Health, Education, and Social Services Committee Mission Statement

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F13

Comments 52

• CO1
  Board Members are unclear as to what is considered a conflict of interest regarding their ability to vote on raises/stipends and other related issues that affect their immediate family members.
• CO2
  Increased self-esteem for the disabled
• CO3
  Burial benefits D. Services available to veterans:
• CO4
  Program reviews/evaluation
• CO5
  Loss of student enrollment has placed a financial burden on the District in meeting all of its statutoryobligations.
• CO6
  Home to school bus pass fees are not properly collected and accounted for. Some Board Members statedthat the fee is only voluntary. COMMENTS: The Committee would like to thank the past and present Superintendents as well as the members of the School Board who cooperated with us in this investigation. The Committee has some concerns that not all the information given by the interviewees was truthful.
• CO7
  Home loan guarantee information
• CO8
  Community involvement and support II. Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) – a geographic region of sufficient size to provide for all Special Ed services within the boundary. Kern County has four SELPAs: BCSD, KHSD, KCSOS and the remote regions of Kern County. A. Special Ed classes in the KHSD
• CO9
  The Morrill Act of 1862  Established Land-Grant Universities  Provided public education including agriculture and mechanics
• CO10
  The Hatch Act of 1887  Authorized and funded agricultural experiment stations  Required research to be related to agriculture
• CO11
  Smith-Lever Act of 1914  Established Cooperative Extensions  Coupled research with application at a county level 103 B. Goals of Farm and Home Advisors
• CO12
  Motives for graffiti include: fame, rebellion, self-expression, and power.
• CO13
  Four types of graffiti includehip-hop, gang, hate, and generic.
• CO14
  Kern County removes 10 to 15 tags a day. This year between February 1st and March 11th,108 tags were removed
• CO15
  The County does not remove tags that are on railroad or Caltrans property.
• CO16
  Eighty percent of graffiti in Kern County is hip-hop. 114 B. Taggers:
• CO17
  Correction of military records
• CO18
  Vocational rehabilitation
• CO19
  Graffiti cleanup is expensive: $25,000 or more per year in supplies and paint alone.
• CO20
  Graffiti is the most common type of vandalism.
• CO21
  Graffiti increases instances of crime and delinquency in a given area.
• CO22
  $12,000,000 to guard inmates in hospital 2. $9,000,000for hospital care 3. $2,400,000 for antifungals B. $23,000-$29,000is the median cost per patient. 126 V. Education A. Public Health distributes pamphlets explaining the facts about Valley Fever. The pamphlets are also available online. B. Periodic press releases are used to expand awareness of Valley Fever. C. Data from graphs and tables are available for downloading. VI. Research and Development A. The largest problem is that research is socostly. B. Another problem is the lack of an affordable skin test. Two are scheduled to be available by the end of 2014. C. Desired Kern County Public Health (Public Health) grants include:
• CO23
  To work with National Institutes of Health to research Valley Fever in agriculture workers
• CO24
  A partnership with National Aeronautics and Space Administration to learn to use satellites to identify spore colonies D. Data Collection
• CO25
  The State reports to Center for Disease Control in Georgia FINDINGS: F1. Data collection is neither streamlined nor standardized. F2. Funding for research and experimentation is inadequate. F3. Publicity is scarceand underfunded. F4. Prevention options are limited. COMMENTS: Dr. Hans Einstein (February 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was the acknowledged leader in the study of Valley Fever. His father was Albert Einstein’s cousin. 127 On September 23-24, 2014, a Valley Fever Symposium was held at CSUB. Three of Dr. Hans Einstein’s sisters attended the Walk for Valley Fever in Bakersfield on August 9,
• CO26
  There has been no increase in funding since 2006.
• CO27
  Unspent funds do not carry over to the next year. L. Staffing has dropped from 277 paid positions in 2006 to 188 paid positions. FINDINGS: F1. The DCSS has increased client contacts leading to increased collections. a. The DCSS call center answers approximately 12,000 calls per month with only 11 full time employees. b. There are 30 phone lines in the call center but only 22 are being utilized. c. The call center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. F2. Technology is being used to increase the efficiency of all DCSS departments. a. The facility is essentially paperless decreasing the amount of storage space needed and increasing the risk of compromising data. b. Computers are used by every employee including document imaging and electronic filing in Federal court. c. Computer equipped kiosks are located in the facility and various locations around the County. F3. The DCSS collaborates with the following agencies: a. Department of Human Services b. Owens Valley Career Development Center c. Kern County Sheriff’s Office at Lerdo Facility d. Network for Children e. United Way VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program f. Promotores – A statewide Spanish language organization F4. The reduction in staffing has resulted in: a. Delays in establishing paternity and court orders b. Less frequent review of delinquent cases for enforcement c. Less contact with clients on delinquent cases d. Longer wait times e. Federal and State compliance mandates being more difficult to meet f. Delays in response to calls and mail g. Trending down in the rate of growth of collections h. Increase in complaints i. Loss of knowledgeable employees j. Cuts in outreach activities k. Inability to reach performance goals l. Excess office space COMMENTS: The Committee would like to commend DCSS for adopting technology to the advantage of all users. The facility is clean and quiet. It is designed to help employees confer with clients and with each other. The overall design helps put users at ease. The staff is to be congratulated for their level of knowledge and willingness to share it.
• CO28
  Requests for military records and decorations
• CO29
  Information and referral • Employment • Public Assistance • VA Medical Services • Social Security • Food Referrals E. California College Fee Waiver:
• CO30
  Vision: “We are number one in the central valley committed to children and making a difference in their lives.”
• CO31
  Mission: “We deliver outstanding child support services so that all children receive the financial and medical resources necessary for their well-being.”
• CO32
  Philosophy: “Child Support creates a better life for your child.”
• CO33
  Values: “Trust, respect, communication, quality, teamwork, innovation.” E. Comparison of DCSS and Department of Social Services (DSS): DCSS DSS Establish Paternity CalWORKs Establish Child Support Orders Medi-Cal Enforce Orders Child Welfare Services Modify Orders Distribute Support Payments F. Impacts of poverty on children: 1. 22 times more likely to be abused and twice as likely to be poor as adults
• CO34
  Compensation for veterans and their families
• CO35
  Pensions for war-era veterans
• CO36
  Death Pensions for survivors
• CO37
  Dependent allowances
• CO38
  Pensions with Aid and Attendance Allowance
• CO39
  State Veterans Homes
• CO40
  Find and serve all eligible children
• CO41
  Each child is entitled to a FAPE
• CO42
  Educate disabled students together with nondisabled students as much as possible
• CO43
  Parents have the right to participate and/or challenge procedures
• CO44
  Students have a right to an Individualized Education Program. (IEP) B. Implementing the laws and regulations led to:
• CO45
  Local governance system put in place
• CO46
  Compliance and quality assurance
• CO47
  Staff development programs
• CO48
  Full services to all students with disabilities
• CO49
  Adult Based Life Experience (ABLE) B. Special Ed classes in BCSD – Classes are equivalent to high school programs except for vocational classes. C. According to the California’s Special Education Local Plan Areas pamphlet, “It is incumbent upon the SELPA to see that a continuum of programs and services are available to meet the unique needs of each student with a disability.” D. Free and Appropriate Public Education becomes more restrictive as you progress through the following list:
• CO50
  The Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Kern High School District, and Bakersfield City School District should each post a copy of this report where it will be available for public review.
• CO51
  Persons wishing to receive an email notification of newly released reports may sign up at: www.co.kern.kern.ca.us/grandjury.
• CO52
  Present and past Kern County Grand Jury Final Reports and Responses can be accessed on the Kern County Grand Jury website: www.co.kern.ca.us/grandjury. RESPONSE REQUIRED WITHIN 90 DAYS PRESIDING JUDGE KERN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT 1415 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 212 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301 CC: FOREPERSON KERN COUNTY GRAND JURY 1415 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 600 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301

No Responses Found 2

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.