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Pima County District 5 Newsletter - Office of Supervisor Betty Villegas

Sep 17, 2020 | Read More News
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District 5 Pima County Supervisor Betty Villegas

Pima County District 5 Supervisor Betty Villegas 


Welcome to the September Newsletter for the office of Pima County District 5 Supervisor, Betty Villegas. Below are some important updates and resources. Please feel free to distribute the link to this page as you find helpful to the communities you live in and serve.  

Rental, Utility, and Mortgage Assistance

What tenants need to know During COVID-19

Pima County has hired 25 temporary workers to assist in expediting rental assistance applications. Please apply for rental or mortgage assistance by clicking here. 

Pima County Community Action Agency has non-COVID-19 related rental assistance as well as utility and other assistance available.  Call the hotline at (520) 724-2667 between 8:30 am and 10:30 am Monday through Friday for information.

For missing social security cards

For missing birth certificate

 

Voting Information


The deadline to register to vote for the November 3, 2020 election is October 5, 2020. To register to vote, find your polling place, or check the status of your voter registration, please click here.

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is October 23, 2020. You can do so by clicking here. 

If you are already registered to vote and have requested your mail-in ballot, please share this information with your family, friends, and on your social media platforms. 

Voting and becoming informed about the candidates running for political office may seem like a dreary and painful chore, but like the professor and political scientist, Larry Sobato says, “Every election is determined by the people who show up.” Voting is the most basic element of practicing democracy. The people who vote are the ones who have power in democracy. 
Purple and gold lighting of historic courthouse in honor of sufferage

Lighting of the Courthouse

On August 26th, The Pima County Historic Courthouse was lit in purple and gold to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment which granted women the right to vote in the United States.


“Passage of the 19th Amendment was a milestone and trailblazing effort that became stronger over the years to include women of color.” -
Pima County Supervisor Betty Villegas 



Hot Spot Map

COVID-19 Information and Resources

District 5 Hotspot Map: COVID-19 Reported cases August 23rd through September 5th by Census Tract

 

Face Mask Mandate

Wear a mask. Be a hero imageOn June 19th, the Pima County Board of Supervisors enacted a countywide public health protection resolution requiring the wearing of face coverings when in public if 6 feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained. The rule is effective immediately and applies to everyone over the age of 5.

Read the resolution for more specific information about the face mask mandate.

Restaurants and Businesses

For COVID-19 Safety Standards Business and Community Reporting, as well as to see a list of establishments who are not complying with the Resolution 2020-49 requiring facial masks, click here . 

If you are unable to make an online report, you can call the Pima County Health Department at (520) 724-7770, and choose option 2 for COVID-19 related concerns. 

Free Pima County COVID-19 Testing Sites 

There is free COVID-19 testing available at three different sites in Pima County by appointment only. Please click here to schedule a free test.

Wear a mask imageTesting is available at the Kino Event Center located at 2805 E. Ajo Way, at Morris K. Udall Center located at 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road, and as well at the Ellie Towne Center located at 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. 

You can Scheduling testing online or you can call (855) 452-2346 to schedule a test at the Kino Event Center and the Morris K. Udall locations. 

COVID-19 testing at El Pueblo Center


There is a new site for testing at 101 W. Irvington Road, which is on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Testing is by appointment only. To register for a test, call El Rio Health at (520) 670-3909 and schedule an appointment. A doctor’s order is not needed for the test. Enter the parking lot from South 6th Avenue/South Nogales Highway and follow on-site signage to the testing site. 

There are also private testing options available. View a list of options on the Arizona Department of Health Services website. You will type in your address on the map to view the closest testing site to your location. 

COVID-19 Community Outreach Group

Supervisor Villegas and Chairman Ramón Valadez have met with community leaders to discuss needed outreach and resources regarding COVID-19 in our underserved populations. Through these meetings with community members, our health department and communications team, have heard firsthand what is needed in the communities being hardest hit by COVID-19. As these meetings continue, we hope to bring in more voices and continue to work towards an equitable response to the virus. 

Communities of Color Disproportionately Impacted by COVID-19

Equality and equity are not synonymous. Equality provides each person or community with the same amount and type of resources but equity recognizes that each person or community may need different types and amounts of resources to achieve similar outcomes.

The District Five report “The Pandemic Shines a Light on Social Inequities” was completed in mid-June and was based on data available through May 23.

Download report

Wellness Clinic

The Theresa Lee Public Health Center located on 1493 W. Commerce Court, Tucson AZ 85746 offers Women Wellness services such as preventative care. They also offer Family Planning, HIV/STD, and Immunization Services. Please click here for more information or call (520) 724-7900. 

Mental Health

During the this time of increased social isolation, it is important to reach out to the people we know to check in and make connections with those we love and care for. Although it is important to socially distance from others and stay away from group gatherings, we can connect online, by phone, or getting together while wearing masks and social distancing in groups of 10 or less. We never know what someone is going through, so just staying connected and being there to listen to one another is invaluable. 

The Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program  is meant to assist individuals who are struggling from the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This service is free of charge and completely confidential. 

Getting Help and Dealing with Stigma

Please call the crisis line if you or someone you know is dealing with a mental health crisis at (866) 495-6735. Crisis clinicians are available to help over the phone and in person! 

Experiencing mental health issues can be feel isolating, especially when we feel like those around us don’t understand or we are too afraid to talk about it. It is important to understand that you are not alone. Please talk to your healthcare provider for a referral, or reach out to a mental health provider directly to enroll in services if you feel like you need them. Do not give up, even if the process causes frustration. Do not under estimate the benefits of eating balanced meals, getting some light exercise, going out into the sunlight, and connecting with others or taking time to yourself when you need it. 

Meditation can be an effective tool to manage symptoms of anxiety or depression. Sometimes we experience negative thoughts that are not helpful to our situations. This website offers tips on how to engage in meditation practice as well as some guided meditations.

Board of Health Meeting: Rubber Bullets Resolution

On August 17, 2020, in a 3-2 vote, the Board of Supervisors approved the resolution condemning law enforcement’s use of rubber bullets due to possible serious injuries including irreversible damage to the eyes of innocent people causing blindness. Read the full resolution.  

There is still time to respond to the 2020 Census!

Important funding for the communities that we live in depend on our response to the 2020 Census. WE ARE NOT INVISIBLE! Answer the United States 2020 Census questionnaire today. Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors about answering their Census questionnaires. September 30th, 2020 is that last day to respond!

The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation, inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provide data that will impact communities for the next decade. Census data informs federal funding for more than 100 programs, including school lunches, highway construction, and education.

Respond to the United States 2020 Census!  Important funding for the communities that we live in depend on our response to the 2020 Census! WE ARE NOT INVISIBLE! Answer the United States 2020 Census questionnaire today!

 

 

Public Service Announcement from Isabel Garcia/ Anuncio de servicio público de Isabel García

The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation, inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provide data that will impact communities for the next decade. Census data informs federal funding for more than 100 programs, including school lunches, highway construction, and education. Respond to the United States 2020 Census!

 

 

Pima County Public Libraries

Pima County Public Libraries are offering limited services due to the ongoing pandemic. Libraries are open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Wednesday hours have been extended from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm beginning on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. 

  • There is no in person browsing. You may use the online library catalog, the Library app, or by phone (520) 791-4010 to put books on hold for pick up.
  • Please visit the Pima County Public Library website for more details about current library services and changes.

Additional Resources

Free Menstrual Resources for those in Need

English                                          Spanish

menstruation resources flyerMenstruation resources flyer in Spanish

District 5 would
like to highlight an
important community
created resource.

View a list of black-owned
businesses

Check out this amazing
resource being offered to
Youth ages 16-24 by the
Goodwill Metro Youth Center!

Goodwill Metro Youth Flyer

 

Study on COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine

Study on COVID-19 and the Flu Vaccine-We Need You!

The University of Arizona Health Sciences department is looking for participants for a focus group study about flu and COVID-19 vaccines. 

Read more information about the study. Please email COVIDVAC@arizona.edu if you have questions regarding this study. 










Contact the District 5 Office of Supervisor Betty Villegas

If you have any questions or would like to see additional content added here in the future, please do not hesitate to contact our office:
Office: (520) 724-8126  Email: district5@pima.gov Fax: (520) 884-1152

You can also contact District 5 staff directly:
Keith Bagwell 
Marjava Ramirez 
Nahrin Jabro 
Amanda Monroy