Emergency Resources

First 5 Monterey County is here to support the health and safety of our community. This page contains information for families across our county needing resources.

We will continually update this page as new resources become available. Please feel free to reach out to F5MC staff if you feel there are gaps in support that you feel we might be able to address collectively.

Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for tips and continuing information. Also, feel free to reach out to staff via email if you have questions or concerns. 

Wishing you all the best as we seek ways to stay healthy and connected.

Seasonal Health Resources

• Help stop the spread of illnesses like RSV, the Flu, and COVID-19. Visit the NEW Health page on the Monterey County Child Care Website.

• COVID-19 Testing Sites

  • For a list of free testing sites click here.

• RSV is on the rise, it is a common respitory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but may cause severe disease in infants and older adults.

  • Learn more from the California Department of Public Health

• Keep up on your vaccinations for Flu and COVID-19

  • Monterey County Vaccines

  • You can be vaccinated for Flu and COVID-19 at the same time

  • Vaccines are avaialble for adults and children 6 months and older.

• Monterey County Health Department:

  • Text MCCOVID19 to 888777 for COVID-19 Updates in Monterey County.

  • Access information about the vaccine and eligible individuals can sign up for appointments

• United Way Resources

  • General Information call 2-1-1 

  • Text "COVID19" to 211-211

• County Office of Emergency Services Care for Community Guide

  • Contact information for organizations and agencies involved in providing disaster assistance

• Child care options in Monterey County

  • Monterey County Child Care

  • Carina.org

• Quality Matters: Resources for Early Care Educators and Families

• Low Cost Internet Options

• California All:  COVID-19 website.

• Apply for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, also known as CalFresh:  visit the online application tool to get started.

  • Food Bank Emergency Food Assistance Program - Includes the Food Distribution Calendars

           General Self-Care Tips:

• Limit your time on social media/news outlets – constant immersion in stressful information (and sometimes misinformation!) can cause negative emotional impact.

• Obtain updates and news from reliable sources, such as California, Monterey County public health departments, the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).

• Social distancing practices are important, but so are human relationships. In-person contact should be limited, but there's no need to limit use of technology! Stay in touch with friends and family with phone calls, FaceTime or other video chat services.

• Maintain your normal sleep/wake cycles and create a daily routine if you are experiencing schedule changes due to school closures, work closures/reduction in hours. Keeping a consistent routine will help reduce anxiety and offer healthy means of distraction.

Funding for Government, Special Districts, and Nonprofits

• COVID-19 Relief Fund: The Community Foundation for Monterey County and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation have started a COVID-19 Relief Fund. It was created to address the immediate and longer-term needs of our community.

• U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Assistance: The U.S. Small Business Administration has a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application open to Nonprofits.

• For more nonprofit COVID related funding opportunities, please visit CalNonprofits COVID-19 Resources for California's Nonprofits.

Physical Health and Wellbeing

Please contact your child's pediatrician (if for your child's needs) or your primary care physician (if for your own needs) by phone to advise of symptoms or healthcare needs and ask whether it is more appropriate to have your needs addressed by phone or in person. Primary care providers can assess and address needs for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) time and form completion based on your individual/family circumstances and needs if there is a medical necessity for time off.  For additional County screening options please contact the numbers below:

Emotional Health and Wellbeing

In these challenging times, it's important to be mindful of your own mental and emotional health and the mental and emotional wellness of your family. Take time each day to do things that bring you joy or help you relax — take a walk (while maintaining social distancing guidelines), play a game with your family, cook a healthy meal together, or watch a favorite movie.

• Behavioral Health Website - COVID-19 Resources for Coping with Mental Health/Recursos Para Manejar La Salud Mental - includes online and phone supports along with mindfulness meditation and yoga (English/Spanish)

• Parenting Connection of Monterey County offers a warm line and along with pregnancy and postpartum support groups

Seneca Kinship Center Mobile Response Team (MRT) provides crisis Counseling and helps stabilize out of control situations for children and youth. Learn more about the program on their English and Spanish fliers. Call the 24 hour support line at 831-687-4379. Non-urgent referrals may email KinshipMRTReferrals@SenecaCenter.org.