(80) Health & Human Services Agency

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• During the current PHE the division was able to adapt business practices from in person contact to telephonic and electronic contact to continue issuing benefits in the COVID environment.

• The assistance programs we administer have successfully supported applicable community members in need with ensuring their safety and well-being, while also ensuring their needs are met with the goal of continuing to live independently.

Community Service & Workforce Development

• Completion of Phase lll: 6 Transitional Housing Units and successfully placed 6 homeless chronically homeless individuals in these units.

• Awarded over $2 million in new funding

• Provided over 800 households with energy assistance

• Successfully operated the homeless shelter

Public Health

• Public Health established a county-wide COVID-19 prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives, which incorporated response, guidance, partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, the faith-based community, and community-based organizations. In addition, Public Health mitigated disease spread, secured testing and vaccination sites free-of-charge for individuals, and developed social media campaign

• In addition to securing $6,387,563.00 in State and Federal funding for FY 21/22 Public Health Services secured an additional $2,080,000.00 to execute COVID-19 emergency response efforts and reduced the financial impact on local government.

• Keeping the San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency competitive in the local job market.

• Recruiting and hiring staff to fill all current vacancies.

• MC workloads increase when PHE is lifted, and renewal processing is restored

Community Service & Workforce Development

• The lack of low-income housing for low-income residents and homeless individuals for placement in permanent housing

• Staff turn-over

• The many challenges to solving homelessness

Public Health

• The ability to hire, expand, train, and retain the highest quality of public health workforce

• Identifying and addressing the health needs of populations most vulnerable in our community

• Minimize disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for residents of San Benito County

• Sustain Public Health infrastructure to address ongoing pandemic concerns while also addressing other public issues that have escalated because of the pandemic (opioid abuse, tobacco use, childhood obesity, violence, and trauma)

• Creation of a Program Integrity Team within the division

• HSP/HDAP Programs become a force in working towards elimination homelessness in the county.

• Increase public assistance program participation by providing education and outreach to the community and program accessibility.

Community Service & Workforce Development

• Increase workforce funding by at least 50% of its current budget

• Build housing units for homeless people and low-income residents by at least 150 housing units in the next four years

• Reduce homelessness by 50% by the next four years

• Complete the development of at least 30-40 housing units for homeless individuals at the Chappell property.

Public Health

• Conduct a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and strategic plan to better improve the quality of our San Benito County public health system (individuals, public and private entities, operations, services, etc.) This CHIP will provide a foundation for the San Benito County Public Health Accreditation.

• Secure and sustain the highest quality of professional staffing

• Conduct and address health disparities among populations in San Benito County at high-risk and underserved

• Diversify public health sources of funds by aggressively seeking external funding