN for Health resource page to find help in your community.

For immigrant families, every income-eligible child, persons under the age of 26, persons over 50, and pregnant or recently pregnant persons are eligible for Medi-Cal health coverage REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. Enrolling in Medi-Cal is simple and safe for all families. You and your child can access health care, food, housing support, and many more public benefits without fear of immigration consequences. Visit AllinForHealth.org for more information about public charge and the upcoming expansion of Medi-Cal to all families.

NEED HELP? If you need assistance with your Medi-Cal renewal, call the Medi-Cal

Member Helpline at (800) 541-5555 or find help in your community at allinforhealth.org/healthcoverageresources.

Student health and wellness is an important focus of the SIA Department. If you know a student who is struggling, please visit our website for resources or reach out to our Health and Wellness team at (760) 868-5817 ext 10140. You can access the Health and Wellness Website HERE.