Employees Kick Asphalt in 120-Mile Race

A member of DA team running in the relay.

County law enforcement took off in hot pursuit of a different kind this month. Members of the District Attorney, Probation and Sheriff’s departments were not in a footrace chasing criminals, but competing in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay run.

The 120-mile race, held the weekend of March 19-20, started north of Baker and traversed the desert out to Las Vegas. The annual fun run is all about fitness, camaraderie, teamwork and tradition.

The relay began in 1985 with 19 teams. The race now hosts 264 teams from across the U.S. and abroad, including our County competitors.

County Probation teammates smile during the race.

Deputy Chief Probation Officer Dan DeLeon said Probation participated in the relay for the 18th time this year. The department ran in the “mixed” division—where five of the 20 runners on the team had to be women, and all had to be sworn officers.  Probation’s team came in second place in their division and 24th place overall with a time of 15 hours, 26 minutes and 3 seconds.

Turn your speakers up and watch this Probation video.

The Sheriff's Department set a new "PR" or personal record as a team this year. They finished in 15 hours, 2 minutes and 6 seconds for an overall finish of 12th place. They ran in the open category for runners of any gender or age that are sworn personnel.

A Sheriff's Department teammate hands off the baton.

“We are getting better every year,” said Sheriff’s team captain Sgt. Denese Deal. “I enjoy the competitiveness, the comradery, the fact that it is all law enforcement, and that there is no prize other than bragging rights.”

The Sheriff's Department team

Meanwhile, the DA’s Office had two teams with 20 runners in each, among them DA investigators, deputy district attorneys and support staff.  Each team member ran between 4 and 10.7 miles.

The first DA Team finished 226th place overall with a time of 19 hours, 49 minutes and 40 seconds. This team ran in the “Invitational Mixed” category, which includes at least five female and two non-sworn runners. 

A member of one of the DA's two teams.

The DA’s second team finished in 57th place overall with a time of 16 hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds. They took second place in the category of “Invitational Mixed 800,” which includes a minimum of five female and two non-sworn runners with a combined age minimum of 800 years. See more photos from the DA teams here.

Other local law enforcement teams to participate in the race included the San Diego Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s San Diego sector, FBI’s San Diego bureau, Oceanside Police, Chula Vista Police, and California Highway Patrol out of Oceanside, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations’ San Diego field office, and Carlsbad Police.

Ask an Expert: How Do I Propagate a Succulent?

We're all trying to do our part to conserve water during California's drought. But that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice the beauty of our yards. Master Gardener Laura Eubanks gives us her secret for creating a beautiful yard without using a lot of water.

Feeling inspired? You can plant your own succulents - and it's pretty easy to multiply your plants with what you already have. It's called propagating and Laura can show you how simple it is to do with succulents.

Do you have a question for one of our County experts? Send it on over to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Child Welfare Services Social Workers Honored

2016 Jay Hoxie Award nominees: Leticia Abrego, central region; Brent McCloud, north region; Brittany Alanis, east region; and Cesia Alvarado, central child welfare services. Monica Bonilla, south region, was not present.

Social workers have their plates full. But beyond a job that’s not prone to normal office hours, many of them put in extra hours giving back to the communities they serve by volunteering.

Brent McCloud is one of those social workers. McCloud was the winner of the 26th annual Jay Hoxie award at the HHSA Child Welfare Services’ social worker appreciation event.

The award is given to recognize a social worker for commitment to others through volunteering in the community. It’s named after Jay Hoxie, an HHSA social worker who died in a car accident in 1990. He was well known for his generous spirit and community involvement.

McCloud is an emergency response worker in North County. He works with at-risk youth, the homeless population and orphans in Mexico.

He volunteers as a coach with the Escondido Police Athletic League, as a compliance monitor with the juvenile diversion program, with the Dream Center that works with homeless population and Camp Connect among other organizations.

“Brent wants to make a difference in the lives of children,” said HHSA North Region General Manager Chuck Matthews. “Everybody wants Brent at the table to help make a difference in lives in our community.

“He truly honors the spirit and work of Jay Hoxie; he’s kind, gentle, humble, respectful and humble.”

The other four nominated for the award were:

• Cesia Alvarado volunteers with Voltage Fusion Group, a faith-based group working with at-risk youth in San Ysidro, and does volunteer youth counseling

• Brittany Alanis volunteers with youth through her church in the Chula Vista area and works with their parents providing counseling and guidance

• Leticia Abrego leads a volunteer effort to collect items for an orphanage in Tijuana and volunteers at St. Vincent De Paul feeding the homeless

• Monica Bonilla is involved in non-profit organizations in the South Bay and serves on the board of Justice Overcoming Boundaries

Joyce Castaneda and Michael Foltz were also recognized from the CWS foster care eligibility.

County Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer, Michael Foltz, Child Welfare Service Deputy Director Cathi Palatella, Joyce Castaneda and HHSA Director Nick Macchione. Foltz and Castaneda were recognized for their work in foster care eligibility.

Celebrating Ethics: The Fair Way

County employees came out in droves Thursday to celebrate their commitment to ethics. The Office of Ethics and Compliance held a lively Information Fair at the County Operations Center plaza with music, prizes, free goodies and resources for employees. Participants included several County departments, employee resource groups, and health care providers Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross.

The fair was part of a larger celebration—Ethics Awareness Month. OEC Director Joe Cordero explained that the month is an opportunity for County employees to reaffirm their commitment to do no harm, treat others appropriately and do the right thing.

“Every day we make decisions to do something, not do something, to take action, to not take action, and as such every day we get the opportunity to gain or maintain the public trust—which is, of course, is at the core of what public service is all about,” Cordero said.

In addition to the fair, OEC hosted a forum at the County Operations Center earlier this month. The event sparked employee conversation on what it means to have integrity as a public servant and opened up dialogue on our commitment to Live Well Communities.

The forum—“Our Ethical Responsibility in Advancing Live Well Communities”—was moderated by Harold Tuck, former deputy chief administrative officer and current Live Well Communities Task Force co-leader.

The task force aims to address the disparities in communities across San Diego County. The mission of Live Well Communities is to create the opportunity for all residents—regardless of geographic location, age group, gender, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic level—to achieve the Live Well San Diego vision by engaging the community, strengthening existing services and serving for results. The effort was the topic of CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer’s recent InTouch column.

“We have a moral obligation to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life,” said Cordero.

The forum and information fair were just two ways the County celebrated Ethics Awareness Month. But anytime is a good time to make ethics your personal cause and to actively seek out opportunities to strengthen our ethical culture.

Read 5 Ways to Keep Ethics Front and Center.

Also, take a short survey about the County’s Ethics Program and related topics. The survey will be open through this Friday, March 25. Your answers will help the OES understand how effective the program is and how to make sure it best serves County employees. All survey results will be kept confidential. 

County Welcomes New Public Health Assistant Director

For several years, she has had a connection to the County. Now she is a part of it.

Meet Elizabeth Hernandez. She is the newassistant director of the Public Health Services division for the County Health and Human Services Agency.

“My work life has always been very service oriented. The County is very forward thinking, complex and multifaceted,” said Hernandez, a Los Angeles native and Chula Vista resident. “At the County, I have an opportunity to work with very smart people who also have a lot of passion for what they do.”

Prior to arriving at the County, Hernandez was vice president of Neighborhood House Association, where she managed a $10 million budget, supervised more than 70 employees and worked with 40 community partners. She also managed several contracts from the County—Aging and Independence, Public Health and Behavioral Health—and was instrumental in making her former employer a Live Well San Diego partner.

Hernandez has over 12 years of experience in organizational development and project and operational management. She holds a doctorate degree in Industrial Organizational/Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University. She also speaks Spanish.

“We are excited to have Elizabeth join the Public Health Services team,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Her experience in organizational development and project and operational management will be an asset not only to Public Health but also the County.”

In her new position, Hernandez will report to Dr. Wooten.

“I am very excited to be under Dr. Wooten’s leadership,” said Hernández, who enjoys outside activities at Balboa Park with her three small children. “I see all the great work that Public Health Services is doing. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of it?”

New IHSS Public Authority Director Comes Full Circle

Vickie Molzen, the new executive director of the County’s In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, has come full circle.

Molzen, who brings a wealth of county experience anchored in family tradition to her new position, was originally hired by the County in 2001 to take the lead in creating the IHSS Public Authority. At the time, it was one of the first agencies of its type to become operational in the state.

She will oversee an agency that is responsible for the support of more than 23,000 care providers and more than 26,000 IHSS recipients.

IHSS provides homemaker and personal care assistance to persons receiving Supplemental Security Income or who have a low income and need aid in the home to remain independent. The quasi-County Authority operates the registry matching IHSS potential care givers to recipients, performs background checks and orientation for new providers and payroll assistance for providers

Prior to joining the Public Authority, Molzen served as an IHSS Program Manager for HHSA’s Aging & Independence Services, overseeing operations in the central part of San Diego.  She previously served as the IHSS Contracts manager and worked in HHSA Contract Operations and Child Welfare Services.

“I have many wonderful memories of my many years working in the County,” Molzen said. “I’m honored to have the opportunities for learning and advancement that have been afforded me.”

Molzen is the middle of three generations of family service to the County, with her daughter following in her footsteps.

In her free time, she likes travel frequently, visiting Mexico City where she used to live two or three times a year. She also likes to cook, read, work out and make wine.

Ask an Expert: How Does the County Make Flu Reports?

Question: I saw a news story recently on the flu and the TV station said the information was provided by the County. I was curious as to how the County gathers the info?

Our County Public Health Officer, Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. answered:

“The County Health and Human Services Agency conducts ongoing public health surveillance for over 80 reportable diseases and conditions.

While influenza is not always a reportable disease, we conduct year-round surveillance on the flu and receive reports from local hospitals and medical providers. We also work with certain schools, laboratories and clinics. 

The information is summarized in the Influenza Watch report, which we issue to the medical community—and the media—every Wednesday from October through April.

In the report you can find information such as total reported lab-confirmed flu cases, flu deaths, Intensive Care Unit admissions,  influenza outbreaks and the percentage of people who show up with influenza-like-illness at local emergency departments from week-to-week.”           

Are you curious about how something works in the County? Submit a question to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov for one of our resident experts.

Join the Cause: March for Babies 2016

County employees joined the March of Dimes March for Babies in Balboa Park last year.

Each year, thousands of San Diegans face a severe threat to their health. They’re babies, born prematurely.

And for many years now, County employees have helped in the fight to give every child a healthy start in life by joining the March for Babies. The two annual walks are coming up: Saturday, April 9 in Oceanside and Saturday, April 23 in Balboa Park.

The events are the main fundraisers for the March of Dimes, a 78-year-old nonprofit dedicated to preventing premature births through research and initiatives to improve prenatal care for women.

When babies are born too soon, they can face a wide array of health issues. Many of our County colleagues have had to cope with the challenge in their own families. Some, like Jackie Hamed, have shared in years past emotional stories of how their lives have been touched by premature births.

Funds sent to the March of Dimes consistently come right back to the San Diego region in the form of research grants, education and clinical services. 

You can show your support by signing up to join a walk yourself, or by making a donation to your group’s team.  Register and learn about even more ways to contribute on the March of Dimes InSite page.

New “KP Care Now” Available at COC

A new, convenient health care option is now available at the COC. Come visit the new KP Care Now station that just opened at 5530 Overland Ave., 2nd Floor.

KP Care Now replaced the Kaiser Kiosk and is now accepting appointments and walk-ins. You will be able to get the same services, at the same location. KP Care Now is staffed by a medical professional and you can visit with a Kaiser doctor through video visits. 

As a reminder - all employees can visit KP Care Now on Wellness Wednesdays for biometric screenings, this includes the screening required to earn  their $100 incentive.

The following services remain available at no cost to Kaiser members:

• Primary care video visits for Kaiser members will be offered Monday to Friday from 8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Flu shots at no charge for Kaiser members will be offered Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Total Health Thursdays – a day when the following vaccines will be available:

  • Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)

  • Pneumonia

  • Hepatitis B Series

The County strives to deliver innovative health care solutions because employee health and wellness are top priorities. To learn more about KP Care Now or make appointment, visit Benefits on InSite.

KP Care Now at the County Operations Center

Health Coverage Access Celebrates 'Pi' Day

Human Services Specialist Ederyln Ylagan chooses a pie while contemplating the importance of confidentiality. A prize was offered for a randomly selected winner who got all the answers about HIPAA and confidentiality rules correct. The prize? A pie of course!

HHSA staff in Health Coverage Access marked  “Pi Day ”, 3/14/16, by having pie (what else?) and taking part in a “P.I". (Protected Information) quiz,about data security in Medi-Cal and related programs. The pies were supplied by department supervisors.

Confidentiality is important in every HHSA office, but HCA staff serve customers in jails, hospitals and clinics throughout the County; sites where extra care must be taken to ensure all data are protected.