More Employees Needed to Count People Experiencing Homelessness

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More County employees are needed to help count people experiencing homelessness in the San Diego region.

Due to the rise of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the annual count has been postponed for about a month.

The Point-in-Time Count will now take place from 3:45 to 8 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Volunteers are being asked to arrive at their deployment location by 3:30 a.m. to allow time to become familiar with a mobile app that is used for counting. The app helps to conduct a more accurate count.

If you had already signed up for the earlier count, you should still report to your assigned location. All volunteers will be getting N95 masks to protect themselves and others they encounter that morning. 

This is the eighth year the County has supported the annual count, which did not take place last year due to the ongoing pandemic.  

Employees who participate can do so on County time since the Board of Supervisors approved the policy last November.

Once again, the count, as directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will entail an “engaged” survey-based approach, where people on the streets will be surveyed as they are encountered rather than just an observational count that was done in the past. To learn more about the engaged count, please watch this 3-minute video. 

The 2020 Point-in-Time County identified 7,638 people who said they were homeless or in shelters throughout the county.

The count helps the region identify the scope of the problem, apply for federal and state funding, and find solutions on how to best serve this vulnerable population.

The Regional Task Force on Homelessness is leading the local point-in-time effort with the WeALLCount campaign. Last count, approximately 550 County employees participated and employees are again encouraged to participate in this important undertaking.

The deadline to sign up is Monday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. Review the FAQs and then obtain approval from your supervisor via the supervisor approval form if you are interested in participating.

Once you get approval, please sign up here. After you have signed up, you will receive an email receipt for this event. In the email there will be a link to a training from The Regional Task Force on Homelessness for you to review.  

Members of the public can also join the count. If you know family or friends who would like to participate, they can sign up to volunteer.

Know the Code for Data Privacy Awareness Month

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By the Office of Ethics and Compliance

This month, in recognition of Data Privacy Awareness Month, is a good time to remember how to stay “cyber” safe and knowing the importance and difference between Privacy and Security is a good start.    

So, what’s the importance? The importance of Privacy and Security comes down to: 

  • how data is being collected,  

  • how data is being used,  

  • how and with whom data is being shared, and  

  • the type of safeguards that protect the data.  

Some people regard privacy and security as pretty much the same thing. That’s because the two sometimes overlap in a connected world. But they aren’t the same and knowing how they differ will help you to protect yourself and our clients and customers in an increasingly connected world. 

Privacy relates to the rights a person has to control their personal information and how it’s used. Privacy notices are an example of a data subject’s right to know how data will be used by an organization. 

Security, on the other hand, refers to how a person’s personal information is protected.   

Because personal data—different details about individuals—may live in a lot of places, both privacy and security are key. 

Security is about protecting data from malicious threats, whereas privacy is about using data responsibly. 

When it comes to privacy and security, it’s a good idea to have both. Each can impact cyber safety. 

If you have concerns about safeguarding confidential or personal information 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 staff 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. 

Check out the OEC webpage on InSite for information about upcoming Ethics & Compliance Program events, training, and resources including monthly “Know the Code” articles and micro-training videos. 

If you have questions about Ethics & Compliance training or how to access the training and other Ethics & Compliance resources, please contact the OEC team! 

Know the Code is a monthly series highlighting different sections of the County of San Diego Code of Ethics. The mission of the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) is to assist in fulfilling the County’s commitment to the highest standards of ethics and compliance. 

Pamper Your Pets

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Don’t miss these pawsitively great deals. PerkSpot has discounts for pet parents looking to spoil their furbabies. Find toys, treats, meal delivery service, pet insurance, and dog walker and pet sitter services all at a discount.

PerkSpot 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.

Each month, one of the most popular PerkSpot deals will be highlighted on InSite.

Deadline Extended: Join the CECO Executive Committee

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The deadline to submit a self-nomination for a County Employees’ Charitable Organization Executive Committee position has been extended to Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Since 1956, CECO has distributed more than $7 million to local non-profits and County employees and retirees experiencing a crisis. This giving legacy would not be possible without our volunteers.

CECO is seeking passionate and highly motivated individuals who want to volunteer their time and talent to the efforts of the CECO Executive Committee. If you are interested, please submit your self-nomination along with a candidate statement to sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov by this Friday, Jan. 21. The Board of Directors will vote the following week. 

Candidate statement must be limited to one page using size 12 font and include the following information: name, department, classification/job title, years of County service, candidate statement and (optional) photo of yourself.

Positions include president (1 position available), vice president (2 positions available), secretary (1 position available), treasurer (2 positions available), member at large (3 positions available), and ember at large – retiree (1 position available).

General Requirements:

  1. Must be a County employee with exception of retiree position.

  2. Must be a member of CECO. Membership is obtained by contributing to CECO by way of a biweekly payroll deduction, retirement deduction, or one-time annual donation of at least $52. For membership instructions, go to CECO Ways to Give.

  3. Must be able to serve a two-year term in a volunteer capacity. The two-year term will commence on April 1, 2022 and conclude on March 31, 2024.

  4. Must be able to fulfill the duties of the position in a volunteer capacity. 

  • President: oversight and management of the organization; works closely with the officers, executive committee and committee chairs to ensure that CECO accomplishes its mission and goals by leveraging volunteer resources, and County and community partners.

  • Vice president: works closely with the president in the oversight and management of the organization; assumes the duties and responsibilities of the president in the president’s absence or inability to function. 

  • Secretary: provides administrative support to ensure that meeting minutes and other records and documents are properly recorded and maintained. 

  • Treasurer: responsible for the proper accounting and reporting of CECO funds and ensuring compliance with U.S. Treasury Internal Revenue Service and the California State Franchise Tax Board tax exemption requirements to include preparing and submitting annual non-profit tax forms as required. 

  • At-large members: assists the officers as needed with operational activities; active participation in establishing policies, management, and direction of the affairs of CECO.

For additional information about the positions, please see the CECO Bylaws. 

Contact CECO at sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov for any questions or comments.

3 Generations of Roadcrew

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Hear from three generations of black road crew supervisors in Story Pods, a new podcast from the Human Resource’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Team. Story Pods aims to create spaces for belonging and connection by highlighting stories around the County.

In this first episode, Human Resources Services Manager Taryell Simmons along with African American Association of County Employees President Dr. Keisha Clark connects with Public Works supervisors Maurice “Moe” Booker Sr. and Terrence Singleton and three retirees. Each share the journey of their careers with the County and thoughts about what it will take to help advance equity, diversity and inclusion for future generations.

CAO Message: New Year, New Vision

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Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

We’re more than halfway through January, and it’s been so busy already, I’m just now extending a proper Happy New Year!

As a time for new beginnings, it’s the perfect opportunity to roll out reimagined versions of our fundamental guides for running the County.

One is our General Management System. It’s long served as our operating manual, and we’ve depicted it as a wheel to reflect the ongoing, cyclical nature of the process. It took us a lot of miles, but it needed changes for the new directions the County is traveling.

For starters, we’ve revamped the system’s five phases. Planning phases remain, but they’re now followed by Evaluation and Accountability, reflecting our emphasis on data and performance measures. Continuous Collaboration takes the place of Functional Threading. Then comes Employee Investment and Satisfaction, which broadens and better captures the ultimate goal we intended with Recognition.  

We’ve added a hub to that wheel: community engagement. That reflects the principle that everything we do to serve our residents has to be created in partnership with them. They are – literally, in the illustration – at the center of our efforts.

And we’ve added a layer around the circle of our six values: integrity, equity, access, belonging, excellence, and sustainability. They are infused throughout our operations.

The GMS is essentially the how. The Strategic Plan is more the what, and we’ve given that a top-to-bottom refresh. It lays out the overarching initiatives for the County. Even with the incredible variety of services we provide, they all feed up into these common themes: sustainability, equity, empower, community, justice. Each of those breaks down into more specific areas of activities where you may start to see your duties reflected. It’s important to see how your work supports these high-level efforts. The continuing work we do with Live Well San Diego is also woven into these themes.

Atop everything is an updated County vision: a just, sustainable, resilient future for all.

Perhaps it’s impossible to really sum up what guides us in one succinct line. But for where we are as we enter 2022, that captures it for me as neatly as anything could. Each of those three pillars encompasses so much. And capping it with “for all” attaches an essential check on our work.

As the GMS cycles forward, part of the process will be engaging with employees to help shape the goals that support the initiatives. We’ll need the benefit of your experience in identifying ways we can operate more efficiently and effectively.    

For now though, I encourage you to take a few minutes to check out the new GMS and Strategic Plan. They fit into two easy-to-read pages, but they say so much. They give us a context and stability that sometimes escapes us in our hectic day-to-day. They’ll be indispensable in keeping us all moving together as we tackle the challenges ahead.

Let’s go!

Don’t Miss Virtual Lunch and Learns on Social Security & Medicare

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Save the dates! The Department of Human Resources is hosting two presentations to help you plan for retirement. Experts from Social Security and Medicare will discuss eligibility, enrollment, and benefits.

A Social Security Session will be held noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19 and a Medicare Session will be held noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Registration is not required. Just click the links below to join or call in.

Social Security Session

  • Join online (passcode 951052)

  • Join with one tap mobile:  +16699006833,,86508347715#,,,,*951052# US (San Jose)

  • Join by phone: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099

    • Webinar ID: 865 0834 7715

    • Passcode: 951052

Medicare Session

  • Join online (passcode 015974)

  • Join with one tap mobile: +16699006833,,89235382637#,,,,*015974#

  • Join by phone:  +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592

    • Webinar ID: 892 3538 2637

    • Passcode: 015974

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