Yearly Archives: 2013

Baby Boy Safely Surrendered at Pomona Hospital

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the fourth time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy. This most recent safe surrender occurred on August 5, 2013 at a hospital in Pomona.

As is standard practice, the newborn is in protective custody and will be placed with families approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“I’m thankful that this mother, despite her desperate situation, decided to surrender her baby, and give him a second chance at life,” said Supervisor Knabe. “As word continues to spread about the Program, other moms in similar situations can make the right choice for their babies and themselves, because of Safe Surrender.”

This is the fourth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2013, and the 107th since the program began over twelve years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor 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.

To learn more about the Safe Surrender Program, visit http://youtu.be/_EGoPXD23G0.

Communities Rallying Tonight for National Night Out

Communities across the County will rally together tomorrow night in the name of public safety for the 30th annual National Night Out.

“This event was created to help strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships,” said Supervisor Don Knabe. “National Night Out sends a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and taking a stand against crime.”

In unincorporated Whittier, residents will march from the Community Resource Center to Amelia Mayberry Park with members of the Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, Fire Department and other agencies. There will be fun for the whole family, including arts and crafts, bouncers, face painting, vendors, information tables and a Concert in the Park.

L.A. County Releases Second Report on Maternity Hotels

Twenty-four confirmed Maternity Hotels were cited in Los Angeles County, but overall, new complaints from the public about suspected birthing centers have decreased significantly, according to a new quarterly report released last week by the Chief Executive Office of Los Angeles County.

In total, the multi-agency taskforce, consisting of various County departments including Regional Planning and Sheriff’s, as well as Mandarin and Cantonese translators, has inspected 82 locations throughout the County and was able to gain access to 70 properties suspected of operating maternity hotels. Numerous violations were found at these locations including unsafe health conditions, unpermitted room conversions, and properties operating as boarding homes without proper licensing. In the last three months, only three new complaints about suspected maternity hotels were logged.

“The inspections conducted by the taskforce have proven to be a successful deterrent to new maternity hotels setting up in our neighborhoods and communities,” said Supervisor Don Knabe, whose motion created the taskforce and called for an ordinance to regulate maternity hotels in Los Angeles County.

A proposed ordinance to regulate maternity hotels was not recommended at this time because the Department of Regional Planning is still conducting inspections. The Department can still issue notices of violation where maternity hotels are operating illegally because under current County codes, boarding houses are not allowed in a single-family residential zones with more than five persons unrelated to the operator.

To view the second quarterly report on Maternity Hotels in Los Angeles County, visit http://file.lacounty.gov/bc/q3_2013/cms1_197705.pdf

Statement on Rescue of 105 Child Sex Trafficking Victims During “Operation Cross Country”

Today, the FBI announced that 105 sexually exploited victims of child sex trafficking were rescued during a three-day nationwide operation in 76 U.S. cities.

Child sex trafficking is a horrific and sickening crime happening to young girls in big cities and small towns across this nation. Girls, some as young as 11 or 12, are being forced into a life of prostitution and trafficked across city limits, state lines and country borders.

The rescue of 105 child sex trafficking victims last week is eye-opening to the public, many of whom believe this is an issue happening only in foreign countries. In fact, Los Angeles County is recognized as one of the largest hubs for sex trafficking in the nation.

The key to protecting our young girls from manipulation and putting an end to this disgusting industry is awareness. In the last 18 months, Los Angeles County has strived to position itself as a national leader in preventing the sexual exploitation of children. We have made a concerted effort to build awareness and develop programs to heal the victims of this crime.

I commend the FBI and all the local agencies who were involved in the rescue of these young victims. While we have accomplished much, we must continue to focus on their safety and healing. This massive, nation-wide sweep sends a strong message to the real criminals that our County will do everything we can to protect the lives of these young girls.

Newborn Baby Girl Safely Surrendered at Huntington Park Hospital

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the third time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy. This most recent safe surrender occurred on June 18, 2013 at a hospital in Huntington Park.

As is standard practice, the newborn is in protective custody and will be placed with families approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“I’m thankful that this mother decided to surrender her baby, rather than put him in a harmful situation,” said Supervisor Knabe. “As word spreads about the Program, mothers in desperate situations can make the right choice for their babies and themselves, because of Safe Surrender.”

This is the third Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2013, and the 106th since the program began over twelve years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor 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.

Prepping for January 2014

This weekend, I was in Fort Worth, Texas for the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) 78th annual conference.

I participated in a panel discussion with the Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group and Chief Healthcare Officer of United Health Group Alliances Dr. Richard Migliori and Former Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt on healthcare reform and its impacts on counties. Before the panel began, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke to the participating counties in attendance.

Los Angeles County is the 2nd largest public health system in the country with a $3.5 billion annual budget. Every year, we handle 2.9 million outpatient visits, and 64% of those who come to our facilities are uninsured.

We are making the necessary investments to improve our technology and patient experience, and market our services and facilities to our new potential customers.

There are challenges ahead of us, including the potential impact of immigration reform and other unknown costs. Los Angeles County must shift to a preventative model of care where our patients won’t wait until their conditions are severely aggravated before they come into our facilities. We are doing everything we can to prepare ourselves and our patients for the January 2014 roll-out of the Affordable Care Act.

Los Angeles County Awards Grants to 32 Fourth District Arts Organizations

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission has announced $4,318,000 in two-year grants to 194 nonprofit arts organizations. The current awards represent a $200,000 increase in funding from the previous grant cycle and provide support to ensure arts organizations continue to provide cultural services to the diverse population that comprises Los Angeles County.

Grant amounts range from $3,500 to $214,400. Grantee organizations are spread throughout L.A. County including 32 located in the Fourth District. Over 80 knowledgeable panelists from the arts community, including artists, nonprofit arts administrators and members of the academic community, reviewed and scored the applications.

“Whether it’s a local theatre production or a concert in the park, the arts are an important part of our community,” said Supervisor Knabe. “I am so pleased that in these tough economic times, Los Angeles County is able to support these first-rate organizations so that they can continue exposing the residents of the Fourth District to high-quality art, music and culture.”

2013-14 ORGANIZATIONAL GRANTS FOURTH DISTRICT RECIPIENTS

(Listed in alphabetical order)

• Angels Gate Cultural Center
• Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay
• Culture Shock Los Angeles Dance Troupe
• Downey Symphonic Society Inc.
• Dramatic Results
• Friends of Arts Education at the Cerritos Center
• Impro Theater Los Angeles TheatreSports
• Institute of Art Music and Science
• International City Theatre
• JC Culture Foundation
• Khmer Arts Academy
• Kings and Clowns Inc.
• Long Beach Chorale & Chamber Orchestra Inc.
• Long Beach Community Band
• Long Beach Museum of Art Foundation
• Long Beach Opera
• Long Beach Symphony Association
• Los Cancioneros Master Chorale
• Musical Theatre West
• Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization
• Precision Dance Company
• Public Corporation for the Arts
• Regina Klenjoski Dance Company
• Ryman Carroll Foundation
• San Pedro City Ballet
• Saturday Night Bath Concert Fund
• Shakespeare by the Sea
• South Bay Ballet
• South Bay Chamber Music Society
• South Coast Dance Arts Alliance
• The Garage Theatre
• Whittier Community Theatre

New commission not the answer for department drowning in recommendations

Over the last several years, we have had countless commissions, groups, panels and advisory boards provide us with recommendations for improving child protection services in Los Angeles County. By my approximate count, at least 859 suggestions have been provided, most of which say the same thing: we must ensure that our social workers have manageable and realistic caseloads, we must give our employees the training and resources they need to be effective, and we must end our relationships with service providers who abuse our funds. We are drowning in recommendations. Adding yet another commission to the galaxy of commissions we have to tell us what we already know will be a waste of time and money and will only distract us further from what needs to be fixed.

We have a department where 99% of the employees are outstanding public servants working in some really tough situations. However, innocent children have paid the ultimate price when we didn’t get it right, and I am sick about it. There should be a zero-tolerance policy for any staff or any service providers who do not do their jobs and expose children to harm.

I am not suggesting that we do nothing. But we should not rashly dismiss our current efforts. Late last year, this Board was presented with a strategic plan developed by DCFS to put in place a set of action items that address a number of the systemic problems that compromise child safety and hamper our workers’ ability to get the job done. This Board approved that plan, and it is moving forward.

We have no more important job than protecting the most vulnerable children in this county. Another Commission will not address the problems we face or set us on a path to the future. In fact, it will be a distraction to the very important work at hand. We know what must be done and we must remain committed to the course we set.

Knabe Calls for More Jobs Programs for Young People and CalWorks Recipients

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved additional funding for a summer jobs program for low-income youth at its 2013-2014 budget review meeting.  The Board also approved a motion by Supervisor Don Knabe to seek funding from the State for subsidized employment for those on public assistance.

“While we are seeing improvements in the unemployment rates across California and in the overall economy, too many people are still struggling to find work or are underemployed,” said Knabe.  “A few years ago we launched my 10,000 Jobs Program, which utilized federal stimulus dollars to create temporary subsidized jobs for 11,000 adults and 15,000 disadvantaged youth.  The program was one of the most successful uses of stimulus funding in the nation.  However, that money has dried up and we still have too many people who have been looking for work for too long.  That is why I have asked our Department of Public Social Services to look into funding that has been set aside at the State level, through CalWORKS, to continue subsidized employment programs.”

The Board also approved $2 million for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which provides low-income youth with invaluable job experience.  Positions will be located throughout Los Angeles County at sites including County departments, local cities, non-profit, and for-profit organizations and will include clerical, maintenance, grounds keeping, child care, teacher’s aide, and librarian assistance work.

“Young people have been hit particularly hard over the last few years and have really struggled to find work experience that gets them on the path to their futures,” said Knabe.  “This program will give them that experience and life skills, while providing local organizations with invaluable resources and support.”

Knabe Calls For More Investment in Marina del Rey

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved fourth district Supervisor Don Knabe’s motion to increase and make consistent the County‘s funding for investment in Marina del Rey.

“Marina del Rey is one of Los Angeles County’s most precious regional assets and we need to ensure it has continuous funding for projects that improve the quality-of- life for residents and visitors,” said Supervisor Knabe.  “Right now, most of the revenue generated by Marina del Rey goes back into the County’s general fund with very little set aside for improvements to the Marina.  That’s simply not fair.  My motion called for ongoing funding which will allow for upgrades and repairs to landscaping, bikeways, walking paths, play equipment, community meeting space and other public area improvements because no funding has been available for these items after meeting the most basic of the Marina’s infrastructure needs. I appreciate the Board’s support in making good stewardship of the Marina a regional priority.”

Currently, capital improvements in Marina del Rey are made through the Marina Accumulative Capital Outlay (ACO) Fund and participation fees.  Knabe’s motion called for an increase to the yearly allotment for the Marina, as well as more balanced revenue sharing.  The annual allocation to the ACO is presently $2 million, half of which depends on meeting revenue targets.  Knabe’s motion asked for a total ongoing annual contribution of $4 million.

The County also receives one-time participation fees on leasehold transactions which go back into the County’s general fund with no consistent formula for reinvestment back into the Marina.  Knabe’s motion called for a set reinvestment schedule based on fee levels. He also asked for a percentage of transit occupancy taxes (TOT) to go, on an annual basis, to the Department of Beaches and Harbors for use specifically for visitor-serving events, attractions and programs.

“We have made significant strides in developing a vision for the Marina del Rey of the future.  The private sector has committed to investments of nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars for the next generation – it is now time for the County to put its money where its mouth is and make our crown jewel a priority,” said Knabe.