2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS & 2021 GOALS
2020
was unlike any year we have ever experienced before or may ever experience again at the County of Orange. We began with several projects and goals being shifted in priority as the majority of our focus concentrated on the County ’s COVID-19 response. Throughout 2020 and moving into 2021, departments have been working hard to innovate and maintain services for more than 3 million residents within a global pandemic as well as remain committed to the departmental goals set forth in the previous year. This document highlights the work of department accomplishments throughout the County in 2020 as well as providing a vision for the operational goals planned for 2021. The County of Orange successfully pivoted to the needs of the community and stakeholders over the past year, including developing and implementing a health safety infrastructure to support and provide crisis communications and health services in response to COVID-19, as well as creating new digital and virtual based solutions to maintain access to public assistance programs. The County also introduced a new department to the organization focused on increasing accountability across identified departments addressing specific incidents and systemic issues, implemented a new voting process for the 2020 presidential election cycle with the highest voter turnout in the history of the County and innovated creative solutions to continue to engage the public with educational resources. The achievements of 2020 are a testament to the dedication of our teams and leadership in developing programs and strategies focused on improving County operations and services for the present and foreseeable future. In reflecting on the accomplishments and goals listed in this document, each County department is fulfilling and advancing the County’s mission of making Orange County, a “safe, healthy and fulfilling place to live, work, and play, today and for generations to come, by providing outstanding, cost-effective regional public services.” I am confident that this document provides a comprehensive vision to the progress and evolution taking place throughout the County, and I look forward to achieving our goals in the upcoming year.
- F rank K im , C ounty E xecutive O fficer
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
TABLE OF CONTENTS AUDITOR-CONTROLLER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND ETHICS COMMISSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CLERK-RECORDER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 COUNTY COUNSEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 DISTRICT ATTORNEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 HEALTH CARE AGENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 INTERNAL AUDIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 OC COMMUNITY RESOURCES OC ANIMAL CARE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 OFFICE ON AGING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 VETERANS SERVICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 COMMUNITY INVESTMENT DIVISION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 OC PARKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 OC PUBLIC LIBRARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 OC PUBLIC WORKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 OC WASTE & RECYCLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 OFFICE OF INDEPENDENT REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 PROBATION DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 PUBLIC DEFENDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 REGISTRAR OF VOTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 SHERIFF-CORONER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
AU DITOR-C ONTROL LER 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented CAPS+ Workflow for the electronic workflow of invoices and went live in May, providing an option to eliminate wet signatures on invoices, saving valuable time and difficulty presented by social distancing. Being on Workflow also strengthens the internal control of the transaction.
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Successfully compiled the FY 19-20 Adopted line-item budget, and prepared and submitted the FY 20-21 Countywide Cost Allocation Plan to the State.
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The Financial Reporting & Mandated Cost Unit obtained the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and OC Citizens Report for the year ended June 30, 2019. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition for excellence in state and local government financial reporting.
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Implemented Employee Self-Service (ESS), which created an efficient online process for employees to submit W4s and employee enrollment contributions (payroll deductions). ESS also automates the paper form process and laid the foundation for future online employee forms.
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OC Community Resources Accounting created a CY/FY Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Expense/Revenue Report, which is used by the Housing Program Manager to update U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s two-year forecasting tool and by budget analysts to determine appropriations.
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Social Services Agency Accounting was the lead in the coordination of temporary and permanent Homeless Assistance through CalWIN, placing critical benefits on EBT cards. This eliminated the need for clients to come into the office to receive benefits, minimizing exposure of COVID-19 for both clients and staff. Lastly, SSA AR Collections implemented All County Letter (ACL) 19-102, which has led to a cost savings due to reduced billing statements being mailed each month.
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Receive awards for achievement in financial reporting from Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and the State Controller’s Office (SCO) for FY 2019-20 report submitted.
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Submit the FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget and FY 2021-22 County Wide Cost Allocation Plan (CWCAP) to the SCO by the mandated deadline.
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Successfully close out FY 20-21 accurately and timely both from a system and operational perspective, providing department’s critical financial data.
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Complete the four-year Property Tax System transformation project providing the County with a new property tax system operating on a contemporary platform thereby replacing its 35-year-old mainframe system.
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Upgrade the County’s CAPS+ Oracle database thereby providing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to operate on the most up-to-date technology.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
CAMP AIGN FI NANC E AND E TH ICS CO M M IS S IO N 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Provided elected officials and candidates an updated Campaign Manual for 2020.
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Created an AB 1234 Ethics Training Program for County use.
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Created an Operations Guide for the office.
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Improved AB 1234 compliance.
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Continue thorough and timely audits of all campaign filings.
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Analyze and update campaign finance contribution limit.
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Update OC Ethics website.
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Improve AB 1234 Training Program.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
CH ILD SU PPORT SERV I C ES 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Orange County Department of Child Support Services (CSS) collected and distributed $199 million in Federal Fiscal Year 2020, representing an eight percent increase in collections from the $185 million previously collected in FY 2019.
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Expanded virtual child support services offered through the implementation of virtual appointments, phone appointments, virtual court hearings and a new appointment self-scheduler tool for customers.
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CSS introduced a new option of settlement conferences for the customer. The settlement conference incorporates a new business process allowing a CSS attorney to meet with customers during their order establishment process as an alternative to going through a virtual court hearing.
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The National Association of Counties has honored CSS with the 2020 Achievement Award for its “Safe Access to Child Support Services” initiative. The program focuses on child support customers who may have experienced domestic violence in their lives.
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Using techniques of case data analysis, customer surveying, customer/staff focus groups, and business process analysis, document the customer’s experience and journey in order to identify enhancement opportunities.
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Through partnership with Operational and Research teams, complete area effectiveness assessments for several case management areas in order to drive resource allocation decisions.
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In a joint effort with California Child Support Services and OC Superior Court, complete implementation of electronic filing functionality for submission of documents between case management system and court document system.
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Successfully complete final phases and closeout activities for multi-year grant from the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement to implement new digital marketing strategies and increase case openings.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
CL E RK O F THE BOARD OF S UP E R V IS O R S 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Completed the RFP process for new OC Agenda management system and entered contract with vendor.
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Continued participation in user acceptance testing for the Property Tax System project.
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Completed website migration to new County website platform.
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Served on statewide legislative committees to actively monitor, develop, review and participate in legislation affecting Clerk of the Board operations and ensure Orange County’s interests are represented.
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Continue to serve on statewide legislative committees to actively monitor, develop, review and participate in legislation affecting Clerk of the Board operations and ensure Orange County’s interests are protected.
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Complete OC Agenda project and participate in User Acceptance Testing of new OC Agenda management system.
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Work with County and statewide stakeholders to develop rules and procedures to hold Assessment Appeals hearings by video-conference during COVID19 pandemic.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
CL E RK-RE CORD ER 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
In April, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office safely resumed marriage services at Anaheim’s Honda Center. The department issued 22,897 marriage licenses and performed 11,017 civil ceremonies.
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In July, the office successfully implemented virtual marriage services. This allowed staff to issue marriage licenses and perform civil ceremonies through videoconference.
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Received the national achievement award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) recognizing the OC Weddings app and its role in Covid-19 marriage operations.
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The Orange County Business Council awarded the department with an Honorable Mention for their Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Awards public-private partnership section.
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Staff examined and recorded 781,414 property documents, with an average of 83 percent being submitted electronically.
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Continue to safely serve the public and return to normal operating procedures.
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Record at least 87 percent of documents electronically out of total documents recorded.
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Achieve over 90 percent rating of “Outstanding” or “Good” on customer satisfaction surveys.
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Index at least 98 percent of recorded documents within 48 hours.
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Implement new/upgraded technology such as Cornerstone, ClerkDocs and VitalDocs.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
CO U NTY C OUNSEL 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
COVID-19 Jail Litigation: When inmates and nonprofits pursuing an anti-incarceration agenda sued the Orange County Sheriff and sought a court order requiring the mass release of jail inmates, County Counsel defended public safety. When a federal district court judge issued a sweeping injunction that exceeded Center for Disease Control COVID-19 guidelines, County Counsel attorneys obtained a stay of that injunction from the United States Supreme Court. When a Superior Court judge ordered the Sheriff to develop a plan to reduce the inmate population in the jail by 50 percent, County Counsel deputies pushed back and persuaded the judge to not order the Sheriff to release dangerous felons into the community.
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COVID-19 Relief And Response: County Counsel supported the Orange County Board of Supervisors in the County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the use of federal relief funds to fund County healthcare initiatives, provide economic support to small businesses, and fund subrecipient grants to support city and school pandemic response efforts. County Counsel attorneys also supported the Treasurer-Tax Collector in facilitating relief for taxpayers who were unable to pay their property taxes and advised County departments on compliance with state health directives and the safe reopening of County building, parks and facilities.
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Child Protection: County Counsel continued to represent the Social Services Agency in cases of child abuse and neglect, managing a caseload of 3,491 children and young adults. In 2020, County Counsel attorneys conducted almost 2,800 child protection hearings remotely. In addition, County Counsel deputies obtained a positive outcome in almost 90 percent of the juvenile dependency cases appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeal.
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As attorneys for the County, and representing the organization as a whole, we will provide sound, well-researched, timely, clear and practical legal advice to the County’s elected and appointed officials on all matters related to their official duties and responsibilities, in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards of the California State Bar.
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Advocating for the public interest, we will support the County’s elected and appointed officials to enable them to achieve their goals on behalf of the people of Orange County, vigorously defending County officials when their actions or decisions are challenged.
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Deliver all legal services to clients as efficiently and economically as possible.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
CO U NTY E XEC UTI V E OFFICE 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Human Resource Services staff proactively assisted with the County’s COVID-19 response and all employees with timely communications and general support.
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The County’s 2020 Census efforts largely guided by the OC Complete Count Committee (consisting of various government and community partners), under the leadership of the Board of Supervisors’ Census Planning Ad Hoc was able to accomplish the fifth highest response rate among the 58 California counties. The 2020 self-response rate for the County of Orange was 76.6 percent, which was a positive 4.9 percent change from the 2010 Census.
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The Budget team was awarded the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Award.
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Following EHS’ implementation of the Cority Software, in July 2020, Risk Management finalized the purchase of the Disability Case Management module. This module automates case management of disability related challenges for County employees with a consistent approach to adherence to state and federal disability laws mitigating the County’s legal and financial exposure.
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The County Procurement Office has initiated the establishment of a formalized eProcurement Program expanding the automated environment including but not limited to providing on‐demand vendor education via social media, initiating utilization of electronic signatures for all business documents, leveraging some fully electronic solicitation options, and the launch of an automated insurance management and tracking system.
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OC Information Technology quickly met the needs of County agencies as they evolved into a remote environment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Revised business requirements included additional laptops, software and tools that helped employees seamlessly transition from the office to their home with minimal impact to business operations. The primary goal for County employees was to conduct work anytime, anywhere, from any device, without sacrificing network performance or security.
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CEO-Legislative Affairs led a coordinated effort with all 34 cities to advocate for direct federal funding in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. The County received $650 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund CARES Act, and $615 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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CEO Real Estate acquired numerous property rights to support COVID-19 testing, and the Operation Independence vaccination effort, including opening three Super-POD Vaccination sites and numerous mobile sites. Also executed agreements with hotels to house more than 500 Project RoomKey clients to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
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CEO Communications assisted in the County’s COVID-19 responses, working alongside the Board of Supervisors and HCA representatives on messaging, press conferences and openings for the County’s Super Point of Dispensing sites.
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Human Resource Services will continue to take any steps necessary to help the larger County organization with our critical COVID-19 response.
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Budget will maintain excellence in budget presentation by receiving a Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Award.
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The County Procurement Office will continue to build upon its current eProcurement environment with the completion of the insurance management and tracking system, further expansion of the automation of vendor invoicing and payment, Cal-Card utilization and payment processing, and transition to the establishment of electronic procurement file folders and signatures.
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Continue to develop processes and provide tools that support County agencies with their remote work initiative, ensuring an increased security posture while simultaneously improving accessibility to the network.
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CEO-Legislative Affairs will lead an integrated advocacy strategy to apply for state and federal funding to support programs identified in the Strategic Financial Plan, including Be Well OC, Coordinated Reentry Center and the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center.
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CEO Real Estate, in cooperation with Health Care Agency and OC Public Works, will continue planning and development of Be Well South Campus in Irvine on County property at former MCAS El Toro.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
DIS T RICT A TTORNEY 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Instituted a series of principles regarding the role of a prosecutor in society and continued to implement comprehensive criminal justice reform initiatives including programs to proliferate a Continuum of Care to support participants within the criminal justice system and for those in need. Met with numerous criminal justice reform organizations to discuss incarceration alternatives, other criminal justice reforms, and mental health services for participants within the criminal justice system.
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Collaborated with the Orange County Superior Court, the Public Defender’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department to ensure court operations continued without interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. OCDA prosecutors tried 255 trials in 2020, including 124 trials during the first nine months of the pandemic. Orange County finished its 100th trial before many counties had even tried their first case during the pandemic.
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Continued a collaborative partnership with the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (GRIP) to empower children in 60 Orange County schools to improve their academic performance, attendance and behavior, and reward their efforts with a gift card to buy a Thanksgiving meal for their families. These efforts were even more critical when students were distance learning during the pandemic. GRIP mentors continued to meet with students virtually to ensure their support system continued even if they couldn’t meet in person.
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The OCDA’s Office continued to vigorously prosecute hate crimes and work with law enforcement to train officers on how to more effectively investigate hate incidents and hate crimes in order to successfully prosecute these cases. The DA’s Office prosecuted twice the number of hate crimes from 2019 and 2020 compared to the prior 25 years.
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Continue to engage in the overall discussion, process and development of comprehensive criminal justice reform initiatives.
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Support and collaborate with government and community partners to provide incarceration alternatives that emphasize a Continuum of Care such as mental health, medical care and substance abuse solutions for participants within the criminal justice system. This includes developing a program through which prosecutors can identify participants that require mental health solutions prior to or early in the case management process and proactively address their needs through collaborative relationships with other government partners.
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Partner with community-based organizations such as Be Well OC to provide housing, substance abuse, medical care and mental health programs to those in need and those experiencing homelessness.
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Support legislation that provides participants within the criminal justice system and those in need with necessities such as housing, mental health services, medical care and other services or programs that will allow them an opportunity to thrive.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
H E ALT H CA RE AGENC Y 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Developed a solid public health infrastructure for providing COVID-19 Testing Sites to increase the capacity for responding to countywide testing demand by offering super sites as well as take home COVID-19 testing kits. This effort was accomplished through internal and external collaborations to secure public and private partnerships for addressing COVID-19.
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Coordinated resources needed in the health and medical systems to manage acute patient surges and community impacts by distributing over 23 million units of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies and ventilators. Also, deployed massive mobile field hospitals (MFH) at five hospitals throughout the County to expand capacity for COVID-19 patient surges. Subsequently, some clinics were converted into vaccination sites for the community.
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Implemented an enhanced release process for adults leaving jail custody to ensure a smooth transition and continuation of services from jail to community. Individuals being released were provided education, resource referrals, a supply of prescribed medications, and other needed services to prevent any gaps in necessary health services post discharge. Special education and referrals were conducted specifically related to decreasing the spread of COVID-19.
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Executed a comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Through Project Roomkey, the County provided non-congregate shelter to 3,413 vulnerable persons experiencing homelessness who were sick or symptomatic with COVID-19 or high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness. Additionally, the County acquired two motels through the State’s Housing and Community Development’s Homekey Program for a total of 132 non-congregate interim housing rooms that will be converted to permanent supportive housing.
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Develop and launch Operation Independence, a systematic and structured approach for providing the COVID-19 vaccine to all eligible Orange County residents in a safe and efficient manner, based on availability of supplies and competing community demands. The countywide initiative will vaccinate residents and workers to achieve herd immunity by July 4, 2021. A long-term sustainability plan will also be developed for ongoing vaccine efforts.
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Operationalize a payer agnostic campus at South Anita Drive in Orange, in partnership with the private sector that offers the following programs: adult and adolescent crisis stabilization unit, recovery station, withdrawal management, crisis residential, substance use and co-occurring residential treatment.
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Implement two countywide initiatives to significantly address homelessness in 2021. The County Emergency Rental Assistance Program will provide nearly $65 million in financial assistance to pay rental arrears and past due utilities for rental households experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19. Additionally, launch the Care Plus Program to provide services through a multi-disciplinary team for those high utilizers of multiple County department services experiencing homelessness.
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Develop, implement and sustain technology platforms and solutions to support data sharing and analytics capability enabling the development of population health and equity measurement strategies to help improve community health outcomes.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
INT ERNAL AUD I T 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Business Objectives and Key Performance Indicators: Met 10 of 12 Key Performance Indicators focused on the Internal Audit Department’s business objectives of providing customer-centric, high-quality and cost-effective services by professionally licensed staff.
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Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Engagements: Completed 27 engagements with 53 recommendations, which included two critical control weaknesses and 15 significant control weaknesses. In addition, department management concurred with 100 percent of Internal Audit Department’s recommendations.
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Recommendation Follow-Up: Internal Audit Department follows up on all audit recommendations to ensure management takes corrective action to implement them. During FY 2019-20, IAD completed 13 follow-up audits and noted 28 recommendations were successfully implemented.
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Customer Service: The overall customer rating for “value received” on FY 2019-20 projects was 96 percent. The customer survey of Audit Services focuses on the usefulness of the audit, communication with the client, quality of the audit findings and recommendations, and professionalism of the audit staff.
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Audit Oversight Committee (AOC) Retreat: Planned and executed the first ever OC AOC Retreat, which included a robust training program and best practice round table discussion. The roundtable discussion resulted in the establishment of an AOC sub-committee where best practices are discussed, evaluated and implemented as needed.
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Licenses/Certifications: One staff earned the Certified Information Systems Auditor professional certification, and two staff obtained the Certified Fraud Examiner professional certifications.
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Business Objectives and Key Performance Indicators: Meet and exceed all 12 Key Performance Indicators focused on IAD’s business objectives of providing customer-centric, high-quality and cost-effective services by professionally licensed staff.
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Customer-centric services: Continue aligning audit services and products to be more customer-centric by providing more preventative services and products such as training and facilitated workshops. Specifically, during 2021, IAD plans to implement a countywide internal control training program to offer to all County departments. In addition, IAD plans to conduct Business Process Improvement Workshops to assist departments in identifying areas within their business processes where they can improve accuracy, and/or be more effective and efficient, along with assisting departments in re-designing those processes to realize improvements.
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High-quality services: Continue expanding the coverage of audits covering high-risk information technology areas to better align our limited resources with emerging cybersecurity risks. In addition, expand the use of “agile auditing” to allow us to be more nimble, efficient and effective by focusing on the highest risk areas, establishing clearer outcomes, and increasing client engagement by delivering quick, contemporaneous results.
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Cost-effective services: Complete upgrade of audit management software to the latest version, which is web-based and includes enhancements that will result in more efficient execution of audit planning, fieldwork and reporting. In addition, continue expanding the use of data analytics software to increase the value delivered through 100 percent coverage, highlighting every potential issue and/or anomaly, and helping us quickly identify the root causes of issues.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
J O HN WAY NE AI RPORT 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
In response to COVID-19 impacts, John Wayne Airport implemented numerous airport-wide operational changes to address health and safety concerns, fiscal viability and tenant sustainability, and provided support to the County’s Emergency Operations Center.
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Extended Terminal utilities (electric, gas, water and waste) to within the leaseholds of future concession spaces — establishing utility connection points specifically for new concessions and provided power to the majority of the seats in the airport hold rooms.
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Collaborated with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to reduce Airport Police staffing costs.
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Completed maintenance on critical electrical infrastructure including all Airport Automatic Transfer Switches and two substations.
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Welcomed four new entrant air carriers, introducing seven new markets and reinstating service to Mexico in 2021, and integrated first new carrier, Spirit Airlines, into the Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) for self-service check-in and Flight Information Display.
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Launched the AirPAWS Therapy Dog Program in partnership with Orange County Animal Allies, which brings trained therapy dogs to the Thomas F. Riley Terminal to help make travel more enjoyable for JWA guests.
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Launched the OC AirPASS program, which allows guests an opportunity to access the secure areas of the Terminal. Guests without a boarding pass can now shop, dine and greet friends and relatives when they arrive at the gate or accompany them before their flight.
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Complete Rental Car Redevelopment Project.
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Submit Fixed Base Operator redevelopment plans for permit review.
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Upgrade existing inbound baggage systems in Terminals A and B to current baggage system standards, including modifying size, layout, and mechanical and electrical controls.
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Modify/extend the terminal curtain wall in two locations to accommodate two new food service concessions.
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Upgrade all JWA IT network components to provide better reliability, security and performance enhancements to airport systems.
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Enter a Managed Services Agreement with OCIT for JWA network maintenance and security monitoring.
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Complete scheduled airfield safety projects.
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Create a “Helping Hands Video” to showcase what the program offers to the public to support UCI’s Center for Autism as a training tool and promote the program.
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Promote new concessions as they come online with live stream events, media and social media promotion, and guest outreach.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
O C COMMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - O C ANI MAL C ARE 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Kept essential shelter operations running while implementing new safety protocols to maintain staff and visitors’ safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Increased the combined save rate for dogs and cats compared to 2019 by about two percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic, modified processes and staffing changes.
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Worked with community partners to develop and execute the Family Fur-st Drive-Thru Pet Food Pantry, a monthly event designed to provide pet food to pet owners needing support. Six events were held totaling to 25,324 pounds of pet food distributed and 2,144 pets helped.
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Responded to three catastrophic fires: Bond, Silverado and Blue Ridge. For all fires, shelter staff brought in and cared for a combined total of 88 pets from the evacuated areas. Animal Control Officers helped staff the incident command post, and coordinate and support pet owners with the safe transport of over 600 horses and other large animal pets.
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Responded to multiple separate large-scale hoarding situations including 110 rabbits, 40 cats and 37 dogs. Staff examined, treated, cared for and found an appropriate placement for these pets.
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Form new collaborative partnerships to provide resources to community pet owners needing support so they may continue caring for their pets and avoid relinquishing ownership due to hardship.
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Expand and promote public education such as opportunities to learn about responsible pet ownership and disaster preparedness for community pet owners.
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Increase outreach opportunities and continue to implement innovative marketing ideas to help place traditionally longstay shelter pets into loving homes quicker and decrease the overall length of stay.
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Increase intra-agency communication and collaboration toward a clear mission by focusing on training, policies and procedures.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
O C COMMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - OF F IC E ON AGI NG 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Provided successful oversight and administration of about $70 million in additional funding to support dramatic increases in senior nutrition services due to COVID-19.
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Finalized procurement for all California Department of Aging-funded programs for the next four-year cycle and executed contracts.
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Received Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) re-designation from CDA and three-year grant awarded for $510,000.
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16
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Participate in County’s effort to develop plans and strategies for implementing California’s Master Plan for Aging at the local level.
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Participate in County’s effort to streamline call center services and client intake systems.
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Allocate State funding increases to support senior nutrition programs that help older adults remain safely at home during COVID-19.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
O C CO MMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - VETE R ANS SERV I C E O FFICE 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented the College Fee Waiver automated software application with 1,859 applications received and 858 tuition fee waiver claims processed. This resulted in a total cost award of $4,942,908 (saving in tuition fees to veterans and their dependents).
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Received allocation of funds for five new Veterans Claims Representative positions.
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Assisted in establishing monthly Coffee Talk with Veterans as a virtual forum for staying connected with veterans in the community during COVID-19.
2 0 21 G OAL S •
Hire, onboard and seek State accreditation for five new Veterans Claims Representatives.
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Develop a monthly communication tool which highlights the Veterans Service Office’s accomplishments, success stories and important information to create transparency and consistent communication with stakeholders.
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Implement a Veterans Claims Representative campus liaison to support student veterans at community colleges.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
O C COMMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - CO MMUNI TY I NV ESTM E N T D IV IS IO N 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented READY S.E.T. (Skills, Education & Training ) OC Earn and Learn Program for youth (ages 14-24).
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Hosted first virtual job fair with over 700 job seekers in attendance.
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Implemented Economic & Recovery Call Center, which served 14,291 individuals in a nine-month period.
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Implement services for adults and youth who are justice involved at Theo Lacy Facility and Manchester Office Building (MOB).
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Implement the OC One-Stop Mobile Unit, which will provide workforce services throughout the County of Orange.
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Expand Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services into the Orange County Library System.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
O C CO MMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - O C HOUSI NG & C OM M UN ITY D E V E LO P M E N T 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Under the OC Community Resources 2020 NOFA, received and processed requests for 176 project-based vouchers and $16 million in capital funding for 11 projects. These projects will produce 692 supportive and affordable housing units.
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In partnership with CEO Real Estate, OC Health Care Agency and the co-applicant and developer, Jamboree Housing Corporation, submitted funding applications to the State for Homekey Program funding and received $20.6 million for two properties producing 132 units of interim housing to be converted to permanent housing within the next five years.
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Applied and received 124 Mainstream vouchers to provide rental assistance to non-elderly disabled individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Completed more than 25 Community Development activities contributing to enhanced access and services for low-income households, seniors, youth and those experiencing homelessness throughout Orange County.
2 0 21 G OAL S •
Fund the development of 340 supportive housing units a year for the next four years to meet the remaining goal (based on the current units in the pipeline) of developing 2,700 supportive housing based on the June 2018 Housing Funding Strategy.
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Maintain funding and explore/apply for new funding opportunities for community development activities and to expand the supply of affordable and supportive housing.
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Fully utilize Federal relief funding to support housing and community needs in the community due to impacts from the pandemic.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
O C COMMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - OC PARK S 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Completed Seven-Year Capital Improvement Plan.
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Completed historical facilities improvement projects, including seismic retrofit of George Key Ranch Historic House and restoration of North, West and East exterior sides of Old Orange County Courthouse building.
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Completed facility infrastructure maintenance improvements, including replacement of three pedestrian bridges at Clark Regional Park, replacement of a shade structure at Craig Regional Park, replacement of restroom building at Laguna Niguel Regional Park, remodel of amphitheater at Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, installation of new shade sails at Mason Regional Park, and replacement of an Arizona crossing at Caspers Wilderness Park.
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Secured over $6 million in grant funds.
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To protect the safety of visitors in response to COVID-19, delivered a virtual concert series consisting of six concerts that garnered about 140,000 views, and provided seven physically distanced, on-site drive-in events attended by over 7,000 people.
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Complete OC Zoo Large Mammal Exhibit and construction of Irvine Regional Park drainage improvements.
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Complete Mile Square Regional Park Expansion Master Plan.
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Complete final design for Craig Regional Park Bike Facility and Crawford Canyon Park in North Tustin.
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Complete Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park Visitor Center and open it for the public’s use, including restrooms, park offices, interior exhibits and interpretive displays.
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Restore Stone House second floor and Opid Cottage at Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens.
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Complete facility infrastructure maintenance improvements, including new accessible fishing dock at Tri-City Regional Park, amphitheater remodel at Carbon Canyon Regional Park, restroom replacements at Carbon Canyon and Ted Craig regional parks, replace/build new shade shelters at Yorba, Mile Square, Irvine and Santiago Oaks regional parks, and Caspers Wilderness Park.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
O C CO MMUNI TY RESOUR CE S - O C PUBLI C L I BRARI E S 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented curbside pick-up service and Grab & Go service to allow for safe browsing and access to library materials.
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Created virtual programming that reimagined patron engagement which included: Zoom author events, how-to video instructions, Zoom book clubs, reading recommendations, craft video demonstrations, food literacy, storytimes in seven languages, and teen online activities.
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Offered Back-to-School events at various library locations and safely distributed free books, crafts and resources to underserved communities.
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Adapted annual reading programs to include quarterly online offerings in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
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Partnered with the OC Registrar of Voters to host voting centers and ballot drop boxes at various library locations as well as created a non-partisan voting information and resource guide for the Orange County voter.
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Launched the Internet Access Initiative: Bridging the Digital Divide including: ◦ W iFi on Wheels – made mobile WiFi antenna trailers available in under-connected neighborhoods accompanied with library staff safely providing library cards and books in multiple languages for residents needing internet access. ◦ WiFi hotspot lending – made available to library card users for a three-week checkout period. ◦ Expanded WiFi beyond library walls to provide access to employment, health, public safety, distance learning and community connection information.
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Provide equitable services responsive to the cultures, languages, abilities and other diversities through library resources, community-conscious services and multilingual programming.
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Create digital content and virtual programming responsive to community needs during the pandemic.
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Provide modified spaces to connect, learn, relax and grow for our community members according to pandemic safety practices.
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Harness community outreach and engagement through creativity and innovation by providing additional avenues to connect with our communities, such as online chat, email and text.
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Provide educational and recreational resources, support distance learning, and increase access to the internet through WiFi expansion in libraries.
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Reach and engage underserved communities by offering voting resources, voting centers, access to the internet through mobile vehicles and WiFi hotspots, and literacy services.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
O C P U BLIC WORK S 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented numerous Countywide COVID-19 safety measures, including installation of protective shields, touchless fixtures and other safety measures at County facilities and temporarily reopening the Joplin Youth Center and other facilities as COVID-19 preventative measure for people experiencing homelessness.
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Managed over $150 million in Capital Improvement Program construction projects and nearly $40 million in maintenance construction projects.
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Secured Board of Supervisors approval of the $1.3 billion OC Public Works (OCPW) and OC Community Resources SevenYear Capital Improvement Program.
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Prepared 10 Prado Dam Land, Easement, Relocation, Right of Way and Disposal (LERRD) Credit Claims for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers review valued at about $72,647,836.
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Awarded County’s first horizontal Design-Build construction contract valued at $85.1 million.
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Received approval of Project Cooperation Agreement Amendment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow federal funding for Santa Ana River Mainstem Project construction, possibly resulting in saving $337.4 million.
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Department Safety Program & Task Force: A program will be built that includes core objectives, policies, procedures and workplace safety programs such as the Safety Coin, as well as foster a safe and inclusive working environment through tailgate meetings, Eureka training and monthly All Hands meetings.
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Continue to work on the Department-wide Project Delivery Manual and align horizontal and vertical processes by July 31, 2021. Update the Construction Management manual and streamline existing processes, e.g. reduce unnecessary processes, administration and approvals. These changes will be documented in the Project Delivery Manual. The updated Construction Management manual will also be an attachment/reference to the Project Delivery Manual. Continue collaborative efforts toward building department-wide uniform Project Delivery Manual for OCPW and County use.
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Develop and implement the AssetWorks Enterprise Business Solution Operations & Management (O&M) and Capital Planning Project Management modules for initial use by the vertical and horizontal O&M and Capital Delivery teams. Create an index of all capital lifecycle cost for each County property and Capital Assets. Create an index of all required preventive maintenance cost for each County Property and Capital Assets. Develop a staffing and training plan to prepare business units to effectively transition to the Enterprise solution beginning July 2021. Implement AiM Asset Management program/Capital Planning Project Management in the horizontal project delivery process. Implement AssetWorks (AIM/ CPPM) in the vertical project delivery process.
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County Administration Building North: Complete Underground Parking Structure in March 2021; complete Steel Superstructure and Top Out in July 2021; complete Permanent Power and Make-ready Minimal Point of Entry/Intermediate Distribution Frame (MPOE/IDF) Rooms in December 2021.
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East Garden Grove - Wintersburg Channel: Full completion of all design elements and significant completion for the East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel Improvements Project by December 31, 2021.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
O C WAS T E & REC Y C LI NG 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Completed construction of composting facilities at Bowerman and Prima Deshecha landfill sites; launched operations at Bowerman, leading the regional response to Senate Bill 1383.
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Initiated process for Zone 4 development at Prima Deshecha Landfill to allow for simultaneous operations in both Zones 1 and 4.
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Pivoted to a Resource Recovery Facility model: Launched metal recycling, white goods and mattress recovery programs at all three sites.
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Enhanced organizational safety culture, resulting in a best-in-the-nation safety award from the Solid Waste Association of North America for the OC Safety Program.
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Refined and continued build-out of Standard Operating Procedures program to standardize and codify in support of safety and operational efficiency objectives.
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Remediated Bowerman Landfill following destruction caused by the Silverado Fire.
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Complete process to extend Olinda Alpha Landfill permit through 2036.
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Launch Capistrano Greenery composting operations at Prima Deshecha Landfill and establish and complete composting pilot at Olinda Alpha Landfill with best available technology.
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Commence dialogue on Waste Disposal Agreements for future negotiations.
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Complete RFP process for new franchise hauler long-term contracts.
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Further expand recycling programs at landfills and increase education and outreach on legislation.
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Complete remediation of Bowerman Landfill.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
O F F ICE O F I ND EPEND ENT R E V IE W 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Re-established Office of Independent Review (OIR) following years of dormancy, including the hiring of an investigations manager to assist in oversight of County justice-related agencies.
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Initiated four investigations: (1) the use of force by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) (2) use of force by the Orange County Probation Department; (3) the treatment of evidence by OCSD, District Attorney and Public Defender; and (4) the use of psychological testing in the hiring of sworn peace officers. The OIR made significant progress regarding the force investigations, for which the OIR reviewed dozens of force-related policies; attended force-related Sheriff’s academy and in-service training; and analyzed more than 150 use-of-force incidents.
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Provided advice to the District Attorney, Social Services Agency and Probation Department on critical policies, with the goal of improving County services, minimizing potential harm, and mitigating risk.
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Received and reviewed hundreds of community complaints.
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Met with and developed relationships with stakeholders and community groups.
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Established necessary information sharing agreements with several County agencies and obtained two court orders to ease receipt and review of confidential information.
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Complete and publish reports regarding the use of force by the OCSD and Probation departments; complete investigations regarding the treatment of evidence by relevant departments and the use of psychological testing in the hiring of sworn officers.
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Investigate and review systemic issues and incidents identified through risk assessments and other factors.
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Develop and establish a program of volunteer, independent jail monitors to assist the OIR in collecting information to better assess conditions and potential risks.
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Devise and recommend mechanisms to provide positive recognition and incentives to County employees who perform duties in an exemplary fashion.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
P ROBATIO N D EPARTMENT 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Community Corrections System Integrated Services: Continued participation in workgroups covering all pillars of the County’s Integrated Services Vision. Completed assessment of all juvenile facilities and have incorporated practices that embrace integrated services as we determine the best allocation of resources in order to incorporate and implement the County’s Integrated Services Vision Model for 2025.
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The Youth and Family Reporting Center (YRC) was able to transition to a virtual format to continue to serve as an alternative to confinement, despite the limitations created by COVID-19. Planning discussions continue on the renovations needed to open the Anaheim YRC site.
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SB 81 Multipurpose Rehabilitation Center (MRC): Construction of the MRC began on February 21, 2020. The construction is continuing and expected to be complete in Fall 2021.
2 0 21 G OAL S •
Continue to provide cost effective, efficient public safety services through the delivery of evidence-based supervision and support strategies intended to reduce long-term recidivism for juvenile and adult offenders.
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Continue the implementation of the Continuum of Care reform of the out-of-home placement and foster care system in California in collaboration with the OC Health Care and Social Services agencies, including the development of a Family Urgent Response System.
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Open the new North Youth Reporting Center as a new alternative to detention/family support site.
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Open the new SB 81 Multi-purpose Resource Center for system involved youth their families and our collaborative partners.
25
C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
P U BLIC DE FEND ER 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
In 2020, Public Defender received the Department of Defense, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award.
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On January 11, 2020, Public Defender Attorney Manager Brian Waite was honored as the Attorney of the Year by the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association.
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On November 20, 2020, Valerie Preciado, Public Defender Defense Investigator, was awarded the Investigator of the Year by the California Defense Investigators Association.
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Public Defender continued to utilize one of the highest number of interns among County departments.
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Public Defender hosted the 2020 Working Wardrobes Accessory Drive, and staff generously donated to the regional nonprofit that empowers men, women, young adults and veterans to overcome barriers, so they can achieve the dignity of work.
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Our office worked closely with the nonprofit Project Kinship to provide mental health services, legal advice, family support services, health and wellbeing programming, support and recovery groups, workforce training, and referrals for needy.
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Successful implementation of legislative mandates effective 2021.
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Out of court collaboration with stakeholders to produce better outcomes for system-involved individuals in the criminal justice system, dependency system, juvenile justice system and mental health system.
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Advocate for all clients in the Criminal and Delinquency Courts of Orange County.
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Advocate for the parental rights in Dependency Cases and protect the rights of individuals in the Mental Health Courts of Orange County.
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Utilize Recidivism Reduction Advisors to reduce the costs associated with repetitive crimes and incarceration.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
RE G ISTRAR OF V OTERS 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Implemented 2020 presidential elections without major problems or incidents using the Vote Center model, which included sending 1.7 million official ballots to all Orange County voters, operating nearly 200 Vote Centers, and 110+ ballot drop boxes, resulting in the highest voter turnout for a presidential primary since 2000 (50.1 percent) and presidential general since 1964 (87.3 percent). These operations were conducted successfully despite extreme scrutiny, anxious public interest, a tense political climate and worldwide media attention.
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Continued federal and state partnerships to protect Orange County election systems against vulnerabilities.
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Successful marketing and outreach campaigns, identified as best-practices by a number of organizations, to inform voters of the Vote Center model and safe voting options in light of COVID-19 and fire impacts.
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Deployed new voting equipment, remote accessible vote-by-mail, and video conferencing (including American Sign Language) to enhance voter experience.
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Administered risk-limiting audits and the manual 1 percent tally as post-election audits.
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Reconfigured election operations in light of COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, including online training, storage and delivery of equipment and supplies, increased vote-by-mail returns, daily ballot drop box pickups, and the only elections office to offer drive-thru voting in California, which was at the Honda Center.
2 0 21 G OAL S •
Plan for and conduct elections using the successful methods deployed during 2020 related to safe voting environments using COVID-19 precautions.
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Conduct the Second Supervisorial District special election in March 2021 without major problems or incidents.
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Conduct OCERS retirement elections without major problems or incidents.
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Enhance new voting system with requested changes and software updates from (and in partnership) with our existing vendors.
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Obtain ISO-9001 quality management system certification (only election office in the U.S. seeking quality assurance certification).
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Improve Vote Center planning and operations based on experiences and lessons learned from the 2020 presidential election cycle.
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Move additional print jobs from County customers to being fulfilled by Printing and Graphics division.
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Continue community outreach and speaking engagements in virtual settings and in-person when and if it is safe to do so.
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
S H ERIF F - CORONER 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Successfully responded to several countywide emergencies including a pandemic, civil unrest and multiple wildfires.
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Established a pilot program to expand the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s School Mobile Assessment and Resource Team (SMART) to three additional Orange County cities. The Sheriff’s Department entered into an agreement with the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove and Irvine for SMART, which is comprised of deputies and officers specially trained to assess threats to the safety and security of students, staff and schools in Orange County. With the expansion, SMART will serve about 265 schools in Orange County, up from 112.
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Began the process to implement the use of body-worn cameras by Orange County Sheriff’s deputies.
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Began construction of new modern jail housing at the James A. Musick Facility. The complete construction will include a 512-bed facility and 384-bed facility.
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Convened multiple community meetings to discuss law enforcement-community relations. The meetings provided an opportunity to enhance relationships among the public and law enforcement.
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Maintain low violent crime rates and reduce property crime.
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Continue to address homelessness, mental illness and drug addiction within Orange County through the work of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Behavioral Health Bureau and participation in the County of Orange’s Integrated Services Plan.
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Complete construction of a majority of the behavioral health housing modules at the Orange County Jail.
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Create a real-time crime center to better analyze and prevent threats to community safety.
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Relocate the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center to a facility that can accommodate the staff and functions of this critical resource. Additionally the Sheriff will work to resolve iniquity in state and federal funding to Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
S O C IAL S ERV I C ES AGENC Y 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
To ensure access to critical public assistance benefits during the pandemic, the County of Orange Social Services Agency expanded call center hours and coverage, mobilizing 84 additional staff as call agents; activated a novel drive-through benefits issuance; and enhanced online services to allow clients to apply for / check on CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs.
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During the pandemic, SSA staff volunteers conducted 65,500 welfare calls on elderly and disabled In-Home Supportive Services clients, facilitated 350 food and essential item deliveries and made thousands of referrals to community resources to ensure critical needs were met. SSA received a CSAC California Counties Innovation Award for these efforts.
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SSA secured approval from the California Department of Social Services to issue a one-time stipend to over 13,500 eligible CalWORKs families in Orange County to help with unforeseen expenses related to distance learning for school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Federal law requires all states to implement Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) for Medicaid-funded personal care services. Through concerted education and outreach efforts, SSA achieved a 99.24 percent compliance rate, totaling 66,243 IHSS providers and recipients enrolled in the California EVV portal in 2020.
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SSA secured a total of 207 participating restaurants across 30 of 34 Orange County cities in the County’s Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), increasing food options for elderly, disabled and homeless CalFresh recipients. Since 2018, over 327,000 meals have been served, generating $4.7 million in revenues for local businesses.
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In FY 2019-2020, SSA’s Families and Communities Together platform delivered critical services from 15 Family Resource Centers to over 12,000 clients. With a vision of ensuring all children grow up in stable, nurturing families, and safe, supportive communities, FaCT’s evidence-based tools help strengthen families and prevent abuse before it begins.
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SSA will implement a new lobby design with technology enhancements for more efficient lobby flow, an improved customer experience and consistency in lobby flow processes, for all SSA regional public assistance benefit office locations.
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SSA will enhance the agency’s outreach function, programs and processes to allow for increased public awareness and community engagement, and increased accessibility and responsiveness to continue to meet the needs of our community, especially with hard to reach populations.
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Awarded $637,000 in grant funding for Transition Housing Program and Housing Navigator Programs, SSA will earmark funding that will be used to help young adults ages 18-25 secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults formerly in the foster care or probation systems.
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SSA will pilot a two-year program in Orange County that pre-enrolls incarcerated individuals for CalFresh benefits when they are within 30 days of release from a correctional facility. This pilot will increase program access, streamline the application process, help individuals successfully reenter the community and potentially reduce recidivism rates.
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SSA, in partnership with the OC Health Care Agency and the Probation Department, will mobilize a County mobile response team to respond to caregiver and youth calls received through the statewide Family Urgent Response System (FURS), to provide current / former foster youth and their caregivers access to immediate 24/7 support.
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Continue to participate in the mandated California CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) implementation plan. A local, data-driven program management system that facilitates continued improvement of county CalWORKs programs, Cal-OAR collects, analyzes outcomes/best practices and reviews client engagement, addressing “How are we doing?” and “Where can we do better?”
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C OU NTY O F O RA N GE 2 02 0 Accompli shme nts and 2021 Goa l s
T R E AS U RER-TAX C OLLEC TO R 2 0 2 0 ACCOM PLI S H M E NT S •
Protected the safety of the public funds entrusted to the Treasurer with no investment losses (ocgov.com/ocinvestments).
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Canceled the property tax auction for the third straight year (ocgov.com/octaxauction).
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Created online Property Tax eGuides for Small Business and New Homeowners (ocgov.com/ocpropertytaxguides).
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Implemented a Financial Tip of the Week (ocgov.com/ocfinancialinfo).
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Billed a record $7.5 billion in secured property taxes.
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Our “Stay Home, Stay Safe, Pay Online” program increased electronic property tax payments to 64 percent with eCheck, the most cost effective way for the County to process payments, increasing to 30 percent.
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Provided tax relief for over 5,600 taxpayers by canceling penalties, saving them over $3.6 million.
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Continued to provide various payment options and services while the County Service Center was closed.
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Protect the safety of the public funds entrusted to the Treasurer with no investment losses.
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Ensure liquidity to meet the cash flow needs of the County and Educational Districts during COVID-19.
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Provide tax relief by canceling penalties for taxpayers who qualify.
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Restructure the pooled funds to streamline operations in the Treasury and Investment Divisions.
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Communicate our “Stay Home, Stay Safe, Pay Online” program to increase use of electronic payments by taxpayers.
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Complete upgrade of Treasury Management System.
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Migrate to new website format for ease of use by taxpayers.
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Create additional online Property Tax eGuides, such as New Businesses.
C OUN T Y OF O R A N G E 2020 A ccom p l i s hm ents a nd 2 0 2 1 G o a l s
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© COUNTY OF ORANGE 2021
