8 Ways to Stay Cyber Safe While Teleworking

By Todd Hood, Chief Privacy Officer

In a matter of days, where and how we work changed. Thousands of County employees are teleworking. Laptops, desktops, phones and apps and software have all paved the way for us to work from home – thank you County Technology Office!

While we have leveraged technology to work from home, wrong-doers leverage technology during crises to access computer systems and obtain valuable information. Now is a good time to remember how to stay “cyber safe” and avoid unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of confidential or personal information.

County employees are entrusted with a wide variety of information about others: Social Security numbers, dates of birth, protected health information, non-public personal financial information and the list goes on. Personal information and data become more important and valuable each year.

Teleworking and remote access to the network requires diligence by each of us to safeguard our data, our systems and our network. Please ensure that you continue to comply with practices stated in County of San Diego policies (see links at end).

Here are eight key precautions to stay cyber safe when teleworking:

• Your password is good for one thing: logging on to your County account. Never share it. Never reveal it. No legitimate person, email, website or form will ever ask for or need it—the cyberworld, however, is full malicious and clever actors who will try and fool you into coughing it up. Do not be fooled.

• Similarly, be cautious about even clicking on unknown links or attachments presented in unsolicited emails. When in doubt, report them using the new “Phishing” button in your toolbar.  That will send it straight to our security team and deletes it from your mailbox.

• Never reuse your County password for any other home or personal accounts. Mix it up.

• Never send work-related emails to your personal email accounts.

• Do not write/store passwords on or near your computer.

• Always use Pulse Secure VPN, NetMotion VPN or the Akamai service when accessing the County network remotely to reach business applications.

• Do not store confidential County of San Diego information on unencrypted devices, such as flash drives or home computers.

• Secure paper documents that contain personal information and all County assets (such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and flash drives) with you at all times.

If you have concerns about safeguarding confidential or personal information while teleworking, please review the policies below; contact the County Technology Office for electronic concerns at 619-531-5570 or CTO.Feedback@sdcounty.ca.gov ; or contact the Office of Ethics and Compliance for non-technology concerns at 619-531-5714 or OEC@sdcounty.ca.gov.

HHSA users can refer to Safeguarding Protected Information - Procedure L-26 and contact the Agency Compliance Office at 619-338-2808 or PrivacyOfficer.HHSA@SDCounty.ca.gov with questions.

You can also report concerns anonymously to the Ethics Hotline at 866-549-0004.

County Admin Manual Policies

• Email; Verbal Communications; Voice Mail

• Internet Use

• Passwords - Management and Use

• Workstation - Use and Security

• Remote Access to County Network

• County Information - Classification, Protection Level, and Proper Security

Update for May 8

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

Some businesses that have been shut can start opening their doors again today, including florists – just in time for Mother’s Day!

I want to recognize some of the special challenges moms have had during this time. (To be sure, anyone in a parenting role, but it’s Mother’s Day weekend.) Many are having to juggle working from home with child care, since schools are closed. They’re acting as part-time teaching assistants to help kids with remote classes. A lot of the places they’d take kids for a break, like parks, were not options until more recently. Raising kids anytime is a big job, and it’s been tougher lately. Hats off to anyone handling it all. 

Unfortunately, like the springtime holidays we had last month, Mother’s Day has to be different this year. No heading out for brunch or getting extended family members together. Though we’re easing up on some outdoor activities and businesses, gatherings with anyone outside your household are still off limits. Unless you live with your mom, you need to keep your celebration to phone or video calls.

I know it’s hard, but reducing the chance of transmitting the coronavirus is the best gift you can give. Especially if your mother is older, which puts her at higher risk. As we see things start to reopen, we can’t get ahead of the precautions that still need to be in place.

So my best wishes to all mothers in our workforce, and I hope you celebrate the mothers in your life, but please do so safely. Thanks for all you’re doing to protect the public’s health.

My, How We All Have Changed! Send Us Your Yearbook Photos

Michele Crichlow, Debt & Capital Finance Officer

Look back – for some of us – way back. Do you remember taking your yearbook photos?

Dig out those dusty yearbooks and send us your high school or graduation picture.

We will feature them here on InSite.

NINA BURKE, Office Assistant, North Inland Family Resource Center

Nathan Fletcher, Supervisor District 4

Rachelle Reyes, Office Assistant, Eligibility Operations, Document Processing Center

Noelita Robeniol, Administrative Analyst II, Behavioral Health Services

Stephanie Gunning, Human Services Operations Manager, Eligibility Operations

Nanette Hartley, Principal Administrative Analyst, Eligibility Operations

Katherine Peterson, HHSA Facilities Analyst

Stephanie Castaneda, Behavioral Health Services

Elizabeth Estrada, Office Assistant, North Central Family Resource Center

Stacy Rosses, Human Service Specialist, Lemon Grove FRC

Melissa Hermosilla, Administrative Secretary I, Eligibility Operations

Tim Boncoskey, Assistant ARCC

Diane Bovey, Administrative Secretary, Child Welfare Services

Lisa Kondrat-Dauphin, Treasury Manager

Jazmin Cruz, Social Worker III, In-Home Supportive Services

Penelope G. Abueg, Protective Services Worker

Diane Reinert, Juvenile Probation

Pej Morgan,Senior Real Property Agent, DGS

Manon (Ehrhart) Maschue, Environmnental Health

Bianca Lorenzana, Land Use/Environmental Planner

Dawn Billburg, supervising Office Assistant, El Cajon FRC

Connie Howard, Public Defender

Michele Blackwood Trejo, Office Support Specialist, Child Welfare Services

Crystal Skerven, Protective Services Program Manager, Child Welfare Services

Thomas Rathgeb, Sr. Facilities Analyst, DGS

Sharyl Hunt, Manager, Treasurer-TAx Collector

Aurora Chedester, Protective Services Worker, Child Welfare Services

Angela Sykes, HHSA Edgemoor, Nurse Assistant

Karen Bonner, Administrative Secretary II, Public Health Services

Arturo Quiros, Social Worker III, Homeless Services – Central Region Administration

Minerva Meza, Treasurer Tax Collector Specialist

Jessica Cruzado, Probation Aide

Billie Berry, Protective Services Worker-Adoptions

Christine Gambino - Chief Data Officer

Zoila Navarro, SHSS, Eligibility Operations

Jeannette M. Garcia, Senior Departmental HR Officer, ARCC

Stacey Sundling, Public Health Nurse, North Coastal Public Health Center

Julie Anne D. Magno, HHSA

Ian Richardson, DGS

Marget F. Vonner-Smith, Office Assistant, Ramona Community Resource Center

Armenia Salazar, Protective Services Worker, Child Welfare Services- Adoptions

Nika Bossier, HHSA; Michelle Smith, ARCC; and Sharon Ferguson, TTC

Dawn Schultheis-Musselman, Human Services Specialist, Ramona Community Center

Patricia Navarro, Human Services Specialist

Jennifer Campos, Civil Rights Coordinator, Eligibility Operations

Jo-Ann Julien, Program Coordinator, HHSA Executive Office

Lorraine Simpson-Hargrove, Program Specialist II, Eligibility Operations

Priscilla Miranda, Administrative Analyst, Public Health Services

Sandra Perez, El Cajon FRC

Albert Candelaria, Auditor & Controller

Gwyn L Reed, Administrative Analyst, Auditor and Controller

Bob Goodchild, HHSA, SDCERA Board Trustee

Kelly Bateson, Administrative Analyst II, North Coastal and North Inland Regions

Brian Lafferty, Legal Support Assistant II, Child Support

Jessica Reyes-Corcoran, Human Services Specialist, Northeast Family Resource Center

Vickie L. Wittmayer, Property Assessment Specialist II, ARCC

Danelle Wallace, MPH, Epidemiologist II/SDIR Manager

Mary Quito, Communicable Disease Investigator, Public Health Services

Sherry Brideau, Corrective Action Specialist, Eligibility Operations

Karla Lopez, Administrative Secretary III, HHSA

Miguel Angel Pino, Ombudsman Office

Linda Tate, Auditor & Controller

Roberto Brown, Supervising Probation Officer, East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility

Jacquelyn Clark, Associate Accountant, Maternal, Child, and Family Health Services

Alonzo Fimbrez, Administrative Analyst, HHSA

Daniela Lembo, Communicable Disease Investigator, HHSA

Matthew Mohun, Supervising Attorney, Office of the Alternate Public Defender

Julie Odlum, Housing specialist II, Housing and Community Development Services

Mike Brass, SEnior Electrician, General SErvices

Christine Lafontant, Region Manager, Parks and Recreation

Natalie Schrepfer, County Records Manager, Purchasing and Contracting

Sukey Cardenas, Child WElfare SErvices

Carl Antonio, Program Specialist II, HHSA-AIS

Laura Dildine, South Region Live Well CEnter at National City

Vanessa Cabrera, HHSA Edgemoor

Angel Gonzalez, Social Worker III, Eligibility Operations

Ruth E. Reynolds, Facilities Analyst - Facilities Management, HHSA

Elainerose L. Wingo, IT Principal, Probation

Wendy Hrubovcak, Program Coordinator, Medical Care Services Division Administration

Elizabeth Robles, Parks and Recreation

Diane Padilla, Purchasing and Contracting

Lydia Lopez, Sr. Departmental Human Resources Officer, Planning & Development Services

Jamie Lee De Venecia, Administrative Secretary, Juvenile Probation Center

Update for May 6

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

If you’ve been following the news, you know we’re reaching a big milestone this week. The governor plans to move the state’s stay-home order from Stage 1 to Stage 2, which means low-risk businesses can start to reopen. It’s very limited, allowing certain retailers and other workplaces to operate with new restrictions. But it’s an important and welcome step in the right direction.

It also means we have to be looking at the next steps, including those for our County operations. We’re putting a reopening plan together. There are a lot of details to work out, but expect to see it start rolling into place in coming weeks.

It will be gradual and keep the safety of the public and our employees first and foremost. The tremendous effort we’ve put into keeping COVID-19 cases at a manageable level – flattening the curve – will go to waste if we let our guard down too quickly or carelessly. 

Things will continue to look different, and we’ll need to continue showing ingenuity in how we deliver services. I want to share a great example of that kind of innovation from our Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk. Take a minute to watch this video showing how they’ve made it possible to still perform weddings under the restrictions.

Your creativity and flexibility are getting us through this, and we’ll rely on those traits as we create our path forward. Stay tuned, stay strong, and thank you for everything.

Update for May 4

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

So what is keeping the country and the Golden State shut down? 

We’re bending the curve and managing the spread of the new coronavirus. Local hospitals are safely within capacity, and we have surge plans in place for another 2,000 beds if cases spike. The need for face coverings, social distancing and sanitation protocols has been drilled into everyone’s head. 

So why can’t we open up? 

We get hundreds of emails and calls every day with this question. Restaurants, gyms, salons, bars, offices, malls and countless other businesses want to open their doors and get back to work. Some states have taken an aggressive, perhaps even high-risk, approach to doing just that. Other states are locked down. 

We get people’s frustration and pain. We also have a duty to protect the public’s health. In California, and specifically in our county, we are trying to slowly and responsibly find the balance of the right restrictions with the right loosening. 

Over the past couple weeks, we have slowly turned the dial down by adding more recreational opportunities for our residents. At the same time, we tweaked the dial up a little by requiring face coverings within six feet of another person. We’re giving hospitals the discretion to resume surgeries that are necessary after limiting them to emergency or immediately life-threatening situations during the early weeks of this crisis. And we’re asking businesses to develop safe reopening plans that include temperature checks and other new safety provisions, so that as soon as the governor gives the go-ahead, they can safely and responsibly reopen.

But what’s really critical to reopening? A vaccine is certainly the most important criteria. But until that can happen, we need a robust ability to test, trace and treat. We are calling it “T3.” 

To that end, we’re having Health and Human Services Agency Director Nick Macchione lead this important effort. For the next six months, Nick is stepping aside from his regular job running the Agency to devote his full attention to implementing a T3 capability for our region. That means testing equipment, physical testing sites that reach all populations, increased lab capacity, more PPE, new tracing technology, more isolation rooms, expanded follow-up, antibody research and testing, and so much more. 

The County needs an army of people to help with that. Aside from our existing County health professionals and contractors, we will be adding approximately 500 temporary personnel to carry out this enormous task. This is essential for our region to open up!

That’s on top of everything you’ve done to respond to this crisis, while also delivering the other County services our residents continue to need. You’ve stepped up, and we have more steps up to go. Thank you for all your efforts as we work together to safeguard San Diegans’ health.

Friday Photo: Masked Makeover

While dropping off hygiene kits at the Carlsbad Police Department, Eligibility Operations Chief Kim Forrester snapped a photo of these masked sculptures. County health nurses and community partners provide hygiene kits during homeless outreach.

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every Friday.

See the Friday Photo gallery.

PerkSpot: Deals for When You’re Home

PerkSpot has gathered a number of the most relevant and useful discounts to help you get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re looking for discounts on food delivery, household essentials, home entertainment, electronics, or more, be sure to check out the deals on PerkSpot.

The website offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.

Update for April 29

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

Beaches are open! Some of them at least, and with limitations. Still, it’s one of the most recognizable things about life in San Diego, so it’s encouraging to see. And honestly, it makes me smile to see people living a bit of San Diego life again!

We have another reason to smile. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients are trending slightly downward, and discussions about reopening our communities are ramping up. Again, great signs that we might be slowly turning the corner on this dreadful pandemic.

I long for the email when I can tell you we’re back to normal! Unfortunately, we are weeks, perhaps months, away from returning to regular work locations and duties. And when we do, things won’t be the same. We’ll be wearing face coverings, having our temperatures checked when we enter, and figuring out how to do our jobs with social distancing, Zoom, Teams, teleworking and various other new practices. 

That’s how it’s going to be, and what we need to prepare ourselves for. Some things will get a little easier, but other things will be different. It’s what we all are learning as we hear news outlets talk about a “new normal.” What this means will continue to take shape as we go.

One thing I can tell you it will mean – we’ll continue to rely on the flexibility you’ve shown since we entered this crisis. That’s hard to do over time, and we recognize this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. But I know you are all strong and resilient. We’re doing this together.

Please remember to take care of yourself and each other. Stay in contact with your colleagues and reach out to connect with friends. Share some photos and maybe even get out and enjoy a walk on the beach again!

Thank you for all you’re doing and for hanging tough.

TED Talks: How to Create Meaningful Connections While Apart

The Diversity and Inclusion team recently shared a TED Talks video on coming together while we are physically apart. Watch author Priya Parker speak about tools for creating meaningful connections with friends, family and coworkers during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We don’t necessarily need to gather more,” she said. “We need to gather better.”

The video was featured in the most recent D&I Digest. The quarterly newsletter that is sent to D&I Champions, also features mental health resources, virtual events, good news stories, physical fitness opportunities and a list of boredom busters to help keep children entertained.

Friday Photo: Virtual Team Meeting

Four Department of Environmental Health Food and Housing Division employees recently shared their pledges to each other in a virtual team meeting.

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every Friday.

See the Friday Photo gallery.