THE BUZZ: October 2019

OCTOBER 2019

ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY • OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS & COMMUNITY RELATIONS • EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

A Message from the Agency Director

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have had time to reflect on my recent State of the Agency meetings and while it was exhausting, it was also exhilarating. Exhausting in the sense that I had a very short time period to get them all done but once they were scheduled and I had the first one under my belt, they actually fueled me. I really did feed off of your energy, questions, suggestions, and critique.

Many of you expressed concern over the impact of the Trump administration’s changes to Public Charge. As you may know, federal judges in California, New York, and Washington State issued temporary injunctions blocking the October 15 implementation of the changes. Your outrage and advocacy must have been heard from California to New York and someone was listening.

We can only hope that this temporary reprieve is long lasting and that this critical human rights issue will be adjudicated in favor of immigrant communities throughout our nation.

IN THIS ISSUE 1 Agency Director’s Message 1 SSA Builds POWER: 3rd Annual Legislative Breakfast 3 Why SSA Employees Love Driving County Electric Vehicles 4 2019 Summer Youth Internship Program 6 The Day Everything Went Dark: Through the Lens of the IHSS Provider Division 7 Holiday Job Fair Makes Spirits Bright for Job-Seekers 7 Workforce Professionals Networking Soiree 8 CST Presents: Saturday Stroll at Lake Merritt 8 SSA Staff Volunteer at Food Bank

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SSA Builds POWER at 3rd Annual Legislative Breakfast WRITTEN BY: Lorena Briseño, Office of Policy, Evaluation, and Planning

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n August 23, the SSA’s Office of Policy, Evaluation and Planning (OPEP) proudly welcomed over 127 community partners to its third Annual Legislative Breakfast, “Building POWER: Policy, Opportunity, Will, Engagement, Resilience.” The sold out event—held at the California Endowment in Oakland—provided community partners an opportunity to engage and learn about the Alameda County legislative process and priorities.

Event participants brought their POWER and enjoyed a Cafecito con la Comunidad while Agency Director, Lori A. Cox, kicked off with welcome remarks to a morning of envisioning an Alameda County for All. Keynote speaker, Jessica Bartholow, Policy Advocate at Western Center on Law & Poverty, delivered an amazing talk on Finding Our POWER and discovering the inner advocates within us. Policy Director Anissa BasocoVillarreal provided a brief update on changes to the County’s Legislative Platform and legislation and budget issues at the State, Federal, and local levels. She also highlighted the many ways SSA and community partners have joined their POWER and collaborated to support Alameda County communities over the past year.

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County of Alameda Social Services Agency

Continued from page 1: A Message from the Director We talked a great deal about the current state of homelessness in our County. As I acknowledged, there is no quick or easy fix to this multi-dimensional issue. However, the County is committed to dedicating the financial and human resources needed to implement meaningful short and long term solutions to address this urgent issue. The Agency will continue to work with shelter providers and community partners as we develop local and regional approaches to housing the unsheltered.

Finally, my State of the Agency meetings are a great vehicle to see a lot of you at one time. You should know that it is not lost on me—the challenging and life essential work that you do on a daily basis. I am very proud to be able to work with each of you.

– Lori

Continued from page 1: 3rd Annual Legislative Breakfast Speaking on Building Community POWER was a dynamic panel of community experts: • Seciah Aquino, Senior Manager, California Immigrant Policy Center • Patti Castro, Director, Alameda County Workforce Development Board • Larissa Estes, Executive Director, ALL IN Alameda County • Stephen Knight, Director of Policy & Partnerships, Alameda County Community Food Bank • Clair Ramsey, Senior Staff Attorney, Justice in Aging During the Voicing Our POWER workshops, individuals engaged in group discussions on a variety of topics impacting County residents including data, livable wages, healthcare, homes, employment, and food for all.

The morning concluded with Tomorrow’s Panelist and Director of POWER. SiLin Huang and Jose Murillo, Policy the Alameda County Workforce Development Fellows and Data Analyst Assistants who Board, Patti Castro interned over the summer with OPEP, shared their stories as a reminder of the resilience and compassion our future holds. Simply stated by Jose, “We—the youth—harness the power of tomorrow by letting us get involved today.

We’re living through the issues that are most relevant while trying to find solutions. We’re the bridge between the leadership of today and tomorrow.”

the coming year.”

Participants left the event empowered and inspired to continue to foster partnerships with government agencies and other community organizations. Lenore McDonald, Director of Fund Development and Government Relations from the Center for Elders Independence, remarked, “Thank you for the meaningful and motivating event. It was the best yet. The keynote and panelists were outstanding. We’re your partners! Thanks for engaging CBO’s in the conversation to inform SSA’s legislative priorities for

Martha Kreeger of the Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women commented, “This was my first year attending the SSA Legislative Breakfast and I loved it! It was really uplifting.

The environment was very collaborative and invigorating. It was amazing to see such a powerful group of leaders come together in one space for the good of the common individuals and families we serve!”

Check out this video of event highlights. #SSAPOWER19

SSA’s Office of Policy, Evaluation, and Planning

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Why SSA Employees Love Driving County Electric Vehicles WRITTEN BY: Brittani Gallagher, Electric Vehicle Associate

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General Services Agency

o make the County’s operations more sustainable, General Services Agency’s (GSA) Transportation Division has been replacing gas-powered vehicles with all-electric vehicles (EVs). Since EVs do not burn gasoline, they do not emit any toxic or environmentally destructive tailpipe emissions. On top of that, the County buys electricity that is 100% carbon and emissions-free, which means driving these vehicles emits absolutely zero emissions. This makes them much better for the environment and the health of the residents we serve. Beyond that, driving EVs can also make your day-to-day job easier and more enjoyable. Read on to learn more about why three of your fellow coleagues choose EVs whenever they’re going out in the field.

Anthony Calarco, a Child Welfare Worker, drives County EVs for almost all of his work-related trips. He chooses EVs over gas-powered vehicles because he finds them easy and convenient to use, and he knows they are better for the environment. According to Anthony, driving an EV makes his job easier when going to court because, thanks to priority EV parking, he can always find available parking in a convenient location--not to mention not having to walk up or down the hill at the Juvenile Justice Center.

“Whenever I’m going out in the field, Bolts are definitely my number one choice,” says Darneisha.

Child Welfare Worker Darneisha Tutwiler’s cases bring her everywhere from Contra Costa County to San Jose and everywhere in between, so she is another big fan of the County EVs. She loves the County’s new long-range Chevrolet Bolt EVs that go over 200 miles on a single charge. “Whenever I’m going out in the field, Bolts are definitely my number one choice,” says Darneisha. In addition to the high-tech features that the Bolt is equipped with—including a back-up camera and a system that notifies her when she forgets something in the back seat—Darneisha also loves that she is able to save time by driving in the carpool lane thanks to the HOV lane stickers.

Jesenia Gil, another Child Welfare Worker, always makes her vehicle reservations far in advance to ensure her first choice vehicle, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, is available. Jesenia feels confident that the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s range of more than 200 miles is almost always enough to get her where she needs to be and back on any given day in the field. Like Darneisha, Jesenia is also a big fan of the Bolt’s high-tech features, including the fact that she can easily plug in her phone to see GPS directions right on the vehicle’s screen. Jesenia also loves that when driving the Bolt EVs—or any of the County EVs for that matter—she is able to avoid having to go to the gas station. Instead, she just plugs her EV back in when she returns from her trip, which takes just a few seconds.

By choosing an electric vehicle for your on-the-job travel, you can also enjoy the benefits described by Anthony, Darneisha, and Jesenia. Please email sustainable. transportation@acgov.org if you have questions about renting County EVs.

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Growing the Future of Public Service: 2019 Summer Youth Internship Program

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WRITTEN BY: Andrea Wong, Office of Public Affairs

t the heart of the SSA Summer Youth Internship Program is the drive for growth. Even after six years of operation, the program continues to thrive and evolve, with the support of staff throughout SSA departments and the participation of talented, motivated youth from across Alameda County and beyond.

Growing in numbers The 2019 program ran for eight weeks, from June 17 through August 9. As a result of increased participation from SSA departments, the program hired a total of 25 interns— five more positions than were offered in 2018. Interns were selected through a competitive application and interview process open to incoming high school seniors and continuing undergraduates.

of an individual’s adaptability and nimbleness. Although they were supportive, supervisors wasted no time in immersing their interns in the rigors of their departments’ activities. The interns rose to the challenge of not just gaining and developing tangible skills to complete tasks, but also developing the mindset to succeed in a professional setting.

In the 2019 cohort, 47% of interns were first generation college students. 47% came from households that have received some form of public assistance. 50% were receiving public assistance while attending college.

IHSS intern Angela Ortiz reflected, “The word ‘humbling’ comes to mind when I think about what this summer has taught me. Working in social services is no easy task as it has many components that involve multiple people.

There must be a heart to be in this profession due to the amount of responsibility that is entrusted to us to help people in our community.”

Interns were placed in a variety of SSA departments/ programs: Division of Aging and Adult Protection; Veteran Services Office; In-Home Supportive Services Payroll; Finance; Office of Public Affairs; Office of Policy, Evaluation and Planning; Workforce Development Board; and Workforce and Benefits Administration (Eastmont, Eden, and Fremont offices).

Growing personally In addition to providing on-the-job learning experience, the summer youth internship program offered enrichment opportunities to participants, including bi-weekly workshops. Topics included financial literacy and building credit; “Knowing Your Rights” during encounters with law enforcement; and personal safety and self-defense strategies.

Growing professionally Getting acclimated to a new work environment can be daunting to anybody—much less an 18-year-old experiencing their first real office job—and is a true test “David Diouf (IHSS Payroll, Supervising Clerk II) has taught me the importance of workforce deadlines along with the skills and tools needed to be successful in the call center. David made sure that I had all my questions answered and was always available if I didn’t understand something. David brings a wealth of knowledge as well as great positive energy.”

Nancy Mejorado, IHSS intern and UC Berkeley student, was inspired to pursue a career as a public defender after meeting attorneys David Carlisle (left) and Desiree Woods.

—Brian Turner Jr. (left)

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Continued from page 4: Summer Youth Internship Program The panelists agreed that the path leading to a County career can be a twisty or unexpected one, where one may have to try a number of positions or work settings before finding the right fit.

“So, you want to work for Alameda County?” was the parting question and theme of the final workshop.

Detra Teal from County Human Resources and Kim Ngo from SSA’s HR provided an overview of the civil service application and hiring process, and even challenged the interns with a practice exam. A key takeaway was that math without a calculator isn’t so easy to do!

To support interns’ career exploration, a panel of speakers from various County agencies shared their journey through public service and advice for thriving in their field of expertise. Pictured from right to left: • Faith Battles, Division Director, SSA Children & Family Services • Tess Desseaux, Web Designer II, ITD • Sabrina Farrell, Assistant District Attorney, DA’s Office • Lisa Haefele, Fund Development & Grant Specialist, Public Health Department • Martin Neideffer, Captain, Sheriff’s Office • Beverly Warren, Supervising Financial Services Specialist, SSA

Growing connections The saying goes, “It takes a villlage to a raise a child.”

It also takes strong teams and caring supervisors and colleagues to guide and inspire. As a result of the investment of time and energy by SSA staff across departments, interns made connections and memories that they will carry with them into their future.

Jose Murillo, OPEP intern, enjoyed working with supervisors Hollis Williams and Sabrina Jean “because of the confidence and trust they have in their interns.

They always look for ways to challenge us in order to sharpen our skill sets and encourage our personal and professional growth. I feel confident in my ability to be a proactive agent of change within my community.”

Small gestures of kindness and friendliness from other staff helped interns feel at ease and welcomed.

Jacquez Marable, summer lunch assistant at Eastmont said, “I enjoyed working with Veronica Martinez (Eligibility Support Clerk) because she and her other colleagues didn’t make me feel like an intern; they treated me as if I’ve been working with them for years.”

See more of our 2019 Summer Youth Interns and their adventures in this video compiled by Public Affairs intern Brianna Tran.

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The Day Everything Went Dark: A Clear View Through the Lens of the IHSS Provider Division

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WRITTEN BY: David Diouf, Supervising Clerk II In-Home Supportive Services Program – Payroll Unit

magine this: you’re at work and your cell phone goes off. You hear a chorus of ringtones begin to fill the air as your colleagues’ phones start to chime in harmony, alerting them to what PG&E has coined a Planned Safety Power Shut-Off (PSPS). You know that the outage is not confined to your home, but your children’s schools and your place of employment will also be impacted.

As a supervisor, I was bombarded with questions, concerns, and recommendations. They say a team is only as good as its leader and thankfully, Alameda County’s In-Home Supportive Services Provider Division (IHSS) leadership/management team rose to the occasion.

On Tuesday, October 8 at 8:07 am, we received notification that a PSPS would in fact impact Agency operations at many of our major locations, including the Eastmont offices. Immediately our department’s directors were on conference calls, meeting with the County’s Information Technology Department (ITD), and communicating with Agency Director Lori A. Cox to develop a contingency plan during the power outage.

By 1:00 pm that same day, we had a plan. ITD would house the IHSS Call Center at their new ultra-modern office on 13th Street—equipped with a vault relaxation room, no less.

were escalated as deemed appropriate. Supervising Administrative Specialist Saundra Pearson’s records reflect correspondence sent as early as 5:00 am to mitigate the impact of the outage on clients while also disseminating information and serving as a liaison on countless calls, emails, and text messages. Our goal was to ensure that every client could still receive the information and services they needed.

On Thursday, October 10, we were welcomed with open arms at the ITD office. All ITD staff were extremely gracious and hospitable; we were even provided a tour of their new Batman-esque “Batcave” office. The ITD team met with IHSS management prior to our call center launch. By 8:30am we were online and were able to service over 400 clients at our remote call center location.

On Wednesday, October 9, ITD worked throughout the day and into the evening to reroute the call centers, which included a “mission” to get into the Eastmont offices after hours to secure the call center phones.

Coordination was also needed to provide dozens of laptops for staff to access the necessary databases. In the meantime, we made it work with a combination of onsite and telecommuting staff. Client concerns

The lights may have gone off for thousands of PG&E customers, but our focus was never blurred. In fact, the threat of darkness illuminated the resilience and commitment of staff to our Agency’s core values. It was a testament to who we are collectively as public servants, as I am sure that the resilience I just described was reflected throughout every department in the Agency. “This is a disaster – this is what we do; we come in to work,” stated June Albor, Specialist Clerk I, IHSS Public Authority Division.

As the saying goes, “We have many members but one body”—and that’s what it feels like to work for the Alameda County Social Services Agency. Lights Out! Photos taken by Chris Zachlod, ITD

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Holiday Job Fair Makes Spirits Bright for Job-Seekers

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WRITTEN BY: Ramona Wilkins, Program Manager, Workforce & Benefits Administration

SA’s Eastmont team of Job Developers and Career Development Specialists hosted the 2019 Holiday Job Fair on October 10 in collaboration with Lao Family Community Development, Inc. at Lao’s new center located at 2325 E 12th St, Oakland.

Kaiser Permanente, Transportation Security Administration, PepsiCo, and Impossible Foods were among the 24 employers in attendance. All employers were very excited to see and greet more than 200 eager and enthusiastic job seekers.

On-the-spot interviews and job offers were made along with scheduling future interviews.

Both employers and job seekers were very happy with the outcomes of the job fair, making this event a winwin for everyone. They are all looking forward to the next event.

A special thank you to Lao Family Community Development, Inc. for their partnership and the use of their facility.

Thank you to the SSA staff and management from the Eden, North Oakland, and Eastmont offices that participated and volunteered to make this event a success.

Photos taken by Rochelle Baxter-Green, Job Developer

Fostering Community Connections: Workforce Professional Networking Soiree

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WRITTEN BY: Shannon Murphy, Career Development Specialist (Out-Of-Class)

he Workforce Professional Networking Soiree was held October 16 at the Eden Multi-Service Center in Hayward. The purpose of this event was to provide a positive, upbeat environment for workforce professionals to meet face to face, build a rapport, and enhance their resources in Alameda County and beyond. The goal was to bring together community partners and employers in hopes of collaborating and uniting forces to provide wrap-around services within the community and to the clients we serve.

We had more than 55 attendees representing 15 different community partners and 10 employers. Each organization was hand-picked by the Career Development Specialist (CDS) and Job Developer (JD) teams to foster new relationships and recognize and strengthen existing connections.

As the leads for the event, out-of-class CDS Lisa Almaguer and I appreciated the contributions and support from senior management, the Eden CDS team, and Employment Counselor colleagues to the successful planning and execution of the event.

The feedback we received far exceeded our expectations, as attendees expressed enjoyment and tangible benefits from their attendance. Our team looks forward to hosting similar events.

Enjoy this video, compiled by Kimberly Nutting, CDS.

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SSA Communications Strike Team

CST Presents

Saturday Stroll with Staff around Lake Merritt

From left to right: Olive (the group’s very friendly mascot!), Mitzi Richardson, Diarra Piggué, Barbara Lovely, Michanne Bohanon, and William Yu. Not pictured: Andrea Wong and Sylvia Soublet.

October 19’s group of walkers made it out early enough to Lake Merritt to nab prime street parking and enjoy a morning of lovely views, conversation with familiar faces and new friends, and spa water and freshly baked blueberry muffins courtesy of Director of Public Affairs, Sylvia Soublet.

Fall Harvests for Households in Need: SSA Staff Volunteer at Food Bank

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t’s clear that there is no shortage of kindness and care for the commuity at SSA when our volunteer sign-ups fill up in a matter of minutes! The Saturday, October 12 volunteer event at the Alameda County Community Food Bank brought together staff from across SSA departments. Kelly Watson from TACT said, “I was happy to volunteer my time all the while envisioning the families that will benefit from our work.”

From left, back row: Doreen Dorsey, Faith Battles, Melissa Phillips, Natalie Tibbs, Kelly Watson, Carolyn Bims-Payne, Angelica Machado Perez, Lisa Beverly, Joyce Robertson, Sylvia Soublet, C’Mone Falls, Jose Fortuno, James Wax. In front: Loftiness Akuila, Andrea Wong.

Check out this video.

CONTACT THE BUZZ Send comments to Sylvia Soublet • ssoublet@acgov.org Content and Design Editor: Andrea Wong

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