HHSA Honors Foster Families and Promotes Strategy Agenda

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More than 750 adults and foster children attended the 25th Annual Foster Family Picnic at Admiral Baker Field.  The fun-filled day was hosted by HHSA Foster and Adoptive Resource Family Services and the Foster Parent Recognition Coalition, with help from generous community partners. 

The County’s Health Strategy Agenda was promoted at booths sponsored Public Health and the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program.  Public Health Nurse Anita Secor and WIC staff provided information about health and nutrition to help foster families eat well and stay healthy.  Families enjoyed apples, bananas, and other healthy food items.  They also received toothbrushes and BPA-free water bottles. 

Child Welfare Services staff from each region ran activity booths for children.  Other County contributors included Options for Recovery, Polinsky Children’s Center and the Probation Department.  Lunch and activities were provided by community donors including the Boomerang Gourmet Burger Joint, California Fruit Company, CVS Pharmacy, Islands Restaurants, National Exchange Club, San Diego All Star Clowns, and Souplantation.

Children enjoyed petting llamas and therapy dogs and highlights of the day included characters from the San Diego Star Wars Society raffling a collection of Star Wars collectibles donated by Gabriel Andres Martinez, and ten brand new bicycles donated by National City Rotary Club.

HHSA's Aging & Independence Services Receives Statewide Challenge Award

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The Health and Human Services Agency's Aging & Independence Services received a Challenge Award from the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) at the Oct. 14 County Board of Supervisors Meeting. AIS was honored for its innovative TEAM SAN DIEGO program.

TEAM SAN DIEGO is a training program for healthcare and social service providers to improve service delivery to the aging and disabled populations, especially those with chronic conditions. The program consists of eight online modules, self-contained slide presentations that are recorded by a different, highly regarded local instructor who is an expert on the subject matter presented, and one in-class session to reinforce and practice the lessons learned.

The goal of this program is for multiple providers to work together to improve access to comprehensive and coordinated health and social programs for individuals with complex needs. The program works to improve care coordination that will allow the chronically ill to remain independent in the community and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and nursing home admissions.

Although the program is still in progress, 125 health, social, and supportive service providers have completed the training so far.

 

County Program Promotes Safe Driving for Teens

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County leaders, including Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price, Sheriff Bill Gore, and Health and Human Services Director Nick Macchione, have launched a collaborative initiative to combat teen drinking and driving and to promote safe driving.

This initiative’s priority will be to reduce the rate of alcohol and drug-related crashes among teenagers; educate teen drivers and their parents; promote responsible driving behavior, and publicize the dangers associated with underage drinking and driving.

The United Sates Congress has designated the third week of each October is designated National Teen Driver Safety Week, bringing national attention to teen driver safety.

County Launches Massive Campaign to Fight Stigma and Discrimination Against Mental Illness

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More than 750,000 San Diegans suffer from a mental illness. That’s enough people to fill Qualcomm Stadium 10 times! One in four adults and one in five children suffer from mental illness in San Diego County. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with mental illness keeps many people from seeking treatment and from beginning the road to recovery.

The five-year, $8.4 million prevention and education campaign called “It’s Up to Us,” launched September 13 by the HHSA Behavioral Health Services division, aims to encourage San Diegans to get help, whether they have postpartum depression after having child, post traumatic stress disorder from combat, general anxiety or more serious disorders. The campaign’s goal is to get people to talk openly about mental illness and to seek help because recovery is possible.

You may have already seem campaign messages that have begun to appear on television, radio, newspapers, Internet, billboards, movie theaters, bus shelters and buses. Messages are produced in both English and Spanish, and geared to change the way people with a mental illness are viewed or view themselves. The campaign is funded by the Mental Health Services Act—Proposition 63, a millionaire’s tax which was approved by voters in 2004. The Act directs funding toward six components to help bolster mental health care in California, including prevention, training, and innovations.

To learn more, visit The “It’s Up to Us” Web site at www.Up2SD.org or www.Up2SD.org/nosotros is available in Spanish. The site provides information, resources, and referral to the County’s 24/7 Access and Crisis Line: (800) 479-3339.

A specialized segment of the campaign addresses educating physical health doctors, to help them help their patients with mental illness, and includes an ambassador program. Behavioral Health Services’ Clinical Director, Dr. Marshall Lewis, published an article to support the campaign in the August, 2010 issue of San Diego Physician (p46), which also runs a full-page ad. For more information: www.MDHelpSD.org.

Retirement and Investment Symposium

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San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister is pleased to announce the next Investment & Retirement Symposium presented by the Deferred Compensation Division.  This evening symposium will be held on Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at the Doubletree Hotel, Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108.

Every penny you save for your retirement is important! On January 26th, the Deferred Compensation program will bring together the very people who select the investments in the mutual funds you choose for your portfolio.  These two speakers represent two of the most popular investments in the Deferred Compensation line up.

From Janus, Portfolio Manager Mr. Nick Thompson,  will talk about what is happening in the stock market and how he selects the investments for the Janus 20 mutual fund.  Focusing on the bond markets will be Mr. Karl Tourville, Managing Partner at Galliard from our Stable Value Fund. Both will speak to how current events in the world impact investments in your deferred compensation plan.

The cost is $15.00 per person or $25.00 per couple prior to January 15th. $20.00 per person or $30.00 per person after January 15th.  Dinner and parking are included with your paid registration.  Great giveaways and prizes too!  Seating is limited and pre-registration by January 20th is required.

For registration and information, please log on to www.myDCplan.com (under the Important Information Box) or call the Deferred Compensation Department at (619) 531-5840.



Palomar Airport Disaster Drill

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires disaster exercises to be held every three years to ensure emergency personnel can act quickly and effectively. County airport officials used this exercise to focus on testing communications, aircraft and victim rescue, firefighting capability, aircraft operations during an disaster, security and the ability of the different agencies to work together. The exercise took place on October 1st, 2010.