County Wins 61 National Achievement Awards for Outstanding Programs
The County of San Diego garnered 61 Achievement Awards this year including a Best in Category nod from the National Association of Counties, which recognizes innovative county government programs.
“As a County, we are always striving to identify and offer needed programs and services for our region, so it is validating to receive recognition from the National Association of Counties for 61 programs addressing varying issues such as the environment, community engagement, community assistance, building up our youth, and certainly public health,” Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher said. “Our workforce is rising up to the challenge and continues to innovate to meet emerging issues.”
A San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector program set in a video game-style virtual environment to engage employees enrolled in the County’s deferred compensation plan into choosing an asset allocation strategy won a Best in Category Award for NACo’s Employment and Training category. The Investing Learn to Earn Virtual Event was created and implemented when many employees were working remotely due to the pandemic and was a way to provide information that can seem too complex to some and hinder financial wellness.
The County received the awards in 15 categories. More than a dozen are programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the region’s workforce, employers, renters, and public health providers, systems and scientists. Other programs streamlined County processes to benefit users, supported youth and families, protected the environment including agriculture, addressed housing insecurity and emergency preparedness.
Below is the full list of programs honored:
Best in Category (Employment and Training):
- Investing Learn to Earn Virtual Event – Treasurer Tax Collector
Children and Youth Category:
- Achievement Centers Promote Positive Youth Development – Probation
- Child Support Strives to Empower Youth with Dreams – Child Support Services
- Fostering Academic Success in Education – Child Welfare Services
Civic and Public Information Category:
- “Academia del Alguacil” Sheriff’s Academy – Sheriff’s Department
- Project Clean Water Stormwater Behavior Change Campaign – Public Works
Community and Economic Development Category:
- Child Support Services Expands Customer Service Delivery Model – Child Support Services
- Meter Lab COVID-19 Safe Operation Plan – Agriculture, Weights & Measures
- Revitalization and Assistance Program Grant – Planning and Development Services
- Simplifying the Building Permit Process for Code Violations -Planning and Development Services
- Zoning Flexibility During COVID-19 Impact – Planning and Development Services
County Administration and Management Category:
- Agricultural Lab Improvement Plan – Agriculture, Weights & Measures
- Collaborating to Protect Citrus – Agriculture, Weights and Measures
- County of San Diego COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance and Utility Program (ERAP) – Housing and Community Development
- County of San Diego COVID-19 Security Deposit Assistance Program (SDAP) – Housing and Community Development
- Innovative Housing Trust Fund (IHTF) – Housing and Community Services
- Issue Resolution Process – Planning and Development Services
County Resiliency Category:
- Electric Vehicle Consumer Guide – Planning and Development Services
- Accelerate to Zero Emissions Regional Collaboration – Planning and Development Services
- Free Unwanted Pesticide Disposal Event – Agriculture, Weights and Measures
- Landscaping Ordinance Update – Land Use &Environment
- Monitor-Based Commissioning Program – General Services
- Waterscape Rebate Program Pilot – Public Works
Criminal Justice and Public Safety Category:
- The Community Care Coordination for Veterans (C3V) Program – Health and Human Services
Health Category:
- Academic Detailing by ZIP Code: A Novel Approach to Reduce COVID-19 Health Disparities – Health and Human Services
- Collaboration Between Pharmacy and County to improve COVID-19 Vaccination Access – Health and Human Services
- Community Health Worker Model/Project SAVE – Office of Strategy and Innovation
- COVID-19 Cross-Border Vaccination Efforts – Health and Human Services
- Eye Gnat Trap Improvements – Environmental Health
- Health Care Provider Status Team – Health and Human Services
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Programs – Public Health Services
- Mobile Monoclonal Antibody Team – Health and Human Services
- Monoclonal Antibody Regional Centers: Collaborating for Equitable COVID-19 Therapy – Health and Human Services
- Operationalizing the Live Well San Diego Framework in Response to a Pandemic – Health and Human Services
- Pharmacy Leadership Network – Health and Human Services
- San Diego Health CARES Initiative – Public Health Services
- The County of San Diego COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy – Health and Human Services
Human Services Category:
- Housing Our Youth (HOY) – Health and Human Services
- Regional Homeless Services – Health and Human Services
- Storefront Service Delivery Model – Regional Operations
- Tenant Peer Support Services (TPSS) – Behavioral Health Services
Information Technology Category:
- Account Auto-Provisioning – County Technology Office
- JELS Child Welfare eDocument Transfer – County Technology Office
- Plan Check Digital Review Portal – Environmental Health
- Submeter Applications – Agriculture, Weights & Measures
- Virtual Assistant using Artificial Intelligence – Eligibility Operations Administration
Libraries Category:
- Little Free Libraries – Library
- Story Trails – Library
Parks and Recreation Category:
- Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Campground – Parks and Recreation
- Tour Our Trails Challenge – Parks and Recreation
Personnel Management, Employment and Training Category
- Mastering the Art of Remote Work – Health and Human Services
- Virtual Hiring Halls – Eligibility Operations Administration
- Virtual Universal Initial Training – Eligibility Operations Administration
Planning Category:
- Proposed Ordinance Changes to Provide Final Engineering Flexibility -Planning & Development Services
- Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) Program – Planning & Development Services
- Sixth Cycle Housing Element – Planning and Development Services
Risk and Emergency Management Category
- Establishment of a Response Team for COVID Cases at Places of Employment – Public Health Services
- Migrant Protection Program/Entry Without Inspection COVID-19 Response Team – Public Health Services
- Public Safety Power Shutoff Regional Resiliency Project and Report – Office of Emergency Services
- ShakeReadySD Early Earthquake Warning for SD Emergency Mobile Application – Office of Emergency Services
Transportaion Category:
- Building Better Roads Program – Public Works