County Wins National Recognition for Innovative Programs
The County of San Diego has been honored with 51 Achievement Awards for programs it provides to the public by the National Association of Counties, which recognizes standout county government programs.
The County received awards in 15 categories for programs that run the gamut of the services the County provides from law enforcement to health services, to land use.
They included programs that streamline County processes to help customers; provide health services and education; support youth and families; protect public safety; plan for better communities; address housing insecurity; and safeguard the environment, including agriculture.
One of the programs being recognized provides Probation youth with education about the risks of opioid misuse and gives them life-saving training on giving someone Narcan, also known by its generic name, naloxone, used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Another program honored with an award, the Business Certificate Program, equips businesses with tools and knowledge to comply with public health regulations and foster safe environments for employees and patrons. These strategies foster long-term community health and strengthen public-private partnerships.
The County was also recognized for the Campo Road Corridor Revitalization Specific Plan. The project, fueled by input from the community, will transform a community corridor from a four-lane to a two-lane road and create additional amenities for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
A program to better support neurodivergent job applicants—Neurodivergent Excellence: Inclusive Interviewing—was also honored. It expands hiring practices by creating a more accessible, supportive, and inclusive interview process for people who may have different ways of learning because of conditions like autism, attention deficit disorder and dyslexia.
Below is the full list of winning programs:
Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Category:
- Red Envelope With Birth Certificate Issued During The 2024 Lunar New Year – Assessor Recorder County Clerk
- Strengths-Based Case Management Art Show – Behavioral Health
Children and Youth Category:
- Reimagining a Child Protection System to a Child and Family Well Being System Focused on Equity and Prevention to Strengthen Families – Child Welfare Services
- Sheriff’s Junior Women’s Academy – Sheriff
Civic Education and Public Information Category:
- Community Connections Program – Human Resources
- Sheriff Rise Above Program – Sheriff
- Vector Control Program Media Campaign Translation – Environmental Health
Community and Economic Development Category:
- Bridging Distances: Learning Podcasts for Rural Health and Community Support – Health and Human Services Agency
- Engaging Businesses for a Healthy Tomorrow – Health and Human Services Agency
- Levant Senior Cottages – Housing and Community Development
- San Diego County Department of Child Support Services Annual CSAM Super Saturday – Child Support
- Strengthening Food Security Through Farmers’ Markets – Agriculture, Weights and Measures
- Strengthening Kinship Care: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Initiative – Health and Human Services Agency
County Administration and Management Category:
- Archives Traveling Lecture Series – Assessor Recorder County Clerk
- Farming Liaisons – Planning and Development Services
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) Program – Finance and General Government
- Navigating Loss Program – Assessor Recorder County Clerk
- Rebuilding Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce After the Pandemic – Public Health, a division of the Health and Human Services Agency
- Professional Development Training Series – Parks and Recreation
- Recorder/County Clerk Staffing Plan – Assessor Recorder County Clerk
- The Agency Promise: A Foundation for Future Success – Health and Human Services Agency
County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainability Category:
- Systems Approach for Nursery Certification – Agriculture, Weights and Measures
Criminal Justice and Public Safety Category:
- Contraband Narcotics Interdiction Team – Sheriff
- EBT Theft Fraud Prevention – Health and Human Services Agency
- Youth Development Academy (YDA) Fire Program – Probation
Health Category:
- Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Section – Public Health, a division of Health and Human Services
- Illicit Fentanyl and Overdose Prevention Public Messaging – Public Health
- LGBTQIA+ Health Telebriefing Series and Gender-Affirming Care Initiative – Public Health
- Narcan Education Program – Probation
- No-Cost Transportation Program for Older Adults – Aging & Independence Services
- Social Media Story Telling: Maximizing Partner Successes for Community Engagement – Health and Human Services Agency
- TB Elimination Community of Practice – Public Health
- The Rural Health Post-Hospital Discharge Program – County Fire
Human Services Category:
- BenefitsCal Call Me and Web Chat – Health and Human Services Agency
- Coordinated Eviction Prevention System (CEPS) – Health and Human Services Agency
- Delivering Disaster CalFresh (DCF) Benefits at FEMA Disaster Response Centers (DRCs) – Health and Human Services Agency
- Encampment Resolution Funds (ERF) Program – Health and Human Services Agency
- LGBTQ+ Affirming Services – People At-Risk of or Experiencing Homelessness – Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities
- SAR Courtesy Callback – Health and Human Services Agency
- The CARE Act Program – Behavioral Health
Information Technology Category:
- Digital Platform for Staff Training – Planning and Development Services
- Using Automation for Quick Customer Address Correction – Health and Human Services Agency
Libraries Category:
- Combating Regional Hunger and Low Access Food Areas – Library
- Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) Certification – Library
Parks and Recreation Category:
- Waterfront Park Active Recreation – Parks and Recreation
Personnel Management, Employment and Training Category
- Neurodivergent Excellence: Inclusive Interviewing – Human Resources
Planning Category:
- Campo Road Corridor Revitalization Specific Plan – Planning and Development Services
- Voluntary Conservation and Land Management Assistance Annual Workshop – Planning and Development Services
Risk and Emergency Management Category
- Continuity of Operations Program – Assessor Recorder County Clerk
- Fire Fuel Reduction and Restoration Program – Parks and Recreation