Tweenie Heart-tugging Time!

Altogether now… awwww. No doubt about it – these tiny Tweenies are cute. But they need our help to grow up just a little bit more until they’re old enough to be adopted. Tweenies are so named because they are beTWEEN the age of 4 and 8 weeks.

“These babies aren’t to be confused with the newborn kitties which need to be bottle-fed round-the-clock,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “Tweenies are at least four weeks old but they do need to be nurtured outside of the shelter in a safe, loving home to give them every chance possible to be adopted.”

And that’s where Animal Services is hoping you can come in. It needs some good, trustworthy employees who can act as foster parents for a period of one to four weeks, or until these babies are over two pounds.

Once they reach that weight or two months of age, these kittens will be old enough to return to Animal Services where they will be neutered or spayed, microchipped, vaccinated and placed in the adoption program. Usually they get snapped up right away because yes, they are adorable, but the kittens are also used to being around people. These fostered fur balls are friendly and like to play. Adopters like those traits in a kitten!

The Tweenie foster program isn’t new. The program started in 2007 with 36 foster parents and 125 Tweenie kittens. Last year, 100 foster parents cared for 750 babies. This year, the shelters have already seen 632 Tweenies come in the doors and foster parents on the Tweenie list have already been tapped.

If you’re tempted, it’s easy to become a foster parent. Animal Services gives you kitty food, bowls, toys, litter, bedding and of course kittens! You’ll need to take at least two because they need companionship of their own kind. You just need to provide the home, the care and snuggles. Fill out the application and you’ll be on your way.

If you happen to fall in love with your Tweenies, you’ll get the first chance at adopting them. Yes, that means you failed the foster program but Animal Services won’t be the least bit disappointed. In fact, it will probably keep you on the Tweenie foster list!

Maybe you love kittens but can’t possibly foster them. You can still help out. Animal Services has a new kitten nursery at its facility on Gaines Street just for Tweenies waiting for foster parents. Staff can always use a hand there or at any of the department ‘Kitteries’ with cleaning, feeding, weighing or if you’d rather, just plain playing and cuddling with these furry felines.

Either way, you can make a big difference by giving these Tweenies the head start they need to start new and happy lives in their forever homes.

Step Up Now, Be Better Prepared to Help in an Emergency

You’re always going the extra mile. Sometimes even the extra five kilometers!

This past weekend’s Live Well San Diego 5K was just the latest example of a really tremendous turnout by County employees for a great cause. Hundreds of you ran and walked, volunteered or just donated to make this benefit for the children at Polinsky Center a big success.

It was all the more impressive coming right on the heels – almost literally – of the March for Babies. Your efforts raised tens of thousands of dollars to help babies get a good start in life.

I’m so proud of the fact that every time we put out the word we need help for an important purpose, your response is amazing. Getting up early to join the Point-In-Time count of homeless people. On Election Day, working long hours at the polls or late into the night counting ballots. Making the Grand Opening of the Waterfront Park go smoothly. I see your commitment to serving the public each day and then watch you take it to another level in those special cases.

So I’m confident you’ll come through now for our next big opportunity to serve.

There’s no time people can use our help more than in a disaster. And despite a little welcome late spring rain, we are still in the middle of a severe drought, and we all know that means extreme fire danger.

So we need to get extremely prepared. We’re starting a big push to get more of you ready to help residents during a major disaster. And we need many of you to step up and add some specific skills.

Right now, our focus is on getting a few hundred more County employees trained to work in shelters for evacuees. During big emergencies, hundreds of thousands of people can be forced to suddenly flee their homes. We work closely with the American Red Cross and other organizations to make sure people have safe places to stay. But these groups can get stretched thin in a crisis. And if we wind up with firestorms like those we’ve seen – or even bigger – we want County staff ready to jump in.

Keep in mind, you’re a disaster service worker already. Every County employee is. It’s the law. Some of us have clearly identified roles in an emergency. But if you don’t, you can be assigned to something outside your normal duties.

But think how much better it is to be trained before flames are sweeping down a hillside. It puts the County in a much stronger position to help people at a time when every moment counts. The service you are able to offer will be better if you learn in advance rather than on the fly.

This drive for trained shelter staff is part of our Advanced Recovery Initiative. Other jobs in this program include answering phones for 2-1-1 San Diego, the public information line, and working at Local Assistance Centers, the one-stop shops we set up to help people through the recovery process after a disaster. Many of you have already gotten prepared to fill these roles. That’s great! We need to make sure we continue to have enough employees ready for these duties and really ramp up our shelter team.

As I said, you’ve answered the call to help over and over. I’m counting on you again. We want to get employees signed up as soon as possible to be ready for the peak of fire season. Naturally, you need to consider what your position is, what you might do in a disaster, and check with your supervisor about whether it makes sense for you to be one of those getting this extra training.

While we’re on the topic, please make sure you and your family have done your own emergency preparations. The safety of you and your loved ones is paramount. Stock up on supplies, go over your family disaster plan, get cell phones registered with AlertSanDiego. ReadySanDiego.org is a great resource for getting all of this done.

For the Shelter Team training, visit this Office of Emergency Services page (Sheriff, DA and SDCERA use this page). Thank you for going the extra mile to make our community safer!      

Second Annual Live Well San Diego 5K

Nearly 2,000 people came out to the second annual Live Well San Diego 5K on May 30 at Liberty Station. The fun run and event raised funds to help children at the Polinsky Center.

Did you or your coworkers participate? Send your photos and be added to the slideshow!

9 Exercises You Can Do Without Getting Out of Your Chair!

Let’s face it — finding time to work out can be tough. There’s work. There’s stuff to do at home.

But you know what? You don’t have to take time out of your day to get into your workout gear and head to the gym to exercise.

In fact, you don’t even have to get out of your chair!

Here are nine great exercises you can do without leaving your seat. And we’re talking real exercise, from stretching to strength training — even yoga. (Remember, if you feel discomfort doing any exercise, ease up and talk to your doctor. It’s gain, not pain!)

Stretching: Everyone knows stretching is great exercise. And it can be especially helpful for anyone who spends a lot of time in a chair and in front of a keyboard. Here are a few stretches that will help make you more flexible, ward off repetitive movement injuries and stress, and make you feel better!

1. The Shoulder Shrug: Sit comfortably; back straight, feet on the floor and arms resting on your thighs. Now shrug — lift your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold for 10 seconds and release.

The Shoulder Shrug

2. Reach for the Sky: Sit toward the front of your chair with feet flat on the floor. Interlock your fingers in front of you, palms outward. Now, raise your arms up toward the ceiling. Draw in your shoulders and chin. Hold for 10 seconds.

Reach for the Sky

3. Wrist and Fingers Stretch: Sit comfortably; back straight, feet on the floor. Reach your left arm out straight in front of you, wrist bent, fingers pointing downward. Now use your other hand to gently bend your wrist further down. Hold for 10 seconds. Do the same with the right hand. Now, hold your left hand out, but this time, bend your wrist upward. Use your other hand to gently pull each finger back toward you. Switch to your right arm.

Wrist and Fingers Stretch

(This is just a beginning. To see more cool stretches, check out our Work Safe Stay Healthy (WSSH) Computer/Desk Stretches and this cool CNC-TV video.)

Strength Training: That’s right. You can actually do some serious strength training without getting out of your chair. And you don’t need dumbbells either. You just need some good old-fashioned isometric exercises — flexing a muscle against an immovable object! Martial arts legend Bruce Lee was a big proponent of isometrics and the National Institutes of Health and others say isometric exercise can lower blood pressure. (If you’ve got high blood pressure, you should still see your doctor.)

1. Triceps Pushdown: Sit comfortably; back straight, feet on the floor. Place the palms of both hands on top of desk in front of you with your elbows at 90 degrees and push down. Hold for about six seconds.

2. Biceps Builder: Sit comfortably; back straight, feet on the floor. This time, make your hands into fists and place them under your desk in front of you with your elbows at 90 degrees. Push up!

3. Chest Press: Sit comfortably; back straight, feet on the floor. Place your palms together in front of your chest, elbows pointed out. Press your palms together. Hold for about six seconds.

Yoga: We don’t recommend trying any “downward facing dog” moves in your chair, but yes — you can do chair yoga! Here are a couple of great yoga poses you can do without getting up.

1. Neck rolls: Sit comfortably; hands in front of you, feet on the floor. Let your chin drop down to your chest. Slowly make circles with your neck, first in one direction and then the other. Try to keep your shoulders relaxed.

2. Cat-cow stretch: Sit comfortably with both feet flat on the floor and your hands resting on your knees. As you inhale, arch your back and look up toward the ceiling. As you exhale, round your spine and let your head drop forward.

3. Seated spinal twist: Turn to your right so you are sitting sideways in your chair. Twist toward the back of your chair, using your hands to hold both sides of the back of your chair. Turn to your left, sit sideways and repeat.

Go Green and Save Green at Lighting Fairs

Here’s a bright idea, help the environment and save money too. General Services and SDG&E can help you do just that at two energy-savings and lighting fairs coming up on May 28 and July 16.

County employees can buy energy-saving LED light bulbs at a deep discount – three 65 watt equivalent bulbs for $10. The idea is to inspire people to make the switch to efficient lighting.     

The first fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, outside the Commons at the County Operations Center. The second is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, on the east side of the County Administration Center.     

The two fairs overlap times for the employee farmers markets so you’ll be able to go green, save green and get your greens at the same time!

A similar light bulb event at the COC in February had phenomenal results; County staff lined up in droves to take advantage of the discount. Some 3,500 LED bulbs were sold to 400 attendees.

The overall energy savings from that event alone will save about 191,586 kWh of electricity and $29,255 annually. Take the expected lifespan into account and that is about $432,666 in electricity savings and $89,045 in light bulb replacement costs. The new LED bulbs will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions –more than 295,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year which is equivalent to taking 26 cars off the road.

Stretching to Reach Their Fitness Goals

Staff at the HHSA El Cajon Family Resource Center do yoga once a week during their lunch hour. The class is taught by co-worker Genevieve Lovland who donates her time to lead the class. The employees can also participate in a strength training or dancing activity once a week.

Warrior One. Downward Dog. Mountain Pose.

Once a week during their lunch hour, several HHSA El Cajon Family Resource Center employees gather in a conference room in the back of the building for a half-hour yoga session 

As part of the FRC Live Well San Diego committee’s offerings, the yoga classes are part of a series of healthy activities that help employees de-stress during the workday and build healthier lives.

Employees can also take part in upper and lower body strength sessions and various dancing activities, according to FRC manager Barbara Rathburn.

Classes are taught by employees who volunteer their time and are designed for beginners so everyone can take part.

“They really want to empower their colleagues,” said Rathburn. “A lot of time employees need a break and this is a way they can do something good that makes them feel good for the rest of the day.”

As a smaller facility, the employees don’t have access to all the Employee Wellness offerings from the County, so they decided to do some of their own to complement the County-wide offerings that they do participate in.

Rathburn said they had six teams from the FRC in the recent Amazing Race competition and for a second year they will have about 30 participants in the upcoming Live Well 5K.

Many of the employees are also in walking groups that head out during their morning and afternoon breaks to hit the sidewalks in the neighborhood.

“They all have their tennies under their desk,” Rathburn said.

And good news for the yoga crew: Rathburn said they will soon have access to a larger multi-media room so they’ll have more room to breathe – pun intended.

Do you get up and moving with your coworkers on your lunch break or after hours? Send us photos of your group working out!

There’s an App That Will Make You Smile

Convenient dental help is just a download away. The County’s dental insurance provider has a smartphone application with useful oral health information and on-the-go access to your individual plan.

The new dental insurance provider Delta Dental has an app that allows members with DeltaCare USA-California HMO and Delta Dental PPO to have access to their accounts 24/7. Staying on top of your health is easier than ever.

Download the Delta Dental app from the App Store or Google Play. Once you’ve got the app on your mobile device, you can explore features, including:

• Access to your ID card, which you can display on your device or email to someone directly from the app to show proof of coverage.

• See an overview of coverage, claims, deductibles and maximums for services.

• Find a dentist – you can search by address, current location, dentist name or specialty. Once you select someone, you can add your dentist to your contacts and get directions to his or her office.

In addition to the convenient app, you can find even more information on Delta Dental’s full desktop site. You will be able to do all the same things as you can on the app, plus opt for paperless statements, check average dental costs in your area, and read blog posts on various topics including pediatric dentistry, dental anxiety and oral surgery. Plus, there’s a version of the site in Spanish.

Whether you surf over to the site on your desktop or open up the app on your smartphone, you’ll need to login or register. Users will need to enter their name, subscriber ID or Social Security number, date of birth and home ZIP code.

For additional information, contact the Department of Human Resources’ Benefits Division at 888-550-2203 or DHRBenefits.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Fighting Disease Across Borders

Barbara Jimenez (in yellow) and Justine Kozo (fifth from right) in Monterrey, Mexico.

Infectious disease knows no boundaries or borders.

That is why the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission established Leaders Across Borders, an advanced leadership development program for people working to improve public and community health and health care in the border region.

Since Leaders Across Borders began, five County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) employees have participated. Patrick Loose, chief of HHSA’s HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch, is currently going through the 160-hour program.

“We live in a region with the busiest border crossing in the world. Addressing HIV and STDs successfully requires the input and perspectives of representatives from both sides of our shared border,” said Loose, who completed the first phase of the program in late April in Monterrey, Mexico. The next session will be in Tijuana this summer and that will be followed by a graduation in Phoenix in early October.

“Leaders Across Borders focuses on understanding health diplomacy, building important relationships with others who are working in the border region, and providing practical experience in this kind of work,” Loose added.

Chuck Matthews, HHSA director for North Regions; Barbara Jimenez, HHSA director for Central and South Regions; Paulina Bobenrieth, Public Health Nurse manager for South Region and Justine Kozo, HHSA chief of the Office of Border Health have also participated and completed the program.

“Working in public health, we saw there was such a great need for a collaborative approach to meet the many health needs along the border,” said Matthews. “This program offered specific training on how to work across borders successfully and it provided hands-on opportunities to build those skills with our partners in Mexico.” 

Jimenez not only improved her leadership skills, but also her español.

“This program is one of the best leadership programs that I have ever participated in. I continue to learn new skills in cultural competency and have increased professional relationships with local and binational partners,” said Jimenez, who is now a Leader Across Borders facilitator. “In addition to the learning group program, I was able to complete and receive a diplomado (certificate) from the Instituto Technólogico de Monterrey which was focused on health diplomacy and done completely in Spanish, which really helped me learn even more critical skills.”

Veterans ERG Launches

The County’s newest employee resource group (ERG) officially launched with pomp and circumstance during an event Monday at the County Operations Center. The group is called VALOR. The name was selected because it means courage, boldness and spirit.

Chairman Bill Horn, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Marines, delivered the keynote address. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Color Guard presented the colors. And the national anthem was performed by Musician Second Class (Surface Warfare) Nina Church with the Navy Bank Southwest Region. Refreshments were served on the Commons’ upper level after the program.

Employees who had served in the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy attended the launch, but VALOR is open to all County employees, not just those who have served in the military. CAO Staff Officer and VALOR President Carl Smith said the group’s vision is to show patriotism by honoring and supporting the men and women who serve our county past and present.

“VALOR really wants to give our current and future veterans a connection to that County veteran family that they can rely on and give one another support,” said Smith, who retired as a Chief Petty Officer with 20 years of service.

Donald Steuer, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer and executive sponsor of VALOR, said our ERGs have the power to make us stronger as a County. In fact, the veterans group’s mission is to drive and support the growth of both the organization and the individual.

“These are individuals who possess adaptive learning skills to make it happen: leadership, teamwork, diversity and inclusion, efficient performance under pressure, integrity, and triumph over adversity,” said Steuer, who retired as a Navy Captain after 27 years of service.

If you are interested in joining VALOR or have a question, please email valor@sdcounty.ca.gov or visit its InSite page.

His Art Needs Our Artifacts

It's round two for artist Jay Johnson. After completing artifact-filled art displays for the new offices at the County Operations Center, he is on the hunt at the County Administration Center. You can help him.