Feb_2021_Newsletter

DPSS NEWS FEB 21 | VOL 2

Director’s Message

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February is Black History Month

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Telecommuter Corner

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Giving a ‘Good Night’s Sleep’ to a Family Online Human Trafficking Conference

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DPSS Employees Join Countywide COVID-19 Efforts

County Recognizes Eligibility Technicians CalSAWs Corner: A Journey to One

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A New Year Promises New Opportunities

Dear DPSS Team:

February is a time when many of us celebrate love and the many ways love improves and empowers our own lives and the lives of others. Many who enter the social services profession do so because of love – love for our communities and improving the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and adults; love for the opportunity to make a positive difference. Thank you for the heart you bring each day to your work.

The year ahead offers continuing opportunities to emerge stronger and more resilient than ever. The governor’s January budget proposal includes ongoing support for programs such as CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal. However, county leaders are asking DPSS to join other departments in spending reductions. We will continue to recruit and retain staff in critical areas while focusing on improving efficiencies and reducing waste. Your help in this effort is greatly appreciated as small savings in many areas can quickly add up to large savings in a department our size. The governor’s 21/22 budget proposal includes significant support for the COVID-19 response with funding to hastendeliveryof COVID-19vaccinations inall Californiacounties. Hundredsof youareassisting in thevaccination clinics and call centers. Thank you. State and federal administrations are signaling their recognition of the disproportionate impacts this virus has had on Californians who were already struggling. Both administrations are pledging expanded support for housing, health and human services, business, and workforce development. Your patience and flexibility during this challenging time of growth and opportunities as we work together with our many partners to rebuild and strengthen our communities. And, thank you once again for the heart and commitment to excellence you bring to our team and to those we serve.

Sayori Baldwin Director

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February is Black History Month By Monique Jones

February marks Black History Month, a tribute to African American men and women who have made significant contributions to our nation and the world in the fields of science, politics, law, education, sports, the arts, entertainment, and many other fields. Attitudes and perceptions influence our personal and professional relationships in subtle ways. Black History month offers a time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of African Americans who have contributed to our country and paved the way for new generations to follow in their foosteps. The bedrock of Black History is rooted in blood, sweat, tears, and faith: believing one day color would not matter. As early as the mid-1700’s, prominent African American mathematicians, musicians, scientist, engineers, poets, educators, inventors, and entertainers have used their talents and mediums to tell stories of racism, oppression, and dehumanization. Poets like Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni contributed to a rich culture of art; hip-hop, R&B, rap, dance, and theatre. Educators and leaders likened to Nathaniel “Nat” Turner, paved the road for Mary Jane Patterson, Edward Alexander Bouchet, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., W.E. DuBois, Malcom X, Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson. The enslavement of one race to further the social and economic growth of another through humiliation, torture, dehumanization, and death is undeniably a apart of the history of African Americans, as is the story of triumphant and perseverance, achievement in the face of adversity. The message remains the same. We as a collective whole only benefit when “We” stop categorizing people by the color of their skin and to paraphrase Dr. King, judge people by the content of their character. Monique Jones is a social services practitioner III who serves on an internal committee that is focused on improving outcomes for all children and families.

DPSS NEWS

Dr. Dorothy Height: Blazing a trail for social work & equality

Dr. Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1912, and was educated in the public schools of Rankin, Pennsylvania. Ms. Height was among the coalition of African American leaders who pushed civil rights to the center of the American political stage after World War II, and she was a key figure in the struggles for school desegregation, voting rights, employment opportunities and public accommodations in the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Height was often times known as the “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement.” President Barack Obama stated that “She never cared about who got the credit. What she cared about was the cause. The cause of justice, the cause of equality, the cause of opportunity, freedom’s cause.”

Sources: Washingtonpost.com, NASWFoundation.org

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Giving a ‘Good Night’s Sleep’ to Family is all in a Good Day’s work

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When Natalie Mendez Aguilar heard that Ashley Furniture had just delivered 25 brand new beds and bedding sets to DPSS offices in Indio, she quickly put in a request for a family of seven she was working with to reunite. Mendez Aguilar, a social services practitioner III, wanted to ensure the large family had enough beds to accommodate the children as they returned home. “They needed help and both parents were extremely grateful,” said Mendez. Throughout the pandemic Mendez Aguilar says the livelihoods of many families in her caseload have been negatively impacted by economic uncertainty and job loss.

“A bed is essential and a bed requirement for a family to be able to reunify, but they are not cheap,” Mendez Aguilar says. “You have no idea how useful these beds can be for our children and families.” Ashley Furniture’s Colton-based store donated 50 beds to Riverside County foster children in December as part of the corporation’s Hope to Dream program. Since 2010, Hope to Dream has provided more than 100,000 twin beds to at-risk children across North America. Corporate executives say every child deserves “We are grateful our community, business and faith-based partners are working together to bring support and resources to our foster youth. Through a spirit of caring, we work together to help children achieve stability, healing and hope at an extremely difficult time in their lives.” -- Charity Douglas, Assistant Director Children Services. Natalie Mendez Aguilar, Social Services Practitioner III, takes a selfie as she delivers three bed sets to a family of seven on her caseload in Desert Hot Springs. a good night’s sleep and a bed to call their own. Each year about 200 bed requests come in to help with relative placements and emergency situations but finding enough to go around can be a challenge. Irene Capen, manager of Faith in Motion, coordinated the contributions from Ashley Furniture in Riverside and Indio. Faith in Motion contracts with DPSS to recruit foster families and ensures children and caregivers have the resources and support they need to thrive. “When a child is placed in care, they don’t know what to expect, but having a bed to sleep in gives them that extra sense of comfort and stability they really need and deserve,” said Capen.

To donate a new bed to a family in need, learn more about Faith in Motion or how you can support kids in foster care email Irene Capen at icapen@fosterall.org or call 951-228-5553.

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The Telecommuter Corner with Lori In the new year, resolve to count your assets!

Still pondering your resolutions for the new year: self-promises that started petering out before you consumed all the red-wrapped holiday candy? Clear your conscience, colleagues! Whether you’re working at-home or in-office, resolve to take stock of your assets! (No calorie counting required).

DPSS NEWS

DPSS has more than about 30,000 assets–laptops, tablets, desktops, monitors, cameras, thumb drives, and more that must be inventoried at the start of each year. It’s a BIG job. With many of us working from home, we’ve made the annual count easier than ever. Telecommuters can access the At-Home Inventory application on the Sharepoint site or ctrl-click http://irginventory.riversidedpss.net/. If you submitted your inventory application after 11/10/20 lucky you; consider your equipment counted until next year! There’s a reason behind our mad dash to count and catalogue all this stuff. Knowing who’s got our equipment and how it’s working allows our department to make strategic investments into technologies that will best serve our customers and employees now and in the future. Your cooperation and flexibility are appreciated as we meet the challenges of this new telecommute environment with all our assets in hand. Please feel free to send your questions to AssetInventory@rivco.org

Happy new year. Make every asset you have count!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I request asset transfers to another workstation? A: Visit https://rivcoitprod.service-now.com

Lori Perry is a senior administrative analyst with Technology Support Services, regularly working in conjunction with the Independent Review Group-Assets Monitoring Services team. Look for her regular updates here in the TELECOMMUTER CONNECTION! Q: How do I complete an asset swap when equipment from one employee is provided to a new staff member without first submitting an Asset Transfer Form? A: Please visit https://rivcounty.sharepoint.com/sites/dpssDocs/pf/Documents/ DPSS3083.pdf and request an asset transfer before you end up on next year’s naughty list! Q: Where may I find the latest information on asset transfer and management? A: Visit RivcoHelp at: https://rivcoitprod.service-now.com/sp

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Online conference engages stakeholders in fight against human trafficking The ongoing pandemic pulled the plug on this January’s in-person human trafficking conference, but moving the event online likely resulted in larger audience participation than previous years, organizers say. “We reached more people this year than last,” said Krystal Elliot with the department’s Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) unit. “I would not be surprised if we try the conference online in the future given its expanded reach this year.” CSEC’s free four-day conference attracted an audience of about 650 guests from as far as Great Britain and Australia. Speakers included law enforcement and technology experts who offered tips and tools to recognize when children are being groomed by predators. Survivors shared how they overcame the trauma and pain of their own experiences to move forward. “We took a deeper look at human trafficking and our community partners expressed their appreciation for the variety of topics we offered,” said Karla Byland, regional manager of the CSEC unit. An estimated 500 cases of child trafficking were reported in Riverside County in 2019. When case workers identify victims, they work closely with community partners to connect them to housing, mental health and many other services. “We are empowering parents, guardians and community members with tools to educate and protect at-risk children and youth,”said Charity Douglas, assistant director of Children’s Services.“Thank you to our CSEC team members and partners for keeping such an important issue at the forefront of our conversations and actions.”

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Report suspected human trafficking to the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or email help@humantraffickinghotline.org.

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Department employees join countywide effort to rollout COVID-19 vaccination to elderly

As the Riverside County Department of Public Health continues COVID-19 vaccination clinics, DPSS employees are providing a healthy dose of support. Employees are volunteering at clinics and booking appointments over the phone to help vaccinate as many of the county’s 2.5 million residents as possible against the coronavirus. Among the volunteers – four employees from Adult Services who helped check in hundreds of residents lining up to get their shots recently at the Indio Fairgrounds. “Many people want to get vaccinated as we saw. We’re here to help people and it’s why we answered the call,” said Ashley Davis, a secretary in Adult Services. “Many of those being vaccinated are seniors. Helping the vulnerable is what we do. It’s gratifying work and residents appreciated us explaining the vaccination process,” said Shawntella Quinney, an office assistant in Adult Services. “We appreciate our staff who have stepped up to help our most vulnerable and others in this important moment. They’re demonstrating that we’re all in this together to help save lives in our communities,” said DPSS Chief of Investigations Shawn Ferris. DPSS recently activated its Department Operations Center and mobilized dozens of employees to assist at in-person Public Health clinics and with booking vaccination appointments over the phone. DPSS staff are working with the County’s 2-1-1 line and a virtual call center through Office on Aging to schedule appointments for older residents who often struggle using the internet or other technology necessary to schedule vaccine appointments. The volunteer assignments vary. “We are grateful for each person who is able to help our at-risk communities fight and recover from the impacts of this pandemic,” said Chad Burkitt, who’s leading the Department Operations Center during the vaccine rollout.

DPSS NEWS

RUHS Public Health Nurse Jackie Dodge vaccinates a Riverside County resident at a vaccination clinic at Corona High School on January 25, 2021.

Shawntella Quinney (LEFT) and Jasmine Mason, both Office Assistant III, work at the vaccination clinic in Indio on January 17, 2021.

Interested in volunteering? Reach out to your supervisor or manager to learn more. Want to know who qualifies to receive the vaccine and community partners providing it? Visit this website: https://www.rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine

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County recognizes Eligibility Technicians who help community access services Eligibility Technician III Lupe Serna sees every day on the job as a chance to make a profound difference in someone’s life. She and her co-workers in Self Sufficiency help families access benefits that can make the difference in someone’s ability to put food on the table or visit the doctor. It’s a struggle Serna knows firsthand. “In 2005, before I started working for the county, my dad was diagnosed with late stage cancer and we turned to DPSS because we didn’t have insurance.” Serna says Self Sufficiency staff processed her dad’s Medi-Cal application the same day, taking the weight of medical insurance off her family’s shoulders. The experience inspired her to become an Eligibility Technician in 2006. “That experience helps me empathize with my customers to this day because I’ve walked in their shoes,” she said.

DPSS NEWS

Eligibility Technician III Marlene Toscano shares a similar appreciation for the work.

“There is nothing like helping someone who is struggling with life and death issues such as cancer and being the person who helped them access critical medical care. Those are some of the most heartfelt thankyous you can get, and they are very gratifying,” Toscano said.

ToscanoandSerna are twoof 1800 eligibility technicians at DPSS who, along with other staff, helped more than one million customers seeking CalFresh, CalWORKS and Medi-Cal benefits in 2020. The Board of Supervisors recognized the last week in January as Eligibility Technician Recognition Week. While the pandemic put the brakes on the usual in- person celebrations, the department is recognizing ETs in virtual meetings and through personalized ecards from supervisors. “We’re grateful for our eligibility technicians and the impact they have on our communities. They have a heart for people and are helping residents and families find a path forward during these difficult times,” said assistant director of Self Sufficiency, Allison Gonzalez.

Eligibility Technician III Lupe Serna at her office in Jurupa Valley

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CalSAWs Corner A journey to one The first statewide California Automated Welfare System (CalSAWs) is preparing to launch in September, and Riverside County is helping pave the way. The automated, integrated eligibility and case management system will support social services customers in a cloud-based environment across all 58 counties, said Dan Kohn, administrative services manager, and a project lead for the department’s implementation and launch. “The system is user-friendly and integrated to streamline processes and make customer services more accessible,”Kohn said.“Wewill be providing support and training to our teams aswe roll out this innovative and collaborative system, so stay tuned as there’s lots more to come!” To learn more about CalSAWs click https://www.calsaws.org/cwda-2020-calsaws-the-journey-to-one- video/

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Check in at CalSAWs Corner in monthly for updates on this innovative customer-centered platform.

Help us share your stories and achievements in 2021!

With more than 4,300 employees in our ranks, DPSS is a diverse and vibrant community whose members work together to protect and empower the lives of our most vulnerable community members. Each one of your stories and contributions are part of our larger story. Thank you for helping us write the pages of our journey together. Share your stories and achievements with us, or tell us about a colleague who has done something to make a difference in the lives of their customers and co-workers at DPSSinfo@rivco.org

Community and Government Relations Team

Kimberly, Gene, Angela, Tina, Isabel, and Sydney

Follow Us @RivCoDPSS

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