Board of Supervisors Approves Vietnamese American Service Center!
Staff Contact: Betty Duong
Betty.Duong@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5026
In a historic decision, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the designation of the County-owned parcel located at Senter Road near Tully Road as the future site of the Vietnamese American Service Center. The 50,000 square foot building will house the Vietnamese American Service Center as well as other County services. The other County services will be moved from leased space, saving the County millions of dollars in lease costs.
The future Vietnamese American Service Center will serve as a one-stop hub for the County’s many services to be provided to the Vietnamese American community in a culturally-competent and language-accessible manner.
Super Bowl 50 Public Transportation a Great Success
Staff Contact: Hope Cahan
Hope.Cahan@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5029
Super Bowl 50 was a great success and the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) set a new bar for transit in Super Bowl cities. VTA provided service to and from Levi’s stadium for roughly 10,000 passengers - all the while delivering world-class customer service. As Chair of the VTA, I am proud of the well-coordinated teamwork and the successful service for entire Superbowl week.
About 60% of the Super Bowl light rail riders came from San Francisco, transferring from Caltrain in Mountain View - the rest were from Milpitas, Downtown San Jose and other areas east and south of the stadium. The trains ran smoothly and most people had a short 5- to 10-minute wait time for trains leaving Great America and Lick Mill stations.
The VTA Boardmembers and more than a thousand VTA employees worked for over a year to make travel to and from the game seamless. Everyone came together with a shared goal of achieving top-notch service to customers who came from around the world. A big thank you to VTA’s service planners, operations staff, bus and light rail operators, maintenance workers, ambassadors, administration, and marketing and communications staff for a successful undertaking.
First Meeting of the Jail Diversion and Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the Reentry Network
Staff Contact: Maja Marjanovic
Maja.Marjanovic@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-6418
On Friday, March 11, the Jail Diversion and Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the Reentry Network convened for the first time and confirmed their mandate, which is to:
- Identify strategies for preventing individuals with mental health needs from becoming offenders;
- Identify gaps and strategies for community based treatment solutions for individuals with mental health and substance use problems who have a history of or are at risk of offending;
- Assess training needs of relevant personnel (ex. law enforcement, first responders);
- Ensure cultural competency is included in all community based solutions and discharge planning; and
- Be prepared to address any other relevant issues as they arise from the Subcommittee’s work.
Subcommittee members also agreed on the work plan and the fact that they need to put forward funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors in order to meet the budget process requirements. Over the next three months, the subcommittee will work to devise a Santa Clara County jail diversion program with alternatives to incarceration and appropriate placements and support services. In order for this to happen, the subcommittee will review the existing data and services for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues who will need to be diverted from jails and assess treatment and other needs to help them succeed in the community. To set the foundation for future work, the subcommittee received a report from the Office of Reentry Services detailing existing jail diversion programs in the County.
The next meeting of the Jail Diversion and Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the Reentry Network will be on Friday, March 25 at 12:00pm, in the Sheriff’s Auditorium.
Community-Based Organizations Provide In-Custody Reentry Services to County Inmates
Staff Contact: Maja Marjanovic
Maja.Marjanovic@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-6418
At the Tuesday, January 12 Board of Supervisors Meeting, the Board unanimously approved five service agreements relating to providing reentry services at the Elmwood Correctional Facility and Main Jail North. Under the agreements, five community-based organizations will provide in-custody reentry services between January 18, 2016 and June 30, 2018:
- Goodwill of Silicon Valley for “Job Readiness and Employment Development Training”
- Pro Bono Project Silicon Valley for “Family Reunification and Support Classes”
- Gardner Family Care Corporation for “Family Reunification and Support Classes”
- Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley for “Health and Well-Being Classes”
- Enneagram Prison Project for “Health and Well-Being Classes”
These services, which focus on employment, family reunification and support, and health and wellbeing, have already commenced.
Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program
Staff Contact: Betty Duong
Betty.Duong@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5026
On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved my proposal for a Santa Clara County Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program under the Department of Environmental Health.
This voluntary program gives special certification to nail salons that go beyond existing codes and regulations to provide a safe and toxic free environment for their employees and patrons.
Similar programs have been adopted by the City of Santa Monica, San Mateo County, San Francisco County, and Alameda County. I am proud to add the County of Santa Clara County to the list of jurisdictions prioritizing the health and well-being of nail salon technicians.
Now, the Department of Environmental Health is seeking Nail Salon applicants to join the Santa Clara County Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program. To find out more about the program and to see if your salon qualifies please contact my office or the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health. Their staff will train your employees about safer practices, guide your salon to choose less toxic products, and promote your salon as a Santa Clara County Certified Healthy Nail Salon. Your salon may also qualify for a rebate of up to $1000 on a ventilation unit.
Santa Clara County Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program
www.sccgov.org/healthynails
Katherine Nguyen
Katherine.nguyen@deh.sccgov.org
(408) 918-1958
Language Access and Multi-Lingual Wayfinding
Staff Contact: Betty Duong
Betty.Duong@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5026
You will be seeing major changes in the way we do business at the County Government Center at 70 West Hedding this Summer. As part of our Language Access and Multi-Lingual Wayfinding initiative there will be new signs providing direction in multiple languages and electronic kiosks to provide an interactive experience in your language of choice.
Interpreter services will also be available upon request at every customer service window. We have been rolling out bright blue translation phones in every department. The blue phones feature a double handset that allows a customer and county staff person to be on the phone at the same time with a translator. You will be connected to an interpreter within seconds of picking up the handset, so just look for the blue phones or ask a staff person for an interpreter!
Trades Orientation Program (TOP) Information
Staff Contact: Alexander Lin
Alexander.Lin@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5027
The Trades Orientation Program Program (TOP) is Silicon Valley’s premier 130-hour pre-apprenticeship course – created to diversify the pipeline by providing local residents the preparation they need to enter the pathway to a skilled construction career.
TOP is looking for Santa Clara County residents age 18 and up who are seeking full-time work or a career change, like to work with their hands, are willing to study and learn and have a strong interest in learning how to enter a working construction apprenticeship leading to a rewarding career.
TOP is provided by Working Partnerships USA in partnership with work2future, NOVA, the Santa Clara Building Trades Council and the South Bay Apprenticeship Coordinators Association. It is funded in part by a Prop 39 pre-apprenticeship grant from the California Workforce Development Board.
No prior construction experience is needed – just a high school diploma or GED, reliable transportation, basic math skills, the ability to do physical work and the commitment to show up on time every day ready to work and to learn.
Under-represented minorities, youth (age 18 and up), women and U.S. veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications for the next class will be accepted in April/May. If you would like to be notified when the application is open, complete the following form:
http://tinyurl.com/TOPInfoSessions.
March 2016 Staff Spotlight: Paul Murphy
Paul is the Budget & Policy Director in my office. Paul has been at the County in various positions since 2000 and has been serving in his role for me since I became a Board member. Paul provides leadership over all budget and policy related analysis in my office and manages health policy and finance related issues personally for me.
Paul earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire in 1989 and earned a Masters of Public Health Degree with a concentration in Health Services Administration from San Diego State University in 1999. Paul has lived in San Jose with his wife Jodi Lindenthal and boys Harrison and Gus for over 15 years.
Paul was instrumental in preserving the Lake Cunningham Skate Park and he has volunteered his time as a basketball coach and on various parent organizations in San Jose Unified School District. Paul’s ten year career in mental health is especially helpful given my focus on improving the behavioral health services the County provides, and his many years of singing and performing on stage help as he usually has a witty remark to share or he is whistling a tune here in our office.
