Calaveras County Health and Human Services Agency officials urged residents to download a free county app that centralizes local services, event listings and emergency contacts, and highlighted Senior Planet in-person technology classes for older adults.

Rosemary Brock, a community liaison with the Calaveras County Health and Human Services Agency, said the Calaveras HHSA app is available in Android and iOS app stores; users should search for “Calaveras” and “HHSA.” "It's completely free," Brock said, and the app runs on smartphones and tablets but "it is not browser based." She added the app uses a round tree logo to help users identify it in stores.

The app’s Events calendar lists local programming from branch libraries, the sheriff's office, county fairs and Firewise activities. Martha Rubin, host of the Be Prepared Calaveras program, noted organizers had added a Firewise Calaveras Festival set for Nov. 1 at the Angels Camp Fairgrounds. Brock said the app shows event locations and can be searched by town or keyword to find activities in Arnold, San Andreas, Copper and other communities.

Brock described an Emergency section that opens a list of crisis and emergency contacts; 911 appears at the top and other entries include the California Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and numbers for reporting child or elder abuse. Links in the app open to phone screens so users can dial services, but Brock said the app will not automatically place calls without a user action.

The county is adding a portal called Unite Us to the app to let residents complete intake forms that can prequalify them for services and allow appointment booking, Brock said; that integration was not yet live but expected soon. The app also includes practical links under Senior and Adult Services — Brock said she added DMV practice tests and Real ID guidance to the app so residents can prepare for appointments.

Senior Planet, a third‑party training program the county uses under an earlier state ‘‘Access to Technology’’ grant, provides class materials at no charge and supports a volunteer train‑the‑trainer model, Brock said. "We have volunteer trainers," she said, and local trainers lead in‑person classes at community centers and libraries. The host described the train‑the‑trainer course as a multiweek commitment with a short online testing component; Brock said there are about 10 volunteer trainers around the county.

Local sites hosting or planning classes include the Arnold Branch Library (third Thursdays), Murphy’s library, San Andreas senior center and programs in Burson/Valley Springs and Copper. Brock encouraged residents interested in becoming trainers or listing events to contact her; the office phone provided on the program was (209) 754‑6882, and Brock gave an email address in the program materials for follow-up.

Brock emphasized privacy and accessibility: "It is completely free, and we do not collect your information for anything," she said, and added that many classes and county listings are free or Zoom‑based. The app also lists county offerings such as First 5 parent‑education programs, library story times and community art projects, which Brock said helps connect people, especially older residents, to local resources and reduce isolation.

For more information about the Calaveras HHSA app or Senior Planet classes, search app stores for “Calaveras HHSA” or contact the Calaveras County Health and Human Services Agency as listed in the app. The radio program ended with a reminder that the app is intended for phones and tablets only and a preview of the next episode.