Earlier this week, the Orange County Board of Supervisors declared June 15, 2019 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) to help raise awareness about the millions of older adults who experience elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. Members of the Board presented a resolution to leaders of the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA), Health Care Agency (HCA), District Attorney’s Office, OC Community Resources’ Office on Aging and other Orange County community partners to recognize their commitment to helping seniors live longer, safer and healthier lives.

Every year an estimated one in ten older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation. Last year in Orange County, there were more than 13,500 reports of elder abuse. This year, an average of over 1,200 reports each month have been made to date.

“Statistics clearly demonstrate that elder abuse is a widespread issue across the country and in Orange County,” said Fifth District Supervisor Lisa A. Bartlett, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She continued, “As a community, we must come together to prevent elder abuse from happening to our vulnerable older residents.”

Second District Supervisor Michelle Steel, Vice Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, stated, “Victims of abuse may be in poor physical health, have cognitive impairments, may be isolated from others and even unwilling to acknowledge they are victims. It is critical we remain alert and maintain strong social connections that will enable our older residents to live safely, independently and with dignity.”

“Our seniors here in Orange County have spent a lifetime contributing to the community to help keep our County prosperous and safe. We all share a responsibility to protect them in a meaningful way so that they can enjoy long, vital and active lives without fear,” said First District Supervisor Andrew Do.

The Board of Supervisors acknowledged the important work being done by SSA, HCA, the District Attorney’s Office and Office on Aging, as well as members from the Council on Aging and North Orange County Collaborative Committee at today’s meeting.

“We must do everything we can to ensure the safety and peace of mind of our valued residents,” said Third District Supervisor Donald P. Wagner. He continued, “I recognize our County agencies and local partners for their tremendous effort in addressing this issue, and thank them for their great service to our community.”

A World Elder Abuse Awareness Day expo will take place on Friday, June 14, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Buena Park Senior Center. The free event, focused on empowering the community against elder abuse, is open to the public and includes lunch. To RSVP or for more information, please call (714) 480-6450 or go to http://2019ocweaad.eventbrite.com.

Fourth District Supervisor Doug Chaffee remarked, “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and the upcoming expo provide opportunities for people to learn more about elder abuse. I encourage everyone in the community to do their part to learn more about warning signs of elder abuse and what each of us can do to prevent it.”

If you suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable senior, please call SSA’s Adult Protective Services 24-hour hotline at (800) 451-5155.

The 25th Annual Conditions of Children in Orange County report was released today, offering a comprehensive assessment of the health, economic well-being, education and safety of the County’s children.

A 25-year retrospective shows the changing landscape into which children are born, as well as improvement for the lives and well-being of Orange County’s youth:

• Population Size: Children make up a smaller proportion of our total population; about 10,000 fewer babies are born compared with 25 years ago.
• Financial/Economic Well-Being: Orange County unemployment is comparatively low at 2.6 percent; in 1995 it was double that rate at 5.2 percent.
• Good Health: The majority of Orange County moms are seeking early prenatal care - higher than 25 years ago, while teen births have dropped dramatically and the rate of infant mortality has been cut in half.
• Academic Improvement: A greater percentage of students are completing college preparatory classes.
• Safe Homes: The juvenile arrest rate has plummeted over 25 years and substantiated child abuse rates have been cut nearly in half.

“Each year, the Conditions of Children report uncovers areas where County departments can refocus their efforts to enhance the quality of services for our children,” said
Supervisor Andrew Do, who serves as the Chair of the Orange County Children’s Partnership (OCCP), the advisory board responsible for publishing the report. “While the report indicates multiple areas of strength, there is much more we can do to address childhood poverty and the growing challenges associated with children and youth with mental health issues,” said Supervisor Do.

Debra J. Baetz, Director of the County of Orange Social Services Agency and OCCP co-chair stated, “Children clearly thrive when they grow up with opportunities for quality
education, availability of jobs, access to health care and safe places to live. Yet we continue to see many of our children and families dealing with housing insecurity and poverty, which may certainly impact their overall health, well-being and general safety.” Baetz continued, “It is imperative that we continue to look for ways to enhance and integrate the programs, services and supports offered to help lift up children and families in Orange County to further promote safe communities and healthy development.”

This year’s report includes a special focus on risk and protective factors contributing to children’s mental health and a new indicator on chronic school absenteeism. 

This week the Orange County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 2019 as Adoption Awareness Month and presented a resolution to the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) and resource parent (i.e., foster parent) Vanessa Acosta in recognition of their significant contributions to support and mentor foster youth and resource families in Orange County.

More than 280 adoptions were finalized in Orange County in Fiscal Year 2018-2019 (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.)

Ms. Acosta was honored by the Board of Supervisors on behalf of Orange County adoptive families for her work as a resource parent, adoptive parent, educator and advocate. Ms. Acosta began the process of becoming a resource parent with her husband in 2011, fostering more than 20 children and youth, ultimately adopting six children. In addition, Ms. Acosta advocates for biological parents who are working to reunify with their children. She is also active in the Foster Care Auxiliary and her faith community to help educate families on the challenges and rewards that come with fostering and fostering-to-adopt.

“Every child and youth deserves a loving family environment that provides a sense of belonging and security,” said Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. “We thank Orange County adoptive parents, like Vanessa Acosta, for their compassion and commitment to helping our community and ensuring a brighter future for our children.”

“I am grateful for brave foster parents like Ms. Acosta who have opened their homes and their hearts to children in need of loving families,” said Vice Chair, Supervisor Michelle Steel, who represents the Second District. “This month we recognize all foster and adoptive families for their selfless efforts on behalf of Orange County’s children,” she added.

The theme of this year’s National Adoption Month is Youth Voices: Why Family Matters, which is focused on the importance of empowering youth voices — especially those of teens who are in foster care. Older youth, similar to children with disabilities and those who are part of a sibling set, often take longer to place in permanent, home-based care. Securing lifelong connections for teens in foster care is a critical component in determining their future achievement, health and well-being. When foster youth are empowered to share their personal stories, their unique insights can inspire their peers and bring awareness to prospective adoptive families.

First District Supervisor Andrew Do stated, “The term family can take on many shapes and forms, and a strong connection with a caring adult can help improve a youth’s opportunity for success and stability.” Do continued, “We salute our Orange County adoptive families who selflessly work to provide children with a home, love and a sense of stability.”

“As the uncle of two adopted children in my family, I believe people who open their hearts and their homes are providing a noble community service. All vulnerable foster children deserve to thrive under safe, supportive care for the best chances of a stable adult life. The Adoption Awareness Month presentation recognizes the compassionate spirit of Vanessa Acosta and all adoptive families in our community. Thank you for your selfless work,” said Supervisor Donald P. Wagner, Third District.

“National Adoption Month reminds us that adoptive parents play a vital role in providing a sense of family and belonging to youth in need. In raising any child, we know it can take a village. I urge all in our community to do their part to help encourage and provide support to those who have provided a family to a foster youth,” said Fourth District Supervisor Doug Chaffee. 

For more information on becoming a resource family, please call (888) 871-KIDS or visit www.oc4kids.com.
 

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to announce the availability of its annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-2019, covering the period from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. The report highlights the agency’s accomplishments and initiatives and shares the positive impacts that SSA has made to the community as a whole, serving over one in four county residents.

The annual report features SSA’s FY 2018-2019 accomplishments, focused on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children, adults and families, including:

• Provision of family strengthening services, prevention and intervention programs to more than 6,300 families through our 15 Family Resource Centers, helping to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.
• Successful implementation, effective June 1, 2019, of a new state policy that allows persons receiving Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payments (SSI/SSP) to be eligible for CalFresh benefits. Between May 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019, over 8,200 CalFresh applications for households that include an SSI/SSP recipient were received, with an 86 percent approval rate for CalFresh benefits.
• Countywide expansion of the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), which allows elderly, disabled and homeless CalFresh recipients and their spouses to use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants. By the end of FY 2018-2019, approximately 39,000 CalFresh households were RMP-eligible, with 79 participating restaurants and 47 that were pending approval with the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services.
• A significant increase in the number of homeless families served by the CalWORKs Housing Support Program, from 66 families in FY 2017-18 to 99 families in FY 2018-19. Of the families assisted with housing support services, 71 were successfully placed into permanent, stable housing, representing a 45 percent increase over the previous year.

According to SSA Director Debra J. Baetz, “We are very proud of the numerous accomplishments made by SSA staff this past fiscal year to help individuals work towardsself-sufficiency, strengthen families and protect our most vulnerable populations in Orange County.” Director Baetz continued, “Looking forward, we will continue the critical work of delivering comprehensive and enhanced services that are accessible and responsive to the community — especially to our residents in hard-to-reach areas.”

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to announce the availability of its Families and Communities Together (FaCT) platform annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-2019, covering the period from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. The report addresses the critical role that FaCT and its network of 15 Family Resource Centers (FRCs) play in the County’s efforts to ensure children in Orange County grow up in stable, nurturing families and safe, supportive communities.

Celebrating 25 years of service, FaCT has played an integral role in SSA’s efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect and help at-risk families. FaCT FRCs provide family strengthening and support services to the community, ranging from counseling and parenting classes, comprehensive case management services, educational and training programs, and advocacy and community engagement. In Fiscal Year 2018-2019, FaCT FRCs served more than 14,000 individuals and over 6,000 families. FaCT serves as a public-private
partnership between SSA and numerous community-based organizations that collectively work to provide engagement and outreach, direct service delivery, fund development as well as professional/staff training on best practices.

According to SSA’s Children and Family Services Division Director, Anne Bloxom, “We are very proud of the accomplishments made by FaCT and its network of FRCs over this past fiscal year to reduce child abuse and neglect. Supporting families where they live — in their own neighborhoods — requires a community approach. None of this work would have been made possible without the dedication and collaboration of our nearly 100 government and community-based partners that help us deliver crucial prevention and intervention services.” Bloxom continued, “We appreciate all of the collective efforts that are focused on the critical work of delivering comprehensive core and specialized services to strengthen Orange County families.”

To read the full report, please visit: www.factoc.org/newsletter/annual-reports.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to announce the recognition of employees Juan Reynoso and Nicole Strattman by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) for their efforts in combating human trafficking among children, youth and families. The month of January commemorates Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Across the state, CDSS selected less than 45 individuals to receive this inaugural award. 

Juan Reynoso, a Social Services Supervisor II, was nominated by CDSS’ Refugee Programs Bureau for his dedication and support of the Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), assisting survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and other serious crimes since 2013.

Nicole Strattman, a Senior Social Services Supervisor and SSA’s Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Program Coordinator, also serves as the agency liaison with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF). Nicole helped implement specialized services for CSEC youth, including the launch of a dedicated resource and support center.

SSA Director Debra Baetz said, “People perceive human trafficking as an issue that happens somewhere else, but it happens in our own backyard. At SSA, we work closely with other county departments and community partners to serve survivors of exploitation, providing them with access to intensive services that address their unique needs and help them heal.” She continued, “SSA congratulates Juan and Nicole for their unwavering commitment to helping our most vulnerable populations.”

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to share results of the first full year of the implementation of the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) countywide.

RMP is a program that enables eligible elderly, disabled and homeless CalFresh recipients to purchase prepared meals at participating restaurants using their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. The program is intended to increase food access for those who may not have a place to store or cook food, may not be able to prepare food or who lack access to a grocery store.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors initially authorized SSA to implement RMP as a pilot program, which launched in the cities of Anaheim and Santa Ana in early 2018. Based on the success of the pilot, the Board of Supervisors approved SSA’s recommendation to expand the Restaurant Meals Program countywide in November 2018, with program expansion beginning in January 2019.

Through significant outreach efforts, SSA has been able to secure restaurant participation in 30 out of 34 Orange County cities, ensuring program accessibility to the most vulnerable members of the community. Prior to the countywide expansion, SSA had 51 participating restaurants in Santa Ana and Anaheim; this figure grew to 108 as of January 1, 2020, with nearly 50 additional Orange County restaurants awaiting approval from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

In 2019, over 85,000 RMP transactions were completed in Orange County with a total of $889,000 in revenues generated for local businesses. These transactions represent a 745% increase over the prior year.

Additionally, RMP continues to show growth and diversity with the addition of five approved restaurant locations on the campus of California State University, Fullerton.

“We are very pleased with the success of the Restaurant Meals Program in Orange County and look forward to seeing continued growth in our number of participating restaurants,” said SSA Director Debra Baetz. She continued, “RMP helps the community on a number of fronts — in our ability to provide greater access to prepared meals and in our support and partnership with local businesses in the community.”

To learn more about the Restaurant Meals Program, please visit: ssa.ocgov.com/calfresh/calfresh/rmp.

In the wake of recent California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance related to professional, social and community gatherings, the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) recommends clients follow precautionary measures to help slow and prevent the potential spread of illness.

CDPH guidance recommends postponement or cancellation of gatherings with 250 or more people or smaller gatherings held in venues that do not allow for social distancing of six feet per person.

In line with this guidance and when possible, SSA encourages clients to consider alternative channels to enroll for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKs benefits and/or to address questions related to current cases in place of in-person office visits. There are multiple ways to connect:

• Click – www.MyBenefitsCalWIN.org.
• Call – (800) 281-9799 to apply by phone.

Existing Orange County client households may also direct questions to their assigned case worker. Those recipients without an assigned caseworker may contact SSA toll-free at (800) 281-9799. 

“The health and well-being of our clients and our SSA staff is of paramount importance and we have an obligation to help ensure their safety,” said SSA Director Debra Baetz. She continued, “Encouraging clients to employ social distancing strategies – and in this case, to use alternate channels in lieu of visiting our SSA regional office locations when possible – can help protect them and the community as a whole.”

To continue to prevent the spread of the virus, please follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines:

• Wash hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced today the closure of its public assistance offices effective tomorrow, March 17, 2020, to the public. This change in operations is being made as a precautionary measure to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The following locations will be closed to the public until further notice:

Services will continue to be provided online and by phone as follows:

• To apply for Medi-Cal and CalWORKs benefits, review your case information, request a replacement benefits card and submit verifications, please visit www.mybenefitscalwin.org or call SSA’s Service Center at (800) 281-9799.
• To apply for CalFresh benefits, review case information and submit verifications, please visit www.getcalfresh.org.
• To apply for General Relief benefits or for continuing case information, please call (800) 281-9799 or you can fax an application to (714) 825-3155
• To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, call (714) 825-3000

For additional information on SSA programs, please visit: ssa.ocgov.com. 

To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced today that it will expand its online application services and call center hours to meet the needs of the community affected by the State’s Stay at Home order issued yesterday.

Effective immediately, SSA’s Service Center has extended its hours of operation to:

• Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Call center operators will be available to take calls at (800) 281-9799.

Individuals wishing to apply for General Relief benefits now have another option to enroll online through www.mybenefitscalwin.org. They may also continue to apply or check on existing case information by calling Agency’s Service Center at (800) 281-9799 or by faxing an application to (714) 825-3155.

Previously, only Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKs benefits were accessible on www.mybenefitscalwin.org.

For additional information on SSA programs, please visit: ssa.ocgov.com.

To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.