Yearly Archives: 2008

Knabe Will Once Again Oppose Legislation That Will Negatively Impact The Safe Surrender Program

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe renewed his opposition for the third time to new legislation by Assemblyman Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont) that will fundamentally alter the rules of the highly-successful Safe Haven Law.

Under the proposed legislation, AB 2262 will extend the newborn surrender period to 7 days. Currently, the program allows mothers of unwanted newborns to surrender their babies at Safe Surrender sites, such as Fire Stations and Hospitals, up to 72 hours after the child’s birth. Access to quality medical care in the first hours of life is a critical component that could be placed in jeopardy if this legislation passes. Many infants who are safely surrendered have received no prenatal care or medical care at all – services that are critical for these newborns to receive in the first hours after birth. Extensive research has shown that the 72 hour window works.

A similar bill was also introduced during the two most recent Legislative sessions. Last year, AB 81 would have extended the window to 7 days. It was later vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The first attempt, AB 1873, was also vetoed by the Governor in 2006.

This was an unnecessary bill the first two times, and it remains unnecessary, said Supervisor Knabe, who championed the Safe Surrender Program, the Los Angeles County version of the Safe Haven Program, over six years ago. There is no data showing that an extension to the 7 days proposed in Assemblyman Torrico’s legislation would improve this successful program, and we cannot allow an arbitrary number with no scientific basis to compromise the safety of these babies. The only window that has irrefutable evidence is the 72 hours, and changing it is a risk that we simply cannot afford. I vow to fight this bill every step along the way.

Los Angeles County has been at the forefront of implementing the Safe Haven Law. Since its enactment in 2002, 65 babies have been safely surrendered in Los Angeles County – more than one-third of all the newborns saved in California.

New Graffiti Prevention Program To Launch February 23

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe in partnership with Helpline Youth Counseling, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Cities of Downey, La Mirada, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, and Unincorporated Whittier will launch the Aware Teens Against Graffiti or A.T.A.G. Program this Saturday, February 23 at 8:00 a.m. at the STAR Center, located at 11515 South Colima Road in Whittier.

A.T.A.G. is an innovative delinquency prevention program that targets first time tagging and vandalism offenders between the ages of 9 to 15 and their parents. The weekend-long program focuses on the parents receiving an intensive two-day skill-building training, and the youth offenders participating in community service projects and group discussions while being supervised by law enforcement. The program is a unique and proactive effort in Los Angeles County as it brings elected officials, law enforcement, the court system, community-based organizations and families together in a collaborative effort to combat tagging and vandalism in the community.

Graffiti is a huge problem in many of our neighborhoods and communities, and it is reducing the quality of life, property values, business growth and development in these areas, said Supervisor Knabe. A.T.A.G. works to prevent and eliminate this growing problem by providing parents with necessary skills, support and resources to help their kids and it teaches young offenders about accountability, responsibility, respect, values and future consequences.

56 Child Care Centers In Long Beach Sign Up For New Rating System

In the City of Long Beach, 56 child care providers have agreed to take part in the County’s Steps to Excellence Program (STEP), an innovative new child care rating system that will help parents make informed child care choices for their children, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

The STEP program, launched by Supervisor Knabe in July 2007, is the first program of its kind in California. In much the same way as the County’s successful restaurant grading system has empowered consumers with information, the goal of rating child care centers is to educate parents and improve the quality and services of the centers. The program is starting as a pilot in nine communities across the County, including Long Beach. It is supported with funds from the County of Los Angeles, the California Department of Education and the First 5 LA Commission.

In Los Angeles County, it is estimated that more than $1.4 billion is spent on child care services annually and the demand for services and facilities continues to grow every year. But, with this increasing demand for services comes an increasing need for oversight and access to information for parents about the quality of care their children are receiving. The STEP program will assess six key areas that all parents would want to know about a child care setting, including safety, program quality, teacher qualifications, and whether or not they can accommodate kids with special needs.

This is a great opportunity to give parents access to clear, concise information about child care centers that they may not have time or the ability to research on their own, said Supervisor Knabe. I want to congratulate each and every one of the 56 child care providers in Long Beach who chose to take part in this program, and I welcome more providers who want to do their part in helping families make informed choices for their children.

People interested in learning more about STEP should contact Helen Chavez in the County Office of Child Care at (213) 893-0505 or visit
www.childcare.lacounty.gov

LA County Offers Aquatic Sports Camps For Youth During Spring Break

The Water Awareness, Training, Education and Recreation (W.A.T.E.R.) Program of the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors is offering three of its most popular aquatic sports camps for boys and girls during spring break.

The camps available for the spring program are surfing, ocean-sports, and beginning sailing. To be eligible for the camps, boys and girls must have passed the W.A.T.E.R. Program’s required swim test. The W.A.T.E.R. Program, designed to raise awareness of ocean and beach safety through aquatic-related sports activities, is conducted by Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguards who have received special training in working with young people.

Surf Camps – Ages 11 to 17

Venice Beach Pier: March 17-21 and March 24-28 from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm.

Manhattan Beach Pier: April 7-11 from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm.

Ocean-Sports Camps – Ages 7 to 14

Venice Beach Pier: March 17-21 and March 24-28 from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm.

Manhattan Beach Pier: April 7 -11 from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm.

Beginning Sailing Camps – Ages 11 to 17

Marina del Rey Boathouse: March 17-21, March 24-28, and April 7-11 from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm

All equipment is provided and fees range between $100 and $135 for the week-long sessions. Financial aid is available, based on family income, and free transportation is provided from non-beach areas during camp weeks. For information or to request an application, please call the W.A.T.E.R. Youth Program at (310) 305-9587.

Three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Stations Ranks Among Best Worldwide

Three stations in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have been selected as the best of the best of more than 800 police stations worldwide, according to a recently released report. The following stations, in order by ranking with one being the best, were selected by Altus Global Alliance:

1. San Dimas Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, San Dimas, California

Captain Joseph S. Hartshorne, Station Commander

2. Lakewood Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lakewood, California

Captain David L. Fender, Station Commander

3. Lancaster Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lancaster, California

Captain Carl H. Deeley, Station Commander

According to the report, the program worked as follows. During a one-week period beginning October 22, 2007, more than 3,500 people visited over 800 police stations in 22 countries around the globe, according to the report prepared by Altus Global Alliance, a worldwide organization of five justice reform groups based in Brazil, Chile, India, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States. This was the second annual occurrence of this global event, known as Police Station Visitors Week, which was created to assess citizen satisfaction with services delivered by police departments, identify good practices used by police, and strengthen relations between police and their local communities, Altus officials said.

In the United States, the Vera Institute of Justice, a founding member of the Altus Global Alliance, organized visits by 33 local community groups in cooperation with 12 law enforcement agencies. These agencies serve a range of urban, suburban, and rural constituencies, and the groups who made visits represent a diverse mix of local interests and communities.

I am most gratified with these results, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca. I thank Altus for this honor and believe it’s another example of how we are trying to be the best law enforcement agency in the country and the world.

Citizens used a special kit to guide their visits, following the same protocol as other civil society groups around the world. Immediately after the visit, participants answered a series of questions about what they had observed. Their answers were collected via Altus’ global Web site. Using the ratings supplied by the visitors, Altus calculated an overall score for each station and separate scores in five categories of service: community orientation, physical condition, equal treatment of the public, transparency and accountability, and detention conditions.

Altus officials also said the most valuable results of this event were that visitors resoundingly reported that their opinions of law enforcement improved considerably after these visits, and many expressed how happy they were for the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about community needs. The report is available online at
www.vera.org

Knabe Responds To Plan To Close Clinics

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe issued the following statement today in response to the County’s Chief Executive Officer’s recommendation to close and/or reduce clinic services throughout the County, as a means to balance the County’s Department of Health Services Fiscal Year 2008-09 Budget:

In the upcoming fiscal year, our Department of Health Services is looking at a budget shortfall of up to $300 million. In an effort to balance the budget, the CEO has brought forward a recommendation that calls on this Board to close or reduce services at most of our health centers and comprehensive health centers throughout the County. And although, this is only a starting point of the conversation, I am shocked by the proposal and deeply concerned by it.

It is true that this plan will generate millions in savings, but what it fails to address is the effect that closing clinics will have on our already overworked emergency rooms. With the recent overcrowding issues at Harbor-UCLA and the closures of the emergency rooms at King-Harbor and Daniel Freeman Hospitals, the system can ill-afford any further strain. The emergency care system at both private and County hospitals is already in a fragile state, and further increasing the workload of our emergency rooms is creating a time-bomb waiting to explode. We need to be opening more clinics in the County, not closing them.

I will be introducing a motion at Tuesday’s Board Meeting that will ask the CEO to come up with a comprehensive list of all possible options to balance the Health Department’s budget. We have some very difficult decisions on the horizon, but this proposal should be viewed as our last resort and not just a quick fix.

County Grant Will Provide Homeless Families In Whittier With Housing And Services

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $1 million grant to the Whittier First Day Coalition, for a new transitional housing program in the City of Whittier, Supervisor Don Knabe announced recently.

The Families Together Transitional Housing Project, which will be run by Whittier First Day, will provide transitional housing and intensive services to homeless families for up to two years. The funding for the project comes from the Fourth District’s allocation of County homeless funds, along with support and funding from the City of Whittier, foundations and the local business community.

This is an unprecedented collaboration between Los Angeles County and the City of Whittier to help families in their community break the cycle of homelessness and get back on their feet, said Supervisor Knabe. Our local communities are leading the effort to end homelessness, and Whittier has been a key partner to that end. The work we have accomplished so far to develop the Families Together project has been a successful model of city-county partnership that we hope to build on in future endeavors.

Whittier Mayor Owen Newcomer added that, the Whittier City Council was pleased to assist by channeling some federal funds to this program to help transition homeless families into stable housing and jobs. First Day’s new project will give people the opportunity that they need to work for a better future.

Safe Surrender Program Off To A Successful Year

Just weeks into 2008, the Los Angeles County Safe Surrender Program is already off to another successful year with three newborns having already been safely surrendered. These recent surrenders also included the unique occurrence of two surrenders happening on the same day. With the three surrenders since the beginning of the year, a total of 65 newborns have now been safely surrendered since the program began in 2001.

The first surrender of 2008 was a baby girl who was brought to Los Angeles County Fire Station 20 in the City of Norwalk on January 9. She was the 63rd safely surrendered baby. Baby 64 was a newborn boy surrendered at an urgent care facility in the City of Huntington Park on January 20. That same day another baby girl was surrendered at a hospital in the City of Monterey Park.

This is not the first time multiple surrenders have happened on the same day. Last year, two babies were surrendered in different parts of the County on January 17, 2007. Two different surrenders also occurred on February 10, 2007.

The Los Angeles County Safe Surrender Program was initiated by Supervisor Don Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.

Knabe Praises Bust Of Multi-Million Dollar Child Care Fraud Ring

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe offered congratulations today on the successful bust and arrests of a widespread child care fraud ring that involved the theft of over $3 million in taxpayer’s funds. In 2007, Supervisor Knabe led the effort to pass State legislation to combat fraudulent use of funds for government-subsidized child care programs – fraud which costs California’s taxpayers millions of dollars per year.

I could not be happier that the criminals involved in this fraud ring are now behind bars, but I am also still outraged at the continued theft of taxpayer dollars intended for families in need, said Supervisor Knabe. The fact that we have tens of thousands of children on a waiting list for these child care subsidies shows that there is still a great need for the State to address the serious fraud problems in these important programs

The bust announced today involved charges being filed against 55 different people, which were spread across five separate criminal complaints. The fraud ring was allegedly run, in part, by a convict currently in federal prison on a narcotic trafficking term. The $3 million bust is believed to the largest of its kind to date in the nation.

Today’s bust is a prime example of how California’s child care programs, which issue over $1.2 billion in taxpayer dollars each year, are highly vulnerable to fraudulent activity and improper payments, due to a gap in appropriate oversight at the State level, said Supervisor Knabe.

A 2005 report to the Legislature indicated that fraud could exist in up to 7 percent of all child care payments statewide. The report also estimated that 6.2 percent of all child care payments are erroneously issued, as a result of inconsistent practices and policies.

Throughout 2006 and 2007, Supervisor Knabe continually advocated in Sacramento for decisive action on this issue. In 2006, Knabe sponsored Senate Bill 1421 (Margett) to address fraudulent activity in child care programs. This led to a bipartisan dialogue, and passage of Senate Bill 84 (Ducheny) by the Legislature, which was then signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in August 2007.

The Legislature’s action calls for a best-practices study, which is due back by September of this year. It will report on the best practices for the prevention, detection, and investigation of improper payments and fraud in all subsidized child care programs. Additionally, local efforts across California, such as the highly-effective fraud mitigation and prevention activities in Los Angeles County, which last year prevented over $50 million in erroneous child care payments from occurring, will be reviewed as part of the study.

Board Renews $50,000 Reward In Attempted Murder Case Of Whittier Sheriff’s Deputy

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors once again unanimously approved a $50,000 reward today for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Emigdio Preciado, the primary suspect in the shooting of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Schaap. The Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau requested that the Board re-establish the $50,000 reward to prompt individuals to come forward and provide information as to the whereabouts of the suspect.

On September 5, 2000, Deputy Schaap was shot and injured while on routine patrol in Whittier with his partner, Deputy David Timberlake. While attempting to stop a van for a vehicle code violation, the alleged assailants opened fire with an assault rifle from inside the van. Multiple rounds were fired, one of which struck Schaap in the head. The bullet fragments were removed at St. Francis Medical Center, and Schaap was released and home with his family by Thanksgiving Day. A first suspect has already been apprehended, but the second suspect, Emigdio Preciado, is still at large and wanted for attempted murder. Preciado is an adult male Hispanic presumed to be in Mexico and considered armed and dangerous.

By approving this $50,000 reward, our Board intends to send a clear message that we support our deputies 100 percent and that this sort of egregious assault will not be tolerated, said Supervisor Knabe. If this reward serves to bring Deputy Schaap’s attacker to justice, I consider it money well spent.

Information on the whereabouts of Preciado or any other information related to this case should be directed to any local law enforcement office or to the Homicide Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, at (323) 890-5500.