HHSA ConnectionTheThe HHSA ConnectionDECEMBER 2003 SAFE, HEALTHY AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES

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AGENCY NEWS BRIEF

A Word From Our Acting DirectorA Familiar Face in a New RoleWhile 2003 certainly held challenges for people around the County, I look back with pride at all thegood work the Agency has done, and look forward with confidence. First of all, I admire the workeach and every one of you does. Everyone contributes in a special way, and it's that teamwork thatmakes us able to provide such valuable services to our neighbors in San Diego County. I know Ispeak for thousands when I give my thanks for all the efforts made during the firestorm that trulydemonstrate your commitment and dedication to service.

In my current position, as Acting Director for the Agency, I have an opportunity to expand myefforts of leading the Agency to excellence by focusing on several key areas. In addition to

smooth operations overall, I plan to spearhead efforts that tackle issues such as the state budget, improved communi-cation with our advisory boards and stakeholders, food stamp error rate, and continuing the integration of services.

I know I can count on you, the Agency team, as we forge ahead into 2004. With warm regards, I wish you and yourloved ones a wonderful holiday season.

PROGRAM PERSPECTIVE: PUBLIC HEALTH

OPERATION SAFEGUARD CALLS THE SHOTSEmergency preparedness exercise attracts more than 400

More than 400 people,including County employ-ees, rolled up their

sleeves on Nov. 18 to participatein Operation Safeguard SanDiego, a drill designed to test theCounty’s ability to vaccinate largenumbers of people quickly.

A free flu shot was the incentivefor volunteers, who lined up at theSalvation Army Ray and JoanKroc Corps Community Center in San Diego.

“If we had to vaccinate thousands of people for an out-break of an infectious disease like SARS or smallpox,Operation Safeguard illustrates how we would go aboutdoing it,” said Steve Wood, chief of Emergency MedicalServices and Disaster Preparedness, and the director ofOperation Safeguard. “Drills like these are the best wayfor us to see our strengths and weaknesses andaddress them before disaster strikes.” The event wasfilmed by the California Distance Learning Network, andwill be shown to health departments across the country.

Jean Shepard, HHSA Acting Director

New Format ComingIn the new year, the HHSA Connection will take on anew look. Send your suggestions or submissions to: jennifer.mallory@sdcounty.ca.gov

Eileen Marlow, PHN, EastRegion, vaccinates a volunteer.

PROGRAM PERSPECTIVE: PUBLIC HEALTH

‘TIS THE SEASON TO DRIVE SAFELYCelebrate National Drunk and DruggedDriving Prevention Month

Amidst all the festivities of the season, be sure to fol-low smart road rules. On average, an alcohol-relatedmotor vehicle crash kills someone every 30 minutes.

The extra bustle of parties, visiting, and shopping adds tostressful driving conditions. Top it off with drinks or otherimpairing substances, and the road gets more dangerousthan ever. Keep your holidays merry:

Designate a driver or call a cab Drive defensively Stay over if you are not comfortable driving

Thank You!

The magnitude of the recent fires demanded major team-work and dedication, with people working together to providemany types of services and expertise.

Agency Employees Step Up

Agency departments heavily involved in the fire recoveryefforts include Mental Health, AIS, Childcare, Media, andEligibility Technicians.

Hard Numbers, and Hard Work

oEstimated StructuralDamage:$510,000,000

oCrisis Counseling Cases:2,547

oChildren Watched by LACChildcare Workers: 628

oEmergency Food StampsDistributed:

- 1,059 Households- 3,117 People- $344 Average Benefit Amount

Dealing With Disaster

County of San Diego

Health and Human Services Agency

Chief Administrative OfficerWalter F. Ekard

HHSA Acting Agency DirectorJean Shepard

The HHSA Connection is produced by the Officeof Media and Public Affairs, a section of the

Health and Human Services AgencyStrategy and Planning Division

Editor: Jennifer MalloryAsst. Editors: Leslie Ridgeway, Jonah B. Weinberg

Board of SupervisorsGreg Cox, District 1 Dianne Jacob, District 2Pam Slater, District 3 Ron Roberts, District 4

Bil l Horn, District 5FROM THE “PAT-ON-THE-BACK” DEPT.

Making Positive StridesL inda Wong Kerberg, ADD of

the Office of ViolencePrevention, received the AndreaO'Donnel Award on October 13th,for her leadership in preventingDomestic Violence. Mike VanMouwerik, previously the Agency'sBudget Manager, has been pro-moted to Assistant Finance

Director, and Susan Bower hasaccepted the position as the newADS Assistant Administrator. Givea cheer - one year later, SouthRegion's Walking Club is stillgoing strong! The Oxford Streetbuilding alone is home to 44 regu-lar walkers who can earn prizesand increase their overall health.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

Some Secrets Need to be SharedCounty Compliance Office wants to hear your concerns

As public employees, wehave a moral obligation to dothe right thing. Besides aguilty conscience, infractionsrisk the County great expensein fines should a federalinspection uncover unethicalor illegal conduct or billingfraud.

In efforts to ensure theAgency complies with federaland state funding requirements, theCounty established a Compliance officelast fiscal year. Bob Borntrager,Compliance Officer, has been busy set-ting up procedures, training, and estab-lishing a confidential, toll-free phone

line for reporting suspect behav-ior or situations: (866) 549-0004.Policies (posted on the Agency's Intranet sitehttp://hhsa_intranet.co.san-diego.ca.us/policy/index.html)cover topics ranging from priva-cy issues to audit guidelines toreporting concerns.

Quality First mandates that allemployees receive compliance

training. Look for upcoming class list-ings, or managers can call to set up atraining session for their group.

"An ethical workplace is your right…and your responsibility."

v

V isitingbarsaround

the Countymay soundrecreational,but for WilliePugh, CodeEnforcementOfficer II, it's all business. ACounty employee for 34years, Pugh works for ChronicDisease and InjuryPrevention/Tobacco Control toensure compliance with smok-ing regulations in bars, officebuildings and any public area,such as in condo and apart-ment buildings. He receivesphone complaints (fromanonymous employees orpatrons), notifies businesses,and accompanies local lawenforcement on pop-in sitevisits to bars.

Pugh’s schedule includes 2or 3 evenings a week. "I likeinteracting with people, espe-cially when I get to help solvea smoking situation."

In his "spare" time, Pughcan be found winning bowlingtournaments around thesouthwest.

CLASSY CLASSIFICATIONS: CODE

ENFORCEMENT OFFICER II

Willie Pugh takes abite out of smokingviolations.

v

Compliance Kingpinlooks out for our air

Getting Toughon Tobacco

AGENCY NEWS BRIEF

Disability Benefits 101Yes, clients can work and keep health care

Is it worth taking a job if it means losinghealth care benefits? For the disabledcommunity, questions like this complicateevery financial decision. Plus, the myriadsupport programs available - and howthey affect each other - can create a lotof confusion.

Joan Zinser, Deputy Director, is on astatewide Working Disabled Steering

Committee.Assisted bySteve Gardner,Analyst III, shefacilitated six"DisabilityBenefits 101"

trainings in San Diego in October. Thetrainings, which received a proclamationfrom Chairman Greg Cox, introduced anentrepreneurial new federal program that

rolled out in November, the "Ticket toWork," which aims to increase aware-ness about keeping benefits whileworking, and provides people with dis-abilities an opportunity to become selfsufficient.

Clients will receive tickets in the mailand take them to an EmploymentNetwork Center for help with their jobhunt. The Center, in turn, gets mile-stone payments for outcomes. The realpayoff is the long-term benefits to theworker, and the community.

The trainings were conducted byBryon MacDonald, from the WorldInstitute on Disability, and DanielFortuno, from Options: A BenefitsTraining Foundation, and made possi-ble by funding from Alliance Healthcare(www.preview.disabilitybenefits101.org).

Chairman Cox with trainersMacDonald and Fortuna.