San Bernardino County Grand Jury
2002-2003
From the annual report
The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.
📑 Year-End Report
The full consolidated volume; individual reports are listed below.
Individual reports (9)
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-78:
ESTABLISH A CENTRAL COMMANDER/MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT ALL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN A DISASTER/EMERGENCY RECEIVE DIRECTION FROM ONE SOURCE.
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Additional Recommendations
7
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-01:
THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT REVISE ITS POLICY ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS LEAVE TO ALLOW SOME EMPLOYEES TO BE TEMPORARILY TRANSFERRED TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS RATHER THAN BEING PLACED ON PAID LEAVE. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report INTERIM REPORT "NO GIFT" POLICY (Released February 2003) INTRODUCTION In recent years a number of scandals have occurred within San Bernardino County government to cast doubts on the integrity of the County. FINDINGS In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the city manager of the City of Victorville, by administrative decision, initiated a no gift policy for outside contractors doing business with the City of Victorville in order to prevent various builders and contractors seeking p
R03-02:
WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report USE OF VOLUNTEERS BACKGROUND Many public and private entities make use of volunteers to enhance the work of regular employees. FINDINGS A division of the Chief Administrative Office coordinates Los Angeles County's volunteer program. This division, employing a staff of nine, develops policies on the use of more than 50,000 volunteers who work over 3.9 million hours a year. Los Angeles County estimates its volunteer labor to be worth approximately $16.50 per hour, or $65 million annually. The county also conducts an annual Volunteer Recognition and Awards luncheon. Los Angeles County provides for coordinators in each department to oversee that department's use of volunteers within the guidelines set by the Chief Administrative Office. The CAO provides for an "open door policy" for volunteers who have a need for conflict resolution between their actual treatment and the written policy provisions. In addition, L.A. County has set in place provisions to assure that the volunteers do not displace any full-time employee. Within the broad outlines set by the CAO each department may establish its own rules and procedures. In contrast, San Bernardino County has no centralized volunteer coordinator. An unaudited survey of County departments revealed that at least 18 departments use volunteers. Three departments make extensive use of volunteers; however, many departments, due to the nature of their work, cannot use volunteers. Several of the respondents stated that they would be willing to use volunteers but do not have the resources to recruit them. A County policy adopted in 1991 requires departments to obtain permission from the Board of Supervisors to use volunteers, but leaves the recruiting and record keeping responsibilities to the departments. Each department employs its own standards and policies in recruiting, screening and placing volunteers. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report RECOMMENDATION THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED
R03-03:
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR OFFICE TO RECRUIT, QUALIFY, PLACE AND MAINTAIN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY'S VOLUNTEER POOL. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report PAPER USAGE BACKGROUND Copies of documents originated at about the time of the written word and progressed from monks laboriously making elaborate copies by hand through carbon paper, wet copying machines to the modern dry copier, computer printer and facsimile machines. With the increasing ease with which copies are made, came an increased need for copies. Copies were required even though they were thrown away or filed without being read. Receiving a copy has become a status symbol. It has been observed that some County departments, Purchasing among them, have instituted a program of posting routine reports, and even catalogs, on-line, making a paperless distribution FINDINGS The County of San Bernardino uses approximately 363,002 reams of copy paper per year, at an average cost of $2.28 per ream, for a total cost of $826,274.08 annually. The County consumes 18,646 toner cartridges per year, at an average cost of $67.67 per cartridge, for a total of $1,261,826.88 annually. The cost of electricity, wear and tear on the copy machines, repair and replacement costs, and employee hours expended in making copies has not been calculated, but are factors to be considered. It has been observed that in many instances, more copies than are necessary have been produced and that many persons who have no need for copies either receive or request them. Further, many of the documents provided to this Grand Jury have not been copied on both sides of the page. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-04:
EACH DEPARTMENT EXPLORE WAYS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF COPIES MADE OF EACH DOCUMENT PRODUCED. EACH DEPARTMENT LIMIT DISTRIBUTION OF COPIES OF DOCUMENTS TO ONLY
R03-05:
THOSE WHO HAVE AN ACTUAL NEED FOR THEM.
R03-06:
WHEREVER PRACTICAL, ALL DEPARTMENTS PRINT MULTIPLE PAGE DOCUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PAPER. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ENCOURAGE ALL COUNTY
R03-07:
DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE USE OF PAPERLESS DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
Additional Recommendations
5
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-08:
CONSULT WITH THE GRAND JURY REGARDING PROPOSED CUTS TO ITS BUDGET, AND OBTAIN THE GRAND JURY'S INPUT.
R03-09:
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE ADDRESS, HONESTLY, THE QUESTION OF BUDGET REDUCTIONS WITHOUT USING THE ACROSS-THE-BOARD, ONE SIZE FITS ALL, CUTS.
R03-10:
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE REVERT TO A SYSTEM WHEREBY REASONABLY ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES ARE BUDGETED AND THE NEED FOR FUNDS IN MID-YEAR NEED NOT BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report JUDICIAL BENEFITS
R03-11:
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IMMEDIATELY REVIEW PAYMENTS MADE TO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TAKE A FIRM STANCE, SIMILAR TO MANY OTHER
R03-12:
COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA, AND TERMINATE OR REDUCE COUNTY BENEFITS TO JUDGES. NO NEWLY ELECTED OR APPOINTED JUDGES BE OFFERED ANY COUNTY
Additional Recommendations
16
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-25:
IMPLEMENT THE FROZEN MEALS PROGRAM TO INSURE ALL ELIGIBLE SENIORS ARE RECEIVING DAILY NUTRITIONAL MEALS, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE NEEDLES AREA OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report
R03-26:
EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF UTILIZING LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACILITIES TO PREPARE TAPES FOR ADVERTISING THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, AND UTILIZE THE CONTRACT WITH CLEAR CHANNEL MEDIA CORPORATION IN ORDER TO ADVERTISE THE PROGRAM. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BACKGROUND The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is committed to developing cultural and linguistically competent services in the following areas: Outpatient Services Children's Services Adult Services Day Treatment Services Residential Services Drug and Alcohol Services Employment Services FINDINGS There are 800 people on staff at Behavioral Health, and they serve approximately 30,000 people. DBH receives funding from State, Federal and County governments, and a portion of one-half cent sales tax. Most of the buildings at Behavioral Health are old, in bad condition, filthy, humid and moldy and rat infested. These portable buildings have been in service since 1960. They are antiquated, inadequate facilities. It was related that there were employees who had become ill due to the poor conditions in the buildings. DBH has a three-year Master Plan to replace its existing facilities. Currently, a replacement building consisting of 14,000 square feet is under construction. This will replace one of the current inadequate buildings. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report The DBH Master Plan calls for construction of another 75-85,000 square foot building at the current site, which will replace the remaining inadequate buildings. RECOMMENDATION
R03-27:
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING TO BRING THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH'S MASTER PLAN TO FINAL COMPLETION BY JUNE 2005. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND The Public Health Department appears to be well organized and well staffed and adheres to the required Health and Safety Codes, Title 22, and Federal regulations. Written policies and procedures are available, and patient privacy is protected. Patients have individual files, and continuing care is provided and monitored. A high degree of dedication and professionalism was noted in this department. FINDINGS Preventive Health Care Services uses public health techniques to control sexually transmitted diseases; however, accepted case follow-up techniques are not used for HIV control, due to political matters. Tuberculosis is diagnosed and treated in Public Health facilities. Maternal Health has many educational programs ongoing: Black Infant Health; Perinatal Outreach and Education; Perinatal Care Guidance; Mother/Infant Support Teams; Prenatal Clinics; Proposition 10; Early Steps Collaborative. The goal is to have healthier pregnancies. The Public Health Department has patient care clinics strategically located throughout the County. The rural clinics that the Grand Jury visited were located in Needles, Barstow and Fontana. The services that were offered were quite similar, and consisted of the following: Family Planning - consisting of contraception (birth control pills, IUD insertions, barrier techniques, abstinence techniques, etc.), pregnancy testing and counseling, prenatal care and primary care. Cervical Cancer Screening (primarily, taking of pap smears); Child and Adolescent Health consisting of immunizations and well baby care; Sexually Transmitted Disease diagnosis and treatment; HIV testing and results; Tuberculosis skin testing, plus medication refills. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Breast examinations (however mammograms were referred to other clinics). The Special Nutrition Program for Women Infants Children (WIC) was available at all the rural clinics. The Hesperia and Ontario Clinics, in addition to the above services, have the ability to perform colposcopies (examination of cervix under magnification) and various x-ray procedures, and also offer vasectomy clinics. Female sterilization procedures are referred to the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC). On a recent visit to the Public Health Clinic in Needles it was learned that 417 hours per year were spent in transporting patients. The personnel at the Needles Clinic felt that this time transporting would be significantly reduced by having the Nurse Practitioner visits increased from bi-weekly to weekly, and by adding colposcopies to the procedures available at the clinic. The main clinic is the San Bernardino Clinical Services on Lena Road in San Bernardino. Nurse Practitioners are based here and sent to the other clinics to do the pap smears and prenatal visits, and at the Hesperia and Ontario clinics to perform colposcopies as well as teach breast self-examination. There are several physicians based at the Lena Road clinic who oversee the diagnosis of tuberculosis and HIV infection as well as the diagnosis of AIDS, and the instructing of the appropriate treatment. They are also responsible for initiating treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. The laboratory at the Lena Road clinic is designated as a Level B bioterrorist laboratory. It is capable of diagnosing biological agents that could be used in a terrorist attack. In addition, this laboratory is equipped to perform the diagnostic tests to discover HIV and AIDS infection, tuberculosis sputum exam for diagnosing tuberculosis, dark field exams for diagnosing syphilis, and cultures for diagnosing gonorrhea and other conditions. The San Bernardino Clinical Services facility on Lena Road is cramped for space. It seemed as though 100 percent of the counter space was in use with laboratory equipment and supplies. Plans are underway, however, to enlarge this space. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report It was observed at the Hesperia and Barstow clinics that there were open spaces in the reception areas between the clinic workers and the patients. This could be a possible source of contamination by infected patients, potentially exposing the workers to various communicable diseases. Treatment rooms and work areas are up to code re: sanitation, equipment, hazardous waste disposal and separation of the contagious versus the non-contagious. All areas appeared clean and ready. It was noted that the Hesperia clinic has the greatest client-to-nurse ratio, and the STD rate (sexually transmitted diseases) is growing rapidly. The Twin Peaks office is owned by the County, but only operated one day a month. There was a discussion of possibly using mobile units for the mountain and outlying areas. Public Health has a good money flow for patient care, largely due to State and Federal grants. The department has excellent grant writers. Literature is provided to the population in English, Spanish and other languages. The Animal Control Licensing Program has a different fee for neutered and non-neutered animals. There is a voucher program to financially assist animal owners to have their pets neutered. A mobile spay/ neuter unit is also available to cover the more remote County areas. Good interaction exists between the County and city-owned animal shelters. The County facility at Devore is being enlarged to add an additional 20 runs, bringing the total capacity to 60 runs. Rabies control program is very active and protective injections for pets are also available. The County contracts with local veterinarians to provide these services. The Environmental Health Services Division performs in excess of 20,000 restaurant inspections per year. This is done with about 41 inspectors. In addition, DEHS inspects small food vendors, as well as soft ice cream establishments. The division monitors hotels, motels and other temporary living facilities, as well as prisons and public swimming pools. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Vector Control - Mosquitoes are best controlled by using mosquito fish, spraying oil on vector surface, and the use of insecticides. Mosquitoes are harvested in large pools and tested for disease en masse, rather than testing them individually. A program is in effect for monitoring dead birds and chickens to detect West Nile virus. Horses are also monitored. A program to eradicate fire ants and control African honeybees is also being overseen. Also monitored are all cases of encephalitis. RECOMMENDATIONS INCREASE THE NURSE PRACTITIONER TIME AT THE NEEDLES PUBLIC HEALTH
R03-28:
CLINIC FROM BIWEEKLY TO WEEKLY.
R03-29:
ADD THE CAPABILITY FOR COLPOSCOPY EXAMINATIONS AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC IN NEEDLES.
R03-30:
INSTALL SPLATTER SCREENS IN THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC AREAS IN WHICH THERE IS UNPROTECTED SPACE BETWEEN PATIENTS AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS. ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL PROGRAM BACKGROUND Animal Control is responsible for the care and control of animals in San Bernardino County. Several departments share accountability: California Fish and Game, County Department of Agriculture, Weights & Measures and private contractors. Agriculture/Weights and Measures has assumed the former responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes tracking coyotes and other wild animals. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report There have been frequent reported problems of predatory animals in populated areas and a major increase of stray dogs and cats throughout the County. The Animal Control Division is governed by the California State Health & Safety Code and regulations under Title 16 and Title 17 (Public Health), Agricultural Code and Civil Code. FINDINGS The Animal Control Division has a reporting system through a common toll free telephone number. Any animal problem will be assessed and forwarded to the appropriate division through this centralized system. Coyote issues are generally given to contractors that handle these issues. Wild animals such as bear, cougars or any wild animal with human encounter are the responsibility of the Fish and Game Department. All reported animal bites must be referred to Animal Control. Dogs, cats, large domestic animals and small wild animals are the responsibility of Animal Control. There are 18 non-profit organizations in San Bernardino County working with Animal Control for the placement and neutering of dogs and cats. The increase in population has brought an increase in the number of stray dogs and cats. This presents a serious problem for housing and neutering these strays. The largest County kennel is in Devore and has 50 runs. This unit is designed to house 3,700 to 7,000 animals per year, but actually houses 11,000 animals per year. Dogs and cats are kept five days before being euthanized. Frequently, 5-6 dogs are kept in a single kennel causing problems such as fights. Occasionally animals are transferred to city kennels, for which there is a fee. However, this process still does not provide enough space. Several cities throughout the County contract with County Animal Control for services, generating revenue of approximately $500,000 annually. $180,000 a year from the General Fund is dedicated to the very successful spay/neuter program. This is a free service for those who bring in strays or wish to have their pet neutered. The County has a spay mobile that travels throughout the County to offer these services. All animals must be licensed and neutered before being placed in a new home. Animal Control offers to the public the use of traps, at the cost of $1.00 a day, and will pick up the caged animals. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-31:
EXPAND THE SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAM IN THE ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL PROGRAM TO MEET THE INCREASED POPULATION. EXPAND CITY CONTRACT SERVICES FOR ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL.
R03-32:
03-33 INCREASE KENNEL CAPACITY AT THE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER TO MEET GROWING NEEDS. BIO-TERRORISM BACKGROUND Public Health departments are responsible for the management of any disease or organism that could cause epidemic episodes. This program is one of containment, not of prevention. Since 9/11/01 there has been an increased emphasis on the locating and controlling of disease agents that could be considered for biological warfare, major chemical release included. These elements can be used in the form of bio-terror activity. In 1999 the Terrorism Oversight Committee and the Terrorism Early Warning group were initiated by the County Sheriff and Fire departments for overall coordination and planning. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report FINDINGS Public Health departments throughout the United States have been in the process of creating plans to prepare against all forms of bio-terror activity. San Bernardino County has a comprehensive published plan that is being rapidly put in place by the Public Health Director and his team. The majority of citizens of this County are not aware of the immense efforts being made to protect them should a crisis of biologic means occur. The County has a Level B laboratory, which means it has the necessary equipment and personnel to quickly diagnose any potentially harmful organism. The County has critical communication systems working 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that inter-exchange of pertinent information is constant. This would ensure secure electronic exchange of public health information in standard formats between computer systems of public health and emergency related systems. The Public Health Department is adding a position, a "Bio-terrorism Public Health Program Coordinator", to assist the director in developing and implementing programs needed. Levels of education have been raised for personnel that may be involved in bio-terror activity. There are also several preparedness conferences for public health professionals and health care providers. These conferences are offered through San Bernardino County and advisory agencies. There are multiple emergency medical systems in place throughout the County (and State) that can be called upon and shared should a crisis occur. In place are systems that provide for each county to assist nearby counties when called upon. These specialty groups can be called upon to move throughout the nation. If there are shortcomings, it appears the department is aware and working to bring them to a level at, or beyond, compliance. Results are obvious and progress is being made. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report RECOMMENDATION MAKE THE COUNTY POPULATION AWARE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
R03-34:
DEPARTMENT'S RELENTLESS PREPARATION AGAINST BIO-TERRORIST ACTIVITY. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report NEEDLES SPECIAL PROJECT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FINDINGS The City of Needles has a population of 4,830, of which 1,303 citizens are on disability (25 percent of the population). The median income for Needles is $26,108. There is no available home health care. There are no hospice programs. There is no home-based food program. There is very limited affordable housing. Meetings with the Department of Aging and Adult Services, Public Health and a private practice physician reflect the following: The Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) conducted a needs assessment in the year 2001. This department worked with the State Independent Living Center's executive director to convene a Tri-State meeting (Nevada, California, Arizona) to assess a way to address resident issues in the Tri-State area. One problem is the lack of access to medical services because only one physician in Needles accepts Medi-Cal as health insurance, creating the problem of having to transport clients needing medical services to the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in San Bernardino. The Needles hospital (Colorado River Medical Center) does accept Medi-Cal clients, however, the physicians do not. Therefore, Medi-Cal clients can receive emergency treatment only and those clients requiring non-emergency services are referred to ARMC. At the second tri-state meeting, DAAS and the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) volunteered to contact the various medical services providers in the Tri-State area to solicit their reasons for not accepting Medi-Cal and to inquire as to what changes were needed so that they would be willing to become Medi-Cal providers. The committee continues to work on this problem. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report In the year 2002, DAAS social workers and Public Health registered nurses spent 417 hours transporting patients not given medical care in the Needles area. Public Health (PH) has since obtained a grant for a van and a driver, which partially alleviates the problem. This also returns the professionals to their primary function of caring for the patients' issues. However, the van is not available for the general population. Only clients linked specifically to PH programs are able to access transportation services to out-of-area doctors. DAAS is currently negotiating with PH to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share costs, thus enabling DAAS clients' access to this transportation service. Even with a DAAS and Public Health MOU in place, there will still remain a population underserved. Behavioral Health described feelings of frustration due to: (1) large patient caseload; (2) difficulty in obtaining appropriate medications; and (3) delays in obtaining necessary equipment for the totally disabled. Behavioral Health does have a video link with psychiatrists in San Bernardino. At the Public Health Clinic the personnel, one Registered Nurse (R.N.) and two clerks, are scheduled four 10-hour days per week. Patients are scheduled every 10-15 minutes, plus they take walk-ins. Every other week a Nurse Practitioner is available 1.5 days. The R.N. sees many older or needy patients at Big River once a month and tracks 80+ patients with health problems in aging programs. This R.N. is also on the Drug Court Team as well as providing Public Health programs for this area such as primary care, reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV follow-up, TB follow-up, the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, pregnancy and pap smears. The capability of doing colposcopies (cervical exam under magnification) would alleviate travel to San Bernardino or Victorville and return results quickly. Public Health also has the school nurse contract. The Public Health Department has video link equipment by which patients could be interviewed by an M.D., however this has not been connected. This would reduce travel time for patients. Only recently has Needles acquired a dentist who will accept Medi-Cal. However, his practice is limited to adult Medi-Cal clients only. Children were referred out to the Victorville area. Recently a dentist in Bullhead City, Arizona area (within 20 miles) has agreed to accept children and Medi-Cal recipients. A visit to a private physician's clinic that does accept Medi-Cal was made. This doctor stated that although the private hospital in the area does accept Medi-Cal, other physicians in the area do not. He explained that the very slow turnaround time for payment and low payment were the primary reasons. This 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report physician is taking a second physician into the clinic this summer; an internal medicine specialist who he hopes will relieve his time with the heavy Medi-Cal practice. RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-35:
FORM A LIAISON BETWEEN COUNTY OFFICIALS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS THE MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN THE CITY OF NEEDLES.
R03-36:
PROVIDE THE SERVICES OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER IN NEEDLES EVERY WEEK.
R03-37:
PROVIDE COLPOSCOPY EQUIPMENT AT THE NEEDLES PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC SO THAT PATIENTS COULD BE DIAGNOSED AND TREATED WITHOUT LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL AND A PROLONGED WAIT FOR RESULTS.
R03-38:
EXTEND SOCIAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND ADULT SERVICES TO PROVIDE HOSPICE, HOME HEALTH AND HOME- BASED FOOD PROGRAMS IN NEEDLES.
R03-39:
CONNECT THE VIDEO LINK EQUIPMENT FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN NEEDLES. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report VETERANS' AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND The County Veterans Affairs office plays a vital role in the National Veterans Advocacy Network. It functions as an advocate for veterans' rights, as well as addressing issues of access to services and benefits. At the local level it works in conjunction with County agencies such as the departments of Behavioral Health (therapeutic counseling), Transitional Assistance (food stamps and general subsistence vouchers), and Aging and Adult Services. These services are heavily concentrated on claims, health counseling, review of claims and other information and referrals relevant to veterans needs. Although the budget of this agency is $1,108,218, less a State grant of $264,000, the actual cost to the County is only $884,218. The Federal benefits attributable to the Veterans Affairs office amounted to $119,395,377, according to information included in a Veterans Affairs pamphlet. There are full time offices located in San Bernardino, Victorville and Ontario and four part-time offices in Loma Linda (at the Jerry Pettis Memorial Veterans' Hospital), Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms and Barstow. FINDINGS An aging veteran population will increase the demand for home care, home services, field visits, life insurance and death and survivor benefits. Conversations with the director revealed a need to publicize their services. He believes that it would facilitate greater service if he had a staff of volunteers, which would then free his paid personnel for more significant tasks. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Greater Federal subsidies are necessary for State and local veterans' services (currently $3.2 billion is expended annually by State and local governments to assist veterans and their families). This does not take into consideration recent veterans. Veterans Administration Medical Center is the primary medical provider – greater numbers of veterans are now eligible for medical care. There is a new category of claims entitled "Presumptive Condition", brought about by herbicide exposure. A few are: non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung, bronchitis, larynx or trachea, soft tissue sarcoma, diabetes and spina bifida (for disabled children of Agent Orange exposed veterans). The veteran population of San Bernardino County will continue to grow; mounting pressure for limited resources at all levels will increase due in part to the 1988 Veterans' Judicial Review Act that allows judicial review of rejected claims. (There is currently a nationwide backlog of 500,000 cases waiting to be reviewed.) The Veterans' Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-262) paved the way for a medical benefits package now available to all enrolled veterans. This package emphasizes preventive and primary care and outpatient services. It also sets up priority groups numbered from 1 to 8. Priority 1-6 includes veterans with service-connected disabilities rated from 10-50 percent more disabled and veterans who have been determined to be catastrophically disabled. Priority 5-6 also includes compensable service-connected disorders associated with exposure to herbicides, radiation, disorders caused by the Gulf War or any illness associated with combat in a war after the Gulf War or during a period of hostility after November 11, 1998. Priority 7-8 includes veterans with no service-connected disabilities who agree to pay specified co- payments in accord with the Veterans' Administration means testing and income below the HUD geographic index. There is a possibility that many Priority 7-8 veterans will not be able to afford the higher co-payments or the annual enrollment fees since they characteristically have low incomes. There is a backlog of 300,000 veterans' claims being challenged by the government. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Enrollment in the Veterans Administration medical program has doubled from 2.9 million to 7 million in 2003, and funding has only increased by 60 percent. RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-40:
UTILIZE MARKETING STRATEGIES TO CREATE GREATER VISIBILITY OF BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO VETERANS. ACTIVELY WORK WITH GROUPS SUCH AS THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION.
R03-41:
UTILIZE THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO ACQUIRE VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN OFFICE TASKS AND PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS THAT WOULD RELIEVE PAID STAFF TO FOCUS ON CORE DEMANDS OF THIS AGENCY.
Additional Recommendations
24
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-53:
EXPAND THE DUTIES OF THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT TO INCLUDE PROVIDING PRE-TRIAL PLEA REPORTS TO THE COURT.
R03-54:
THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF POTENTIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER CLIENTS.
R03-55:
FILL TEMPORARILY VACANT DETENTION REVIEW OFFICER POSITIONS IN THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT.
R03-56:
REVIEW THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR/CORONER/ PUBLIC GUARDIAN BACKGROUND The office of Public Administrator/Coroner/Public Guardian is comprised of three separate agencies that serve different public needs. The current Public Administrator/Coroner was elected in 1982 and is now serving his sixth elected term. The Public Guardian acts as conservator for persons unable to manage their own affairs, and is appointed by the Superior Court. The Coroner oversees the Medical Examiners who perform the autopsies. Deputy Coroner investigators are responsible for all investigations pertaining to causes and manner of death. They are responsible for the identification of deceased and notification of the next of kin and safeguarding personal property of decedents. The Public Administrator is required by law to take responsibility for property belonging to persons who have died and assigned no executor or administrator. This office manages the estates of the deceased until their families assume responsibility. If not claimed by family, the estate will be disposed of at public auction. The Public Guardian is appointed by the Superior Court and acts as conservator for individuals not able to care for themselves, and arranges for custodial care of ill and elderly persons in nursing homes. The Public Guardian administers the estates of disabled or incompetent persons and coordinates legal and social services on their behalf. FINDINGS There are deputy coroners in each major city. All bodies are transported to the Coroner's office in San Bernardino for autopsy or storage. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report The main Coroner facility is inadequate. The microscope room and specimen pick-up facility double as one. Boxes with ashes of deceased were stacked 3-4 high on a desk. The autopsy room is permeated with an offensive smell. A mixture of odors of body fluids, tissue and other unknown sources are overwhelming. The ventilation system is poor and inadequate as compared to the Riverside County Coroner's facility, which was visited by this Grand Jury. A tour of the refrigeration room where bodies are kept revealed numerous problems. A terrible odor existed. The area was highly congested: 68 bodies were stacked 2 to 3 bodies to a table with no separation by shelving or "racks" as was observed at Riverside County. Freezer space is inadequate and the area needs ventilation. The Grand Jury reviewed 21 sections of the Coroner's manual and observed that 16 had not been updated since the 1980's. Personal estate items are poorly stacked and only separated by cardboard dividers, which are inadequate as boxes may become intermingled over time. Property is stacked 6-8 feet high, rising above the dividers. Individual items are not tagged, making it impossible to identify commingled items. Visits to other counties facilities found every item tagged with adhesive labels and individual "lots" kept together. Valuable property such as jewelry and firearms are collected and logged by investigators and taken to the Coroner's office for safekeeping. The warehouse staff collects all other personal property in bulk and maintains a separate inventory log in the warehouse. The Public Administrator has no itemized estate property inventory list showing all assets removed from the residence. The Riverside County Coroner/Public Administrator has an estate property inventory log, which lists all items individually and is distributed to the file of the deceased, the warehouse, accounting and witness. San Bernardino County has an inadequate tracking system to safeguard distribution of collected personal property. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Personal property is kept 3-4 years. Only the Courts can authorize the disposal of property. Despite prior Grand Jury recommendations, it was observed that no corrective action has been taken. This has resulted in a deterioration of the overall operation of all departments of the Coroner/Public Administrator/Public Guardian's office. RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-57:
CONDUCT A STUDY REGARDING ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDS IN THE CORONER'S OFFICE.
R03-58:
TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO GREATLY IMPROVE CLEANLINESS OF THE MORGUE FACILITY. CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL TEST OF THE AIR IN THE AUTOPSY AND
R03-60:
UPDATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL BY REVIEWING EVERY YEAR AND UPDATE AS NECESSARY, AS RECOMMENDED BY PREVIOUS GRAND JURIES.
R03-61:
CREATE A MORE ACCURATE SYSTEM FOR RECORD KEEPING OF PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE WAREHOUSE. SEPARATE THE PROPERTY OF DECEASED INDIVIDUALS FROM PROPERTY
R03-62:
BELONGING TO THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN BY THE USE OF ADHESIVE LABELS OR PALLET RACKS. KEEP AN ITEMIZED PROPERTY INVENTORY LOG WITH EACH PROPERTY LOT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE 2001-2002 GRAND JURY. LOG ALL PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF COLLECTION, PRIOR TO TRANSFER TO THE
R03-63:
CORONER'S OFFICE. A COPY OF THE INVENTORY SHOULD BE KEPT AT THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, IN ADDITION TO THE CORONER'S RECORD SO A "BACK-UP" IS CREATED. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report PROVIDE AN ANNUAL INVENTORY OF STORED ITEMS TO THE COURT FOR
R03-64:
AUTHORIZATION AND DISPOSAL. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report LAW OFFICES OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER BACKGROUND The Law Offices of the Public Defender of San Bernardino County provide reduced or no cost legal representation to persons charged with a crime who claim they cannot afford to retain their own attorney. The department budget for 2002-2003 was $17.7 million. Legal Assistance will be provided for an estimated 13,000 felony, 31,500 misdemeanor and 4,200 juvenile cases. The department has a staff of approximately 280 employees, including just over 100 attorneys. Members of the Grand Jury toured several County Public Defender branch offices, and interviewed representatives from Public Defender's offices in nearby counties. FINDINGS Financial Investigation of Potential Clients of the Public Defender The Public Defender is usually appointed to represent a defendant during arraignment, when the defendant claims that they cannot afford to retain private counsel. The defendant then pays a $25 fee, fills out a short form with name, address, social security number and phone number. At the end of the trial, defendants are supposed to attend a hearing to determine if they could have afforded a private attorney; however, in the vast majority of cases, judges simply waive the hearing and levy a small assessment, which often goes unpaid. The Public Defender conducts no investigation of any kind into its clients to determine if they are indigent and qualify for the Public Defender's services. The Public Defender can, in some instances, be appointed to represent defendants who are able to retain their own attorneys. Other counties take steps to assure Public Defenders are appointed only to represent defendants who are truly indigent. Los Angeles County defendants are required to fill out a one-page financial disclosure form to determine if they are genuinely indigent. Employees of the Public Defender in Orange County interview 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report defendants prior to arraignment and appointment to ascertain, among other things, their financial situation. In San Diego County, the courts require defendants to fill out a financial screening questionnaire. While the Grand Jury has recommended in prior years that the Public Defender attempt to ascertain the financial situations of their clients, the Board of Supervisors response has been that it is illegal for the Public Defender to investigate its own clients. However, prior to having a Public Defender appointed, a County agency can investigate the defendant's financial status. The Probation Department's Pre-Trial Detention Review Unit investigates all persons charged with a crime in the County. This investigation often includes examining the defendant's financial status in an effort to determine his or her flight risk - specifically, whether or not the accused is currently employed. This information could easily be used to determine whether or not a person could afford to retain their own private attorney to represent them. However, there is no apparent communication between the Pre-Trial Detention Review Unit and the Public Defender. Facilities Members of this Grand Jury made the following observations during tours: The Barstow office space is insufficient for the Public Defender's needs. One attorney has an
R03-65:
SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF POTENTIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER CLIENTS.
R03-66:
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER DECLINE TO REPRESENT CLIENTS WHO CAN AFFORD TO RETAIN THEIR OWN ATTORNEY.
R03-67:
EXPAND OR RELOCATE OVERCROWDED PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICES.
R03-68:
MAKE USE OF THE VACANT FORMER LAW LIBRARY SPACE AT THE FOOTHILL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES LAW AND CENTER (RANCHO CUCAMONGA COURTHOUSE). IMPROVE SECURITY BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES' AREAS AT THE
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JUVENILE DIVISION'S CENTRAL OFFICE.
R03-70:
THE COUNTY ASSUME CONTROL OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INDIGENT DEFENSE FUND.
R03-71:
REFRAIN FROM REDUCTIONS IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S BUDGET WHEN SUCH BUDGET REDUCTIONS INCREASE COUNTY EXPENSES ELSEWHERE. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE BACKGROUND The County of San Bernardino is constitutionally mandated to provide legal counsel to persons charged with a crime who cannot afford to retain a private attorney. In the majority of cases, the county's Public Defender represents these indigent defendants. In some cases, however, the Public Defender cannot represent a particular defendant due to a conflict of interest. In most instances, conflicts of interest arise in cases involving multiple defendants or where a defendant is a witness in another case. When the Public Defender declares a conflict, the court appoints a private attorney at the County's expense. These court- appointed private attorneys constitute what is generally known as the Conflicts Panel. Under the direction of the 1995-1996 San Bernardino County Grand Jury, the Harvey M. Rose Accountancy Corporation conducted an audit of the County's indigent defense costs. This audit found that the Conflicts Panel was substantially more expensive, on a cost-per-case basis, than the Public Defender. The primary recommendation of the audit was that the County study the feasibility of establishing an Alternate Public Defender's office (APD). The APD would function the same as the regular Public Defender's office, but would be able to take cases on which the Public Defender had declared a conflict. The APD would be an entirely separate law firm with its own offices and records, physically separated from the Public Defender's office. Ideally, the APD's expenses and overhead costs would be roughly comparable to the Public Defenders, so their costs per case would also be about the same. This would be much less expensive than continuing to pay private attorneys on the Conflicts Panel. To date, however, the County has not conducted any studies on the feasibility of creating an Alternate Public Defender as a way of reducing indigent legal defense costs. FINDINGS In the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the County Public Defender represented indigent defendants charged with a total of 11,547 felonies, 26,893 misdemeanors, and 5,111 juvenile delinguency charges. These 56,433 cases were handled at a cost of $14.8 million. The Conflicts Panel represented defendants charged with 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report approximately 4,800 felonies, 2,800 misdemeanors, and 2,600 juvenile delinquency charges. These 10,200 cases were handled at a cost of $9.4 million. On a cost-per-case basis, the Conflicts Panel is far more expensive than the Public Defender. Although the contract attorneys handled only 18 percent of all criminal defendants in the 2000-2001 fiscal year, they represented 39 percent of the County's total indigent defense cost. The average cost per case in that year for felonies was $615 for the Public Defender and $1,047 for the Conflicts Panel; for misdemeanors, it was $174 and $343, respectively. This cost differential represents a substantial drain on the County's financial resources. This problem is not unique to San Bernardino County. During the 1990's, a number of counties throughout the state created Alternate Public Defenders to reduce indigent defense costs. The first county to do so was San Diego in 1990. In its first year of operation, the Alternate Public Defender saved the taxpayers of San Diego County an estimated $1.7 million. Los Angeles County spent $56.6 million on indigent legal defense in Fiscal Year 1989-90. Although that county's equivalent of the Conflicts Panel represented only ten percent (10%) of the criminal defenses that year, it accounted for $26.6 million (47 percent) of the indigent legal defense costs. Los Angeles County followed San Diego County's lead in creating an Alternate Public Defender in 1993, on the recommendation of the Los Angeles County Grand Jury. Los Angeles County, concerned that judges might not appoint the Alternate Public Defender and instead continue appointing private attorneys at the county's expense, succeeded in lobbying the State Assembly to amend Penal Code Section 987.2 to require judges to appoint the Alternate Public Defender in cases where the Public Defender had declared a conflict of interest, in 1993 (AB 1170 – Epple). In 1994 Orange County's equivalent of the Conflicts Panel was costing nearly six times as much as the Public Defender on a cost-per-case basis. Faced with a serious financial scandal that sent the county into bankruptcy, the Orange County Board of Supervisors ordered the creation of an Alternate Public Defender to save money on indigent legal defense costs. In its first year of operation, the Alternate Public Defender of Orange County saved approximately $6.3 million, and was up and running within ten (10) days of its establishment. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Additional cost savings in these counties have also been realized by pooling resources between the Public Defender and Alternate Public Defender where legally permissible. For example, combined training programs, sharing the costs of expert witness testimony and technical support. RECOMMENDATION
R03-72:
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO CREATE AN ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE TO HANDLE THE LEGAL DEFENSE OF INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN CASES WHERE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS DECLARED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND BEEN REMOVED AS LEGAL COUNSEL. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report SHERIFF INCLUDING NEEDLES OFFICES OF THE SHERIFF AND PUBLIC DEFENDER BACKGROUND The following areas of the Sheriff's Department were reviewed or investigated:
R03-73:
MOVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OPERATION IN NEEDLES INTO A PORTION OF THE 4,275 SQUARE FEET OF UNUSED SPACE.
R03-74:
INSTALL A PHONE SYSTEM IN THE ATTORNEY/CLIENT INTERVIEW ROOM AT THE SHERIFF'S COLORADO RIVER STATION IN NEEDLES.
R03-75:
INSTALL VIDEO ARRAIGNMENT EQUIPMENT IN NEEDLES TO REDUCE THE COST OF TRANSPORTING INMATES FROM THE WEST VALLEY DETENTION CENTER TO NEEDLES.
R03-76:
USE THE GRANT MONEY REQUESTED FROM THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO INSTALL A VIDEO CONFERENCE SYSTEM IN THE NEEDLES BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report INSPECTION OF PUBLIC PRISONS BY COUNTY GRAND JURY BACKGROUND All of the Grand Juries of San Bernardino County have, in the past, visited the State prisons within the County during their term of office. This Grand Jury will inspect one or more of the State prisons during its term. FINDINGS Penal Code Section 919(b) states: "(b) The Grand Jury shall inquire into the condition and management of the public prisons within the county." The word shall in Section 919(b) makes the investigation mandatory; therefore the Grand Jury must inspect the prisons within the County. The Grand Jury is the investigative arm of the Superior Court with jurisdiction to make recommendations as to the operation of County government. The Department of Corrections, which operates the State prisons, is an agency of the State government and the Grand Jury has no jurisdiction over a State department. There are many persons who see a necessity for a Statewide Grand Jury. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Law requires that the Grand Jury is to inspect the State prisons but cannot recommend any changes or improvements as to their operation even though the County pays for the Grand Jury's inspection. The State Legislature can, by amending the Penal Code, give Grand Juries the authority to investigate and make recommendations to the Board of Corrections to which they would have to respond. RECOMMENDATION
R03-77:
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SEEK LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO PENAL CODE SECTION 919(b) TO GIVE COUNTY GRAND JURIES JURISDICTION TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING STATE PRISONS WITHIN THEIR COUNTY, AND REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO RESPOND TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
Additional Recommendations
10
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-15:
THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRST DISTRICT COUNTY SUPERVISOR FOLLOW UP ON THE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN MOTION AND DETERMINE WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
R03-35:
FORM A LIAISON BETWEEN COUNTY OFFICIALS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS THE MEDI-CAL PROBLEMS IN THE CITY OF NEEDLES.
R03-36:
PROVIDE THE SERVICES OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER IN NEEDLES EVERY WEEK.
R03-37:
PROVIDE COLPOSCOPY EQUIPMENT AT THE NEEDLES PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC SO THAT PATIENTS COULD BE DIAGNOSED AND TREATED WITHOUT LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL AND A PROLONGED WAIT FOR RESULTS.
R03-38:
EXTEND SOCIAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND ADULT SERVICES TO PROVIDE HOSPICE, HOME HEALTH AND HOME- BASED FOOD PROGRAMS IN NEEDLES.
R03-39:
CONNECT THE VIDEO LINK EQUIPMENT FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN NEEDLES. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report
R03-73:
MOVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OPERATION IN NEEDLES INTO A PORTION OF THE 4,275 SQUARE FEET OF UNUSED SPACE.
R03-74:
INSTALL A PHONE SYSTEM IN THE ATTORNEY/CLIENT INTERVIEW ROOM AT THE SHERIFF'S COLORADO RIVER STATION IN NEEDLES.
R03-75:
INSTALL VIDEO ARRAIGNMENT EQUIPMENT IN NEEDLES TO REDUCE THE COST OF TRANSPORTING INMATES FROM THE WEST VALLEY DETENTION CENTER TO NEEDLES.
R03-76:
USE THE GRANT MONEY REQUESTED FROM THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO INSTALL A VIDEO CONFERENCE SYSTEM IN THE NEEDLES BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
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Additional Recommendations
16
Not linked to specific findings.
R02-20:
ALL SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS USED BY COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL MUST BE OF THE SAME DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE. 20
R02-21:
ALLOCATE FUNDS TO THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF BREATHING APPARATUS WITH COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.
R02-22:
INCREASE FUNDING LEVELS FOR THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY SERVICE ITEMS: (A) BASIC SERVICES TO THE NON-FUNDED AREAS; (B) COUNTY SERVICE AREAS PROVIDING SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THEIR LEGAL BOUNDARY ON A REGULAR BASIS; (C) REPLACEMENT OF SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT.
R02-23:
CREATE A CONTRIBUTION ACCOUNT TO BE EARMARKED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF FIREFIGHTER EQUIPMENT.
R02-24:
ALL COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS RECEIVE NECESSARY TRAINING IN HANDLING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING RADIOACTIVE WASTE. JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND The Jobs and Employment Services Department (JESD) of San Bernardino County is part of the Economic Development and Public Services Group (ED-PSG). JESD promotes the economic enrichment of our county by developing a qualified workforce to place with San Bernardino County employers. JESD was established in 1991. Two programs that predated JESD, GAIN (Greater Avenues to Independence) and JTPA (Job Training Partnership Act), focused on finding employment for those on public assistance. JESD’s services were available to all job seekers and all local employers. Currently, according to JESD, it has approximately 800 staff at 30 locations across the County. In 1997 the State of California passed AB 1542 which created a program called CalWORKS. JESD administers the CalWORKS program in San Bernardino County and provides a comprehensive welfare-to-work program and has a time limit for individuals receiving public assistance. JESD’s mandate is to provide a network of activities and services. JESD assists CalWORKS participants and others to achieve self-sufficiency, thus improving the quality of life for that individual and the economy. JESD reported that between July 2000 and June 2001, it successfully placed 17,700 clients. FINDINGS Jobs and Employment Services: (cid:0) offers excellent job entry and job search skills (cid:0) networks with employers and other training programs (cid:0) clients tend to come to it with low job entry skills. These limitations have hampered their ability to successfully enter the job market on their own. 22 (cid:0) has resources for those in special need of strengthening their job search skills and those seeking to enter the job market. (cid:0) staff is skilled in working with the clients utilizing their services. Presently, a uniform method is not being used at each of the 30 JESD sites for documenting its networking with the employment community, schools, continuation schools, community colleges and unions. There is an uneven publicizing of their successes by the 30 JESD sites. RECOMMENDATIONS
R02-25:
IMPLEMENT A PROCESS IN JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES FOR DOCUMENTING ITS’ NETWORKING WITH THE EMPLOYMENT COMMUNITY, HIGH SCHOOLS, CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIONS.
R02-26:
JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PUBLICIZE ITS SUCCESSES THROUGH THE MEDIA AND THROUGH CONTACTS WITH SERVICE CLUBS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. MUSEUM BACKGROUND In July 2000 the County Museum became a stand-alone County department. Originally it was a division of the Community and Cultural Resources Department, which was eliminated in July 2000. FINDINGS The County Museum has endeavored for excellence in meeting the demands of the County’s residents by seeking exhibits that would add to the culture of the residents of San Bernardino County. The programs in existence, and scheduled for the future have, and will continue to prove themselves beneficial to the patrons and local schools who visit this County facility. The research department benefits individuals in both the public and private sector from around the world. The County’s Archives Section of the Museum has stored within it a multitude of documents ranging from maps of the area to written documents dating back to when the Inland Empire was first settled. The Museum also fulfills the Federal government’s need as a depository in which artifacts recovered on Federal lands are stored. Located just inside the main entrance is the Museum Store that contains books, gifts and other related objects associated with the exhibits that are currently on display. The store maintains a full selection of local history and natural history books, toys and games for learning, science equipment and books for teachers, students and children, and unique merchandise to recall visits to a special place. There was a reported shortage of money detected by Museum personnel. An audit confirmed the total shortages to be $31,809 from the gift store and $2,204 from admissions. The Museum’s administration reported the discrepancies to the appropriate County departments. The investigation conducted by the County Sheriff’s Department yielded no indictments. Reimbursements were sought and obtained from the County’s Risk Management Department. A new security and accountability matrix has been installed to combat possible mis- appropriation of Museum property and to fulfill the needs of the recent San Bernardino County Auditor/Controller-Recorder’s audit. The Museum’s administration reviews the policies of the department’s operations manual monthly. It makes changes to that document, which would enhance the performance of this facility and contribute to the operation and business needs of the Museum. There is no fire suppression system in the stored document areas of the County Museum. There is no retrieval system for documents stored in the Archive storage area. By removing the original document from its secured container, the document is being subjected to deterioration and other hazards. The Museum administration has not communicated with the County Fire Chief/Warden to seek a resolution to have installed a Halon gas fire suppression system. A Halon system would extinguish a fire without destroying the contents of the document storage areas. RECOMMENDATIONS
R02-27:
ENFORCE ALL MONETARY ACCOUNTABILITY PROCEDURES IN ADMISSIONS AND IN THE MUSEUM STORE.
R02-28:
REVIEW ALL OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR THE MUSEUM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
R02-29:
INSTALL A COMPUTER RETRIEVAL SYSTEM TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN PROVIDING DOCUMENTS TO RESEARCHERS.
R02-30:
COMMUNICATE WITH MUSEUMS AND OTHER SOURCES TO BRING EXHIBITS TO SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
R02-31:
MEET WITH THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE CHIEF/WARDEN TO SEEK RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF INADEQUATE FIRE PROTECTION OF THE DOCUMENT STORAGE AREA. REGISTRAR OF VOTERS BACKGROUND The County Registrar of Voters (ROV) mission is to provide voting opportunities to all eligible citizens by conducting Federal, State and local elections. San Bernardino County is the largest election jurisdiction in the Continental United States and the fifth largest California County in terms of registered voters. FINDINGS On Election Day, November 6, 2001, County Registrar of Voters computer programming flaws resulted in incorrect counts in 13 elections. That required the overturning of those 13 elections. The program error was corrected and an accurate count was made. The Registrar of Voters office has, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State, established checks to verify appropriate computer programming. The redrawing of voter districts compounded the Registrar of Voters job. In November 2001, 125 ballot versions had to be produced for County voters. The March 2002 election required 1,160 ballot versions. As a result of redistricting, the number of ballot versions increased to 145, leading to frustration by voters and poll workers. A total of 2,636 poll workers were required for the March 5, 2002 election. A large number of these poll workers left their stations in frustration. The Registrar’s office effectively responded to that crisis and found replacements. With the excellent cooperation of key high school personnel, between 500 to 600 high school students have participated each year as poll workers, and more are needed. The recruitment and training of high school students as poll workers is of major assistance to the Registrar of Voters. Under present circumstances, the Registrar noted the department’s quarters are inadequate. Additional funds are currently needed for renovating the central headquarters, especially for an absentee voter section. On Election Day the ROV warehouse must be used and they are still short of space. Salaries of top Registrar of Voters personnel are at least $10,000 below the salaries of their counterparts in comparable counties. The County Registrar expressed her impression that her office had not received the necessary support to enable the office to function at a quality level. She resigned in March 2002. Three of the reasons given by the Registrar of Voters for her resignation were (1) lack of support from the Board of Supervisors; (2) failure to staff the Registrar’s office at an adequate level; and (3) the County did not offer competitive salaries for key ROV staff members. The Registrar of Voters notes that its website (www.sbcrov.com) contains extensive information on election laws and other information relevant to 2002 elections. By 2004 punch card voting will be required to be eliminated and touch screen voting instituted as the sole option. Many Registrars have maintained that it can be done, but not by 2004, without major problems, including tamper proofing that system. The Registrar of Voters noted that (a) touch screening can be done, but not without additional equipment; and (b) in that system, tamper proof hard copies can be produced only after the polls close. RECOMMENDATIONS
R02-32:
INCREASE TRAINING CLASSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND OTHER POLL WORKERS.
R02-33:
FUND THE RENOVATIONS AT THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS FACILITIES.
R02-34:
PUBLICIZE THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND THE ELECTION INFORMATION.
R02-35:
THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS INFORM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO INSTALL AND IMPLEMENT TAMPER PROOF TOUCH SCREEN VOTING. 27
Additional Recommendations
10
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-42:
TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ON ALL DISCREPANCIES NOTED BY THE AUGUST 6, 2002 SAFETY INSPECTION BY THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT'S HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DIVISION.
R03-43:
ASSIGN ONE PERSON IN EACH AREA THE TASK OF "SAFETY MONITOR" TO PERFORM DOCUMENTED WEEKLY INSPECTIONS AND FOLLOW-UP TO CORRECT ANY DISCREPANCIES NOTED. ALLOCATE FUNDS NECESSARY TO MODIFY EXISTING WORK BAY WITH
R03-44:
EQUIPMENT TO PERFORM ALL MAINTENANCE ON COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) VEHICLES, IN LIEU OF BUILDING A NEW WORK BAY. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report
R03-45:
ANALYZE FEEDBACK FROM USING CUSTOMERS TO DETERMINE A REAL NEED FOR THE USE OF THE ELECTRIC CARTS THAT ARE ON LOAN FOR A TEST.
R03-46:
RECOMMEND PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC CARTS ONLY FOR COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THE MOST NEED AND ECONOMICAL USE, (E.G. REGIONAL PARKS, COUNTY AIRPORTS, AND THE SHERIFF'S AVIATION DIVISION). COMPLETE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2002 BLACK & VEATCH RATE STUDY IN
R03-47:
THE MANNER RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BY THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report PURCHASING DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND Purchasing, an Internal Services department, is responsible for four separate divisions within its organization in managing and operating Printing Services, Mail Services and Central Stores, to include the surplus warehouse. Purchasing has the responsibility of procurement policies for all of the County's agencies, and recently a new role in working with the Sheriff's Department in buying used cars for undercover officers. Printing Services has well-trained personnel and is capable of producing millions of impressions in documents, brochures and forms for the County. Central Mail Services is a centralized mailing service for all County departments and provides automated services such as folding, insertions, labeling and tabulating, and bulk mail processing of incoming and outgoing mail. FINDINGS Printing Services is crowded and congested with pallets of paper and supplies often blocking aisles. In the press area there is a distinct odor of the solvents used to wash the presses, chemicals that could affect breathing and cause nose burning. The Mail Services area is also overcrowded with printed matter ready for bulk mailing process. The mail courier pickup and distribution center is in much need of space and is overcrowded with clerks and couriers. In the Surplus warehouse the turnover of office equipment and furniture, including copiers and computer systems, is extremely slow and poorly documented. The committee observed useless items of furniture in need of repair, non-operative copiers, and incomplete computer systems also not in working order. 2002-2003 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report RECOMMENDATIONS
R03-48:
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPACE AT PRINTING SERVICES FOR ALL CARTS AND PALLETS OF PAPER READY FOR PRESS PRODUCTION. RISK MANAGEMENT CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHECK (CLEAN AIR
R03-49:
SYSTEM) IN THE PRESS AREAS. ALLOT ADDITIONAL SPACE TO MAIL SERVICES FOR THE PROCESSING OF BULK
R03-51:
RELOCATE MAIL SERVICES INTO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS AREA TO PROVIDE THE SPACE NEEDED BY PRINTING AND MAIL SERVICES AND TO PROVIDE EFFICIENCY.
R03-52:
PREPARE A WRITTEN PROTOCOL TO DISPOSE OF ALL SURPLUS EQUIPMENT, SEPARATING USEABLE AND NON-USEABLE SURPLUS FURNITURE AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT.
Additional Recommendations
52
Not linked to specific findings.
R03-15:
THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRST DISTRICT COUNTY SUPERVISOR FOLLOW UP ON THE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN MOTION AND DETERMINE WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. FINDINGS – HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES The City of Needles has a population of 4,830, of which 1,303 citizens are on disability (25 percent of the population). The median income for Needles is $26,108. There is no available home health care. There are no hospice programs. There is no home-based food program. There is very limited affordable housing. Meetings with the Department of Aging and Adult Services, Public Health and a private practice physician reflect the following: The Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) conducted a needs assessment in the year 2001. This department worked with the State Independent Living Center’s executive director to convene a Tri-State meeting (Nevada, California, Arizona) to assess a way to address resident issues in the Tri-State area. One problem is the lack of access to medical services because only one physician in Needles accepts Medi-Cal as health insurance, creating the problem of having to transport clients needing medical services to the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in San Bernardino. The Needles hospital (Colorado River Medical Center) does accept Medi-Cal clients, however, the physicians do not. Therefore, Medi-Cal clients can receive emergency treatment only and those clients requiring non-emergency services are referred to ARMC. 90
R03-28:
INCREASE THE NURSE PRACTITIONER TIME AT THE NEEDLES PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC FROM BIWEEKLY TO WEEKLY.
R03-29:
ADD THE CAPABILITY FOR COLPOSCOPY EXAMINATIONS AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC IN NEEDLES.
R03-30:
INSTALL SPLATTER SCREENS IN THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC AREAS IN WHICH THERE IS UNPROTECTED SPACE BETWEEN PATIENTS AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS. ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL PROGRAM BACKGROUND Animal Control is responsible for the care and control of animals in San Bernardino County. Several departments share accountability: California Fish and Game, County Department of Agriculture, Weights & Measures and private contractors. Agriculture/Weights and Measures has assumed the former responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes tracking coyotes and other wild animals. 47
R03-31:
EXPAND THE SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAM IN THE ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL PROGRAM TO MEET THE INCREASED POPULATION.
R03-32:
EXPAND CITY CONTRACT SERVICES FOR ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL.
R03-33:
INCREASE KENNEL CAPACITY AT THE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER TO MEET GROWING NEEDS. BIO-TERRORISM BACKGROUND Public Health departments are responsible for the management of any disease or organism that could cause epidemic episodes. This program is one of containment, not of prevention. Since 9/11/01 there has been an increased emphasis on the locating and controlling of disease agents that could be considered for biological warfare, major chemical release included. These elements can be used in the form of bio-terror activity. In 1999 the Terrorism Oversight Committee and the Terrorism Early Warning group were initiated by the County Sheriff and Fire departments for overall coordination and planning. 49
R03-34:
MAKE THE COUNTY POPULATION AWARE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S RELENTLESS PREPARATION AGAINST BIO-TERRORIST ACTIVITY. 51
R03-35:
FORM A LIAISON BETWEEN COUNTY OFFICIALS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS THE MEDI-CAL PROBLEMS IN THE CITY OF NEEDLES.
R03-36:
PROVIDE THE SERVICES OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER IN NEEDLES EVERY WEEK.
R03-37:
PROVIDE COLPOSCOPY EQUIPMENT AT THE NEEDLES PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC SO THAT PATIENTS COULD BE DIAGNOSED AND TREATED WITHOUT LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL AND A PROLONGED WAIT FOR RESULTS.
R03-38:
EXTEND SOCIAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND ADULT SERVICES TO PROVIDE HOSPICE, HOME HEALTH AND HOME- BASED FOOD PROGRAMS IN NEEDLES.
R03-39:
CONNECT THE VIDEO LINK EQUIPMENT FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN NEEDLES. 54
R03-40:
UTILIZE MARKETING STRATEGIES TO CREATE GREATER VISIBILITY OF BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO VETERANS. ACTIVELY WORK WITH GROUPS SUCH AS THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION.
R03-41:
UTILIZE THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO ACQUIRE VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN OFFICE TASKS AND PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS THAT WOULD RELIEVE PAID STAFF TO FOCUS ON CORE DEMANDS OF THIS AGENCY. 57
R03-42:
TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ON ALL DISCREPANCIES NOTED BY THE AUGUST 6, 2002 SAFETY INSPECTION BY THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT’S HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DIVISION.
R03-43:
ASSIGN ONE PERSON IN EACH AREA THE TASK OF “SAFETY MONITOR” TO PERFORM DOCUMENTED WEEKLY INSPECTIONS AND FOLLOW-UP TO CORRECT ANY DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
R03-44:
ALLOCATE FUNDS NECESSARY TO MODIFY EXISTING WORK BAY WITH EQUIPMENT TO PERFORM ALL MAINTENANCE ON COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) VEHICLES, IN LIEU OF BUILDING A NEW WORK BAY. 62
R03-45:
ANALYZE FEEDBACK FROM USING CUSTOMERS TO DETERMINE A REAL NEED FOR THE USE OF THE ELECTRIC CARTS THAT ARE ON LOAN FOR A TEST.
R03-46:
RECOMMEND PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC CARTS ONLY FOR COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THE MOST NEED AND ECONOMICAL USE, (E.G. REGIONAL PARKS, COUNTY AIRPORTS, AND THE SHERIFF’S AVIATION DIVISION).
R03-47:
COMPLETE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2002 BLACK & VEATCH RATE STUDY IN THE MANNER RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BY THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR. 63
R03-48:
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPACE AT PRINTING SERVICES FOR ALL CARTS AND PALLETS OF PAPER READY FOR PRESS PRODUCTION.
R03-49:
RISK MANAGEMENT CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHECK (CLEAN AIR SYSTEM) IN THE PRESS AREAS.
R03-50:
ALLOT ADDITIONAL SPACE TO MAIL SERVICES FOR THE PROCESSING OF BULK MAIL.
R03-51:
RELOCATE MAIL SERVICES INTO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS AREA TO PROVIDE THE SPACE NEEDED BY PRINTING AND MAIL SERVICES AND TO PROVIDE EFFICIENCY.
R03-52:
PREPARE A WRITTEN PROTOCOL TO DISPOSE OF ALL SURPLUS EQUIPMENT, SEPARATING USEABLE AND NON-USEABLE SURPLUS FURNITURE AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT. 65
R03-53:
EXPAND THE DUTIES OF THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT TO INCLUDE PROVIDING PRE-TRIAL PLEA REPORTS TO THE COURT.
R03-54:
THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF POTENTIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER CLIENTS.
R03-55:
FILL TEMPORARILY VACANT DETENTION REVIEW OFFICER POSITIONS IN THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT.
R03-56:
REVIEW THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT. 70
R03-57:
CONDUCT A STUDY REGARDING ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDS IN THE CORONER’S OFFICE.
R03-58:
TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO GREATLY IMPROVE CLEANLINESS OF THE MORGUE FACILITY.
R03-59:
CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL TEST OF THE AIR IN THE AUTOPSY AND FREEZER UNITS.
R03-60:
UPDATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL BY REVIEWING EVERY YEAR AND UPDATE AS NECESSARY, AS RECOMMENDED BY PREVIOUS GRAND JURIES.
R03-61:
CREATE A MORE ACCURATE SYSTEM FOR RECORD KEEPING OF PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE WAREHOUSE.
R03-62:
SEPARATE THE PROPERTY OF DECEASED INDIVIDUALS FROM PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN BY THE USE OF ADHESIVE LABELS OR PALLET RACKS. KEEP AN ITEMIZED PROPERTY INVENTORY LOG WITH EACH PROPERTY LOT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE 2001-2002 GRAND JURY.
R03-63:
LOG ALL PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF COLLECTION, PRIOR TO TRANSFER TO THE CORONER’S OFFICE. A COPY OF THE INVENTORY SHOULD BE KEPT AT THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE, IN ADDITION TO THE CORONER’S RECORD SO A “BACK-UP” IS CREATED. 73
R03-64:
PROVIDE AN ANNUAL INVENTORY OF STORED ITEMS TO THE COURT FOR AUTHORIZATION AND DISPOSAL. 74
R03-65:
THE PRE-TRIAL DETENTION REVIEW UNIT OF THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF POTENTIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER CLIENTS.
R03-66:
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER DECLINE TO REPRESENT CLIENTS WHO CAN AFFORD TO RETAIN THEIR OWN ATTORNEY.
R03-67:
EXPAND OR RELOCATE OVERCROWDED PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICES.
R03-68:
MAKE USE OF THE VACANT FORMER LAW LIBRARY SPACE AT THE FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES LAW AND JUSTICE CENTER (RANCHO CUCAMONGA COURTHOUSE).
R03-69:
IMPROVE SECURITY BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES’ AREAS AT THE JUVENILE DIVISION’S CENTRAL OFFICE.
R03-70:
THE COUNTY ASSUME CONTROL OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INDIGENT DEFENSE FUND.
R03-71:
REFRAIN FROM REDUCTIONS IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S BUDGET WHEN SUCH BUDGET REDUCTIONS INCREASE COUNTY EXPENSES ELSEWHERE. 78
R03-72:
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO CREATE AN ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE TO HANDLE THE LEGAL DEFENSE OF INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN CASES WHERE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS DECLARED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND BEEN REMOVED AS LEGAL COUNSEL. 81
R03-73:
MOVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OPERATION IN NEEDLES INTO A PORTION OF THE 4,275 SQUARE FEET OF UNUSED SPACE.
R03-74:
INSTALL A PHONE SYSTEM IN THE ATTORNEY/CLIENT INTERVIEW ROOM AT THE SHERIFF’S COLORADO RIVER STATION IN NEEDLES.
R03-75:
INSTALL VIDEO ARRAIGNMENT EQUIPMENT IN NEEDLES TO REDUCE THE COST OF TRANSPORTING INMATES FROM THE WEST VALLEY DETENTION CENTER TO NEEDLES.
R03-76:
USE THE GRANT MONEY REQUESTED FROM THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO INSTALL A VIDEO CONFERENCE SYSTEM IN THE NEEDLES BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE. 84
R03-77:
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SEEK LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO PENAL CODE SECTION 919(b) TO GIVE COUNTY GRAND JURIES JURISDICTION TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING STATE PRISONS WITHIN THEIR COUNTY, AND REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO RESPOND TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. 86
R03-78:
ESTABLISH A CENTRAL COMMANDER/MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT ALL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN A DISASTER/EMERGENCY RECEIVE DIRECTION FROM ONE SOURCE. 88
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.