July Update from Dr. Bains' Office

Dear Neighbors,

Kern County approves $8 million
plan for Fentanyl Task force

Earlier this month, the Kern County Board of Supervisors approved the spending plan for our local Fentanyl Taskforce, using funds that I secured from the State to support our efforts. Funds include $4.16 million that will go to local law enforcement, and $4 million that will go to medical providers to increase access to recovery and treatment. This funding is not a silver bullet, but it is a great start to combating one of the most challenging problems in our community right now. We need enforcement and treatment, not one or the other. Read this article in The Bakersfield Californian for more details on the plan.

$1 million for state-of-the-art job training at KCCD

Also in July, I was proud to present Kern Community College District $1 million in state funding for its innovative economic mobility lab. This new mobile learning center will hit the road in the fall of 2025 and will have the latest technology for training students in cybersecurity, virtual reality, and physiology, among other subjects. The special part of this project is that the lab can bring its resources to students, no matter where they are located.

Doctor's Note

With many folks heading out to lakes and rivers to cool down on these hot summer days, I wanted to use my doctor’s note this month to highlight the importance of life jackets.

According to the American Red Cross, ten people die each day from unintentional drowning, and on average, 20% are under the age of 14.

Water Safety USA, a consortium of health and safety organizations, has a great list of life jacket information from how to choose the right life jacket to important reminders about water safety.

There are also lifejacket loaner programs throughout California – you can find a list of them here.

In good health,

Dr. Jasmeet Bains
Assemblymember, 35th District