Picnic in the Park with LGBTQ&A ERG

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Please join the LGBTQ&A ERG for a Spring Picnic at Heritage County Park on Saturday, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Enjoy sandwiches, snacks, drinks, lawn games and great company. Stay for a historical tour of Victorian Village from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Heritage County Park is located at 2454 Heritage Park Row in Old Town San Diego.

RSVP by March 4.

The picnic and tour are free for members and a $5 donation for guests. Guests can pay cash or Venmo at the picnic.

Renew your membership or join LGBTQ&A ERG today!

See the flyer below.

Event flyer

To view the park brochure full size, click the link.

Help Expand Inclusion in the County

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person fills out survey on laptop with notebook on table

The County is excited to announce our partnership for neurodiversity excellence with Rangam Consultants Inc., a global workforce solutions company with a focus on neurodiverse and inclusive employment.

The first step in this effort requires your voice. Rangam will roll out a survey to County employees to measure the accessibility and workplace culture for neurodivergent individuals. You’ll get an email from Survey Monkey via Rangam and your responses will be completely confidential. Rangam really wants your frank opinions so they can help to assess strengths, identify gaps, and formulate strategies to move forward.

For more information on what to expect, please see Rangam’s Inclusive Employment Survey FAQ and Key Terminology to know.

The survey will run from Monday, Feb. 13 through Friday, Feb. 24.

Food Drive Hops Over Lofty Goal

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CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer and other County leaders fulfilled a dare and kissed a hare as part of a challenge to collect food for the San Diego Food Bank.

Assistant CAO Michael Vu vowed to kiss a farm animal provided by Animal Services if County groups collected 4,000 pounds of food during the Chief Administrative Office Holiday Project. Groups answered the call, collecting more than double the amount, and inspiring Helen Robbins-Meyer and Deputy Chief Administrative Officers Sarah Aghassi, Nick Macchione, Holly Porter and Ebony Shelton to join the fun. 

If you would like to kiss a rabbit every day, consider adopting one from Animal Services.

Chairwoman Vargas Message: It's Time to Love Your Heart

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A message from Chairwoman Nora Vargas:

Good afternoon! ¡Buenas tardes!

As a long-time healthcare advocate, I am proud to champion once again the Love Your Heart (Ama Tú Corazón) initiative. Your health is important, not just for yourself but for your loved ones as well.

The Love Your Heart “week of action” starts tomorrow, and it’s a great reminder to get your blood pressure checked. Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it because it’s rare to notice any symptoms.

For black and Latino community members, it is particularly important to get checked. Due to long-time health disparities, they are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure and other complications. High blood pressure is one of the only leading indicators of heart disease, which remains the second leading cause of death in San Diego County.

Take charge and keep your heart healthy by taking a 5-minute check that can save your life. We have dozens of sites county-wide and many of these are at county buildings near where you work.

¡Toma acción y protege tu salud haciéndote una prueba de la presión arterial! Cinco minutos pueden salvar tu vida.

Please join me in taking a step toward heart health. TOGETHER WE GOT THIS!

Here are ways you can participate:

Check Your Blood Pressure

County staff are encouraged to get their blood pressure checked during Love Your Heart Week of Action February 11-19 at a site near their home or at one of the County provided sites.

Know Your Numbers

Learn more about what your numbers mean, what is healthy and how you can make small changes to create a healthier lifestyle.

Participate at an event

Come out to one of our community Love Your Heart fairs:

Saturday, February 11, 2023
Noon – 3 p.m.
San Ysidro Health Chula Vista
678 Third Ave., Chula Vista, CA 91910

Saturday, February 25, 2023
Noon – 3 p.m.
Ramona Library
1275 Main St. Ramona, CA, 92065

Follow-up with your doctor

Remember to follow-up with your doctor to get your blood pressure re-checked if your numbers are out of normal range. 

For more information about Love Your Heart, visit: loveyourheartsd.org.

Thank you and Happy Love Your Heart Week!

Your View: Rainbow Connection

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rainbow in the distance over a driveay and building

📷: Abby Sterk, legal Support Assistant II with Aging and Independence Services

Several County employees recently captured photos of rainbows over the County Operations Center in Kearny Mesa. Check out the spectrum of views!

Share your fabulous photos. If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every week and may be shared on social media.

See more of Your View photos.

📷: Krista Ellis, Chief, Real Estate Services, Department of General Services

📷: Jeffrey Boco, HR Analyst with Human Resources

rainbow over an office building+

📷: Jill Moog, administrative Assistant III with County Fire

Know the Code: Camp Ethics

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Know the Code logo

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.

By the Office of Ethics and Compliance

Mark your calendar for upcoming Ethics Awareness Month activities! OEC has an exciting month of activities planned in March to celebrate and strengthen our culture of ethics and integrity.

March 2: Meet the Office of Ethics and Compliance team at an Ethics Awareness Month kickoff 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the lobby of the County Administration Center and again from 11:30 to 1 p.m. in Community 1600, the community space on the southside of the fourth floor.

March 7: Hear Human Resources Director Susan Brazeau discuss ethics from noon to 12:30 p.m. This virtual event will be held on Zoom. It is the first event in the Speaker Series.

March 16: Don’t miss the Ethics Fair at the County Operations Center plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The theme this year is “Camp Ethics.” There will be activities, giveaways, information about County departments and other resources. Participating departments include General Services, HHSA Compliance Office, Probation, SDCERA and Sheriff.

March 21: Health and Human Services Agency Compliance Officer Christy Carlson will talk ethics from noon to 12:30 p.m. This virtual event will be held on Zoom. It is the second event in the Speakers Series.

March 28: County Counsel Claudia Silva will share her thoughts on ethics from noon to 12:30 p.m. This virtual event will be held on Zoom. It is the third and final event in the Speaker Series.

Other ways to champion ethics in the workplace include:

  • Recommit to the Code of Ethics. Our code of ethics is the foundation of our County culture.

  • Share your favorite Know the Code micro-learning (posted on InSite and LMS).

  • Request that OEC conduct an on-site ethics training or speak at an upcoming department meeting.

  • Check out the "Ethics In-a-Box” training resources for managers/supervisors.

If you ever have a question about what is ethical, don’t wait to get answers. Employees can always turn to their supervisor or manager first if they have a concern.

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

Shooting the Snow Moon

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Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk employee Pete Jacovino shot this picture of the snow moon setting over the County Administration Center on the morning of Feb. 8. The snow moon cycles until Feb. 13, and is named because February is the snowiest month in the country.

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every week and may be shared on social media.

See more of Your View photos.

Hike with CSDFEA at Sweetwater Summit County Park

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a look across green grasses with a lake in the distance

Join the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees’ Association (CSDFEA) for a hike at Sweetwater Summit County Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11.

Meet at the Starbucks on Bonita Road at Central Avenue.

The group will hike to Sweetwater Summit County Park and back. This hike is about 5 miles long and is of moderate difficulty. 

Click here for more details and to register for the hike. Details of the hike will be emailed to all registered participants before the event.

For inquiries, contact the ERG at CSDFEA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Rewind: Equity and Belonging Survey Results and Next Steps Shared at Listening Session

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Watch the Rewind video here.

Did you miss Part 2 of the D&I Executive Council’s listening session on equity and belonging that took place on Feb. 2? You can now watch the “rewind.”

The Council presented the results of the suggestions your colleagues shared in Part 1 of listening session and in a survey. And employees had an opportunity to engage in discussions on those results and hear some next steps.

You can now anonymously message the D&I Executive Council by using the “contact us” link located on the Diversity and Inclusion InSite page. The Council is listening. Share your experiences, feedback and ideas.

Resources shared during the session include:

Several of the slides shared in this session can be seen below.

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