Innovative programs that improve food safety, develop job prospects for high school students and streamline the way the County’s roads are maintained are among five programs recognized with prestigious Merit Awards by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC).
“These well-deserved awards illustrate the great work being done by County employees putting the public’s hard-earned tax dollars to work improving life in San Bernardino County,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Robert A. Lovingood. “These five programs are examples of how the County is working hard and working smart to create a community where residents and investors can prosper and achieve well-being.”
Each year, CSAC honors best practices in county governments in California. This year, CSAC received 275 entries from counties throughout California. The County of San Bernardino won four CSAC awards in 2017, four in 2016, three in 2015 and 2014, five in 2013, three in 2012, two in 2011 and one in 2010.
The County has won more than 300 state and national awards for innovative and cost-saving programs since 2010, including 42 awards from the National Association of Counties in May.
In CSAC’s Government Finance, Administration and Technology category, County departments won three Merit Awards.
· The Environmental Health Services Division won for the Elevated Risk Plan program which improved food handling practices at food facilities that had a higher risk of causing food-borne illnesses and helped operators learn to achieve long-term compliance.
· The County’s Workforce Development Department won for the Generation Go! Work-Based Learning Program which helped 14 high school students complete their medical assistant certification work experience hours at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in May 2018. The program also prepared 452 students to complete a job readiness class in summer 2018 in order to go on to enroll in a credit-earning work experience course at a community college.
· The Fleet Management Department won for the In-House Vehicle, Title, Registration and Plates program which eliminated delays in obtaining registration, title and license plates from the Department of Motor Vehicles. The County is responsible for more than 6,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment ranging from golf carts to earth movers. Fleet Management staff learned they could become internal DMV registrars with training through the DMV Business Partner Automation Program. San Bernardino County is the first governmental DMV Business Partner in California.
In the Health And Human Services category, the Department of Behavioral Health won a Merit Award for its Video Interpretation program. Behavioral Health partnered with the Health Care Interpreter Network to pilot the use of a real-time video interpretation system which provides an immediate translator of a broad spectrum of languages including American Sign Language in order to improve access to care and services.
In the Housing, Land Use and Infrastructure category, San Bernardino County Department of Public Works won a Merit Award for its Performance Based Pavement Preservation program which improved the way the County maintains more than 2,175 miles of paved roads. The Department of Public Works categorizes its roads, confines projects to remain within a geographical zone and conducts preventative maintenance prior to critical points before road repair costs escalate.