Public & Media Relations

Public & Media Relations

Welcome to the Health Services (HS) Public & Media Relations page.  The Office of Public Information manages internal and external communications for Health Services. We also respond to inquiries from all sources and provide access to information by the public and media outlets. 

header-title-decorationPublic & Media Relations

Welcome to the Health Services (HS) Public & Media Relations page.  The Office of Public Information manages internal and external communications for Health Services. We also respond to inquiries from all sources and provide access to information by the public and media outlets.

Patient privacy is a top priority at our hospitals and clinics. In order to protect patient confidentiality, members of the media must have an HS chaperone at all times when reporting from inside any HS hospital or clinic. Unsupervised access to patient care and patient waiting (lobby) areas in any HS hospital or clinic facility by the media is strictly prohibited. Advance notice and clearance is required, no exceptions!

As the second-largest public health care system in the US, County-operated hospitals are academic training sites for physicians completing their graduate medical education (residencies). Our clinic system is the access point for hundreds of thousands of residents across LA County of every nationality. Due to the size and scope of our operations, HS subject matter experts have unparalleled experience and unique perspectives from the front lines. Our experts can also speak on areas of disaster preparedness, the 911 emergency response system, safety net financing, Housing for Health, adult and juvenile Correctional Health Services, and Diversion and Reentry.

Please submit all media inquiries, interview, film, and Public Records Act (PRA) requests via email: media@dhs.lacounty.gov

NOTE: The DHS Media inbox (media@dhs.lacounty.gov) is the main contact for all Department of Health Services media inquiries and Public Records Act (PRA) requests. Please include the DHS Media inbox on all media and PRA communications when reaching out to DHS facilities or divisions.

Facility and Division Public Information Officers:

LA General Medical Center Public Information Officer

Connie Castro

Office: (323) 409-6899 

Cell: (323) 873-8545 

Media: lageneralpio@dhs.lacounty.gov 

Other: ccastro@dhs.lacounty.gov 

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Interim Public Information Officer

Sophia Lai 

Office: (424) 306-6386

Email: slai3@dhs.lacounty.gov 

Olive View-UCLA Medical Center Public Information Officer

Brenda Frausto 

Office:(747) 210-3321 

Cell:(818) 304-5979 

Email: bfrausto@dhs.lacounty.gov and DPIO@dhs.lacounty.gov 

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Public Information Officer

Alba Ibarra 

(562) 385-7602 

ranchopio@dhs.lacounty.gov

Community Programs Public Information Officer 

Thomas Y. Lynch 

Office: (626) 525-5253

Cell: (252) 714-8249 

tlynch@dhs.lacounty.gov 

Note: We cannot answer medical questions. If you have a question about your health or medications, please visit dhs.lacounty.gov

We value your feedback and use it to improve our services. Your comments, suggestions, and questions about Health Services are always welcome.