West Hollywood held its annual Disabilities Health and Wellness Fair Thursday at the Plummer Park Community Center, opening the city’s Disabilities Awareness Month. The free event began at 11 a.m. and offered flu shots, blood pressure checks and information from health, housing, legal, mental health and social service organizations. The gathering came as the city weighs whether to combine its health fairs, a proposal that has prompted concern among some participants about retaining disability-specific programming.
The fair was presented by the City of West Hollywood and its Disabilities Advisory Board in partnership with Cedars-Sinai, according to WEHOonline. Cedars-Sinai Community Health administered flu vaccines on-site. The event offered free flu vaccines to people ages six months and older, as well as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings, according to WeHo Times. Participating organizations included APLA Health, Cedars-Sinai, the Center for Health Care Rights, the Coalition for Economic Survival, Jewish Family Service LA, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Pathways LA, Planned Parenthood and Seeds of Hope.
Attendees Share Why the Fair Matters
WEHOonline reported that Joe Green and Anny Semonco attended. Joanna Wallace, representing the TransLatin@ Coalition, said the event was valuable for seniors and encouraged older members of the trans community to attend, the outlet reported.
City Council candidate Kody Christensen attended and learned about Jewish Family Service LA’s weekday meals and social programs for older adults. He said candidates and council members should attend community events and listen to residents, and raised concerns about sidewalk access on Fountain Avenue and delivery robots, bikes and e-scooters using sidewalk space, according to WEHOonline. Candidate Jonathan Cottrell said most people will experience disability or mobility issues at some point in their lives.
A Quiet Push to Merge City Health Fairs
The city’s consolidation proposal has focused on three separate events: the Older Adults Month Community Health Fair, the Disabilities Health and Wellness Fair and the Women’s Health Symposium. A May 2026 City Council staff report identified the three fairs, and the council tabled a proposal to combine them that month, according to WEHOonline. The outlet reported that a two-year budget package from June 2026 called for one inclusive fair serving diverse communities.
City staff said a combined event could address limited staffing and funding, reduce duplicate work and improve efficiency, according to the report. An earlier proposal said a larger fair could increase attendance and visibility and strengthen partnerships. The Disabilities Advisory Board began developing a separate disability health fair around 2014, after then-Councilmember John D’Amico allocated $10,000 to help launch it, WEHOonline reported.
Regional Health Access and the City’s ADA Review
Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities says the latest American Community Survey data indicate that about one in nine to one in ten county residents—approximately 1.0 million to 1.2 million people—live with a disability; that is a countywide figure, not a West Hollywood estimate. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s countywide Healthcare Access profile says many insured residents still have difficulty obtaining needed care, including essential dental or mental health services, and notes that cities and community organizations can help people find free or low-cost services. The profile does not establish access conditions in West Hollywood specifically. Sources: Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Candidates Split on Consolidation
Some candidates have opposed consolidation. Larry Block, a council candidate and former chair of the Disabilities Advisory Board, said older adults and disabled people have different needs and said he would push for outreach to each community at least twice a year. Christensen also opposed combining the fairs, arguing that different groups require different events and services, according to WEHOonline.
Cottrell told WEHOonline he had not taken part in discussions leading to the consolidation proposal and would seek input from fair attendees and service organizations before deciding where he stands. The debate puts the future of dedicated community events before residents and city officials as they consider the next budget cycle.
Awards Ceremony Set for Later This Month
West Hollywood has scheduled its Disability Service Awards for October 28 at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. The city describes it as the 28th annual event, to be held as part of a special televised Disabilities Advisory Board meeting on Spectrum Cable Channel 10 and WeHoTV. WeHo Times listed an October 22 date and called it the 27th annual awards; the city’s notice gives the October 28 date.
Disabilities Awareness Month marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this year, according to the City of West Hollywood. The city's Disabilities Advisory Board, created in 1995, has worked for more than a decade to carve out dedicated programming for residents with disabilities — a legacy now facing its first serious test as officials weigh the tradeoffs of a single combined fair against the smaller, community-specific events residents say they count on.
