Universities Could Support County Data Evaluations

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County Supervisors voted recently to boost the work of the County’s Office of Evaluation, Performance and Analytics by allowing it to use future contracts with universities to support it with research and technical help.

The request to expand the office’s efforts came during the its update on its recent progress to the Board of Supervisors earlier this month.

The County created the office in 2021 to use modern analytics to study the County’s vast collection of data in new ways; to look for patterns, trends and associations that can help leaders including the Board of Supervisors improve programs, services and policies.

At Tuesday’s meeting, County Chief Evaluation Officer Ricardo Basurto-Dávila, who leads the office, said his team has already supplied its expertise to the January storms, the County’s Wage Theft Dashboard and Housing Blueprint Survey.

County Chief Data Officer Haruna Feldman, who is also part of the office, said it will use a modern technology system using artificial intelligence and the latest analytical tools to modernize how the County links its clients across services.

Basurto-Dávila said the office plans to present evaluations and findings on numerous important projects over the next few years. He also said that the office has already trained County Land Use and Environment, and Health and Human Services employees in how to conduct good evaluation studies.

In July, Basurto-Dávila and the office presented the Board with its Strategic Research Plan. That plan named six County projects that the office is analyzing and identified 33 questions the office will use to guide its research and evaluation process over the next several years.

Some of those projects included programs that:

  • Provided one-time $4,000 payments to low-income families and $500 monthly subsidies to older adults to keep them from becoming homeless.

  • Are giving $500 monthly subsidies to low-income families to reduce the need for foster services.

  • Will try to match low-income seniors who need housing to landlords who have available rooms.

Making a Big Difference with the Flood Crisis Fund

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Thanks to the generosity of donors, the County Employees’ Charitable Organization (CECO) distributed $36,000 worth of grants to 74 members of our team who were impacted by the devasting January storms.

More than 800 employees donated to the CECO Flood Crisis Fund. Several departments and employee resource groups also made group donations, Child Support Services’ executive team held a coffee campaign, and Clerk of Board of Supervisors held a pie throwing fundraiser.

In addition, many of you have made an impact by supporting the Emergency Operations Center and working in the community to help people navigate the aftermath of the storm.

“It is in these trying times when our County team’s resilience shines brightest,” said Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Aghassi. “You made a difference to those who were impacted by damage and devastation, including our very own team members through your donations and your commitment as disaster service workers.”

CECO was able to award money to every eligible employee who applied for flood relief funds. This was possible because of one-time donations to the Flood Relief Fund and from the reoccurring donors that support CECO throughout the year.

“The generosity of CECO members and donors are what allow us to uplift employees in crisis and distribute community grants each year,” said newly elected CECO President Maria Molina-Melendez.

“You have no idea how much this means to me and my family,” said one grant recipient. “This has been mentally, physically and emotionally draining. This will help and lifts some weight off my shoulders.”

Consider becoming a CECO member. Donations ensure funds are available for employees in crisis. Crisis funds have been granted to employees facing housing insecurity, medical emergencies, and other difficulties.

Your donations to CECO will also benefit the community though annual grants to local nonprofits. Just last month, CECO gave $102,000 in grants to 58 local nonprofit organizations including health clinics, homeless service providers, after school programs and more. See the full list.

There are three easy ways to give: set up a reoccurring donation or through automatic payroll deductions.

Also note, CECO is hosting a fundraiser with Burger Lounge in Little Italy on Wednesday, May 1. Be sure to use the code “Fundraiser” when ordering and 20% of your purchase will go to CECO. See the flyer 🍔 to learn more.

County Celebrates Earth Day at the County Operations Center

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The County celebrated Earth Day this week with an in-person fair at the County Operations Center. Attendees had fun learning new ways to help protect and improve the environment and address climate change with everyday actions.

Attendees who visited the County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice booth were able to participate in a scavenger hunt. Participants were given a list of questions and had to walk around to other department’s booths to find the answers. Once completed, attendees received an environmental-friendly gift.

To learn more about events you can join, how-to videos and proactive ways to live more sustainably, visit www.sandiegocounty.gov/earthday.

Your View: Agua Caliente County Park

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Aqua Caliente County Park

This photo was submitted by Jake Monroy from the Facilities Management Department. Agua Caliente County Park is a camping park nestled in the huge, Anza Borrego Desert State Park and is best known for its heated springs and rugged desert hiking. 

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it.

Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. Images may be posted to InSite and shared on social media. 

See more of Your View photos. 

Join a VALOR Meeting During Military Appreciation Month

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Celebrate Military Appreciation Month with VALOR. The Employee Resource Group will host it’s general meeting with a guest speaker on May 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Andre S. Hobbs, a Navy veteran and realtor, will share his insights and experiences. With a wealth of knowledge in veteran resources, Hobbs has been instrumental in assisting veterans in transitioning to civilian life and leveraging their military background to thrive.

This event is open to all ERG members, colleagues, friends, families and community.

A location of this event is to be determined. Stay tuned for more information.

For more information, contact valor@sdcounty.ca.gov.

See the flyer below.

Your View: Julian Library’s Expansion

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juLIAN lIBRARY nEW cOMMUNITY rOOM

Julian Library’s new community room opens in May! The County’s General Services Department shared this photo of the 2,900 square foot expansion. The entire red door section is the expansion. It can be split into two rooms and has additional restrooms for visitors.

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it.

Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. Images may be posted to InSite and shared on social media. 

See more of Your View photos. 

Attend Resume Workshop Series

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Join the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees and County Library for a series of free, in-person workshops designed to jumpstart your career.

Resume Building Workshop: Learn how to create a strong, impactful resume. Discover techniques to beat Applicant Tracking Systems. And compare and contract resume types.
Date: Thursday, April 25
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

Job Interview Preparation: Gain confidence by preparing effectively for interviews. Answer tough questions, including the dreaded “weakness question.” And discover the language to sell yourself.
Date: Thursday, May 2
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

Resume Review & Certification Opportunities: Have your resume reviewed by industry professionals. Explore certificate programs to jump start your career in healthcare, construction, manufacturing and the IT sectors.
Date: May 9
Time: 2 to 6 p.m.

All events will be held at the Poway Library, Community Room, 13137 Poway Road, Poway, CA 92064.

To learn more and register, visit bit.ly/powayseries.

See the flyer below.

Employees to Receive One-Time Wellness Payment

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On April 9, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved a one-time payment to address impacts related to increases in employee healthcare costs for all regular employees.

The one-time payments are based on your health plan level of enrollment for calendar year 2024 and you must have been employed on or before December 29, 2023, to be eligible to receive the one-time payment. The one-time payment amounts are listed below and will be reflected on your April 26 paycheck.

Health Plan Level of Enrollment and One-Time Payment Amount:

  • Waive healthcare coverage: $100.00

  • Employee Only coverage: $275.00

  • Employee + 1 Dependent coverage: $600.00

  • Employee + 2 or More Dependents coverage: $925.00

If you have any questions, please contact your Departmental Human Resources Officer.

Meet the County’s Newest Equity Impact Managers

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A message from the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ):

We are excited to announce that Alejandra Chaidez and Chiara Leroy have joined us here at the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ) as the newest equity impact managers.

Among the projects they will lead, Alejandra will manage the Equity Impact Grant Program and rollout of the Equity Indicator Report. Chiara will spearhead the County’s Anti-racism Strategy and Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Ordinance.

Many of you may already know Alejandra and Chiara as they are not new to the County.

Alejandra Chaidez

Alejandra is rejoining OERJ from the Finance and General Government Group (FG3) Executive Office. While at FG3, she served as a Chief Administrative Office staff officer for the past year and a half. Before coming to the County, Alejandra worked for community-based organizations and universities in research, data analysis and program evaluation.

She has also worked with California state legislation and international treaties and for events such as the United Nations 9th Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations 3rd Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, which was held in Quito, Ecuador.

Alejandra is a graduate from the University of California. She has a Master of Public Policy from the UC San Diego, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Social Welfare from UC Berkeley.

Born in San Diego and raised in Tijuana, Mexico until the age of 14, her binational experience has inspired her desire to work on improving the opportunities of communities in San Diego County and along the border region.

Her research and policy interests include mental health and well-being, disability rights, equity and inclusion, transnational and immigration issues, and issues in bilingual and English as a second language education.

During her free time, Alejandra enjoys spending time with her family, especially her one-year-old, Brisa, and trying new places and restaurants in San Diego and Tijuana.

Chiara Leroy

Chiara joins OERJ after more than seven years with the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). During her time with HHSA she held several roles, including the County’s CDC-grant funded Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program.

In addition to her work on OD2A, her County experience includes supporting administration and operations for the County’s Public Health Lab; serving as the co-lead for the Healthcare Sector COVID-19 response; participating in Black Infant Health programming as part of Maternal, Child, and Family Services; supporting revitalization efforts in the rural areas in North Regions; and served as communications lead in the Public Health Department Operations Center for the Hepatitis A local health emergency.

She is a first-generation Haitian-American who moved to San Diego from Anaheim to attend San Diego State University (SDSU). Chiara earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from SDSU and began working in stem cell research studying diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and therapy treatments for stroke victims. She later went on to achieve her Master of Public Health from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and began working as a grant writer for a San Diego-based federally qualified health center.

Chiara has a long-standing history of advocating on behalf of “opportunity youth” to connect them to resources throughout the community and provide them safe spaces to learn, work and play. The term “opportunity youth” refers to youth who are neither in school nor working.

She continues to build on her years of local community work, including promoting S.T.E.M. to students of all ages, providing mentorship to youth, conducting global health research, and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

For over two decades, she has participated in community-based and national organizations that promote access to health care and S.T.E.M., including board member service.

In her free time, Chiara enjoys reading, playing soccer, traveling and anything else that allows her to enjoy life to the fullest.

To learn more about OERJ’s staff, visit them online.