Help CECO Raise Some Dough

Hey! “Donut” miss this sweet occasion! County Employees’ Charitable Organization is hosting a doughnut fundraiser, so you can get delicious doughnuts and help people in your community. Buy a dozen or two Krispy Kremes to support CECO and all proceeds will go back out to the community in the form of grants to local nonprofits or to support the Employee Crisis Fund.

Ordering is simple as one-two-three.

First submit your order. Use the QR code on the flyer below or this link to order. It is $11 for one dozen glazed doughnuts.

Two; make your payment. To pay with Venmo or PayPal, use the QR codes below. To pay with cash or check (made payable to CECO), interoffice your payment to Mail Stop A-47 Attn: Detra Williams, Dept: CECO.

Three - get your doughnuts and support your community! Supporters will be emailed a digital voucher the first week of November that can be redeemed anytime at any Krispy Kreme location.

Have a question, contact CECO at sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

The County Administration Center was lit in pink Wednesday in recognition of National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

Focused on Disability Employment Triumphs

By the ERG Council

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This month we focus on disability employment triumphs, as well as note there are learning opportunities.

The DiverseAbility Employee Resource Group in collaboration with other ERGs and County departments will be engaging in activities to help educate ourselves and others on disability employment issues and demonstrate its commitment to an inclusive work culture. These efforts include lunch and learns, participation in Jobtoberfest and a book club discussion. Stay tuned for upcoming dates.

This year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month’stheme is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” It reflects how important it is for people with disabilities to have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. From the U.S. Department of Labor:

The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

“Our national recovery from the pandemic cannot be completed without the inclusion of all Americans, in particular people with disabilities,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Their contributions have historically been vital to our nation’s success and are more important today than ever. We must build an economy that fully includes the talent and drive of those with disabilities.”

Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting dol.gov/NDEAM.

We value all perspectives. As the ERG Council, we hope to connect and support each other throughout the year by sharing resources, our experiences and our interests.

The County of San Diego offers several resources including trainings for diversity and inclusion and accessibility, ergonomic assessments and an employee assistance programs (EAP). The County’s EAP can be reached by phone 888-777-6665 or online using Company Name “COSD”. (Please note Sheriff’s Department sworn staff has access to their EAP by contacting The Counseling Team International at 800-222-9691.)

For instance, search in LMS for:

• disability basics

• diversity and inclusion

• mental health

Or, through the Help Me kNow Hub (Software Coaching) on InSite:

• Get Started and Explore - Accessibility Features

• Overview of Accessibility Settings Based On The User's Ability

• Find Microsoft Accessibility Resource Centers

Other resources for celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month:

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month | U.S. Department of Labor

• A Proclamation on National Disability Employment Awareness Month | The White House

• UCSD Office for Students with Disabilities, as part of the UC San Diego campus-wide Celebration of Abilities events in October, invites artists with disabilities to share their artwork with the San Diego community. 

Books suggested for book club discussion:

• “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova

• “Thicker Than Water: Essays by Adult Siblings of People with Disabilities” by Don Meyer

Purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The County Administration Center was lit Friday night for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The County's Access & Crisis Line is 888-724-7240. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

October Is Filipino American History Month

October is Filipino American History Month (FAHM). It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Filipino-Americans including their role in the California Farm Labor Movement, U.S. military, healthcare industry, and many other fields and industries.

As per the President of the United States, “Filipino Americans are an essential part of our Nation’s strength and diversity, a living reminder of the courage of immigrants and a growing force in our civic movements and engagement.”

To celebrate FAHM, the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employee Association has put together FAHM Bingo of October Activities. CSDFEA invites employees to play with a friends and see who gets to bingo first!

The employee resource group added that it’s a great opportunity to learn more about American history.

Join SDCLA’s Leadership Conversation for Hispanic Heritage Month

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the San Diego County Latino Association Employee Resource Group will host a second “Leadership Conversation Lunch and Learn” on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Speakers are Migell Acosta, director of County Library; Alethea Arguilez, executive director of First 5 Commission of San Diego; and Elizabeth Hernandez, acting director of Public Health Services.

The ERG will hold the virtual event from noon to 1 p.m. on Teams.

For questions, email sdcla@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Check Your Mood Day Goes Virtual

Annually, the County of San Diego hosts Check Your Mood Day to engage and encourage San Diegans to monitor and assess their mental well-being, as well as raise awareness about behavioral health resources. This year’s event will be held virtually on Oct. 7, in conjunction with National Depression Screening Day.

Learn more about Check Your Mood Day.

In addition, the County’s Employee Assistance Program can be reached by phone 888-777-6665 or online using Company Name “COSD”. (Please note Sheriff’s Department sworn staff has access to their EAP by contacting The Counseling Team International at 800-222-9691.)

10 Ways to Bridge Cultural Diversity

Understanding how to bridge differences in diversity among various groups is key. Read this short article on 10 ways to start bridging.

Email, Teams Outage Planned Thursday Night

Outlook email, Teams, SharePoint and other Microsoft applications will be unavailable Thursday night between 10 and 11:30 p.m. while changes are made to the login screens you will see on workstations and mobile devices.

The updates are being done in advance of a two-step verification process that will enhance security for remote and off-network users accessing the County network. That will take place over the next several months with additional communications to come.

CAO Message: Your Work, Your Stories - Our Annual Report

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

You all do so much, and there’s been so much change recently, it’s hard to get your arms around it all. If only there was a way to sum up your hard work in one snazzy little package.

Well, guess what – there is! I’m proud to roll out the County’s 2020-21 Annual Report.

It’s a great survey of our actions and accomplishments over a remarkable stretch of time. Anyone who wants to quickly get a feel for the breadth of our activities can find it here. 

The core of the report is the highlight stories, built around 10 priority areas in the Board-directed Framework for the Future. While COVID-19 still loomed large over all our lives, and continues to be a daily focus for many of our employees, we kept up tremendous progress in other areas. The report reflects that. Justice reform. Sustainability. Racial equity. Behavioral health. Things that can’t wait out a pandemic and demand our attention.

Rather than go into more details, I invite you to visit and spend a few minutes clicking around and reading. You can take in a lot with a skim, and besides the stories, it’s sprinkled with loads of facts and figures about our operations. If you ever find yourself trying to explain to family or friends what the County does, you may want to point them here.

To be sure, it doesn’t cover everything. We do too much to ever be that comprehensive. Even if we weren’t able to squeeze you into our group picture, know your contributions are recognized and valued. 

What we do as an organization really is remarkable. You all play a part in this, so this is your story. Our story. I hope you all take as much pride in our collective achievements as I do. Thank you for everything you do that enables us to share this with the world.