May is Mental Health Matters Month
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The County Administration Center was lit in green Friday night for May is Mental Health Matters Month. If you, or someone you care about, needs treatment, please call the Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240.
Join Anti-hate Townhall for Employees
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Mark your calendars for an Anti-hate Townhall to address hate speech, recent hate incidents and how to remain resilient.
The virtual event is sponsored by the D&I Executive Council in partnership with the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees. It will be held from noon to 1 p.m., May 18 on Teams.
Speakers
Abigail Dillon, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Dante Dauz, API Coalition
Charles Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune
Matthew Brown, Anti-Defamation League
Employees are invited to submit questions ahead of the event.
Join this event online through Teams or by calling 619-343-2539 with event ID 944491323.
See the flyer below.
StoryPods: Growing Mentorship
/Grab your headphones for the second StoryPods podcast featuring “stories of us.”
In this episode, connect with individuals from the Department of Child Support Services to hear about the secret sauce of their thriving student worker program.
Get inspired as you listen in on a talk about the evolution of the program driven from the personal experience one human resources specialist had as a student worker herself. Then hear from a current student worker and the department’s assistant director on being mentee and mentor.
Voices You'll Hear
Narrator: Thesala Jones, group program manager, DHR Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Division
Host: Taryell Simmons, HR services manager, DHR Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Division
Guest: Daisy Choreno, HR specialist, Child Support Services
Guest: Maria Pacheco, senior departmental human resources officer, Child Support Services
Guest: Shyanne Shanley, student worker, Child Support Services
Guest: Steve Lujan, assistant director, Child Support Services
StoryPods is a County podcast that highlights stories around the County that create spaces for belonging and connection. If you missed the first episode, have a listen to episode one.
Get To Know PISCE Treasurer Isobel Kinsang
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The County has 10 great Employee Resource Groups (ERG). They are each led by a respective board who all demonstrate commitment and stewardship of its members to the various sectors of our community.
Get to know Pacific Islander Society of County Employees (PISCE) Treasurer Isobel Kinsang, an office support specialist with Medical Care Services.
Q: How long have you worked for the County and what departments have you worked for?
A: 17 years and six months in total. I worked six months as a temp at California Children Services; then, 17 years permanent with the Health and Human Services Agency.
Q: What do you do in your role/what are your job responsibilities?
A: I provide a wide variety of complex and technical administrative support to the entire Medical Care Services Division, but mainly to the administrative analyst III, program coordinator, principal analyst, managers and executives. I manage and process payments for Verizon invoices. As a long-time P-Card holder, I have also taken the lead on supply orders and equipment for the department. I also submit payments for subscription renewals, professional licensure and membership renewals for nurses and physicians. In addition, I assist with maintaining inventory control for the department.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was assigned a task to collect staff telework weekly reports and COVID-19 time tracking reports. I am also the H.E.A.R.T. ambassador for MCSD.
Q: What’s your workplace superpower?
A: My workplace superpower is to provide access to quality, timely and evidence-based care in San Diego County’s communities.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work.
A: Aside from my career job with the County, I also serve passionately alongside fellow Pacific Islander community leaders in various community outreach events that promote culture-centered advocacy, research and leadership development.
In addition, I am an active member of the leadership board of MOMUSA (Micronesian Outreach Ministries USA). I serve this church organization as a finance advisor and an interim secretary.
When I don’t do work, I enjoy running at the beach during sunset, going on hiking trails at sunrise, taking leisure trips when time permits and pretty much just spending quality time with families and friends.
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: Generally, I am very passionate about helping others.
Q. What is the best advice you’ve received from a mentor?
A: “You are not in this job position by an accident. You are here to make a difference” –M.O.
Q: What are some resources that you find useful and recommend to others?
A: The Pacific Islander Festival is amazing. They provide you with a one-stop FREE annual event where you get to taste and see the traditional cultures and lifestyles we share among the three regions (Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia) in the Pacific basin. San Diego is the home city of the Pacific Islander Festival, the longest-running annual event in San Diego.
Q: Tell us about your ERG.
A: PISCE ERG cultivates multi-cultural competency and awareness of the many island nation cultures that make up Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. We assist with recruitment for County employment within the Pacific Islander community to assist in retaining a diverse workforce. And we support County initiatives and prepare members for advancement and leadership positions within the County.
Q: Why are ERGs important?
A: ERGs are important because they are the fundamental melting pots that connect bridges between groups, departments, people and their ideas here within the County of San Diego. These groups were formed to meet the needs for an inclusive and safe place for employees who share common interests and backgrounds to meet and support one another in a social and professional way. ERGs motivate and empower employees to be the change they are meant to be.
Q: What is your ERG looking forward to this year?
A: A couple of our primary goals this year are to encourage membership recruitment, and to also collaborate with our sister ERGs with different activities to promote career development, community outreach events and school partnerships.
Also Read:
Get To Know MEERG President Mehdi Khalili
Get To Know EWA Board Member Diana Eid-Chammas
Get To Know SDCLA Secretary Alex Talaro
Get To Know LGBTQ&A ERG Board Member Ryan Trabuco
Get To Know APACE Vice President Annamarie Hernandez
Get To Know AAACE Secretary Nikki Horton
Get to Know DiverseAbility ERG Secretary Valerie Prado
Get To Know VALOR Secretary Thomas Velasquez
It's a Turquoise Takeover
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The County Administration Center was lit in turquoise Tuesday night for the American Lung Association of California. The Lung Association’s annual Turquoise Takeover celebration runs May 8-14 to raise awareness of lung cancer.
Get To Know APACE Vice President Annamarie Hernandez
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The County has 10 great Employee Resource Groups (ERG). They are each led by a respective board who all demonstrate commitment and stewardship of its members to the various sectors of our community.
Get to know the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employee (APACE) Vice President Annamarie Hernandez, a social worker supervisor with Aging and Independent Services
Q: How long have you worked for the County and what departments have you worked for?
A: I was hired in 2013 with the Health and Human Services Agency. I worked for Eligibility Operations and Self-Sufficiency Services as a human services specialist for several years. I currently work for Aging & Independence Services. Additionally, I have also worked seasonally for the Registrar of Voters.
Q: What do you do in your role/what are your job responsibilities?
A: As an in-home supportive services social worker III in the Quality Assurance Unit, I conducted thorough desk reviews and home visits to ensure that State and County regulations and policies were applied correctly. I recently promoted to social work supervisor on 4/22/22 and will supervise a unit of dedicated in-home supportive services social workers who assess the needs for new and ongoing customers who may be at risk for out-of-home placement.
Q: What’s your workplace superpower?
A: Using my Gallup Strength of Individualization, I like connecting with my peers and customers on a personal level and adapting my approach to meet their needs.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work.
A: I appreciate spending time with my family, friends, and furbaby preferably with good food and boba. I also enjoy volunteering, dancing and relaxing at home.
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I am passionate about advocating for mental health and volunteering. I encourage emotional intelligence and I’m gratified when sharing my blessings with others.
Q. What is the best advice you’ve received from a mentor?
A: Regardless of classification, everyone’s voice matters.
Q: What are some resources that you find useful and recommend to others?
A: Attending many of the ERG professional development trainings has greatly helped my professional growth. All trainings are advertised on Insite.
You can connect with the AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community or become an AAPI ally like myself by visiting the following resources: Right to Be Organization (formerly known as Hollaback for standing up against AAPI hate), Pacific Arts Movement, National Association of Asian American Professionals and the San Diego API Coalition.
Check the Convoy District for good food and fun.
And with the impacts of COVID, I recommend these mental health resources: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), It’s Up to Us San Diego and our Employee Assistance Program.
Q: Tell us about your ERG.
A: APACE is a nonprofit organization. We are open to all County employees and community members, AAPI or not.
Our mission is to:
Celebrate the tremendous diversity of all Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
Support workforce recruitment and retention and participate in community outreach activities.
Promote and support professional development via interview preparation and administrative analyst workshops.
Actively support County initiatives like the Live Well San Diego vision.
Foster friendships by building a sense of community and belonging.
Q: Why are ERGs important?
A: ERGs provide inclusive and safe spaces that help members build community around common cultures, backgrounds and similarities. Our events allow for community service, professional development, and employee engagement through networking opportunities.
Q: What is your ERG looking forward to this year?
A: APACE welcomes everyone to our upcoming professional development events like the Admin Analyst Q&A Workshops at a future date. We’re excited to host several events during the AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders) Heritage Month in May: Convoy District Walking Tour on May 6th, Speaker Series with guest speaker Dr. Emily Do, Chief Pharmacy Officer on May 9 and an Anti-hate Panel/Town Hall in collaboration with the D&I Executive Team on May 18.
We will continue to host our ongoing community service events, interview preparation workshops and mixers. Please join us or visit our website to learn more!
Also Read:
Get To Know MEERG President Mehdi Khalili
Get To Know EWA Board Member Diana Eid-Chammas
Get To Know SDCLA Secretary Alex Talaro
Get To Know LGBTQ&A ERG Board Member Ryan Trabuco
Get To Know PISCE Treasurer Isobel Kinsang
Get To Know AAACE Secretary Nikki Horton
Get to Know DiverseAbility ERG Secretary Valerie Prado
Get To Know VALOR Secretary Thomas Velasquez
Recognizing National Hospital Week
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The County Administration Center was lit in blue Monday night in recognition of National Hospital Week.
CAC Lit in Purple for National Foster Care Month
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The County Administration Center was lit in purple Friday to recognize National Foster Care Month.
Recognizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives
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The County Administration Center was lit in red Thursday night in recognition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives.
CAO Message: A Budget That's Building Our Future and Building Up Our Workforce
/Message from Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer
Nothing tells the story of our priorities more clearly than our budget. We’ve just released our proposed plan for the fiscal year starting July 1. Under last year’s Framework for the Future, we began a fundamental reshaping of our direction as a County. We now advance that through our new budget – Building the Future – which lays out major investments we’re making in addressing mental health and substance use, homelessness, sustainability, justice transformation and more.
For the first time, we’ve created our plan using a budget equity assessment tool. That requires each department to consider how its spending affects communities struggling with inequalities and to make sure it’s reducing disparities.
The budget’s total, $7.15 billion, is slightly under last year’s. But don’t let that dip mislead you. It’s in large part because we no longer have many of the costs related to COVID-19. We are actually significantly increasing our resources across many key initiatives.
Notable for you as employees is that as we expand our services, we’re expanding our workforce. This budget adds about 1,000 staff positions. Some of the areas seeing the biggest changes: 115 positions in behavioral health and 71 in public health; about 100 positions in eligibility; another 100 in Child Welfare Services; 90 with Public Defender; 18 for the District Attorney focused on crime victims. Staff will be added to heightened focus areas of sustainability, community engagement, economic development, transparency, and performance measurement. And that comes after 1,000 positions we added since last year’s budget, meaning a big boost to our ranks over two years.
The budget is now out for everyone to see. You can get a good, quick overview in our County News Center story or in the Executive Summary we created. I invite you to take a look at one of those. They’ll give a good feel for where we’re going over the next year.
We’ll walk our Board of Supervisors through the budget at public meetings on May 19 and 20. Much of that will be presentations by a number of individual departments. We’re still working out the schedule for which department goes when, but we’ll share that when it’s ready.
Putting the budget together is a huge undertaking, and I offer my thanks to everyone who pitched in. It sets the foundation for the even bigger job ahead – turning all those plans into action. It will take every one of us, and I look forward to working with you as we build our future.