Issues

Baby Girl Safely Surrendered at Hospital in Montebello

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the third time this month and 13th time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby girl. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on Tuesday, September 29 at a hospital in Montebello.

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

“It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to give up a child, but this mother bravely made the better choice for her baby girl—No shame. No blame. No names,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Safe Surrender, an idea born from tragedy, has grown into a truly life-saving, and life-giving program. Though we’ve been able to save the lives of 137 babies so far, we need to continue spreading the word that there is a safe, secure and anonymous way for mothers, who find themselves in a desperate situation, to get their baby into safe hands—at any fire station or hospital, any time—and protect them from abandonment.”

This is the 13th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 137th since the program began 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.

Baby Boy Safely Surrendered at L.A. County Fire Station in Lancaster

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the second time this week and 12th time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred this morning, September 16, 2015, at a fire station in Lancaster. A baby girl was also safely surrendered on September 11, 2015 at a hospital in Long Beach.

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

“I am thrilled to hear that, in less than a week, two babies have been given a second chance at life and the opportunity to grow up in a loving family thanks to the Safe Surrender program,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Safe Surrender, an idea born from tragedy, has grown into a truly life-saving, and life-giving program. Though we’ve been able to save the lives of 136 babies so far, we need to continue spreading the word that there is a safe, secure and anonymous way for mothers, who find themselves in a desperate situation, to get their baby into safe hands—at any fire station or hospital, any time—and protect them from abandonment.”

This is the 12th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 136th since the program began 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.

Baby Girl Safely Surrendered in Downey

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the 10th time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby girl. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on August 15, at a hospital in Downey.

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.

“After recent news of tragic abandonments of newborns, I am thrilled that information about the Safe Surrender program is providing a better option to mothers who find themselves alone and in desperate situations,” said Supervisor Knabe. “I appreciate the media helping us spread the word that there is an option to hand-over a baby safely and anonymously—No shame. No blame. No names.”

This is the 10th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 134th since the program began nearly 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.

Rancho Los Amigos to Undergo $418 Million Renovation

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, one of the nation’s leading hospitals for rehabilitative medicine, is beginning a $418 million state-of-the-art renovation, known as Rancho Rising 2020, which will significantly enhance the care offered by the jewel of Los Angeles County’s healthcare system. The needed upgrade secures Rancho Los Amigos’ future as a top-ranked rehabilitation hospital with technologically advanced facilities, expansion of clinical and research initiatives and increased accessibility for patients and the community.

“Rancho Los Amigos supports patients in need of rehabilitative services with cutting edge technology and innovative medical practices,” said Supervisor Don Knabe of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “It has consistently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s best hospitals. Imagine how much more we can accomplish on behalf of our patients after we expand patient facilities, upgrade aging buildings, improve Rancho’s technological readiness and beautify the campus.”

The first phase of construction, scheduled for completion in 2016, will result in a new Wellness & Aquatic Therapy Center, including a new therapy pool, which will increase Rancho Los Amigos’ capacity to provide physical therapy. The second phase includes needed seismic safety and facility renovations, construction of a centralized entrance and refurbishment of the historic Harriman Building. The renovated structures will allow the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services facility to better meet safety, ADA and privacy requirements. Phase two will be completed by 2020.

Supervisor Knabe and Rancho Los Amigos CEO Jorge Orozco, PT invite the media and public to the Rancho Rising 2020 groundbreaking ceremony, which will take place on August 19, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.

Supervisor Knabe, along with the Department of Health Ser vices and Chief Executive Officer, is also advocating federal legislation to expand the partnership between LA County and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide health care to veterans Rancho Los Amigos and other non-VA facilities. H.R. 4810 and H.R. 3230 are currently pending in the U.S. Congress. The bills would provide quicker access to care for veterans who experience long wait-times at VA facilities and would allow veterans to choose non-VA medical facilities and have access to services closer to their homes.

“The demands on Rancho will be increasing as more veterans are referred to this amazing hospital,” said Supervisor Knabe. “We must expand our state-of-the-art facilities so that our clinicians can continue to provide outstanding care for people with a life-altering illness, injury or disability, including our national heroes who have suffered casualties serving their country,” Supervisor Knabe said. “This groundbreaking will throw a spotlight on the pioneering work that has been accomplished at Rancho for more than 125 years. The campus upgrade and enhanced technology will provide the means and infrastructure for Rancho staff to continue changing lives.”

In addition to H.R. 4810 and H.R. 3230, another congressional bill is pending in Congress (Preserving Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act of 2015, H.R. 2292) that would designate Rancho Los Amigos a Rehabilitation Innovation Center, highlighting the unique role played by Rancho and other facilities in the provision of quality rehabilitative care and advancing the field of rehabilitation medicine. If the bill passes, the new facilities will complement this new status for Rancho Los Amigos, which would qualify it for higher Medicare payments to cover additional costs for complex Medicare patient care, research, and training that currently takes place at the county hospital.

Jacobs Engineering Group is leading the construction project, and Taylor Design/SmithGroup JJR is the architectural firm charged with designing the new buildings. Gensler is the scoping document architect. The hospital will remain open and fully functional during the 5-year construction process, all of which will take place on the 48-acre northern portion of Rancho Los Amigos’ Downey location.

“These necessary updates will advance our mission to restore health, rebuild life and revitalize hope for all of our patients,” said Orozco. “Amazing things happen at Rancho every day and the new campus will be clear evidence that we are leading the rehabilitation field with our remarkable patient care and research.”

Rancho Los Amigos is the only Los Angeles County Department of Health Services hospital that provides specialized care for persons with disabilities, including spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, orthopedic disabilities, strokes, neurological disorders and physical and developmental disorders. Rancho Los Amigos cares for 4,000 inpatients and services 71,000 outpatient visits each year.

The Rancho Rising 2020 telephone hotline will be available for questions and comments in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the duration of the construction, and can be accessed by calling 562-219-4771.

Baby Boy Safely Surrendered at Los Angeles Hospital

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the ninth time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred earlier today, August 11, at a hospital in Los Angeles.

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.

“A week after a newborn baby boy was found abandoned in a stroller on a street in south Los Angeles, and one day after another baby was abandoned in Santa Clarita, I am thrilled to hear that a mother made the better choice and safely surrendered her baby boy,” said Supervisor Knabe. “The recent abandonments of two newborns in Los Angeles County were near tragedies, but they were also opportunities for us to remind mothers, who may find themselves alone and in a desperate situation, that there are options to hand-over their baby safely and anonymously—No shame. No blame. No names. Thank you to our partners in the media for reminding the public about the Safe Surrender program.”

This is the ninth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 133rd since the program began nearly 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.

Baby Boy Safely Surrendered at Fire Station in Tarzana

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the eighth time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy last week. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on July 2, 2015 at a fire station in Tarzana.

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.

“It is incredible to know that this baby’s innocent life was saved because of the Safe Surrender program,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Thanks to the courage of this mother, who found herself in a desperate situation, this baby boy has a second chance at life and the opportunity to grow up in a loving family. If other people, who may be in a similar situation know that there are options, they too can make the better choice for their baby and safely surrender them at any hospital or fire station—No shame. No blame. No names.”

This is the eighth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 132nd since the program began nearly 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.

“Hire LA’s Youth” Program to Employ 20,000 Youth

Young people were disproportionally impacted during the recession and recovery of youth employment opportunities has been slow.  Gaining work experience and training is critical for young people seeking entrance to the job market.

The Youth Employment Program has been a key component of the Youth Workforce Development System for over 30 years in the County and City of Los Angeles.  Now launching year-round, the HIRE LA’s Youth program is expected to connect over 20,000 youth from across the region to employment.

When:  Wednesday, July 8, 2015, 11a.m.

Where:  County Hall of Administration – West edge of Grand Park, across the street from the Music Center, above the fountain

Speakers:

  • Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
  • Representatives from supporting companies, including Blair Taylor, Chief Community Officer, Starbucks; and Lisa Deloney, Managing Director and Market President, Citibank
  • Youth participants

L.A. County Parks Providing Free Lunches, Snacks for Youth This Summer

In partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Education, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is providing more than 250,000 free lunches and snacks to children across Los Angeles County this summer at 48 County parks and eight non-agency sites.

The weekday Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) program is running through Friday, Aug. 7, with lunches served between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and snacks provided between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Exact times vary by location.

Created to help reduce the percentage of young people in the United States challenged by obesity and lack of consistent access to nutritious food, SFSP aims to provide a healthy alternative for children while school is out for the summer.

Monday through Friday during each week of the program, children 18 years of age and under are invited to receive a nutritious lunch and snack, fare that includes such offerings as sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and healthy dairy products like milk, string cheese and yogurt. In order for participating parks to qualify for the program, they must service areas within the geographical boundaries of an elementary, middle or high school attendance area with at least 50% of its students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

Parents or guardians interested in enrolling their children in this free program can call the Los Angeles County Summer Lunch Program Office at (310) 965-8630, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Knabe Continues Fight to End Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in L.A. County

In an effort to better protect and keep safe the young victims of child sex trafficking, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe will put forth two motions at next Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting:

  • Supervisor Knabe will call for the expansion of the County’s Safe House Program in order to create more safe places throughout the region where minors, who are in danger of being exploited by pimps and traffickers, can go to for help. http://bit.ly/csec-safe-house
  • Supervisor Knabe and Supervisor Hilda Solis will ask for the creation of a protocol to administer programs and services for victims of child sex trafficking in Los Angeles County. http://bit.ly/csec-unified

“The number one challenge we are facing in our war on child sex trafficking is keeping kids safe,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Nearly twenty years ago, I created the Safe House Program to protect our most vulnerable population from danger. Now, we have an opportunity to expand a lifesaving, but underused, program to reach children who are being sexually exploited for money. We must leverage every resource available to ensure these victims have a safe place in their own community where they can go to for help. There are fire stations, community centers and libraries all over the County where these children could escape the streets and their trafficker and get the protection they need.”

Once we have the victims in a safe place, we need to have the proper protocols in place to give them the tools and services they need to seek a better life.  The County must bring together all of the good work we are doing and create a consolidated program to ensure we can serve these girls, and give them an opportunity to overcome their trauma.”

Third Baby Girl Safely Surrendered at Los Angeles County Hospital in May

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the seventh time this year and third time this month with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby girl this week. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on May 27, 2015 at a hospital in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, a baby girl was safely surrendered at a hospital in Lynwood on May 2 and another baby girl was safely surrendered at a Los Angeles area hospital on May 8.

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.

“It is incredible to know that three young, innocent lives have been saved this month because of the Safe Surrender program,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Because of the courage of the mothers, who found themselves in desperate situations, these three baby girls have a second chance at life and the opportunity to grow up in a loving family. If other people, who may be in a similar situation know that there are options, they too can make the better choice for their baby and safely surrender them at any hospital or fire station—No shame. No blame. No names.”

This is the seventh Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 131st since the program began nearly 14 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 BabySafeLA.org.