Calling All County Couples

Hey all you lovebirds out there – for this Valentine’s Day, we want to feature County couples. Does your sweetheart also don an employee badge?

If you and your significant other are both County employees, we want your photos! Send a picture of you and your sweetie, with names and departments, to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Make sure your partner is cool with it (you two talk, right?). Got a fun story to go with it? Maybe you met as interns, or perhaps the proposal came at a County park. Send it along, too! It might be featured in a Valentine’s Day article! 

Watch for New Tax Documents

Most County employees will receive important new tax filing forms in the mail.

Information on the forms is used by the IRS to administer the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The forms also serve as proof of compliance with the ACA for both employees and employers.

What You Need to Know

You may receive one or more of the new tax forms.

You will receive a 1095-C form from the County if you worked full-time (30 or more hours per week) for at least one month in 2015.

You will receive a 1095-B form directly from the insurance provider if you elected medical coverage, either through the County, through a spouse’s employer, or on your own.

The IRS has extended the deadline for employers and insurers to provide these forms to you no later than March 31.

Why This Is Important

You can expect to receive your 1095 forms no later than March 31. It is not necessary to wait for these documents to file. You may not receive a 1095-B or 1095-C by the time you are ready to file your 2015 tax return. While the information on these forms may assist in preparing a return, they are not required. Individual taxpayers will generally not be affected by this extension and should file their returns as they normally would; however you should keep a copy of the 1095(s) with your tax records.

Learn more about the 1095 Forms and what to expect.

Employees Share Experience Counting, Interviewing Homeless

Dominique Albrecht and Megan O'Dowd, both from Housing and Community Development, interview a homeless man as part of the 2016 Point-in-Time count.

The 2016 Point-in-Time homeless count is over and hundreds of County employees who volunteered for the early morning count last Friday may still be trying to catch up on their sleep! Meantime, the Regional Task Force on the Homeless is busy tallying up the final numbers. The total is expected in April and that number will be used to apply for federal funding to help the homeless. 

This is the third year that County employees have volunteered to take part in this snapshot in time and the number of people who give their time for this all important count has increased every year. For 2016, the goal was to reach 500 volunteers. In all, 531 County employees signed up for the count. An additional 96 employees volunteered to interview the homeless. 

Several co-workers allowed us to share their impressions of their experience counting or surveying the homeless. If you would like to add yours, please add them in the comments section.

Nancy Garcia and Loren Goldstein, Aging and Independence Services, inspect a map at the 2016 Point-in-Time homeless count.

Dominique Albrecht – Housing and Community Development

It was very educational going out and doing surveys, talking one on one. Homeless youth is becoming an increasing focus and I talked to a young man who was 22. I heard firsthand how he ended up homeless and told him about resources for help. 

He had been working. It was not like he never had a job. He lost his job and didn’t have family connections to return to. He thought it was completely normal at 22 to be out on his own and trying to make ends meet. He plans still to look for a job and look for housing.

Suzanne Bartole – County Communications Office

I interviewed two people who live beneath underpasses. They had been homeless for more than 20 years. One said he’d made bad choices, the other could not find a job due to a drug offense 30 years ago. After a time, he said he just quit looking. 

I felt really privileged that the homeless people I interviewed trusted me enough to tell their story. I want to get more involved now. 

Julian Shelby – County Technology Office

A retired gentleman named Dave and I were assigned to the Corridor neighborhood of City Heights. We parked and walked every street and alley within our assigned area, which in hindsight was pretty crazy! While we only counted one questionable homeless person… it was a great experience that I wish I could have shared with my 13-year-old daughter, who isn’t old enough yet, but wanted to participate. Soon enough!  

Take a Journey to Rio

To celebrate the Olympic Games being held in Rio de Janeiro this summer, the County is hosting its own competition—Journey to Rio. The six-week contest challenges County employees to go the distance with a step challenge or reach new heights in a step challenge. So go for bronze, silver or gold!

Whether you are an elite athlete or just getting started, the Journey to Rio is for you. Employee Wellness Director William Erese, an Olympian himself, said making small changes to everyday habits makes a big difference.

“Journey to Rio is an opportunity to set a personal goal, keep track of progress and strive for success,” said Erese.

So lace up your sneakers and get ready to move. Sign up for the healthy competition in LMS. Search for “Stairwell Campaign” or “Walking Campaign” and click on “register.”  If you’re really in it to win it, try both! Registration is open through Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Pedometers will be mailed out to participants who sign up for the walking campaign.

The campaign runs for six weeks. It starts Feb. 8 and goes through March 18.

Participants will record their daily steps and/or stairs on log sheets. There are separate log sheets for steps and stairs.

Prizes include T-shirts, picnic blankets and camping chairs. These awards will be given at the end of the campaign based upon level completion.

Anyone who completes all three levels before the end of the campaign is encouraged to keep tracking their progress.

The last day to turn in your log sheet/s to DHRWellness.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov is March 25.

A Double Dose of Help for Our Hearts

How's your blood pressure?  

There is an old saying that when the state Capitol in Sacramento sneezes, local government catches a cold.

Here at the County, few events get our collective blood pressure spiking more than when the governor releases his proposed spending plan for the upcoming year.

Historically, during tough economic times, our friends in Sacramento solved their fiscal problems by pushing them off on counties. Whether it was through cost-shifts, realignments, unfunded mandates or pure cuts, we counties held our breath to see just how bad we were going to get punched. Even if you don’t deal directly with County finances, understand that the decisions they make up north and the dollars they send our way – or don’t – have a huge impact throughout our organization.  

When Governor Jerry Brown began his second stint as governor in 2011 (for you millennials he also served as governor from 1975 to 1983 when your parents were mere youngsters), he took the reins of a state government that had a budget deficit of over $26 billion. And I for one, didn't have a lot of nice things to say about Sacramento.

So how great is it that today I can say Sacramento has a rainy day fund and actually is paying off some of the debt owed to counties? The governor's proposed budget actually has gotten praise from the California State Association of Counties. It's not all sunshine and roses, but it's the best we've seen in a long time.

Despite the good news budget, the governor did offer words of caution regarding an inevitable economic downturn in California. And the roller coaster stock market gives us plenty of reason to keep a bottle of Pepto Bismol by our side. So it’s no time to let up on our own fiscal discipline as a County. 

Thanks to the outstanding work of our employees we were able to maintain our quality level of service to the customers we serve during several years of uncertainty from Sacramento. And we stand ready to do so again while also tending to our public safety priorities and beefing up our assistance to the poor, the homeless and those in need of mental health services.

So bottom line, after reviewing the governor's proposed budget, my blood pressure is well within the normal range. But let's talk about something more important. How is yours? 

On Feb. 11, why not take a short break from your hectic work environment and focus on your heart health? Next week is our annual "Love Your Heart" campaign. We are teaming up with local health care providers at more than 100 sites to provide free blood pressure screenings around the region, even into Mexico. That will include a couple dozen County facilities. Our audacious challenge this year is to set a new record of 25,000 screenings! 

Let's enjoy a healthy Sacramento budget and also a healthy heart.  

An Early Wake-Up Call to Count the Homeless

Fueled by the promise of making a difference (plus a lot of caffeine and sheer will), hundreds of County employees got out of bed early Friday and hit the streets at 4 a.m. to take part in the Point-in-Time Homeless count. More than 500 employees gave up some shut-eye to tally the number of homeless people they see in various neighborhoods throughout our region.

The numbers from this snapshot in time are important because they will be used to apply for federal funding to help this at-risk population. The count also helps County staff identify the scope and impact of the problem and work on solutions.

The volunteer counters had to register at deployment centers by 3:30 a.m. so they could begin scouting for homeless people from 4 to 7 a.m.    

The Point-in-Time count is led by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. In 2014, County employees made up about one-fourth of the volunteer force. In 2015, nearly a third. This year, the County reached its goal of 500 volunteers. In all, 531 County employees signed up for the count out of 1,650 total volunteers.

Did you participate in the homeless count? You can email any photos you took or your impressions of the experience to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov and they might be added to the story.    

North Central FRC Employees Celebrate Black History Month by Giving Back

Members of the Black History Month Committee at the HHSA North Central Family Resource Center hit the streets in East Village in December to distribute donated clothing and blankets to homeless individuals and families. The employees are doing another drive in February.

In December, members of the HHSA North Central Family Resource Center’s Black History Month committee hit the streets in East Village handing out blankets, jackets and clothing donated by fellow employees to homeless families and individuals.

The experience was so rewarding – and the responses from the recipients so heart-warming – that the group decided to forgo their annual Black History Month observation and hold another donation drive to help those in need.

Traditionally, the different cultural groups represented in the workforce at the FRC host annual celebrations to mark occasions like February’ Black History Month featuring food, festivities and information about the culture being honored.

But after their successful holiday efforts, the committee decided to do another drive to honor the legacy of contributions by iconic figures in black history and embrace the County’s customer experience and Live Well initiatives.

“In the past years, many have had the opportunity to enjoy African-American cultural displays and performances of music, food, dance, poetry and art,” said Ed Wortham, co-chair of the Black History Month committee. “This time we chose a theme to showcase what is just a small glimpse of such a rich culture in an effort to share an enjoyable experience.

“In doing so, we also included an element to support the great Live Well and H.E.A.R.T. initiatives of the County and encourage all to participate in the fun.”

During the December drive, the committee received 41 blankets, 22 jackets and another 61 items of clothing such as hoodies, sweaters and hats.  They spent a few hours one afternoon at 16th Street and Island Avenue in East Village handing out the donated items directly to people on the street.

“The individuals, families and children who received these items were extremely grateful and expressed a need for more specific items that will help protect them from the winter season and nighttime elements,” said Rochelle Otis, Black History Month co-chair. “We wanted to provide a sense of caring and compassion for people who sometimes feel as though they are forgotten.”

Committee members are collecting donations of blankets, socks, gloves, jackets, jeans, thermal underwear, camping tents, tarps, large garden lawn bags, self-opening canned goods, crackers and water until Feb. 19 and will be distributing them on Feb. 27.

Picture This: County on Instagram

Come see the great things San Diego County is doing. Follow the County on Instagram.

The County recently expanded its presence online to the popular photo- and video-sharing social network site/app and has quickly garnered nearly 4,800 followers. Catch a glimpse of a rainbow over Goodan Ranch, installation of an art project at a County facility or this interesting point of view.

And if you’re a shutterbug, as we know a few of you are, help show off our beautiful and diverse County landscape and the great work you do. Take your best shot and submit photos to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. We’ll look for submissions to feature on our feed.

The pictures should be taken at a County facility such as your workplace or a County-owned property. Show us the beautiful sunset over the County Operations Center, your favorite trail to hike at a County park or a great nook to read a book from a County library. The photos could also include you or your co-workers in action (if they’re up for it). With dozens of departments, it won’t be hard to find a County tie-in.

Submitted photos should be high resolution. Please include a description of where the photo was taken and when.

Follow the County on Facebook, Twitter and now Instagram.

What's Ahead for Wellness

What's Ahead for Wellness

Cooking competitions, stair challenges, the Amazing Race and much more. Watch the video above to see what the Wellness Program has in store for County employees for 2016. Do you have the E.D.G.E?

County ERGs March in MLK Jr. Day Parade

San Diego County’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG) honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by taking part in the 36^th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Sunday.

The African American Association of County Employees (AAACE) led participation in the parade.

Other participating ERGs included the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employee’s Association (CSFDEA), the Middle Eastern Employee Group (MEERG), and the San Diego County Latino Association (SDCLA).

The ERGs host and participate in community events that promote diversity and inclusion within the County of San Diego.