Issues

First Safe Surrender Baby of 2012 Born in Pasadena

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the first time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn. This most recent safe surrender occurred on January 10, 2012 at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.

The mother gave birth to the baby boy at home then called paramedics and said she wanted to safely surrender the infant. As is standard practice, the baby boy is in protective custody and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“The Safe Surrender program was created to give a mother, no matter what the situation, a safe, secure and anonymous way to get her child into safe hands and to protect a baby from abandonment,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Thanks to the Safe Surrender program, this baby boy has a second chance at life and hope for a bright future.”

This is the first Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2012, and the 89th since the program began ten 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.

Probation Department Begins Training to Combat Child Sex Trafficking

The Probation Department and Juvenile Delinquency Court has been awarded $350,000 per year, for the next three years, to implement a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program for sexually trafficked females in the juvenile justice system.

Over the past several years Los Angeles County has seen a significant increase in the number of sexually trafficked youth, and is recognized among law enforcement as one of the major hubs for sex trafficking in the State and Nation.  Currently the county lacks victim centered services for sexually trafficked youth who are in the juvenile justice system.

The proposed program will be a part of a partnership with the Courts, Federal and local law enforcement agencies, medical/mental health services, and community providers. The goal is to develop an effective partnership and diversion process that includes rehabilitative services for sexually exploited youth who are currently in the criminal justice system in Los Angeles County.

The program will be funded by the newly awarded Title II Formula Block Grant that supports state and local delinquency prevention, intervention efforts, and juvenile justice system improvements.   The pilot program will include medical and mental health assessment, enhanced supervision, focused treatment and services either within a placement program or in the community, mentoring, and aftercare.

For more information about the new training program, please contact Michelle Guymon at (626)236-5405 or Hania Cardenas at (562) 335-7760.

LA County Takes Up Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking

At today’s Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting, Supervisor Don Knabe commemorated National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.  “While we often think of child sex trafficking as a problem in other countries, it’s happening right here in our backyard to girls as young as 11 and 12,” said Knabe.

The children arrested for prostitution are often released, as it is a misdemeanor charge.  “We think these numbers are representative of a much larger number of girls forced into prostitution who have not yet been arrested, or are not being determined to be sexual victims in screenings when placed in either foster care of the juvenile justice system,” said Knabe.  “It’s the biggest problem we have on this issue – we don’t know what we don’t know.”

Knabe recognized employees from the Probation Department, Michelle Guymon and Hania Cardenas, for their initiative and leadership in raising awareness of this issue.  “Michelle and Hania have gone above and beyond their regular duties, spending countless hours of their personal time, to shine a light on this travesty and advocate for rehabilitation and healing that is specific for victims of this crime,” said Knabe.

Knabe also called for the Probation Department to track and gather more statistics to better understand the breadth of the issue.  Based on this increased knowledge, he called for more aggressive prevention tactics to combat the problem and more focus on developing aftercare programs.  Knabe asked for the Department to look at the possibility of establishing a special unit in Probation, dedicated to sexually exploited minors and the development of specialized services for the victims of this horrendous crime.

“These young girls have often suffered in their own homes and then move to a life on the streets where they are further victimized by local pimps and gangs,” said Knabe.  “As a grandfather it is horrifying to think of the lives these young girls face.  We must do everything we can to get these girls off the streets and on a path to a better life ahead.”

Full Nightly Closures Coming to I-405 North at Seal Beach Boulevard

The northbound I-405 freeway between Seal Beach Boulevard and the I-605 interchange will be closed nightly for several weeks beginning Saturday Dec. 10.

Nighttime closures will take place seven days a week; between 11 p.m and 5 a.m., Monday through Friday, and between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. The work will last approximately three to four weeks.

These full northbound I-405 freeway closures are necessary as part of the northbound I-405 / westbound SR-22 / 7th Street connector reconstruction. Crews will perform the closure in order to erect false work over the freeway for the 7th Street bridge.

Detours:

  • From the northbound I-405, exit Seal Beach Boulevard, turn right and proceed north on Seal Beach Boulevard / Los Alamitos Boulevard. Turn left on Katella Avenue to access the northbound I-605 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Seal Beach Boulevard, turn left and proceed south on Seal Beach Boulevard. Turn right on Westminster Avenue and then turn right on Studebaker Road to access the northbound I-405 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Westminster Avenue, turn left on Westminster Avenue and proceed west. Turn right on Studebaker Road and proceed northbound to access the northbound I-405 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Westminster Avenue, turn left on Westminster and proceed west. Turn right on Seal Beach Boulevard, continue north on Seal Beach Boulevard / Los Alamitos Boulevard then turn left on Katella Avenue to access the northbound I-605 on-ramp.

For a full breakdown of all work planned for next week, including recommended detours, please visit the Closure & Detour Notice for the Week of Dec.4, available here.

Knabe Delivers State of Los Angeles County

Supervisor Don Knabe delivered his annual state of Los Angeles County to a capacity crowd at a luncheon at the Long Beach Convention Center today, hosted by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

In his fifth annual address, Supervisor Knabe called for more focus on supporting businesses, creating jobs and reforming programs.  With the County’s caseloads for programs and services at an all-time high, he encouraged public/private partnerships to  put people back to work.

“With the crunch on our resources and a near doubling of our caseloads since 2007, we must be even more diligent about where our money is spent.  We may not be able to solve the world’s financial crisis, but we can get our own house in order,“ Knabe said.  Citing examples of workforce training efforts between Cerritos and El Camino colleges and local auto dealerships he said, “One of the most frustrating things I read about is seeing that companies have jobs they can’t fill because workers don’t have the knowledge they need. It’s important that we all play a role in building the skills of our local workforce.  We have the largest automotive market in the country and these programs are helping young people prepare for good careers, while meeting the workforce demands of our local businesses.”

The full speech is available onlineand can be watched on Supervisor Knabe’s YouTube Channel.

County’s Child Care Rating System Receives $7.6 Million in New Funding

Despite serious cuts to child development programs, Los Angeles County’s child care rating system continues to grow, thanks to a significant new grant from Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) that will allow for dozens of additional child care centers to be inspected and graded.

The rating system, called the Steps to Excellence Program (STEP), was launched by Supervisor Knabe in July 2007 as 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 started as a pilot in nine communities across the County, including Long Beach.  Currently, over 400 child development centers and family child care homes participate 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.  It is supported with funds from the County of Los Angeles, the California Department of Education, the First 5 LA Commission and now LAUP.

The $7.6 million grant from LAUP will enable the STEP program to sustain its current operation and allow for expansion of the program into 15 new communities over the next five years.

“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 and that is why this program is so important.”

In Los Angeles County, it is estimated that more than $1.9 billion is spent on child care services annually and the demand for services and facilities continues to grow every year. With this escalating 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 assesses six key areas including safety, program quality, teacher qualifications, and whether or not the center can accommodate children with special needs.

For more information about STEP, contact the County Office of Child Care at (213) 893-0505 or visit www.childcare.lacounty.gov.

Knabe to Address the ‘State of the County’

Supervisor Don Knabe will be addressing the state of Los Angeles County and the Fourth District at a luncheon at the Long Beach Convention Center on Thursday December 8, 2011 at 11:30am, hosted by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

In his fifth annual address, Supervisor Knabe will speak about the ongoing challenges of the global economic crisis and the impact of the state budget on Los Angeles County.  With the County’s caseloads for programs and services at an all-time high, he will discuss how the public and private sectors must join together to put people back to work.

Constituents can view a live streaming broadcast of the “State of the County” address through Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/supervisorknabe and clicking the play button. Utilizing this feature will allow anyone to view the broadcast as well as allow them to chat with other viewers about the topics addressed in the Supervisor’s speech.

County employees interested in viewing the broadcast can watch it by visiting http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ask-don-live1.

Any organization wishing to simulcast Supervisor Knabe’s address can embed the video stream from the link as well.

Metrolink Kicks Off 15th Annual Holiday Toy Express

Metrolink officially kicks off its month-long Holiday Toy Express Tour on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 5:00 p.m. in Anaheim, in conjunction with the launch of the  Southern California Firefighters’ Spark of Love Toy Drive.

Between Nov. 18 and Dec. 18, the 450-ton train will spread cheer across the Southern California region, making 32 stops over five weekends.

The festive train will be decorated with more than 50,000 lights and include a flat car that will be used as a stage for the musical show featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus. Cities hosting the train’s stop have additional events before and/or after the train arrives.

“Metrolink’s Holiday Toy Express has become a tradition that Southern Californians look forward to. We are truly honored to be a part of an activity that brings us together during the holidays and puts smiles on so many faces,” said Richard Katz, Metrolink Board Chairman. “We are grateful to the cities that have supported the Holiday Toy Express. This is truly a united effort to spread cheer across the region.”

Events at all stops, except Camp Pendleton, are open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their friends and family, as well as one or more unwrapped toys to donate to Southern California Firefighters’ “Spark of Love Toy Drive”.

Please click here to see the full schedule.

County Golf Courses to Offer Discount for Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day, all veterans with proper military identification will receive a fifty percent discount on green fees (excluding tournament play) all day on Friday, November 11.

“As Veterans Day approaches, it is important that we recognize the many contributions that Veterans have made for our great County over the years,” said Supervisor Knabe.  “This is a small way that we can honor our veterans on this special day and thank them for the many freedoms we enjoy today.”

For more information on “Veterans Appreciation Day” contact your local County golf course.

 

Los Angeles County Golf Courses

 

Alondra Golf Course: (310) 217-9919

Altadena Golf Course: (626) 797-3821

Diamond Bar Golf Course: (909) 861-8282

Eaton Canyon Golf Course: (626) 794-6773

El Cariso Golf Course: (818) 367-6157

Maggie Hathaway Golf Course: (323) 755-6285

Knollwood Golf Course: (818) 363-1810

Lakewood Golf Course: (562) 429-9711

La Mirada Golf Course: (562) 943-7123

Los Amigos Golf Course: (562) 869-0302

Los Verdes Golf Course: (310) 377-7370

Marshall Canyon Golf Course: (909) 593-8211

Mountain Meadows Golf Course: (909) 623-3704

Santa Anita Golf Course: (626) 447-2331

Victoria Golf Course: (310) 323-4174

Chester Washington Golf Course: (323) 756-6975

Whittier Narrows Golf Course: (626) 288-1044

Knabe Nominates Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell to Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe announced Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell as his appointee to the “Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence.” The Commission was established by the Board of Supervisors to investigate use of force by Sheriff’s deputies in the County jail system and report back with recommendations for a corrective action plan.

“Chief McDonnell has had a distinguished career in law enforcement and is a respected leader in policing issues,” said Knabe. “His experience serving in Los Angeles County’s two biggest cities will be vital to formulating new ideas on how to deal with the issues in our jails.  Chief McDonnell’s knowledge as a user of jail systems and his understanding of the incredibly difficult job our deputies face will bring a unique perspective to the Commission.  I appreciate his willingness to serve.”

Chief McDonnell was a 28-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, before taking over as Chief of the Long Beach Police Department in 2010. Chief McDonnell served as one of former LAPD Police Chief William J. Bratton’s top assistants, and was a leader in instituting reforms to the department. While with the LAPD, he was awarded the department’s highest award for bravery, the Medal of Valor.