Let's Talk Ethics!

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The word ethics in big red letters.

The County of San Diego Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) is holding a series of activities highlighting ethics and compliance activities throughout March in honor of Ethics Awareness Month.

Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Compliance Officer Christy Carlson will talk ethics from ­­­noon to 12:30 p.m. on March 21. This virtual event will be held on Zoom.

Do you like games? The OEC Team has a few fun ways for employees to learn the Code of Ethics:

You can submit the completed Scavenger Hunt to OEC by email to be entered in an opportunity drawing. Online participants are automatically entered.

Interested in ways to champion ethics in the workplace? Consider the below:

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

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

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

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

If you ever have an ethics-related question, don’t wait to get answers. There are many ways to learn more, including asking your supervisor or manager and visiting the OEC webpage on InSite. More information about Ethics Awareness Month and the upcoming Ethics & Compliance training, along with resources like the monthly “Know the Code” articles and micro-training videos can also be found on the OEC webpage.

Stimulate Your Brain

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Our Employee Wellness Program recently launched an employee wellness challenge called “Renew.” While the registration has closed, you can still benefit from these wellness micro-learnings and activities. The activities help you create calm, boost happiness, sharpen focus and increase energy.   

Today’s lesson is on stimulating your brain.  

Give your thinker something new to chew on. 

Changing routines and rituals stimulates new neural connections. It also helps us stay interested and engaged in life while enhancing the health of our gray matter. 

Our brains quickly respond to different information by forging paths and links; this process — called plasticity— is how we learn, adapt, and grow at any age. We can mold our brains in positive ways, changing structure as well as function with the right stimulation. Activities as simple as eating unfamiliar foods or having a conversation with someone new create novel pathways; so do more complex experiences like learning a hobby or taking a trip to an unknown destination. Anything unexpected triggers neurological rewiring, and that’s a good thing. 

Cash in on unique ways to keep your brain guessing and adapting; more fun and intrigue are part of the payoff. Examples: 

  • Socialize/meet new people 

  • Learn a skill/hobby or teach someone else 

  • Explore a different neighborhood or town 

  • Expand your vocabulary 

  • Practice a new language 

  • Take a different route to work 

  • Eat with your non-dominant hand 

  • Listen to an unfamiliar style of music 

  • Switch the order of your daily routine. 

Stepping out of your comfort zone can be exciting; it’s one of the most important things to do for brain health, energy, and enjoyment. 

For more information on Employee Wellness offerings, visit this InSite page.  

Read more lessons from Renew. 

Gallery: Ethics Awareness Fair at the COC!

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The Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) highlighted ethics activities for employees in March in honor of Ethics Awareness Month. The Ethics Fair was held at the COC on March 16. The theme this year was “Camp Ethics.” Participating departments included General Services, HHSA Compliance Office, Probation, SDCERA and Sheriff.

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.

D&I Executive Council to Host Townhall on Ethics and Engagement

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The Diversity & Inclusion Executive Council invites you to a townhall on ethics and engagement on March 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Wrap up Ethics Awareness Month with a look at how compliance and accountability work with the results of our 2022 Employee Engagement Survey. And dive into how the County can build on this knowledge to further our culture of belonging during this session.  We want to hear from you!

Speakers include County Compliance Chief Mia Watson-Good and Judy England-Joseph from CPS HR Consulting, an independent consulting firm that conducted the employee engagement survey.

Join in the discussion in one of two ways:

  1. Register to get an automated calendar link. (Open in Edge.)

  2. Save the following information to join.
    Join MS Teams webinar online
    Or call in (audio only): 619-343-2539 Conference ID: 460 170 938#

This session will be recorded.

See the flyer below.

Join CSDFEA and MEERG for a Day Trip to Agua Caliente County Park

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Join the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees’ Association (CSDFEA) and Middle Eastern Employee Resource Group (MEERG) for a day trip to Agua Caliente County Park on Saturday, March 25. There will be an optional hike along Moonlight Canyon Trail, a potluck picnic and a chance to take a dip in the pools.

Agua Caliente Park is one of the more remote County Parks in San Diego, but it has a lot to offer including the therapeutic pools fed by naturally occurring mineral springs.

You have two options to get to the park. Either meet with the group at the Grossmont Center Starbucks at 9 a.m. and carpool for 2 hours to the Agua Caliente County Park or meet at the park in front of the swimming pools at approximately 11 a.m. Please note that there is a $3 parking fee per vehicle and a $3 fee per person for the pool.

The park address is 39555 Great Southern Overland Stage Route of 1849, Julian*, CA 92036. *This address is actually located at the base of the mountain, west of Anza-Borrego State Park.

Click here for more details on the day trip and to register.

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

See the flyer below.

Improve Your Zzz

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Our Employee Wellness Program recently launched an employee wellness challenge called “Renew.” While the registration has closed, you can still benefit from these wellness micro-learnings and activities. Check back often for activities to help you create calm, boost happiness, sharpen focus and increase energy.  

Today’s lesson is on sleep.

Practice good sleep hygiene for more restful, restorative slumber.

Just as maintaining healthy teeth and gums requires regular oral hygiene, so too does quality sleep require regular maintenance. Sleep often takes a back seat to busy schedules, work and family demands, or holidays and travel. But good sleep is vital to feeling your best; getting 7-9 hours consistently should be a top priority. Research shows sleep benefits learning and memory, the immune system, cardiovascular health, and more. Try these tips to get the rest you need:

  • Set a sleep schedule — go to bed and get up at the same time every day (even on your days off)

  • Make it dark, cool, and quiet — create a sleep-conducive environment by covering light sources or using a sleep mask, setting your thermostat between 60-67 degrees F, and using a sound machine or earplugs

  • Go screen-free — transition away from TV, phones, and tablets at least an hour before bedtime

  • Avoid disruptive food/drink — stay clear of large meals, alcohol, and caffeine close to bedtime

  • Reset when necessary — if you haven’t fallen asleep within 20 minutes, get up and read or do something relaxing before trying again.

For more information on Employee Wellness offerings, visit this InSite page.

Read more lessons from Renew.

Give Blood at the Annual County Blood Drive

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Person giving blood in a reclined chair

Did you know one in seven people entering a hospital need blood? Even more urgent, blood banks supplying those hospitals are often faced with shortages.

That is why for 39 years, the County has hosted a Blood Drive to meet the critical need for donations.

Make an appointment today to give blood,

Blood Drives at County Facilities

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER | BOOK NOW 
MON, APR 3 | 9:30 am-4 pm | Mobile parked in front on Pacific Hwy., 1600 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101 

FALLBROOK COMMUNITY CENTER | BOOK NOW 
MON, APR 3 | 11:30 pm-4:30 pm | Parking Lot, 341 Heald Ln., Fallbrook, CA 92028 

JULIAN LIBRARY | BOOK NOW 
WED, APR 5 | 12 am-5 pm | 1850 Highway 78, Julian, CA 92036  

EDGEMOOR HOSPITAL | BOOK NOW 
THUR, APR 6 | 9 am-2:30 pm | Parking Lot, 655 Park Center Dr., Santee, CA 92071 

COUNTY OPERATIONS CENTER | BOOK NOW 
THUR, APR 6 | 9 am-3 pm | Main Entrance Cul de Sac, 5560 Overland Ave., San Diego, CA 92123 

EAST REGION LIVE WELL CENTER | BOOK NOW 
MON, APR 10 | 9 am-2:30pm | Parking Lot, 367 N. Magnolia Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020 

SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT - SOUTH COUNTY DIVISION | BOOK NOW 
TUES, APR 11 | 9 am-2pm | Parking Lot, 500 Third Ave., Chula Vista, CA 91910 

MISSION VALLEY FRC- NORTH CENTRAL/RESIDENTIAL | BOOK NOW 
TUES, APR 11 | 8 am-1:30 pm | North Parking Lot area, 7947 Mission Center Ct., San Diego, CA 92108 

LEMON GROVE FRC | BOOK NOW 
TUES, APR 11 | 10 am–3:30 pm | Parking Lot, 7065 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 91945 

PROBATION - SOUTH BAY REGION | BOOK NOW 
TUES, APR 11 | 9 am-2:30 pm | Parking Lot, 1095 Bay Blvd., Chula Vista, CA 91911 

SAN DIEGO COUNTY ROADS DEPARTMENT | BOOK NOW 
FRI, APR 11 | 11 am-4 pm | Parking Lot, 11970 Singer Ln., Spring Valley, CA 91978 

NORTH INLAND LIVE WELL CENTER | BOOK NOW 
THURS, APR 13 | 9 am-2 pm | Parking Lot, 649 W. Mission Ave., Escondido, CA 92025 

SEVILLE PLAZA | BOOK NOW 
THUR, APR 13 | 9 am-3 pm | Campus Visitor Parking Lot, 5469 Kearny Villa Rd., San Diego, CA 92123 

SOUTH REGION LIVE WELL CENTER | BOOK NOW 
FRI, APR 14 | 8:30 am-2 pm | Parking Lot, 690 Oxford St., Chula Vista, CA 91911 

NORTH COAST FRC | BOOK NOW 
FRI, APR 14 | 8 am-1 pm | 3708 Ocean Ranch Blvd., Oceanside, CA 92056 

SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT | BOOK NOW 
FRI, APR 14 | 10 am-3:30 pm | Parked in front of Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES | BOOK NOW  
TUES, APR 18 | 9 am-3 pm | Parked Curbside, 3989 Ruffin Rd., San Diego, CA 92123 

JUVENILE PROBATION CENTER | BOOK NOW 
WED, APR 19 | 9:30 am-3:30 pm | Parking Lot, 2901 Meadow Lark Dr., San Diego, CA 92123 

NORTH CENTRAL FRC | BOOK NOW 
WED, APR 19 | 10 am-4 pm | Parking Lot, 5055 Ruffin Rd., San Diego, CA 92123 

SOUTH REGION FRC | BOOK NOW 
WED, APR 19 | 9 am-2:30 pm | Parking Lot, 401 Mile of Cars Way, National City, CA, 91950 

SHERIFF HEADQUARTERS | BOOK NOW 
WED, APR 19 | 9 am-3 pm | Parking Lot, 9621 Ridgehaven, San Diego, CA 92123 

CHILD WELFARE SERVICES | BOOK NOW 
TUE, APR 25 | 8:30 am-2:30 pm | Parking Lot, 8911 Balboa Ave., San Diego, CA 92123