Improving Lives

New Senior Services Website Launched

The County and City of Los Angeles have partnered to create a user-friendly website, Los Angeles Network of Care, at: http://losangeles.networkofcare.org/aging

This website helps seniors, disabled, and their caregivers quickly locate services they need.

Los Angeles County has a population larger than most states and a senior population, aged 60 and older, of 1.4 million, placing a huge demand on the Area Agencies on Aging to provide comprehensive and accessible services.

The website has features that allow consumers or their caregivers to create their own personal information record on-line that can also be used by their care coordinators. The website has educational information on matters such as diseases, medications and treatments, care management issues, prevention, early intervention, planning, consumer advocacy and protection.

The website is a collaborative effort that will help seniors as a whole and is a step toward providing seamless senior services in our county, says Cynthia Banks, Director, Community and Senior Services and the Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging.

Enhancements to the website will include an increase of the County’s Information and Assistance staff to better meet the service demands. Website data is continuously updated to provide the most up-to-date information on the site.

There are programs and services available through our Area Agencies on Aging and other providers that many Angelinos do not know about, says Laura Trejo, General Manager, City of Los Angeles Department of Aging. We are hopeful that by getting the word out about the new website, more of our services will be utilized, she added.

Reaching Out To Voters With Specific Needs

In an effort to promote a greater opportunity for all voters to participate in the election process, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) has produced a Voter with Specific Needs video presentation highlighting accessible voting services and sensitivity in serving voters with special needs and voters with limited English proficiency.

Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan has incorporated segments of the video into staff and poll worker training for the upcoming November 4th General Election. Additionally, the RR/CC has distributed the video to all local public libraries for general circulation and educational purposes.

Making voting accessible to all eligible citizens is a priority, said Logan. This video emphasizes the services currently available to accomplish this and reminds us all of best practices for ensuring our voters with special needs get the service they deserve.

The RR/CC collaborated with its Community Voter Outreach Committee (CVOC) on the Voter with Specific Needs video. CVOC, comprised of nonprofit organizations with election interests, partners with the RR/CC throughout the year providing input from the public sector on election related matters, as well as, assisting with voter registration, public education and election services. CVOC members’ collective expertise helps provide a successful voting experience for all voters, said Logan.

Toward the goal of providing voters with efficient and accessible elections, the RR/CC requires poll worker volunteers to attend training prior to each election. The Voters with Specific Needs video has now been included as part of the poll worker training curriculum and serves as a guide for poll workers to providing election services for persons with specific needs.

The video consists of a 6-minute and a 12-minute abridged version, as well as a 25-minute expanded version with a comprehensive how to guide. Translated versions of the video are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog/Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the Voter with Specific Needs video, contact Nelson Fernandez, Voter Outreach Coordinator, by calling (562) 462-2117 or by emailing
nfernandez@rrcc.lacounty.gov
A full list of accessibility services available through the RR/CC may be found on the RR/CC website www.lavote.net
Voters may also call the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666.

County’s Child Care Rating System Receives New Funding

Los Angeles County’s new child care rating system continues to grow, in part, to a new grant that will allow for dozens of additional child care centers to be inspected and graded.

The $351,650 contract from the First 5 Los Angeles Commission will allow for reviews of approximately 200 child development centers and family child care homes participating in the Steps to Excellence Project (STEP). The information collected during the review process will be analyzed and used to assign quality ratings to STEP participants.

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.

"What is unique about the STEP program is that we are evaluating the overall quality of these child care programs," said Supervisor Knabe. "We aren’t just assessing whether or not the carpet is clean and the walls are painted, we are looking at the ‘learning environment’ as well. To me, that is the most important consideration for any parent in deciding where to place their children."

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.

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

County Providing Help For Family Caregivers

In response to the many demands and pressures facing family caregivers who are caring for loved ones with disabling health conditions, the Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging (LACAAA) is launching an outreach campaign to inform caregivers of available support services to assist caregivers with education and training, coping skills to relieve depression, and respite to relieve stress and deterioration of the caregivers’ own health status.

The term caregiver for this program refers to an adult (18 years of age or older) family member who provides assistance to someone else without pay who is, in some degree, incapacitated and needs help. We find in dedicated families that provide most of the care, the care can range from handling family members’ transportation to managing medications, feeding tubes and personal hygiene. Here are a few of the signs that indicate a caregiver may need support:

– Feeling completely overwhelmed

– Feeling he/she cannot leave his/her family member alone

– Trouble sleeping because of care of a family member

Grandparents, step-grandparents, or other older relatives (age 55 and older) identified as the primary caregiver of a young child are also eligible for this program and may receive support services provided by the LACAAA Family Caregiver Program.

The Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging has a support system of services in place for family caregivers; but many of the families in Los Angeles County are not aware of the program. We are launching the Family Caregiver Outreach Campaign to reach as many families as possible said Cynthia Banks, Director, Community and Senior Services/Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging.

The Family Caregiver Outreach Campaign is being conducted in partnership with community agencies currently contracted with the County to provide family caregivers services, such as:

– Respite (a break for the caregiver from the daily responsibilities of caregiving)

– Support Groups

– Counseling Services (ranging from guidance with the responsibilities of the caregiving role to therapy for stress and depression)

– Training (self-care skills to reduce stress)

– Information about available resources

– Assistance in gaining access to services

All services and programs are free or low-cost. For more information about the LACAAA Family Caregiver Program please call (800) 510-2020.

Funding Approved For Renovation And Expansion Of San Pedro Service Center

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved almost $2.5 million in funding to renovate and expand the San Pedro Service Center.

The San Pedro Community and Senior Services Center Addition Project will consist of interior and exterior facility renovations and reconfigurations to adequately support program operations and services while making the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The total budget for the project is $2,480,000, which will be fully funded by Fourth Supervisorial District Capital Improvement funds.

The San Pedro Service Center has been a vital community resource throughout the years, said Supervisor Knabe. The approval of this funding ensures that the Service Center, which has served the San Pedro community so well, remains a great resource for the community for many years to come.

The San Pedro Community and Senior Services Center, which opened its doors in 1972, has continued to expand its services over the years, while receiving few upgrades. Recent studies revealed that the center simply outgrew its current configuration and required substantial modifications due to the shortage of space and the overall condition of the building. The center, located at 769 West Third Street in San Pedro, currently provides a wide array of services to the community, ranging from a senior meals program, child care services, computer and citizenship classes, food pantry, toy loan center, and more.

Veterans Benefit From County Employment Program

A Veteran of the Army National Guard has become the first permanent employee hired by Los Angeles County through a program designed to give special access to employment and internship opportunities to Veterans.

Created through an August 2006 motion by Supervisors’ Don Knabe and Michael D. Antonovich, the Veterans Internship Program (VIP) is available to local military Veterans who have been honorably discharged. Participants are hired into paid internships in various County departments, lasting up to 24 months, and receive benefits and additional job training throughout their internship. VIP participants are then eligible to compete for permanent County positions.

On May 14, Kunny Yin became the first permanent County employee hired through the Veterans Internship Program when he was appointed an IT Tech Support Analyst II within the Department of the Treasurer and Tax Collector. Mr. Yin is a Long Beach resident and was initially hired into the internship program in December 2007, and once he was hired as a permanent employee earlier this month, he jumped 18 steps on the County pay scale. He served in the Army National Guard for three years, until 2006, and was trained as a computer information analyst.

The program really helped me get my foot in the door towards permanent employment, said Yin. My whole experience throughout the internship was nothing but a good thing.

A total of 50 Veterans have been placed by the VIP Program and are currently working in internships across the County in 10 different departments, including 14 in the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, 13 in the Probation Department, and 11 in the Department of Public Social Services. The County was also honored as Employer of the Year by the California Employer Advisory Council for providing outstanding employment services to Veterans.

Our Veterans have served our nation and sacrificed their lives for our freedom, said Supervisor Antonovich. This program provides our Veterans the opportunity to apply their skills, learn new ones and compete effectively for employment."

The County has jobs available in many areas that require very special skills or training, the same skills or training that Veterans often receive during their service to our nation, said Supervisor Knabe. Matching the wonderful talents of our Veterans, to needs of the County, in the form of a permanent job is a great way to honor the service of our nations Veterans.

Interested Veterans are encouraged to visit http://dhr.lacounty.info or call (213) 738-2175.

Member of County’s 10 Most Wanted Surrenders After Press Conference

Michael Lee, one of the County’s new Ten Most Wanted Delinquent Parents, surrendered this afternoon in Superior Court at the Central Arraignment Court facility downtown, Supervisor Knabe announced. Mr. Lee has had warrant outstanding for his arrest since January 11, 1999, when he failed to appear for a probation revocation hearing.

At his appearance, Mr. Lee was sentenced by Commissioner John W. Green to 180 days in the County jail; the sentence was stayed, however, on conditions that he make a lump sum payment of $4,000 by April 2, 2008, an additional lump sum payment of $4,000 by July 1, 2008, and that he pay $300 per month beginning April 1 to pay down the amount he owed. Mr. Lee was ordered to return in two weeks on April 2 with proof of the first lump sum payment.

Before surrendering, Mr. Lee appeared on the 18th floor at the Central Civil West Courthouse, accompanied by his fiance and his sister. He was visibly nervous and admitted that he was shaken and shamed by the publicity that had resulted from yesterday’s press conference. He had been contacted by a number of acquaintances who had seen his DMV photo broadcast on TV news.

I couldn’t be more thrilled with this news, said Supervisor Knabe. This shows that the media plays an important role in getting the word out about these delinquent parents. Our Ten Most Wanted list is already showing that it’s a success.

County To Launch 10 Most Wanted Program For Child Support Evaders

The County of Los Angeles will soon launch a new program, modeled after the FBI’s successful most wanted list, to track down and capture the County’s ten most egregious child support payment evaders. The program will be announced at a press conference on the Temple Street steps of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration on Tuesday, March 18, 2008, at 9:00 a.m., by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, and the Director of the County’s Child Support Services Department, Steven J. Golightly.

The new 10 Most Wanted List features some of the County’s worst child support offenders. The ten individuals, who will be revealed at the press conference, together owe more than $2 million in unpaid child support for 17 children. The individual amounts owed range from $63,000 to over $427,000 per person.

Together these ten evaders owe $2,032,296.90 to their children; these families are struggling to pay their bills because this specific group of parents are choosing to evade or ignore their responsibilities, said Supervisor Knabe. With this new 10 Most Wanted List, the County now has another tool in aggressively tracking down these uncooperative parents.

The County previously had a list of the most wanted delinquent parents, but in the past, the Child Support Services Department (CSSD) had no way of arresting and bringing these offenders to court. That changed last April when Supervisor Knabe created a partnership between CSSD and the Office of the District Attorney to establish the Child Support Arrest Warrant Project. The project is designed to pursue uncooperative parents who evade their child support obligations even after arrest and bench warrants have been issued against them for failing to appear in criminal court. Supervisor Knabe provided $500,000 to assist in funding District Attorney Investigators who will seek out, investigate and arrest these child support evaders.

CSSD has a number of options to pursue the collection of child support payments on behalf of families in need, and always seeks to establish cooperative relationships with the parents required to make payments. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of parents currently in the County’s system that go to great lengths to evade their child support obligations, even after arrest warrants have been issued. There are approximately 1,240 parents with outstanding warrants who fall into this category, and they owe several million dollars in child support payments. Since the use of District Attorney Investigators began on December 4, 2007, 160 of those 1,240 warrants have been cleared.

County Approves Project To Prevent Child Abuse And Neglect

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $4.75 million demonstration project that will test innovative approaches to preventing child abuse and neglect. The 12-month Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project is the result of a joint motion by Supervisors Don Knabe and Zev Yaroslavsky.

The goal of the project is to test a broad spectrum of services, resources and activities across diverse communities within the County and evaluate their impact on preventing child abuse and maltreatment. One key element of the project will focus on addressing the broader root causes within communities that weaken families and impede healthy childhood development – such as social isolation, lack of economic opportunities and a little or no access to municipal services.

The results will then be used to consider enhancements to what the County currently does to assist families in crisis, and inform strategies about how to work proactively to keep families out of crisis. A recent study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that only 10 percent of the $7 billion in federal money distributed annually to state child welfare programs can be used for prevention programs. If the County can prove this approach works, it could be the first step in changing that.

This groundbreaking project, which is the first of its kind in the country, is about helping families address problems before a crisis occurs, said Supervisor Knabe. All the research shows that keeping families together, when it can be done safely, is better for the children and more cost-effective than foster care. It is my hope that this project shows, once and for all, that prevention-type activities are a viable and effective way of keeping families from entering, re-entering, or experiencing extended involvement in the child welfare system.

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