Making All The Difference…

Laurie Johnson (center) received her award from Chairman Ron Roberts and Child Welfare Services Director Debra Zanders-Willis.

A volunteer who gives her time, friendship and advice mentoring a foster child is the proud winner of the County Volunteer of the Month award. Chairman Ron Roberts presented the award to Laurie Johnson during the Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting.

She has been a volunteer for Health and Human Services Agency Foster Youth Mentor Program since December 2008. More than 450 volunteers take part in the program. Johnson was nominated because of her selfless commitment in giving her support, counsel and unconditional friendship to one child.

“Laurie offers a future with hope, aspirations and optimism,” said Chairman Ron Roberts. “She has truly made a difference in the life of this youth.”

As a volunteer, Johnson works with teachers, group home staff, a mentor liaison, the Court Appointed Special Advocate and social workers if they’re needed.  While thanking the Board for the honor, Johnson said she couldn’t have done her part as a volunteer without the support she received. She recommends the program to anyone, saying the time spent is well worth it. “I’ve grown close to my mentee and look forward to seeing how she grows into a young woman,” said Johnson. “I’m hopeful I am making a difference in her life.”

During the last year, the volunteers in the Foster Youth Mentor Program have donated more than 11,000 hours of their time, a benefit worth over $247,000 to San Diego County.

San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Alex Smith’s County Connection

Pam Smith and Alex in Washington D.C. last year after a meeting with the Speaker of the House to talk about the needs of foster youth.

If you’re a football fan who’s been dedicated to a particular team year in, year out, you know about the heady highs and the depressing lows.

Now, imagine the intensity of being wrapped up in every season, every game, every play, not just for fun and from habit, but because the starting quarterback is your son.

Some of you may know, Pam Smith, our County’s HHSA East and North Central Regions head and Aging and Independence Services director, is mother of Alex Smith, the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback who helped take his team within a game of the Super Bowl this year.

Alex Smith’s  fraught career—from number one draft pick in 2005, to six straight disappointing seasons with numerous injuries with the 49ers, to his career redefining season this year—and his likability and persistence have drawn a lot of media attention lately. He was featured in the Sports Illustrated cover story earlier this month.

“They see it as a story of perseverance,” said Pam Smith. “...that patience and hard work can pay off.”

Smith said the 49ers loss to the New York Giants Sunday after their wildly exciting victory over the favored New Orleans Saints the weekend before—with Alex playing a central role—was the kind of heart-rending drama she’s learned to handle as she’s supported her son through his career's struggles.

Working under three coaches, a different offensive coordinator every year, and sitting out the entire 2008 season due to a shoulder injury, until this year, Alex Smith’s talents, persistence and opportunity had never quite jelled.

“It’s been a long, hard road, I tell you,” Pam Smith said.

Smith and her husband Doug have attended every one of Alex’s NFL games, and Alex’s three siblings and large extended family go to as many as they can.

“We’ve been the first faces he’s seen after some of the worst games,” Smith said. “Sometimes you search for words, but it’s always about helping him get through it in a positive way.”

Despite its disappointing end Sunday, Smith said 2011 was a, “very, very exciting season.”

It almost didn’t happen.  Alex was a free agent after the end of the 2010 season, and his family had urged him to leave San Francisco. But a new coach, Jim Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback himself, liked what he saw in Alex.  Encouraged by the new leader and guided by loyalty to the 49ers and his longstanding aim to play his best in San Francisco, Alex signed a one-year contract with the team.

At Candlestick Park Sunday, the national anthem was interrupted by the wild cheering when the camera turned on Alex Smith. It was a marked contrast to 2010, when during one low point in a game, home fans had booed Smith and called for the backup quarterback to take the field.

“When they like you, it’s out of proportion, and when they don’t like you, it’s out of proportion,” said Pam Smith.

That’s why it’s been important to keep fan reaction and everything about an NFL career in perspective, Pam Smith said. Alex has a knack for this.

“He’s down to earth, he’s humble, he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet; he’s not any different now than he was when he started playing,” Smith said. “He feels he’s lucky to do something he loves; lucky for the opportunity.”

In the past couple years, getting married and having his first child, a boy, have also been sources of joy for Alex, 27.

Also helping Alex keep a healthy perspective has been his work with the Alex Smith Foundation, whose mission is to support transitional age foster youth. Alex founded the organization at the outset of his NFL career, and the work has been a  positive constant throughout football’s ups and downs.

“Through all these bad years, his foundation has done a tremendous amount of work and good,” Smith said.

In one of the foundation’s programs,  foster teens get to take a special course at SDSU, so they can experience college and envision themselves there. And the foundation’s Guardian Scholars Program at SDSU supports former foster youth to help them earn a degree. Fewer than 2 percent of former foster youth who enter college graduate, Pam Smith said. Alex’s scholars so far have achieved a 75 percent graduation rate.

Alex first became interested in supporting foster youth after attending a San Pasqual Academy football game shortly after being drafted into the NFL. San Pasqual Academy is the County’s unique residential high school for foster youth near Escondido.

“He just linked with those kids,” Pam Smith said. “Here he was 20, and he was facing the daunting task of going into the NFL number  one, and he had a lot of family and support to help him.”

“These people were 17, 18, and frankly, he couldn’t imagine it...starting life at that age with no family support.”

Alex Smith’s connection to the County means it’s not just his mother who’s invested in his career. HHSA employees have also been rooting for him, and they’ve been happy for Alex and Pam Smith this year, said Denise Nelesen, Communications Manager for Aging and Independence Services.

“It’s like he finally gets some just deserts for all his work and his effort...you can hear people talking about it up and down the hall.”

It’s not just their vicarious proximity to an NFL celebrity that keeps employees interested, according to Nelesen.

“Because everyone cares about Pam, and she’s always so  good with everyone, it’s exciting to see something good happening with her and her family.”

Nelesen said she has worked with Pam Smith for 12 years and followed Alex’s progress since he was a champion quarterback and top scholar at Helix High School.

Interestingly,  many of  the successful traits Pam Smith ascribes to her son, Nelesen also sees in Pam.

“One of her strengths is positivity. She’s always looking at what can be learned from a tough situation,” Nelesen says.  “She espouses the futility of pointing a finger of blame for any failure, but rather aims all eyes toward what we can do better.”  

  Left to right, Alex's brother Josh Smith and Josh's wife Patty, father Doug Smith, Jay Leno, Alex, Pam, and Abbey, Alex's sister

Video Slideshow: Our Department of Parks and Recreation

With more than 45,000 acres of land, 34 local parks, 24 open space preserves, 15 sports facilities, eight campgrounds, seven regional parks, five community centers, and more than 200 programs for children and adults, it’s hard to capture in words everything County Parks and Recreation does. But the pictures in this video slideshow the department has put together helps tell their great story!

Child Support Employees Win Proof They’re Making a Difference

Marie Girulat (left), Chief Deputy Director, San Diego DCSS receives the Top Performing Counties award from Kathleen Hrepich, Interim Director, California DCSS.

At work, all of us have good days and bad days, but in the end do we know whether our efforts are making changes in people's lives? Child Support Services employees do and the proof came yet again in an awards ceremony last week.

For the third time in the past four years, California honored the San Diego County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) as one of the state’s Top Performing counties.

DCSS ranked highest for outstanding performance on five federal performance measures and dollars given to families. During Federal Fiscal Year 2010-11, the County distributed $177.8 million in child support payments, an all-time high for San Diego. The department manages nearly 90,000 active child support cases.

DCSS is in the category of Very Large Counties and also won the most improved in overall performance.

“These awards are indicative of the great work by our staff to serve the families and children in our region. I am so proud of them,” said DCSS Director Jeff Grissom. “To be acknowledged as the Top Performing Very Large County in California validates the fact that our employees’ efforts do make a difference.”

The California Department of Child Support Services presented honorees with framed certificates and letters of commendation during an awards ceremony in Sacramento last Wednesday. The California agency along with 51 local child support agencies operate the nation’s largest child support program and distributed more than $2.2 billion last year.          

Friendly Competition Fosters Community

Would you believe a utility closet is the hottest place to be seen at the Health and Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Services offices on Camino del Rio South?

Every Monday morning a steady stream of employees makes the journey to the closet with one goal in mind – seeing shrinking numbers on a scale placed there to measure progress in their third annual Biggest Loser competition.

“That’s our super-secret hiding place – a utility closet,” said Sabrena Marshall, one of the coordinators of the contest.

Participants are on teams, and report their weight loss to Jack Haydock, who tallies the team totals for the week and provides an update. Weight loss is reported in the percentage of body weight lost for both the individual and the team.

It’s the third year in a row for the “Biggest Loser” competition. This year’s weight loss challenge even comes with an added twist – the opportunity to join a walking club whose goal is to collectively walk to New York City.

“We have a lot of new staff this year and a lot of the same people,” said Marshall. “It’s an on-going journey for some of us.”

The competition is friendly, but they do contribute an entry fee and the winner – or loser in this case – walks away with a cash prize, as does the second place finisher. There is also a Miss Congeniality-type prize this year, voted on by participants, to honor the co-worker who offers the most support and encouragement to the group.

“It really fosters a sense of community,” said Samantha Lea, who is coordinating the walking activities. “It has given everyone a great opportunity to meet other people.”

Steve Jones was the organizer of the inaugural contest and is still involved. “I’m the nagger and cheerleader.”

There have been more than 100 participants in the three-year history of the contest and this year they should easily break the 1,000-pound weight loss mark. In 2010, they collectively lost 548 pounds and the 2011 version netted a total of 317 pounds lost.

The walk to New York City was inspired by the County’s 10-year Live Well, San Diego! initiative. It’s actually separate from the Biggest Loser competition, but many people are doing both.

“We wanted to start the walk separate so others could join, but we specifically targeted the Biggest Loser group,” said Marshall. “We have more than 45 walkers so far.”