The Aging and Independence Services Diversity & Inclusion Team along with guest facilitator Eric McDonald, chief medical officer for San Diego County, and Benjamin Parmentier, chair of the LGBTQ&A Employee Resource Group, invite fellow employees to participate in a virtual book discussion on Kenji Yoshino’s “Covering: The Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights.”

*You do not have to read the book to participate. All are welcome to simply listen to the discussion.*

When: Tuesday, Jan. 25

Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. via TEAMS

RSVP: Email your RSVP by Jan. 24 to Elizabeth Wellbrock

Book Description:  Against conventional understanding, Kenji Yoshino argues that the demand to cover can pose a hidden threat to our civil rights. Though we have come to some consensus against penalizing people for differences based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, and disability, we still routinely deny equal treatment to people who refuse to downplay differences along these lines. Racial minorities are pressed to “act white” by changing their names, languages, or cultural practices. Women are told to “play like men” at work. Gays are asked not to engage in public displays of same-sex affection. The devout are instructed to minimize expressions of faith, and individuals with disabilities are urged to conceal the paraphernalia that permit them to function. In a wide-ranging analysis, Yoshino demonstrates that American civil rights law has generally ignored the threat posed by these covering demands. With passion and rigor, he shows that the work of civil rights will not be complete until it attends to the harms of coerced conformity.

See the flyer below.

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer:

We’re all dismayed to see the large recent upswing in COVID-19 cases. I know this is affecting all of you at some level. Some of you have caught the virus yourselves, others have sick family members.

The high number of illnesses has impacted us in the workplace. Even if you’ve managed to avoid falling ill, you may have had co-workers who are out, and that means stepping in to help. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everyone rallying to support each other as we continue to serve residents who are also struggling with this surge.

As it has throughout the pandemic, the guidance has kept shifting, and I know it’s a challenge to keep up. The science evolves, our understanding grows, and at the same time, the virus mutates.

The CDC and state health officials recently revised steps people should take if they have COVID-19 or think they were exposed to someone with it. We are following these guidelines for our workforce. Human Resources and Public Health Services have put together information to help you through what actions to take in different circumstances. It can’t cover every situation perfectly. If you have questions, work with your department’s HR representative.

I mentioned we’re stretched thin. Many of you are conscientious and don’t want to let your colleagues down. We need you, but we need you healthy, especially if you report to a site in person. If you’re not feeling well, please stay home. Do it for yourself and for those around you.

And continue to take the additional preventative measures. Wear a mask in indoor public places – wear it tight, wear it right. If you haven’t gotten your booster, get it. 

We’re all feeling exhausted by the pandemic. As the line goes, we’re through with COVID but it’s not through with us. It’s tremendously hard for us to fight through these surges while also addressing the many other priorities before us. I thank you for your continued energy and commitment, and I wish you and your loved ones the best as we work through this difficult time.

By the Office of Equity and Racial Justice  

Happy New Year! And with it comes a new tool for County staff as we continue on our collective journey to advance equity throughout the region.  

The Budget Equity Assessment Tool (BEAT) was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Jan. 11, and will begin to be rolled out in the upcoming fiscal year budget cycle. It is a questionnaire that will be completed by each department annually as part of the budget process and was developed through the initial guidance provided by the Board in April 2021, a lot of research, and feedback from County staff and the public.  

Comprised of six questions in total, the BEAT will assist staff in evaluating new budget requests through an equity lens, with particular attention to the impacts to communities historically and currently suffering from inequalities and inequities, and to develop mitigation strategies for any negative unintended consequences of budgetary decisions. The tool also focuses on ensuring deep and intentional community engagement, and the use of disaggregated demographic data and data on lived experience to prioritize and develop criteria for resource distribution.  

Trainings for County staff on the use and application of the tool will kick off later this month. The Office of Equity and Racial Justice and the Office of Financial Planning will continue to work closely to provide ongoing support to staff as departments prepare to submit the first questionnaire responses as early as March 2022. Moving forward, our offices will continue working with departments through an iterative process to evaluate the relevance, applicability and impacts of the Budget Equity Assessment Tool to ensure its success.  

Save the dates! The Department of Human Resources is hosting two presentations to help you plan for retirement. Experts from Social Security and Medicare will discuss eligibility, enrollment, and benefits.

A Social Security Session will be held noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19 and a Medicare Session will be held noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Registration is not required. Just click the links below to join or call in.

Social Security Session

• Join online (passcode 951052)

• Join with one tap mobile:  +16699006833,,86508347715#,,,,*951052# US (San Jose)

• Join by phone: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099

  • Webinar ID: 865 0834 7715

  • Passcode: 951052

Medicare Session

• Join online (passcode 015974)

• Join with one tap mobile: +16699006833,,89235382637#,,,,*015974#

• Join by phone:  +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592

  • Webinar ID: 892 3538 2637

  • Passcode: 015974

For more information, contact the Department of Human Resources Employee Benefits Division at 888-550-2203 or DHRBenefits.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov.

The San Diego County Probation Department has a new Chief to lead the department’s transformation and support the successful transition of people back to the community.

Tamika Nelson is the first woman to lead the County’s probation department. 

Read more.

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

We’re more than halfway through January, and it’s been so busy already, I’m just now extending a proper Happy New Year!

As a time for new beginnings, it’s the perfect opportunity to roll out reimagined versions of our fundamental guides for running the County.

One is our General Management System. It’s long served as our operating manual, and we’ve depicted it as a wheel to reflect the ongoing, cyclical nature of the process. It took us a lot of miles, but it needed changes for the new directions the County is traveling.

For starters, we’ve revamped the system’s five phases. Planning phases remain, but they’re now followed by Evaluation and Accountability, reflecting our emphasis on data and performance measures. Continuous Collaboration takes the place of Functional Threading. Then comes Employee Investment and Satisfaction, which broadens and better captures the ultimate goal we intended with Recognition.  

We’ve added a hub to that wheel: community engagement. That reflects the principle that everything we do to serve our residents has to be created in partnership with them. They are – literally, in the illustration – at the center of our efforts.

And we’ve added a layer around the circle of our six values: integrity, equity, access, belonging, excellence, and sustainability. They are infused throughout our operations.

The GMS is essentially the how. The Strategic Plan is more the what, and we’ve given that a top-to-bottom refresh. It lays out the overarching initiatives for the County. Even with the incredible variety of services we provide, they all feed up into these common themes: sustainability, equity, empower, community, justice. Each of those breaks down into more specific areas of activities where you may start to see your duties reflected. It’s important to see how your work supports these high-level efforts. The continuing work we do with Live Well San Diego is also woven into these themes.

Atop everything is an updated County vision: a just, sustainable, resilient future for all.

Perhaps it’s impossible to really sum up what guides us in one succinct line. But for where we are as we enter 2022, that captures it for me as neatly as anything could. Each of those three pillars encompasses so much. And capping it with “for all” attaches an essential check on our work.

As the GMS cycles forward, part of the process will be engaging with employees to help shape the goals that support the initiatives. We’ll need the benefit of your experience in identifying ways we can operate more efficiently and effectively.    

For now though, I encourage you to take a few minutes to check out the new GMS and Strategic Plan. They fit into two easy-to-read pages, but they say so much. They give us a context and stability that sometimes escapes us in our hectic day-to-day. They’ll be indispensable in keeping us all moving together as we tackle the challenges ahead.

Let’s go!

Hear from three generations of black road crew supervisors in Story Pods, a new podcast from the Human Resource’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Team. Story Pods aims to create spaces for belonging and connection by highlighting stories around the County.

In this first episode, Human Resources Services Manager Taryell Simmons along with African American Association of County Employees President Dr. Keisha Clark connects with Public Works supervisors Maurice “Moe” Booker Sr. and Terrence Singleton and three retirees. Each share the journey of their careers with the County and thoughts about what it will take to help advance equity, diversity and inclusion for future generations.

The deadline to submit a self-nomination for a County Employees’ Charitable Organization Executive Committee position has been extended to Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Since 1956, CECO has distributed more than $7 million to local non-profits and County employees and retirees experiencing a crisis. This giving legacy would not be possible without our volunteers.

CECO is seeking passionate and highly motivated individuals who want to volunteer their time and talent to the efforts of the CECO Executive Committee. If you are interested, please submit your self-nomination along with a candidate statement to sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov by this Friday, Jan. 21. The Board of Directors will vote the following week. 

Candidate statement must be limited to one page using size 12 font and include the following information: name, department, classification/job title, years of County service, candidate statement and (optional) photo of yourself.

Positions include president (1 position available), vice president (2 positions available), secretary (1 position available), treasurer (2 positions available), member at large (3 positions available), and ember at large – retiree (1 position available).

General Requirements:

1. Must be a County employee with exception of retiree position.

2. Must be a member of CECO. Membership is obtained by contributing to CECO by way of a biweekly payroll deduction, retirement deduction, or one-time annual donation of at least $52. For membership instructions, go to CECO Ways to Give.

3. Must be able to serve a two-year term in a volunteer capacity. The two-year term will commence on April 1, 2022 and conclude on March 31, 2024.

4. Must be able to fulfill the duties of the position in a volunteer capacity. 

• President: oversight and management of the organization; works closely with the officers, executive committee and committee chairs to ensure that CECO accomplishes its mission and goals by leveraging volunteer resources, and County and community partners.

• Vice president: works closely with the president in the oversight and management of the organization; assumes the duties and responsibilities of the president in the president’s absence or inability to function. 

• Secretary: provides administrative support to ensure that meeting minutes and other records and documents are properly recorded and maintained. 

• Treasurer: responsible for the proper accounting and reporting of CECO funds and ensuring compliance with U.S. Treasury Internal Revenue Service and the California State Franchise Tax Board tax exemption requirements to include preparing and submitting annual non-profit tax forms as required. 

• At-large members: assists the officers as needed with operational activities; active participation in establishing policies, management, and direction of the affairs of CECO.

For additional information about the positions, please see the CECO Bylaws. 

Contact CECO at sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov for any questions or comments.

The County of San Diego Filipino-American Employee Association invites you to nominate a female hero or “shero.”

Email your shero’s name, photo (optional) along with why she inspires you to csdfea@sdcounty.ca.gov by Feb. 28.

Nominees will be honored in CSDFEA’s Women’s History Month newsletter in March.

See the 2021 list of sheros.

Don’t miss these pawsitively great deals. PerkSpot has discounts for pet parents looking to spoil their furbabies. Find toys, treats, meal delivery service, pet insurance, and dog walker and pet sitter services all at a discount.

PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.

Each month, one of the most popular PerkSpot deals will be highlighted on InSite.

The County Administration Center was lit in blue Tuesday night to commemorate Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

By the Office of Ethics and Compliance

This month, in recognition of Data Privacy Awareness Month, is a good time to remember how to stay “cyber” safe and knowing the importance and difference between Privacy and Security is a good start.    

So, what’s the importance? The importance of Privacy and Security comes down to: 

• how data is being collected,  

• how data is being used,  

• how and with whom data is being shared, and  

• the type of safeguards that protect the data.  

Some people regard privacy and security as pretty much the same thing. That’s because the two sometimes overlap in a connected world. But they aren’t the same and knowing how they differ will help you to protect yourself and our clients and customers in an increasingly connected world. 

Privacy relates to the rights a person has to control their personal information and how it’s used. Privacy notices are an example of a data subject’s right to know how data will be used by an organization. 

Security, on the other hand, refers to how a person’s personal information is protected.   

Because personal data—different details about individuals—may live in a lot of places, both privacy and security are key. 

Security is about protecting data from malicious threats, whereas privacy is about using data responsibly. 

When it comes to privacy and security, it’s a good idea to have both. Each can impact cyber safety. 

If you have concerns about safeguarding confidential or personal information contact the County Technology Office for electronic concerns at (619) 531-5570 or CTO.Feedback@sdcounty.ca.gov; or contact the Office of Ethics and Compliance for non-technology concerns at (619) 531-5714 or OEC@sdcounty.ca.gov.   

HHSA staff can refer to Safeguarding Protected Information - Procedure L-26 and contact the Agency Compliance Office at (619) 338-2808 or PrivacyOfficer.HHSA@SDCounty.ca.gov with questions. 

Check out the OEC webpage on InSite for information about upcoming Ethics & Compliance Program events, training, and resources including monthly “Know the Code” articles and micro-training videos. 

If you have questions about Ethics & Compliance training or how to access the training and other Ethics & Compliance resources, please contact the OEC team! 

Know the Code is a monthly series highlighting different sections of the County of San Diego Code of Ethics. The mission of the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) is to assist in fulfilling the County’s commitment to the highest standards of ethics and compliance. 

More County employees are needed to help count people experiencing homelessness in the San Diego region.

Due to the rise of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the annual count has been postponed for about a month.

The Point-in-Time Count will now take place from 3:45 to 8 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Volunteers are being asked to arrive at their deployment location by 3:30 a.m. to allow time to become familiar with a mobile app that is used for counting. The app helps to conduct a more accurate count.

If you had already signed up for the earlier count, you should still report to your assigned location. All volunteers will be getting N95 masks to protect themselves and others they encounter that morning. 

This is the eighth year the County has supported the annual count, which did not take place last year due to the ongoing pandemic.  

Employees who participate can do so on County time since the Board of Supervisors approved the policy last November.

Once again, the count, as directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will entail an “engaged” survey-based approach, where people on the streets will be surveyed as they are encountered rather than just an observational count that was done in the past. To learn more about the engaged count, please watch this 3-minute video. 

The 2020 Point-in-Time County identified 7,638 people who said they were homeless or in shelters throughout the county.

The count helps the region identify the scope of the problem, apply for federal and state funding, and find solutions on how to best serve this vulnerable population.

The Regional Task Force on Homelessness is leading the local point-in-time effort with the WeALLCount campaign. Last count, approximately 550 County employees participated and employees are again encouraged to participate in this important undertaking.

The deadline to sign up is Monday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. Review the FAQs and then obtain approval from your supervisor via the supervisor approval form if you are interested in participating.

Once you get approval, please sign up here. After you have signed up, you will receive an email receipt for this event. In the email there will be a link to a training from The Regional Task Force on Homelessness for you to review.  

Members of the public can also join the count. If you know family or friends who would like to participate, they can sign up to volunteer.

The County Administration Center was lit in blue and white Thursday night to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Every County employee needs to have a registered device for the multi-factor authentication (MFA) process the County has rolled out to improve internet security. This is true regardless of where you work or your job duties.

The new process directly affects staff who use Microsoft tools (e.g. Outlook, TEAMS, Word, etc.) while working remotely. Most of them have taken the actions they need to.  

But by Feb. 28, all employees need to have a registered device that can display a code needed to log in. That device can be:

• A County desk phone: to receive a call with the code

• County-issued cell phone, to use with an app or text message

• A token: a small device the County will provide to you to receive a code

• A personal cell or home phone, to receive a call or text message with the code

• A token that is auto-assigned to you and retained by Peraton

Even if you never touch a computer for your job, you need to have one of these registered by the end of the month. Having a registration matched to each employee is necessary for the overall security of the system.

Talk with your supervisor to determine which option is best for you.

If you take no action by Feb. 28, a token will automatically be assigned to you and billed to your department. The token will not be delivered to you. Peraton will keep the token.

If you need help during set-up, contact the County Service Desk at 858-573-3938.

Join the virtual Board of Supervisors meeting at 9 a.m. on Feb. 8 to watch the African American Association of County Employees (AAACE) receive a proclamation in honor of Black History Month and the work the employee resource group has done with the community.

Watch online:

• Live Feed with Agenda (Internet Explorer is not a supported browser.)

• Vimeo Livestream

• YouTube

• Facebook/Meta

• Twitter

• By Phone: 619-531-4716

See flyer below.

Get inspired. Watch this PBS video of a long-haul trucker who turned to YouTube to combat loneliness and social isolation. Under the handle “MsDivaTrucker43,” she discovers a supportive community of women who share her struggles of life in the margins. It is difficult for women in an industry that is 96% male to see themselves succeeding. Tamara's words of wisdom and encouragement offer women a model and a path forward. Watch now.

The County Administration Center was lit in red Thursday night for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” efforts to increase women’s health awareness.

Photo: Maritime Museum of San Diego’s EarthCam

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

County Team,

In these messages, I’ve often talked about the variety of work we do here at the County. Well, let’s do one better. I want to start showing you.

Today we’re debuting the first in what will be a series of video profiles of County employees. The idea is to feature one person a week. They’ll be short, with each employee sharing a little bit about themselves and what they do.

Keeping with our InSite, InTouch, internal theme, we’re calling the series InService. It also captures the fact that everything you’re doing is in service of our customers.

We’ve gotten feedback before that many of you would like to see what employees in different roles do. Here you go! Our plan is to keep these going through at least the end of the year, giving us a good sampling of the many jobs at the County.

I’m really looking forward to seeing these myself. As I work on big initiatives, strategy, budgets, I know they turn into reality only through the combination of all the individual efforts you’re making. This is an opportunity to highlight a few of those pieces that make up the whole.

And an important note: I know very well you’re all part of teams. Picking one person at a time makes for more relatable storytelling, but these are meant to be in celebration of everyone who makes the County work. Thank you for everything you do.

Let’s get started. Our first profile is from our Public Safety Group. I’ll let her introduce herself.

Enjoy!

Commander Theresa Adams-Hydar will be appointed to the position of assistant sheriff of the Detention Services Bureau on Feb. 25.

Meet Cmdr. Adams-Hydar.