HIGHLIGHTSVolume 52 Issue 7

Healthcare Spending Tips .........................12Workplace Programs Charities ................13Can The Trash ................................................14DPSS General Election ................................15Retirees .......................................................16-17Holiday Safety ................................................18

WINTER 2020 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WINTER 2020 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WINTER 2020 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WINTER 2020 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WINTER 2020 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell ........................1Calendar of At-Home Events ........................2Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas ...............3Disaster Service Worker Spotlight .........4-9Employee Wellness ......................................10LA County Library .........................................11

Introducing Supervisor Holly J. MitchellOn November 3, 2020, Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell was elected to servethe Second District of Los Angeles County. Throughout her career inpublic service, Supervisor Mitchell has always worked with theunderstanding – that creating a California where all residents can thrive– means investing in the communities, families, and children of LACounty.

Having authored and passed over 90 laws in the California Legislature,Supervisor Mitchell brings an extensive public policy record to the Boardof Supervisors. Many of her bills have been at the forefront of expandinghealthcare access, addressing systemic racism, and championing criminaljustice reform.

During her tenure in the California State Legislature, Supervisor Mitchellrepresented the 54th District for three years as an Assemblymemberand later served seven years as State Senator for the 30th District.

As State Senator, she also held the distinction of being the first AfricanAmerican to serve as Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal ReviewCommittee. In this capacity, she led the passage of state budgets, eachtotaling over $200 billion for the fifth largest economy in the world.

Prior to serving in elected office, Supervisor Mitchell was CEO of CrystalStairs, California’s largest nonprofit dedicated to child and familydevelopment. In this role, she ensured that families across Los AngelesCounty gained access to childcare and poverty prevention resources.Before leading Crystal Stairs, she worked as a legislative advocate atthe Western Center for Law and Poverty. Holly J. Mitchell

Supervisor Mitchellcontinued on page 2

Visit http://hr.lacounty.gov forinformation on employment

opportunities with theCounty of Los Angeles

County DIGEST Editorial OfficeDepartment of Human Resources500 West Temple Street, Suite 588

Los Angeles, CA 90012(213) 974-2382

CountyDIGEST@hr.lacounty.gov

Members of the Board

Hilda L. SolisChair

First District

Holly J. MitchellSecond District

Sheila KuehlThird District

Janice HahnFourth District

Kathryn BargerFifth District

Lisa M. GarrettDirector of Personnel

Monica Paraja DominguezSenior HR Manager

Vanessa AlvarezEditor-in-Chief

2TV

Calendar of At-Home Events

MusicThüringer Salon Quintet Sundays LiveSunday, December 27 | 6:00 p.m.Thüringer Salon Quintet Sundays Live: Encore EditionsExperience, the best local and international performers, alongwith emerging chamber music artists, in selected encoreprograms from the 30-year history of Sundays Live atLACMA. The above programs are streamed live atsundayslive.org, downloads are available from our broadcastpartner, kusc.org.

Los Angeles County Holiday CelebrationThe 61st Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebrationtakes on a vibrant new format for 2020. Filmed on locationat The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, JerryMoss Plaza, and at sites around Los Angeles County, thebeloved three-hour showcase of 22 L.A.-based artists willair on PBS SoCal starting at 3:00 p.m. PST on ChristmasEve and simultaneously stream on pbssocal.org/holidaycelebration, kcet.org, and Holidaycelebration.org.PBS SoCal will air an encore presentation that same eveningat 7:00 p.m. PST and KCET will rebroadcast the show onChristmas Day at noon PST. A production of The MusicCenter and PBS SoCal in association with CDK Productions,the Emmy Award-winning holiday show features choirs,music ensembles, and dance companies representing themany cultures and creative diversity of Los Angeles. GivenCOVID restrictions as outlined by the Los Angeles CountyDepartment of Public Health, and the commitment to keepingartists and the public safe, the performance is presentedwithout a live audience this year.

N.Y.E.L.A.The 8th Annual Grand Park N.Y.E.L.A. is the West Coast’slargest free New Year’s Eve celebration featuring musicalperformances and high-energy DJ sets. Presented in a newdigital format, this year’s 90-minute celebration will bestreamed on Grand Park’s social media channels beginningat 11:00 p.m. with the highly anticipated 3D digital countdownat midnight. Please visit grandparkla.org for moreinformation to be announced and YouTube(@GrandParkLosAngeles) to view the performance. Dueto COVID restrictions, there will not be an event in GrandPark or audience in attendance, but viewers can still enjoythe party-like atmosphere from the comforts of home.

Effective Monday, December 7, 2020, SupervisorHilda L. Solis became the Chair of the Board of Supervisors.

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Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Returns toLos Angeles City Council

Having represented Los Angeles County’s Second District on the Board of Supervisors for three full terms, SupervisorMark Ridley-Thomas will continue to support Los Angeles County residents in his new role of Los Angeles City Councilman,representing the 10th District.

Overwhelmingly elected to serve on the Board of Supervisors from 2008 to2020, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas distinguished himself as an effective leaderon such critical issues as homelessness, healthcare, public safety, economicdevelopment, living wage, voting rights, and many more.

He previously served on the Los Angeles City Council, California StateAssembly and California State Senate, all preceded by a decade as theExecutive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference ofGreater Los Angeles.

He graduated from Manual Arts High School, and earned BA and MAdegrees and secondary and adult education credentials from ImmaculateHeart College. He also holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the University ofSouthern California, with a focus on Social Criticism and Social Change.

During his final Board of Supervisors meeting on November 24th, 2020,Supervisor Ridley-Thomas reflected on what first set him on a path to publicservice 29 years ago.

“The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said ‘Life’s most persistent andurgent question is What are you doing for others?’. Since 1991, I havebeen entrusted by my constituents to ‘do for others’. It is a responsibility Ihave always taken with utmost commitment, and it has been a career asfulfilling as one could imagine.”

Mark Ridley-Thomas

Supervisor Mitchell’s leadership has been recognized by over 100 community and business groups. She was recentlyhonored as a 2020 Visionary by Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine for making California the first state in the nation to bannatural hair discrimination with The CROWN Act.

As Supervisor, Mitchell is proud to serve the two million residents of the Second District which includes the neighborhoodshe grew up in, Leimert Park, and the following cities: Carson, Compton, Culver City, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood,Lawndale, Lynwood, parts of Los Angeles, and dozens of unincorporated communities.

Supervisor Mitchell is a University of California at Riverside Highlander, a CORO Foundation Fellow, and mother toRyan.

Supervisor Mitchellcontinued from page 1

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LA County Library Programs Help Parents,Job Seekers, and the Digitally Divided

Throughout this year, amidst uncertainty and new challenges, LA County Library has continued to serve the community byproviding essential services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Library has seen a year of successful launches ofnew offerings such as Sidewalk Service and Virtual Programming, alongside its catalog of digital resources to help thosesheltering at home. As the year comes to a close, LA County Library is now adding new services to help those mostimpacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In November, the Library launched Parent-Ade: When Life Gives You Distance Learning, a weekly series of virtualprograms that discuss a variety of topics related to the challenges parents and caregivers face during this time. Offered eachWednesday in both English (4:00 p.m.) and Spanish (5:00 p.m.), programs cover Library resources to support distancelearning, tips for managing and tracking schoolwork, ways to help children stay focused, and more. For more informationvisit LACountyLibrary.org/Parent-Ade.

Responding to record job losses and unemployment in LA County, the Work Ready program will begin in December to helpindividuals, especially in communities impacted by high unemployment and with low internet connectivity, by providing bothtechnological resources and learning support, enabling them to successfully reenter the workforce. The program will consistof six 6-week sessions in which up to 200 people will be able to check out a Laptop & Hotspot Loan, paired with a specialjob search support kit. During each session, the Library will provide weekly virtual programs on topics ranging from writingcover letters and interviewing, to identifying high-growth careers and working from home. Additionally, 20 library locationswill receive a collection of books available for checkout to expand upon the topics covered by the programs. For moreinformation visit LACountyLibrary.org/WorkReady.

In addition to programming,the Library is also expandingthe number of Laptop &Hotspot Loan kits from itspilot program to all sixty-seven Sidewalk Servicelibraries. This, along with anexpansion of free Wi-Fiservice to the parking lots of28 libraries, the Library’snew Park & Connectservice launching inDecember, will help thosewho may not have access tointernet at home and decreasethe digital divide.

To learn more, visitLACountyLibrary.org andfollow @LACountyLibraryon Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and YouTube.

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Workplace Programs is excited to spotlight our charity partners in the County DIGEST. These critical organizations providethe necessary grassroots health and human services throughout our vast County. Please take the time to learn more aboutthese organizations and join us to make a direct impact in our communities. To find out about how you can get involved, visithttps://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/charitable-giving-2/.

EarthShare California was founded in 1982 by California-based environmental and conservation groups. Their mission isto protect, support, and improve California’s natural heritage of clean air, safe water, diverse wildlife, and healthy communitiesand families. Through your donations Earthshare California provides support to various environmental and conservationgroups for Natural Environment, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice. Here are some of the ways EarthshareCalifornia supports communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creating Healthier Communities, formerly CommunityHealth Charities, is a catalyst for good health, bringingcommunities, nonprofits, and businesses together around ashared commitment to better health and wellbeing. CreatingHealthier Communities represents nonprofits, working toaddress barriers to healthy living and connecting communitieswith capital from your generous donations to powertransformative change. This group helps vulnerable populationsimpacted by COVID-19 by shoring up the capacity and buildingthe long-term resilience of our 2,000+ community nonprofitpartners, who every day ensure food, aid, shelter, and medicalsupplies are delivered to those in need.

Over the past 30 years, United Latinx Fund (ULF) has become a prominent philanthropic organization throughout LosAngeles County and is one among a few Latinx-specific funds throughout the United States. The mission is to invest insustainable, community-driven solutions lead by local nonprofit organizations that deeply impact the communities theyserve. Through the generosity of County employee donations, ULF’s community grants program has invested close to onemillion dollars in more than six hundred community-based nonprofits. ULF offers housing support programs and strategiesworking to improve job readiness, increase the number of living wage jobs, and make housing more available and affordable.

The unwavering commitment to the vitality and longevityof grassroots nonprofits remains steadfast during theCOVID-19 pandemic. In response to the need of LosAngeles’ most vulnerable communities, ULF launched theCampaign for Nonprofit Resilience – an urgent call toaction for local leaders to advocate, educate, invest in,and sustain our most essential and impactful nonprofits.

ULF is working tirelessly to ensure that the County’svulnerable populations receive the resources they needto remain healthy, earn a living wage, and maintain arespectable quality of life. Your generosity ensures thatall Los Angeles residents are cared for. Thank you!

Spotlighting Charities That Help OurCommunities

Community Charitiescontinued on page 15

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All County departments were asked to identify staff to serve a five-day assignment as Disaster Service Worker ElectionWorkers, and the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) quickly identified 1,800 departmental staff volunteers eagerto assist at various polling sites during the important November General Election.

Director Antonia Jiménez visited the Rio Hondo Community College polling site on November 2nd to thank DPSS employeesserving on the eve of the election.

Debbie Martin, Chief Deputy of the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, provided Jiménez with a shorttour of the Vote Center. With more than 500 political districts and 4.3 million registered voters, L.A. County is the largest andmost complex election jurisdiction in the nation. The Rio Hondo College site was considered one of the largest of the 750centers in the County with over 35 poll workers.

“This General Election is a reminder that we, as citizens, play an active role in our society by voting,” Jiménez said. “Votingis one way to make your voice heard. I am proud that 1,800employees in my department are serving as election workers atVote Centers throughout the County.” Through Facebook Live,Jiménez encouraged all staff and the public to exercise theirright to vote, urging the department’s social media followers tovisit lavote.net to find a Vote Center near them.

“Overall, it was a great experience,” said Secretary II MichelleBreceda, who has served as poll worker volunteer in eightelections since 2001. Breceda was assigned to the ChateauBanquet Hall polling site in Pomona in the recent election. Sheadded that she had a good feeling at the end of her assignment,knowing that her presence helped many, including seniors andnew voters, feel safe about voting in person.

DPSS Answers The CallTo Help With The General Election

Community Charitiescontinued from page 13

United Way of Greater L.A. brings together leaders across sectors, builds community, and forges coalitions to endpoverty in L.A. While their mission is to end poverty, they are evolving and centering their work around social justice andsupporting COVID-19 recovery for vulnerable Angelenos. United Way of Greater L.A. is committed to help dismantlesystemic racism and promote policies addressing the needs in low-income communities and communities of color.

United Way of Greater L.A. strives to activate communities within the County of Los Angeles to use their collective voicesto help fight poverty by addressing its root causes and long-term solutions through three areas of work: Economic Mobility,Education, and Housing.

Most recently through the Pandemic Relief Fund, the efforts were channeled to support people living outside, low-wageworkers at risk of becoming homeless, and low-income students and their families.

Funding is in the pipeline to be approved with more organizations and efforts identified every week. United Way of GreaterL.A. will continue to balance the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities with long-term investments, andcontinue to bring people together to discover solutions and work on issues too big for any one organization or person tosolve alone. United Way of Greater L.A.’s goal is to transform L.A. County, and your support is needed now more thanever to help this continue.

Congratulations for your many years ofservice to the County of Los Angeles

Retirees

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50+ YearsCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Mary A. MehargPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Naureen M. Schang

45+ YearsCHILD SUPPORT SERVICES: Frances QuaryCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Barbara AbramsHEALTH SERVICES: Jackie W. Malone, Kawajalen D.Mervin, Carmen A. Roman, Geraldine RenteriaHUMAN RESOURCES: Leticia RamosPROBATION: Debbie A. NelsonPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Ahmed H. Khan, OliviaOrta, Ana Urrutia, Margie A. WeilandSHERIFF: Debra K. Colbert

40+ YearsALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER: Lee E. RosenCHILD SUPPORT SERVICES: Annetta Wright, DennisL. DouglasCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Donna L.Fernandez, Mary L. Shyne, Guy G. Trimarchi, Dawna TamikoYokoyamaDISTRICT ATTORNEY: Rosemary Aldaz, SusanEscalera, Caridad C. Mahler-Eley, Patricia Y. MyersHEALTH SERVICES: Maria E. Arteaga, Editha S.Abaoag, Patty A. Baucham, Patricia D. Clayton Bram,Deloris J. Jones, Isabel Milan, Carolyn A. Montgomery, MarkA. Patterson, Danny Traylor, Esperanza Briones, Faye Lewis,Gloria Salinas, Joe Serrano, Sylvia J. Shaw, Glen S. Solomon,Sylvia E. PalmaHUMAN RESOURCES: Elaine E. SanchezINTERNAL SERVICES: Crise A. Arteaga, Catherine A.PerdueMEDICAL EXAMINER - CORONER: Beverly BraggMENTAL HEALTH: Dennis W. Murata, Katharine B.Van DykePROBATION: Leotha Davis, Arthur Corona, MonicaKindred-Mi, Yolanda Torres, Wanda L. WilliamsPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Anna M. Aguirre, ClaraR. Cole, Louise Hilliard, Kim N. Luong, Verdena Sanders,Kenneth D. Smith, Mae Rene’, Roshell A Johnson, SharonA. Simmons, Adriana M. Torres

PUBLIC WORKS: Calvin T. Ito, Darryl Forrester, StephenM. Lee, Walter V. Bubnow, Rebecca V. CamachoREGISTRAR – RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK:Jacqueline J. DeesSHERIFF: Marilyn E. RaySUPERIOR COURT: Luis R. Flores, Nancy A. JohnsonWDACS: Armando J. Lopez

35+ YearsCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Aida Garcia,Katherine S. Choy, Christine S. Villarreal, Jerri K. MosleyFIRE: Lorraine D. Buck, Donald N. SlossHEALTH SERVICES: Gloria Avilez, Aida Brimbuela,Silvia Espinoza, Ellen G. Jimenez, Mi M. Khin, Linda Vachon,Leena A. Zopey, Barbara L. Nunez, Pavani Vashishtha,Bonny G. Au, Edgardo L. Cheen, Carl E. Hernandez, NiwatSihavong, Steve Sosnowski, Lori M. TolliverINTERNAL SERVICES: Mark C. Bonotto, Joanne M.SwartMENTAL HEALTH: Maria E. Panduro-MoraPROBATION: Terri Bourgeois, Gary L. Huntley, Gary R.Johnson, Ernesto IbarraPUBLIC HEALTH: Hanaa N. Elmehy, Leticia Ortega,Mary SinanianPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Pamela J. Gonzales,Debora Kennison, Ramona Montes-Jimenez, Hai Tran,Patricia A. Jackson, Roberta L. Nunez, Seda ShadkamyanPUBLIC WORKS: David Herbert, Tony KhalkhaliSHERIFF: Marc P. Burruss, Thomas D. Burt, Arthur R.Miranda, Becky A. Goulet, Clementine Knox Bolling, SoheilNaimiSUPERIOR COURT: Richard M. Adams, Daniel Ceballos,Fernando Montanez, Lawrence O. Hironaka, Philip C. Rees,Kathleen A. Shepherd

30+ YearsAGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER/WEIGHTS &MEASURES: Juan F. LimonBOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Rose I. Henderson,Barbara R. Nack, Ernesto GomezCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE: Gevork SimdjianCHILD SUPPORT SERVICES: Irma Clark, EdwinaPamiltonCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Sara Palacios,Margaret E. Sanders, Scott Song, Andrea Palm, David A.FritchDISTRICT ATTORNEY: Mark DebbaudtFIRE: Walter T. Dright, Douglas L. Galindo, Richard F.Garcia, David C. Gonzalez, Herbert E. Johnson Jr, Eric A.Kuck, Phillip M. Najemnik, Robert Partida

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Retirees

HEALTH SERVICES: Dolores Aguilar, Deborah A.Alvarez, Shirley A. Aparicio, Ramzy K. Bechai, Karen L.Croot, Maher Farag, Pauline Ignacio, Loretha Jones, SandraT. Kawashima, Ki C. Kim, Paul Kwok, Reina A. Rodriguez,Harold Shimizu, Jorge L. Valle, Maria Estela Garcia,Margarita Montano, Audrey Patten, Tamara D. RollinsonINTERNAL SERVICES: Donnie L. Wright, Cyrus C.HongHUMAN RESOURCES: Deirdre J. HallPROBATION: Gilbert E. Bautista, Stephen M. Canzoneri,Carol S. Criss-Dougla, Rodger M. Dickerson, Sandra G.Green, Stephanie O. Collins, Estella M. JonesPUBLIC HEALTH: Adewole Adegoke, Anne L. Coppin,Carlos J. Reyes, Josefina C. Bautista-GuevarraPUBLIC LIBRARY: Francisco IbarraPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Dolores G. Barcinas,Karen Engly, Gee S. Ho, Sarin Ing, Laura L. Kislow, VickiWu Kuo, Helen H. Lee, Martha E. Marcucci, Maria G.Ramirez, Elsa Rodriguez, Viola Rosales, Betty J. Smith,Andrea Vasquez, Minh T. Tran, Helen D. Bolden; CarolGonzales, Adrienne C. Martin, Patricia Smith, Ann T.Nguyen, Manoush Gharibi, Lai F. ChanPUBLIC WORKS: Paul Halter, Saleh S. Khalil, MichaelVasquezREGISTRAR – RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK:Alfred Duron, Jerry M. Wanha, Ana B. BustosSHERIFF: Maricela Alarcon, Kevin L. Beggs, Coe L.Budge, Sean W. Burke, Christopher D. Cadman, Yory A.Coll, Richard R. Doray, Michelle R. Emeneger, Kim Gibson,Irene Gonzales, Robert D. Kenessey, Scott L. Mc Cormick,Toni M. Merlo, Michel R. Mcgrattan, Yolanda D. Pollard-Bowi, John M. Roberts, Edward G. Sheridan, Michael P.Treinen, Twyla E. Ventus, Stephanie A. Sloan. Peggy T.Sun, Jimmy Yee, Kristin L. Aloma, Arthur J. Clayboin, MartinRojas, Demarkus F. Smith, Michael D. Casteel, NormandA. Martin, Jeanette HicksSUPERIOR COURT: Madelyn P. Bartolome, LauraHymowitz, Barbara A. Hall, Cheryl L. Mason, Milton N.Murphy, Julie Vazquez, Lary Croutch, Deborah C. Mckie,Denise A. Tran, Vickie L. VinesTREASURER & TAX COLLECTOR: Lucy L. Low,Emma SolimanWDACS: Tsotso Odamtten

25+ YearsBOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Sara M. GomezCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE: Paul A. CoyneCHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: Quintin A.Andrews, Jana L. Eason, Elizabeth K. Edwards, TamaraHoadwoni, Sima Dashtoian, Robert Kinsey, Anna M. MedinaDISTRICT ATTORNEY: Brian P. Bennett, Deren K. Brady,Errol I. Buchanan, Diane V. Kirby-WhiteFIRE: Domonic Finks, Michael Hetherington, LethaddeusMcintyre, Robert C. OronaHEALTH SERVICES: Asmeret Abraham, Kathleen Alo,Evangeline G. Bly, Flora Caballero, Stephen Donati, BeckyS. Lee, Nhonson Luong, Yeshareg Mengesha, Wesley Petty,Fernando Salazar, Angela Smittie, Julieta Tovar, HeatherlyVandeweghe, Maria E. Orozco, Steve Shirvanian, PhillisSingleton, Elizabeth Thomas, Juanita A. Nunez, Sarah Plesetz,Hwi S. Choe, Sheila A. Cristal, Geraldo R. Watson, RogelioPerezMENTAL HEALTH: Lap T. Chu, Linette C. Woron,Debrah A. Brumfield, Juanita EscobedoPROBATION: Rex H. Oppenheimer, Hilario J. Godines Jr.PUBLIC HEALTH: Vanria S. Butler, Ligia Castro, YolandaR. Hernandez, Kamar Husain, Ceciel D. Soriano, Cruz Porras,Kimberly WalkerPUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES: Kevin Bulley, RenitaCarroll, Carlos Escobar, Leatha M. Kelley, Hrachik Nazarian,Vy T. Nguyen, Michelle R. Newson, Yolanda Polony, GloriaRuff, Charnell Hudson-Sween, Delia Luna, Leticia Martinez,Hugo A. Foco, Chiu C. MaherPUBLIC WORKS: Jackie GentrySHERIFF: Susan N. Aguirre, John R. Broad Jr, Michael F.Bryerton, Jian H. Cheng, Erick J. Gemaehlich, Titus G.Jackson, Thampi P. Kuruvila, Andrew M. Sandor, Judith M.Smith, Michael P. Stuver, Mark S. Sutherland, Colleen M.Thompson, Michael E. Parker, Aurora Carlos, Cathy E. Hayes,Guadalupe RubioSUPERIOR COURT: Barbara James, Cynthia R. Roales,Annette L. Van OldenTREASURER & TAX COLLECTOR: Ana P. Hernandez

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