Summer_2019

SUMMER 2019

RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

Director’s Message

Greetings Everyone! I hope you’ve had a good summer and have enjoyed some vacation time with your families. This summer has certainly been a busy time at DPSS. During the last few months we have moved forward by welcoming new colleagues, including

IN THIS ISSUE

2

PLANNING FOR 2020 COUNT

2

2020 EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGN

3

CALFRESH RECOGNITION

some in leadership roles. We’ve also unveiled some big projects and are planning new ones. For example, preparation for our 2020 Homeless PIT Count is already underway. Meanwhile, DPSS just received a Merit Award from the California Association of Counties for using technology and collaboration to enhance the homeless count. It’s just one of many examples of important work that makes a positive impact in our community. T his latest collection of stories details the work that all of you are doing to serve our customers well. Upcom- ing newsletters will give you an idea of the important collaboration that’s happening now as well as a look at what’s to come in the near future. Please enjoy this latest edition of DPSS Cares. Sarah Mack

4

SENIOR CENTER SSI SIGN-UPS

5

VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING

6

NEW DPSS OFFICE IN COACHELLA

7

RIV CO HELPS PREVENT DROWNINGS

Plans Under Way For 2020 Point-in-Time Count and Survey

By Gene Kennedy, Senior Public Information Specialist

Planning for the 2020 Point-in-Time Homeless Count and Survey kicked off in July at Community Action Partnership (CAP) River- side with scores of civic and non- profit stakeholders weighing in about lessons learned from the January 2019 count. At that time, a record 745 volunteers fanned out across the 7,300 square-mile Riverside County to identify indi- viduals and families living without shelter.

The 2019 PIT Count survey results showed a 21 percent overall increase in the homeless count from 2018. UCR’s Com- puter and Engineering Depart- ment assisted in analyzing this year’s data and representatives discussed their role at the 2020 Homeless PIT Count Kick-Off event. The stakeholders at the Kick-Off also reviewed satisfaction surveys from 140 volunteers. Most rated their experience as very good. They also felt using the new Survey 123 app to con- duct the 2019 count was very user friendly and they appreciat- ed the chance to speak with homeless individuals in person. The 2020 survey is scheduled to take place in January, and it will incorporate best practices identi- fied in this year’s activities.

Top responses from volunteers when asked “What did you like about the PIT Count?”

Talking/Interacting with homeless individuals

16%

Helping others, the community, and the homeless

14%

The community working together 14%

Awareness / learning about the homeless population

10%

“I loved getting to know the homeless community and hearing their stories. I liked seeing law enforcement being empathetic and caring towards the homeless,” said an anonymous volunteer.

Public outreach and stakeholder education is expected to begin in October in the run up to the January count. To learn more about the PIT Count, including how to volunteer or serve on a committee, please contact: Laura Gonzalez-Rivera at RivCoPIT @RivCo.org or 951-358-3844. Kernkamp, Campaign Chair of the 2019 Employee Campaign and General Manager/Chief Engineer at Department of Waste Resourc- es. “The point is that every dollar matters, every organization needs it and, with your support, more families, more people, more mem- bers of your community will get the help they need.” You can donate by texting “UWIV County” to 313131 or by filling out an online pledge form at www.uwiv.org/county. If you don’t have access to the website you can obtain a hard copy of the pledge form from your department coordinator. You can choose Con- tinuous Giving or give a one-time pledge.

Riverside County 2019-2020 Employee Campaign Kicks Off! You can choose how much to give and the type of organization --such as Educational or Health -- or a spe- cific organization, including

As DPSS employees we are very much about community. In a com- munity you look out for your neigh- bors and that’s what the Riverside County Employee Campaign is all about. In late August the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved launching the latest campaign, which is part of an annual effort that’s been underway in the county for decades. The Employee Campaign allows county employees to donate to local, non-profit organizations that are near you and serve your family, friends and neighbors as well as any other non-profit that may be near and dear to your heart.

faith-based groups. Your tax-de- ductible donation comes directly from your paycheck every two weeks. “If you give $1 per paycheck, it will make a difference,” said Hans

2

DPSS Employees Recognized for SSI CalFresh Expansion Rollout

By Gene Kennedy, Senior Public Information Specialist

June 1, 2019 marked the begin- ning of the end of a decades long rule. It was dubbed “SSI Cash Out,” andmade individuals receiving SSI/SSP ineligible to receive CalFresh benefits. Thanks to advocates, state officials, and other agencies Cali- fornia dropped the rule and Cal- Fresh is now an application away for our SSI/SSP community mem- bers. Riverside County named the rule change “CalFresh SSI Expansion” and began accepting applications on May 1, 2019. A workgroup formed in early 2019 to address implementation strate- gies focusing on operations, com- munication, system functionality, policy, training, and quality assur- ance. The workgroup included staff from different departments within Self-Sufficiency and Adult Services Division. While the policy change itself was easy to under- stand, we quickly realized that we need to plan in order to serve the newly eligible population. This article recognizes the individ- uals who came together and con-

tributed to the planning and successful implementation of the historic change: Christina (Tina) Wynn, Regional Manager for the Hemet Self-Sufficiency office, Laura Fuller, Administrative Ser- vices Manager for DPSS Adminis- rative Resource Team (DART),

Our team created office contingen- cy plans, distributed communica- tion to both staff and the public, developed and facilitated training, and ensured quality assurance tools were updated to reflect the new processing changes. As part of a greater collaboration, a calling for CalFresh SSI Expan- sion Champions was broadcasted in April 2019 and the offices responded with their delegation. Champions from each Self-Suffi- ciency office served a specific function: be the subject matter expert to all things CalFresh SSI Expansion related. Our champions were the first group to know the training content and provide feedback. We attend- ed all trainings and debrief meet- ings, including updating our offices during debrief calls. The champi- ons also helped streamline infor- mation from policy, answered staff questions, offered thoughtful recommendations, and created job tools and templates. Our Cal- Fresh SSI Expansion champions were an important part of our suc- cessful rollout.

Andrea Ruffin, Supervising Pro- gram Specialist for the Community Outreach Branch (COB), Carly Vaiu’u, Program Specialist with Adult Services Department, Jenni- fer Hahner, Senior Program Spe- cialist in Program Technology, Staff Development Department’s (SDD) Patricia Manzo, Supervising Staff Development Officer, Leo Ramos and Mary Cisneros, both Training Officers, and Stephanie Gutierrez and Robin Gonzalez, both Eligibility Supervisors with Quality Assurance.

Thank you, Julio Alvarez Patricia Bannister Tracy Bell Theresa Blalock Ellen Borders Johanna Calvert Nancy Camerena

John Castillo Jaime Cox Faye DeGuzman Mayra Facio Jaren Flavell Walter Galvez Marina Hamner

Christina Jordan Yadira Lahoski Angela Lara Cindy Lemus Anissa McDuffy

Victoria Portillo Jessica Ramirez Flordalicio Rios

Guadalupe Serna Kristina Simmons Tawny Soto

Joshua Straw Jason Tajuna Adam Takumi Melissa Rios Irma Sanchez Melanie Savory Donna Scott All of your efforts and contributions are appreciated! Kimberly McGuire

3

Partnership Helps SSI Recipients Sign Up For CalFresh Benefits at Area Senior Centers

By Gene Kennedy, Senior Public Information Specialist

the same people but in different ways so it’s made a bigger impact on their quality of life,” Ruffin said. “I think for Office on Aging staff, being able to learn more about the CalFresh benefits from the COB team has enhanced our staff’s ability to serve older adults throughout Riverside County,” Robbins added. On some visits the COB team has walked away with 30 applications. Part of the incentive for seniors at Senior Center Outreach events is receiving free vouchers for Farm- er’s Markets. Many Markets now accept EBT cards. The COB and Office on Aging outreach effort has taken employees across Riverside County - from Temecula and Norco to Thermal and Indio. “It’s been truly rewarding,” Ruffin said. “A lot of these customers that we’ve reached would not have walked through our doors if we had not come to them.”

“We started reaching out to senior centers last summer,” said Gary Rob- bins, Deputy Director of Programs and Operations at Office on Aging. “Realizing the value of this CalFresh benefit to older adults, we wanted to make sure this was a successful effort.” By May 2019, which was CalFresh Awareness Month, word was already out in Riverside County. Once the benefits took effect on Monday June 3 the flood gates had opened. Just on June 3 in Riverside County there were roughly 380 CalFresh applications from SSI recipients through the web- site GetCalFresh.org. And for the entire month of June, Riverside County saw about 4,840 applications on the GetCalFresh site. “It just blows your mind,” Ruffin said. “We average 1500 applications a month and grew to nearly 5,000.” COB and Office on Aging employees have visited roughly 20 senior centers over the summer and wrapped up at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center in Menifee August 29. “I’ve enjoyed the collaboration with Office on Aging because we’re serving

It’s become a familiar summer routine for DPSS’ Community Out- reach Branch (COB). And they were at it again August 29 - visit- ing another Riverside County senior center to help seniors on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) apply for CalFresh benefits. “It’s been extremely busy and at times overwhelming for our staff,” said Andrea Ruffin, COB’s Super- vising Program Specialist. The COB team did have help from Riverside County’s Office on Aging. The two partnered to edu- cate seniors after a historic change in California. For decades SSI recipients have not been allowed to receive Cal- Fresh benefits. That changed when California recently approved a new law, which took effect June 1, 2019. Knowing the historic change was coming, Riverside County DPSS and the Office on Aging partnered in the summer of 2018. Public education was one component of making the major transition.

4

Adult Services Division Takes Innovative Training Approach to Help Aging Population

By Gene Kennedy, Senior Public Information Specialist What is it like to live with conditions like dementia or macular degener- ation? 20 DPSS managers have a better understanding of that after using virtual reality training provid- ed by Embodied Labs.

headsets. As part of the early dementia and fall-risk initiative Riverside County took on, training was provided to supervisors of DPSS’ Adult Services Division (ASD), In-Home Support Services, (IHSS) and Office on Aging. “It’ll provide better person-centered care,” explained Stephen Geist, Senior Program Manager at Office on Aging. "This will give us a better opportu- nity to engage our workers espe- cially those who have not worked with this population," Staff Devel- opment Officer Chante Brooks added. The curriculum-based immersive training marries visual communica- tions with medical research. “Students at nearly 50 universities are using it to learn to interact with

older adults. Healthcare profes- sionals and people in public service are using it to provide better person-centered care,” said CEO and Founder Carrie Shaw. “It builds empathy and cultural com- petency in a unique and thought-provoking way.” ASD bought seven kits, which include virtual reality goggles, a specialized laptop, sensors and speakers. The plan is to roll out additional training to all ASD social workers, including those who are newly hired. There are training dates scheduled through Septem- ber 23. ASD has also conducted sessions with the IHSS advisory council; and future plans are to offer this inno- vating training to IHSS providers as well.

“The goal is to allow caregivers, staff, and others to embody a person with specific conditions and learn what it is like to walk in their shoes and thus have a greater understanding of how to care for/interact with that person,” said Erin Wolbeck, Admin Services Manager. “This is an innovative approach that we’re taking to training,” said DPSS Deputy Director Tony Ortego. In July, Ortego participated in Em- bodied Labs’ immersive training platform using virtual reality (VR)

“This is an innovative

The curriculum- based immersive training marries visual communications with medical research.

approach that we’re taking to training.” -DPSS Deputy Director Tony Ortego

For more information on the immersive training using virtual reality technology and how it helps the aging population, visit www.embodiedlabs.com

5

7 5

New Self-Sufficiency Office Helps Serve Growing Eastern Riverside County

By Carmen Corona, Eligibility Supervisor

On a sunny morning on June 20, 2019, representatives from River- side County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), the Eco- nomic Development Agency and Coachella city government officials gathered outside of the new Coach- ella DPSS building for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The speeches heard that day high- lighted the significance of the growth in the surrounding community. Dis- trict Supervisor V. Manuel Perez reminded attendees that the land the building was built on was once an empty lot that propagated a feel- ing of hopelessness in Coachella. Just like other speakers that morn- ing, Supervisor Perez praised River- side County for choosing the city of Coachella to be a part of the DPSS family. Before he ended his speech, he took a moment to look around the lot and said when locals looked at the once bare lot, they would now see a pocket of hope. Today, the city of Coachella has a population of approximately 45,900 people. As of 2018, Coachella reported an unemployment rate of 11.7%. The need for public services in the area is great. More than one in four residents of the city of Coach- ella live in poverty, which is more than double the national average. The median annual household income in the city is $34,300 in con- trast to Riverside County’s overall median income of $56,590.

The Coachella DPSS office not only serves the city of Coachella, but also the cities of Thermal, Mecca, Oasis, North Shore and Desert Center. Many of the employers in the area are agricultur- al companies that

Director Sarah Mack raises her hand in celebration as the ribbon is cut at the new DPSS Coachella office.

grow dates, table grapes, citruses and various other fruits and vegetables. Between 30% to almost 50% of the residents in these cities live at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. The farmworker/migrant population is the most affected. As of August 19, 2019, approximately 80 more county workers moved into the Coachella DPSS office. The office now has a total of 150 staff members and added several other zip codes to its service area; increasing the total number of customers serviced to 90,000. We are teaching our customers how to sign-up for IVR, how to use the kiosk in our lobby and also how to use the C4yourself application in their cellphones. Our leadership team is also working daily to reach our goal of returning all customer calls in less than 24 hours. We are working diligently on implementing changes that can help our customers get the services and infor- mation they seek quickly and efficiently.

Our commitment to increase our community’s job-readiness skills has led our Welfare-to-Work team to improve our Volunteer Program by streamlining the recruitment and training process. Customers who become volunteers in our office gain workplace management skills, soft skills, improve on their interviewing skills and strengthen their resumes. We are determined to live up to the words of Supervisor Perez -- to become a pocket of hope in our community. Employees at the Coachella DPSS office know that change blooms in the midst of hope.

“When locals looked at the once bare lot, they would now see a pocket of hope.” -Supervisor Perez

An inside look at the new DPSS office in Coachella

6

Partnership & Scholarships Helps Prevent Drowing Across Riverside County

By Riverside County Prevention Network

September has brought a mix of cooler temperatures and oppres- sive heat, depending on the day. It’s that time of year when many Riverside County residents, includ- ing kids, are still taking a dip in the pool. However, swimming certainly comes with risk and this summer the staff in the Children’s Services Division (CSD) has been working hard to share information about drowning prevention with our care- givers. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional or accidental injury related death for children ages 1 to 4 in Riverside County. A child can drown in just enough water to cover their mouth and nose and have irreversible brain damage requiring life-long medical care after surviving a near drowning. CSD participates in the Riverside County Prevention Network. It’s a partnership with the Riverside University Health System (RUHS) Department of Public Health, RUHS Behavioral Heath, Riverside County First 5, Riverside County Probation Department and River- side County’s Child Abuse Preven- tion Council (CAPC) HOPE Collab- orative. The Prevention Network focuses on the prevention of child maltreatment. The network collab- orates on projects to benefit the families of Riverside County. That work includes raising awareness about drowning and offer ways to prevent it. This campaign increases access to swim lessons for children and helps more kids learn water safety skills. First 5 Riverside is expand-

ing scholarship opportunities for children under the age of 5 to partici- pate in swim lessons through new partnerships with cities, school districts and community colleges. These scholarships fund the cost of tuition for evidenced-based life-saving swim lessons for children ages 6 months through 5 years. The cities of Temecula and Jurupa Valley currently have scholarships available. However, additional funding is available to cities and other public entities on a first-come, first-serve basis. DPSS is encouraging staff to share this information with caregivers or any family with children ages 6 months to 5 years who can benefit from this resource. For additional information about this program, go to http://www.rccfc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ Drowning-Prevention.pdf or call 800-266-3880. To inquire about available swimming lessons and scholarships available, contact: Ready, Set, Swim! Jr. provided by the Desert Healthcare District 760-323-6113 dhcd.org/Ready-Set-Swim-Jr. SoCal Water Babies, LLC for Infant Survival Float & Swim lessons. 951-251-5210 socalwaterbabies.com Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District 951-361-2090 jcsd.us/services/parks-and-recreation

7