By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep., Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Kaiser Permanente Antioch welcomed its first baby of the New Year when Jett Jester arrived at 12:44 a.m. on January 1, 2026.

Jett was born five weeks early, but his parents Taylor Lisa and Ryan Jester said he doesn’t look premature. He weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

“It’s a New Year’s we will never forget,” said proud dad Ryan Jester.  “We feel extremely blessed to have a healthy baby boy. We love him beyond words.” 

By Contra Costa Health

Contra Costa County must prepare for significant reductions in Medi-Cal coverage and hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term funding loss as a result of recent federal and state policy changes, county officials said Tuesday. 

New federal requirements under H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” combined with state Medi-Cal eligibility and reimbursement changes, will make it harder for many residents to enroll in or keep healthcare coverage. While final details are still emerging, county estimates indicate that as many as 93,000 Contra Costa residents could be affected by 2029. 

At the same time, Contra Costa Health (CCH) projects more than $300 million in cumulative state and federal funding reductions through 2029, driven by Medi-Cal disenrollment and cuts to supplemental funding that public hospitals rely upon. These impacts are expected to grow year over year and reflect a broader trend affecting counties and public health systems across California. 

“These changes mean fewer people covered and fewer dollars coming into the system at the same time,” said Candace Andersen, Chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “Our responsibility is to face that reality head-on, plan carefully, and ensure the county continues to provide essential care for residents who have nowhere else to turn.”

During a presentation to the Board on Tuesday, leaders of CCH and the county’s Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD) emphasized that the projected impacts are a result of external policy decisions, not local performance, and that significant uncertainty remains around timelines, enforcement and the response from California. 

Federal guidance on several provisions of H.R. 1 has not yet been issued, and California’s approach to mitigating coverage losses is still evolving. 

The presentation outlined how specific provisions of H.R. 1 and recent state Medi-Cal policy changes are expected to reduce enrollment, increase administrative barriers to coverage, and lower reimbursement to safety-net providers. It also reviewed projected enrollment losses, funding impacts to CCH and Contra Costa Health Plan, and the anticipated timing of changes, along with areas of ongoing uncertainty. 

The Board directed CCH to return in early 2026 with a proposal to update and strengthen the county’s existing supports for people who are not eligible for Medi-Cal and have no other healthcare options. 

Contra Costa County will share additional updates as federal and state guidance becomes available and planning continues. 

Paul Schorr Memorial

Awards for top 3 in each age group

By Allen D. Payton

Join local communities, friends and family take a step for health at the 49th Annual Holiday Run & Walk for Health – a memorial to Paul Schorr – at Contra Loma Regional Park, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.

Hosted by Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch and Rotary Club of the Delta (Antioch), this cherished community event that promotes fitness and well-being was founded 49 years ago by Tom Torlakson, former Antioch Councilman, County Supervisor, State Assemblyman, State Senator and California Superintendent of Public Instruction. The event honors the legacy of Paul Schorr, a dedicated race director who passionately supported local runners as well as local Kiwanis and Rotary members, who passed away on April 12, 2023.

Participants of all ages are encouraged to lace up their shoes and enjoy a day of fun camaraderie and holiday spirit. Come be a part of this time-honored tradition.

Race Schedule:

7:30 AM – Registration Opens

9:00 AM – 1 Mile
9:35 AM – 5K Run/Walk

10:15 AM – Kid’s Dash with Santa

The event is located at Contra Loma Regional Park – 1200 Frederickson Lane, Antioch. As you enter the park, you will stop at a parking booth. Tell them you are here for the Kiwanis/Rotary Run and they will tell you were to park. The race will take place in the parking lot of the swimming lagoon.

For more details and to register for the run, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Antioch/KiwanisHolidayRun.

Family raising funds for “proper service” of 59-year-old Frank Troia suffering from severe brain damage

By Allen D. Payton

The sister of Frank Troia, an Antioch homeless resident, who was injured in a fight with a younger homeless man earlier this month, has organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his funeral as he is not expected to survive his injuries. The suspect, 34-year-old Brandon Rowlett, was arrested for attempted homicide. (See related article)

On the GoFundMe page Frank’s sister wrote, “My name is Mary Troia. My brother, Frank Troia, was a victim of assault on November 17, 2025. He was beaten with a weapon and has been hospitalized since. He has severe brain damage and has not regained consciousness. The doctors are giving our family time to come to terms with end of life.

Frank suffered from mental illness and was unhoused at the time of the assault. It occurred in Antioch, CA, and was covered by the Antioch Herald and the East Bay Times. Unfortunately, Frank has no assets and I am asking for any donations to cover any costs associated with proper services. Donations of any amount would be appreciated by my family. God bless you, and if unable to donate, please remember Frank in your prayers.”

Asked about her brother, Mary shared about him and their family, “Frank did attend Antioch High School. However, he did not graduate with his Class of 1984. He got a G.E.D. Frank is the youngest of four children, my brother, John Myers, the oldest, myself, then my sister Janet Troia and he followed her. Frank has a 36-year-old son, Frank, Jr.”

Asked if he was a Marine Corps veteran due to the flag on the wall behind him seen in a photo from Facebook, she replied, “He was not a vet our stepfather was. He is still in critical condition at this time.”

To help the Troia family, visit www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-frank-troias-final-journey.

Donations, 10% of specific sales support effort through Dec. 31

By Allie Packer

Chick-fil-A Antioch at Lone Tree Way has partnered with Tunnels of Joy to bring the spirit of the season to life—one car at a time. The restaurant transformed its drive-thru into a “Tunnel of Joy,” complete with Christmas lights, festive décor and live carolers. This special effort is to support six-year-old Angelo Venegas, a local child bravely battling brain cancer. Guests will find QR codes on signage and in carry-out bags, providing them an easy way to donate for Angelo through Dec. 31. Additionally, the restaurant will donate 10% of the sale of all Peppermint Chip Milkshake sales to support Angelo during the same time frame.  

“We’re honored to partner with Tunnels of Joy to help bring light, hope and joy to families battling health challenges during the holiday season,” said Evan Hawthorne, local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Antioch at Lone Tree Way. “We invite our community to join us in celebrating the season and supporting a cause that truly touches the hearts of so many people in our community. 

“Tunnels of Joy” is a Brentwood-based neighborhood group dedicated to raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer patients and their families. Tunnels of Joy creates holiday light displays, featuring a walking path illuminated by lights and festive decorations. 

According to a post on the Tunnels of Joy Facebook page, “The reason for The Tunnels of Joy Season…ways to donate:

1. Venmo Donations go directly to the family.  Just scan the QR Code.

2. Donation Boxes are located at Tunnels of Joy on La Costa Dr and Torrey Pines…you can also drop off letters to Angelo here.

3. Chick fil A on Lone Tree is donating a percentage of its Peppermint Shake sales to Angelo, now through Dec 31st.”

Chick-fil-A Antioch is located at 5705 Lone Tree Way in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center, is open 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sunday.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

El condado insta a los inmigrantes elegibles para Medi-Cal a inscribirse antes de finales de 2025

By Contra Costa County Office of Communications & Media

(Martinez, CA) – Contra Costa County strongly encourages adult undocumented residents without health insurance to enroll in Medi-Cal this year while they are still eligible.

Starting Jan. 1, people ages 19 and older with what the state defines as unsatisfactory immigration status (UIS) – a category that includes undocumented residents and others who do not meet federal eligibility criteria – will no longer be able to enroll in full-scope Medi-Cal benefits, including seniors. The change in eligibility is the result of state budget cuts.

“We want undocumented members of our community to know they need to act quickly and sign up for Medi-Cal before it’s too late,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Candace Andersen. “Enrolling now will ensure they’re covered when the rules change.”

State residents with UIS status who are already enrolled in Medi-Cal before Jan. 1, 2026, will be able to keep and renew most of their benefits, though adults 19 and older will lose dental coverage beginning in July 2026.

“Under the new rules starting on January 1, 2026, it is very important for Medi-Cal recipients who meet the definition of UIS, to stay in contact with the county and check their mail for any notices or renewal forms. One good way to stay in touch is to create an account in BenefitsCal,” said Marla Stuart, Director of Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD). “Current UIS Medi-Cal recipients who do not complete a renewal on time will lose their Medi-Cal full coverage and will only be eligible for emergency services when they reapply.”

After the new rules take effect, immigration status will not affect Medi-Cal coverage for children under 19 and pregnant women and their infants. Adults 19 and older who are classified as UIS will still be able to receive Emergency Medi-Cal, which covers emergency medical treatment.

“Sign up today. Having Medi-Cal is one of the best investments you can make in your health,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, CEO of Contra Costa Health. “Whether it is through a primary provider, specialist, in urgent care or in the emergency room, having Medi-Cal it key to getting healthcare for you and your family.”

In Contra Costa, residents can call EHSD at (866) 663-3225 for information about enrolling in Medi-Cal or apply online at BenefitsCal.com.

For more information, read the Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal Immigrant Eligibility FAQs.

En Español

(Martinez, CA) – El condado de Contra Costa recomienda encarecidamente a los residentes adultos indocumentados sin seguro médico que se inscriban en Medi-Cal este año mientras aún sean elegibles.

A partir del 1 de enero, las personas mayores de 19 años con lo que el estado define como estatus migratorio insatisfactorio (UIS), una categoría que incluye a los residentes indocumentados y otras personas que no cumplen con los criterios federales de elegibilidad, ya no podrán inscribirse en los beneficios completos de Medi-Cal, incluidas las personas mayores. El cambio en la elegibilidad es el resultado de los recortes presupuestarios estatales.

“Queremos que los miembros indocumentados de nuestra comunidad sepan que deben actuar rápidamente e inscribirse en Medi-Cal antes de que sea demasiado tarde”, dijo la presidenta de la Junta de Supervisores, Candace Andersen. “Inscribirse ahora asegurará que estén cubiertos cuando cambien las reglas”.

Los residentes del estado con estatus de UIS que ya estén inscritos en Medi-Cal antes del 1 de enero de 2026 podrán mantener y renovar la mayoría de sus beneficios, aunque los adultos mayores de 19 años perderán la cobertura dental a partir de julio de 2026.

“Según las nuevas reglas que comienzan el 1 de enero de 2026, es muy importante que los beneficiarios de Medi-Cal que cumplan con la definición de UIS, se mantengan en contacto con el condado y revisen su correo para ver si hay avisos o formularios de renovación. Una buena manera de mantenerse en contacto es crear una cuenta en BenefitsCal”, dijo Marla Stuart, directora del Departamento de Empleo y Servicios Humanos del Condado de Contra Costa (EHSD). “Los beneficiarios actuales de Medi-Cal del UIS que no completen una renovación a tiempo perderán su cobertura total de Medi-Cal y solo serán elegibles para los servicios de emergencia cuando vuelvan a presentar la solicitud”.

Después de que entren en vigor las nuevas reglas, el estado migratorio no afectará la cobertura de Medi-Cal para niños menores de 19 años y mujeres embarazadas y sus bebés. Los adultos de 19 años o más que estén clasificados como UIS aún podrán recibir Medi-Cal de emergencia, que cubre el tratamiento médico de urgencia.

“Inscríbase hoy. Tener Medi-Cal es una de las mejores inversiones que puede hacer en su salud”, dijo el Dr. Grant Colfax, director ejecutivo de Contra Costa Health. “Ya sea a través de un proveedor de atención primaria, un especialista, en atención urgente o en la sala de emergencias, tener Medi-Cal es clave para obtener atención médica para usted y su familia.”

En Contra Costa, los residentes pueden llamar a EHSD al (866) 663-3225 para obtener información sobre cómo inscribirse en Medi-Cal o presentar una solicitud en línea en BenefitsCal.com.

Para obtener más información, lea las preguntas frecuentes sobre la elegibilidad de inmigrantes de Medi-Cal del Departamento de Servicios de Atención Médica.

Sutter Delta Medical Center earns an “A” – the only hospital in Contra Costa County to do so

By Monique Binkley Smith, Manager, Media Relations, Sutter Health 

Fifteen Sutter hospitals earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit focused on patient safety. This recognition is awarded to hospitals for their exceptional performance in patient safety and quality of care.

“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to patient safety and quality care,” said Dr. William Isenberg, chief medical and quality officer at Sutter Health. “Earning an ‘A’ grade is a testament to the dedication of our teams and their focus on delivering the safest possible care for our communities. This recognition reflects the trust our patients place in us and our shared commitment to creating safer, healthier neighborhoods across California.”

Hospitals that did not receive an “A” grade have established workplans to improve performance in the next evaluation cycle, drawing on best practices from Sutter hospitals that have consistently earned “A” grades.

Locally, Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch earned an “A” grade for safe patient care –the only hospital in Contra Costa County to do so.

“Earning an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group is a tremendous honor for Sutter Delta Medical Center — and even more meaningful because we are the only hospital in Contra Costa County to achieve this distinction for Fall 2025,” said Trevor Brand, CEO. “This recognition reflects the relentless dedication of our entire team to put patient safety at the heart of every decision and every interaction. Our community trusts us with their health, and we embrace that responsibility with a commitment to excellence today and a vision for even safer, higher-quality care tomorrow.”

Commitment to Safety

As a high-reliability organization, Sutter promotes a culture of safety in which everyone is empowered to speak up about potential safety concerns. Being high-reliability is more than a process — it’s a promise to make care safer and more consistent for every patient, every time. Efforts around this work include:

• The launch of Sutter Safe Care in 2018. The program kicked off Sutter’s journey to becoming a high-reliability organization, with comprehensive training of over 65,000 leaders, physicians, advanced practice clinicians and staff.
• Targeted training to onboard new leaders, employees and physicians, to ensure everyone adopts Sutter Safe Care’s high-reliability behaviors and key practices.
• A reliability coach program empowering frontline staff to support their peers with high-reliability behaviors. Currently, there are over 1,100 frontline reliability coaches across Sutter Health, and participation in the program continues to grow, year over year.

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. The program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To explore full grade details, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

Sutter hospital campuses earning an “A” grade include:

• Sutter Delta Medical Center (improved from “B” in Spring)
• Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Summit Campus
• Sutter Amador Hospital
• Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital
• Sutter’s CPMC – Mission Bernal Campus
• Sutter Davis Hospital
• Sutter’s Eden Medical Center
• Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento
• Sutter’s Memorial Hospital Los Banos
• Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
• Sutter’s Novato Community Hospital
• Sutter Roseville Medical Center
• Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
• Sutter Solano Medical Center
• Sutter Tracy Community Hospital

Sutter hospital campuses earning a “B” grade include:

• Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Alta Bates Campus
• Sutter’s CPMC – Van Ness Campus
• Sutter Coast Hospital
• Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center

Sutter hospital campuses earning a “C” grade include:

• Sutter’s CPMC – Davies Campus

Frontline healthcare workers overwhelmingly approve contract agreement securing progress on staffing, pay and working conditions

Sutter Health “pleased to have reached an agreement”

Averted strike at 8 facilities including Sutter Delta in Antioch

By Maria Leal, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West

OAKLAND, CA – Frontline healthcare workers at eight Sutter Health facilities across Northern California have overwhelmingly approved a new contract agreement with Sutter executives, averting the strike workers had authorized. Approved by a margin of 98%, the new agreement addresses critical issues around staffing and working conditions by ensuring fair pay and benefits for frontline healthcare workers, allowing them to continue serving patients without disruption. 

“This new contract shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients,” said Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “Reaching this contract agreement wasn’t easy, but we stood together to advocate for worker and patient safety, improved staffing levels, and fair wages and benefits that reflect the vital work we do daily.”

The contract agreement provides 14 percent across-the-board raises over the life of the contract for workers and protects healthcare and retirement benefits for these frontline healthcare workers. The agreement averted a strike at eight Sutter Health facilities in nine cities: Antioch, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Roseville, Berkeley, Lakeport, Vallejo, Castro Valley and San Francisco. (See related articles here and here)

SEIU-UHW represents various workers across Sutter Health, including nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, X-ray technicians, environmental and food services workers, among others.

Sutter Health Responds

A Sutter Health spokesperson stated, “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement that supports our frontline employees while maintaining our shared focus on patient care and safety. As Sutter Health continues to achieve high safety scores, expand access to care, add new services and bring more physicians to the communities we serve, we’ll continue investing in and supporting the teams who make that care possible.”

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org