DPSS News Nov 2020

PAGE 1 DPSS NEWS NOVEMBER 2020 A SEASON OF GRATITUDE (DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE) SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT RAISES FUNDS TO FIGHT CANCER SELF-SUFFICIENCY TECHNICIAN FINDS SUNSHINE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN TELEWORK

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VALLEY-WIDE EMPLOYMENT EXPO HELPS JOB SEEKERS FIND OPPORTUNITIES DPSS CELEBRATES FIRST IN-PERSON COMMUNITY OUTREACH SINCE COVID-19 HIT ADOPTION MONTH IN NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS ADOPTION JOURNEYS CAREGIVING MATTERS TO THOUSANDS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY ADULTS AND WORKERS

A SEASON OF GRATITUDE… Dear Team:

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT RAISES FUNDS TO FIGHT CANCER

B reast Cancer Awareness month was yet another

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I want to express my gratitude to each of you for the spirit of service you demonstrate year-round to

opportunity that employees within the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) took to make a positive difference in the lives of county residents. T h e D P S S S p e c i a l Invest igat ions Uni t (SIU) joined in the Pink Patch Project for the first time since the communi ty campaign started in 2013. The Pink Patch Project aims to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support research organizations in combating this devastating disease. The DPSS SIU sold close to 400 commemorative patches and raised $3,325 for Michelle’s Place, a resource center in Temecula that provides over 10,000 free services a year to individuals and families battling all types of cancer. Dorla Jones, welfare fraud investigator within the SIU, launched the campaign for DPSS in March. Jones said she was happily surprised by the outpouring of generosity during a global pandemic. “This has been a very great campaign and a pleasure knowing our small efforts can make a difference in the lives of others.” Jones, herself a breast cancer survivor, said the campaign not only benefits a non- profit that serves a population especially at risk for coronavirus but also underscores her team’s commitment to public service. The DPSS SIU was one of more than 500 agencies involved in the Pink Patch Project worldwide. The DPSS SIU team participated in the Pink Patch Project, raising $3,325 for Michelle’s Place in Temecula. (Photo credit: Sr. Investigator Mark Drake/DPSS SIU)

individuals and communities who are struggling and in need. Over this past year, you provided housing, health, food and workforce services to nearly one million children and adults in our county. Many of your own families have suffered personal and economic hardships during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Throughout these unprecedented events, you’ve continued to focus on meeting the needs of others and protecting our most at-risk and vulnerable children and adults. I am inspired by your flexibility and grateful for your commitment to public service. Alongside our community and faith-based partners, you’ve strengthened the safety net for all 2.5 million residents of Riverside County. This year our holidays may be filled with tough choices and challenges as we modify our celebrations to stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic. The good news is that this is the season when gratitude is front and center of many of our activities. Finding ways to demonstrate gratitude can strengthen our spirits and improve our own emotional wellbeing during these unprecedented times. The positive effects of gratitude can also extend to our family and friends. In addition to expressing my gratitude to each of you, I want to wish everyone a safe and restful Thanksgiving weekend. We have so much to be thankful for as we look ahead to a new year and new opportunities. Thank you for choosing to be part of this wonderful organization. Thank you for the spirit of gratitude you demonstrate daily in your professional service to families and individuals in our communities.

“It was amazing seeing the generous donation raised by the Riverside County DPSS SIU,” said Jennifer Smith, development and fundraiser officer for Michelle’s Place. “Having the officers take the time to visit our center meant so much to us. I very much look forward to this continued relationship to bring awareness of breast cancer to our communities.” While the campaign officially ended on October 15, the DPSS SIU pink patches are st i l l avai lable for purchase. They cost $10 each and all proceeds will go towards funding next year’s campaign. For more i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t pinkpatchproject.com.

“

This has been a very eventful campaign and a pleasure knowing our small efforts can make a huge impact in the lives of others.

“

Dorla Jones – Welfare Fraud Investigator/Peace Officer, Badge #166

With gratitude, Sayori Baldwin Director

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

SELF-SUFFICIENCY TECHNICIAN FINDS SUNSHINE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN TELEWORK

T elecommuting has become a daily routine for many in the DPSS workforce, and Jenny Hall, an Eligibility Technician II, says she’s benefiting from the new model. Hall used to spend an hour driving to and from her home to the Hemet-based Self-Sufficiency office. Now, she has time to squeeze in a daily 15-minute yoga practice before work. “I can start my day feeling accomplished and focused,” Hall said. Hall says another bonus is that she can cook meals and take her puppy on brisk walks during her 15-minute breaks. “Since I started teleworking, I have dropped two dress sizes,” Hall said. She has created an office near a window to enjoy the incoming sunlight. Overall, Hall says her mood has improved. With no distractions from the traditional office setting, Hall says she can better focus on her customers’

Jenna Hall, Eligibility Technician

needs. She also uses fewer sick days. In her view, there really are no drawbacks to telework. “We are such a go-go society,” said Hall. “I think it is good for us to slow down.”

More than 75% of Self-Sufficiency’s staff began teleworking and providing seamless customer service in March when the coronavirus pandemic hit Riverside County. They processed a record-high number of CalFresh applications at the height of the pandemic, more than any other C4Yourself county in California, with 98% accuracy. “It was a big effort, but we were able to do it quickly so that our team could be safe and not get sick,” said Laura Fuller, Administrative Services Manager, who led the effort in helping her staff set up for telework. The Self-Sufficiency Division employs about 1,500 fulltime workers. Have a telework story you would like to share? Please let us know! Email us at DPSSinfo@rivco.org.

VALLEY-WIDE EMPLOYMENT EXPO HELPS JOB SEEKERS FIND OPPORTUNITIES

W ith thousands of Riverside County workers out of a job or underemployed since the pandemic hit in March, people like Alejandra Garcia found a bright spot of opportunity at the Valley-wide Employment Expo in October. DPSS and Riverside County Workforce Development hosted the 25 th annual job fair online for the first time to safely connect local businesses and job seekers and deter the spread of coronavirus. The expo helped Garcia land a second job with Maxim Healthcare Services, a Palm Desert company that specializes in in-home nursing care. “The virtual job fair was a really easy process and the best part is I got a call back,” Garcia said. Garcia says she’s now in the process of being hired. She was one of four personal care assistants Maxim hired thanks to the Expo.

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DPSS CELEBRATES FIRST IN-PERSON COMMUNITY OUTREACH SINCE COVID-19 HIT

A spirit of gratitude filled the air Saturday as county and community service providers gathered at the James A. Venable Community Center in Cabazon, to address quality-of-life issues in the unincorporated community of some 2,500 residents. DPSS was represented by Adult Services, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and Self-Sufficiency who warmly greeted locals and provided onsite benefit-eligibility screenings at the Cabazon Resource Event and Community Clean-Up on Nov. 14. Organized by the County of Riverside Fifth District Supervisor Jeff Hewitt and the California Highway Patrol, the event was part of an ongoing effort to tackle blight, crime, and homelessness. Other participating county agencies included Animal Services, Behavioral Health, Code Enforcement, Housing Authority, Probation, Sheriff, and Waste Resources. “This is about help. It’s about helping the area, the residents, and the people who are really struggling,” said Fifth District Supervisor Jeff Hewitt, who district encompasses the desert-area community. DPSS assisted individuals and families with enrollment in CalFresh, CAPI, C.A.R.E., IHSS, and Medi-Cal. They also actively recruited for caregivers. “I am happy we were able to get out and meet with our customers face-to-face after many months of sheltering-in-place due to COVID-19,” said Guadalupe Serna, Eligibility Technician III from the Community Outreach Branch. “We want our customers to know that we are still here, ready to lend a hand.” In addition to the resource fair, there was a mobile flu shot clinic and multiagency teams that set out on foot to identify the homeless in need of wraparound services. “Thank you so much for all your efforts and taking time out of your weekend to make this happen,” said Kerri Mariner, West Desert Municipal Advisory president. “We, the Cabazon residents, appreciate all your support to make our community a better place to live, work, and learn.” Photo: Laura Espinoza (left) and Katherine Scholte, both Social Services Supervisors from APS/IHSS in Banning, participated in the Cabazon Resource Event and Clean-Up on November 14, 2020. Laura Espinoza (left) and Katherine Scholte, both Social Services Supervisors from APS/IHSS in Banning, participated in the Cabazon Resource Event and Clean-Up on November 14, 2020.

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

ADOPTION MONTH IN NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS THE ADOPTION JOURNEYS OF DIVERSE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

A seat will be permanently filled this year at Romney Snyder’s Thanksgiving table and the new mom says she has a lot to celebrate. She recently finalized adoption of her youngest son, Tyler, 16, who has Down Syndrome. He’s a beast of an athlete,” Snyder says of the bright-eyed teenage acrobat. “We say Tyler has “Get- Down Syndrome because he will dance to any music whether or not we can hear it.”

Snyder is among many parents helping to raise awareness during National Adoption Awareness Month; a time to highlight the diverse families that have grown through adoption. Spotlighting adoptive families offers an opportunity for advocates to highlight the hundreds of children in Riverside County who are waiting for loving and stable homes on any given day. Snyder says the Riverside County social workers who helped her finalize Tyler’s adoption were an incredible source of support and encouragement that made the process as seamless as possible. “Connecting them was an amazing experience,” recalls Snyder’s social worker, Vivian Dunipace. “Tyler was just glowing to have someone interested in him, paying attention to him and wanting to know him.” Snyder’s story of adoption dates to her childhood. By the time she was age 18, her parents fostered 86 children. Snyder knew she’d follow in their footsteps. Then, while volunteering to help foster children, Snyder had an experience that made her think seriously about providing a loving, permanent home through adoption. A 7-year-old boy shared his dream with her that “someday somebody’s going to pick me.” Snyder decided then to act. “I wanted at least one kid to know they had been picked,” she says. Snyder hopes her experiences will inspire others to become a forever family to children who need safe and loving homes. Currently, about 150 children are waiting to be adopted in Riverside County. Some of them are featured at heartgalleryriverside.org. “Now, I have a family because of adoption,” Snyder adds. Romney Snyder and her adopted son Tyler View Tyler’s acrobatic moves and learn more about his story later this month in a special video on the DPSS YouTube Channel. The video is in place of the in-person Adoption Finalization Day as Riverside County courts are closed to deter spread of coronavirus.

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CAREGIVING MATTERS TO THOUSANDS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY ADULTS AND WORKERS

D iane Long, a self-employed manicurist, found herself without an income when the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses to close or scale back last spring. A client encouraged her to consider working for a disabled man in the city of Corona who needed an in-home caregiver. Long rolled up her sleeves and stepped right in. Since then, she says she has found caregiving a truly rewarding profession. “It really is satisfying to go into a home, see a person in need, and be able to help,” said Long. November is National Family Caregivers Month. Riverside County is celebrating more than 32,000 caregivers like Long who care for 39,000 In-Home Supportive Services recipients throughout Riverside County. IHSS supportive services workers provide care to eligible older adults and individuals with special needs to stay safely and with dignity in their own homes.

“Our caregivers exemplify what we all need right now: love, care, and respect for one another,” said Sayori Baldwin, director of DPSS, during a recent Board of Supervisor’s meeting at which caregivers were recognized. “I want to thank the caregivers for all the work they do. Without them, our communities would not be able to thrive.” Celebratory events in November include drive-through resource fairs and virtual wellness workshops. This year’s theme is Caregiving Matters. Diane Long, IHSS Caregiver

“Due to the current pandemic situation, we had to find a way to celebrate safely,” said Eva Krottmayer, executive director for IHSS Public Authority. “The service the caregivers provide to our IHSS clients in Riverside County has never been more vital than right now.” Long said she loves doing a job she is “just happy to do.” Instead, she encourages others to join the IHSS caregiver team. “There needs to be a lot more of us,” added Long. “If someone needs some extra income or just wants like to help someone, they should definitely give this a try.”

For those interested in becoming a Riverside County IHSS caregiver, please call (888) 960-4477 or visit RiversideIHSS.org. Phones are answered Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.

“We were really impressed with the job fair and how easy it was to interact with job seekers in real time,” said Senior Recruiter Jeza Andrade-Perez with Maxim Healthcare Services. “So far from what our company has seen, it’s been the best representation of an online experience to what an in-person job fair would be like.” Nearly 330 job seekers networked with 50 local businesses. 2,500 jobs were available, including 1,000 positions as caregivers with In-Home Supportive Services. Workers were able to submit their resumes for all available positions at the job expo with the push of a button. They spoke with businesses representatives through text and video chat. “Overall, the feedback from job seekers and employers has been very positive,” said DPSS Regional Manager Leticia Herrera who helped organize the expo. “A lot of people came together in the face of challenges to make this event a success and it may be a platform we try again in the future.” VALLEY-WIDE EMPLOYMENT EXPO HELPS JOB SEEKERS FIND OPPORTUNITIES (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2)

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Have questions/comments/ ideas? Email us at DPSSInfo@rivco.org

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES