SUBJECT
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APPROVE ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND DONATIONS RECEIVED BY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY IN CALENDAR YEAR 2021 TO A.B. AND JESSIE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SIGN A LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO THE DONORS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
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OVERVIEW
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) Policy A-112 and the San Diego County Administrative Code Section 66 require Board approval to accept gifts and donations over $5,000. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services (CWS) periodically receives monetary gifts and in-kind donations of over $5,000 to benefit children temporarily residing at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) and children involved with CWS. PCC is a County operated Temporary Shelter Care Facility administered by CWS and provides 24-hour non-medical care for up to 10 calendar days for children and youth under 18 years of age who can no longer safely remain with their family of origin due to abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment.
On June 8, 2021 (8), the Board approved accepting gifts and donations valued at $59,703 for Calendar Year (CY) 2020. Today’s action requests the Board to accept gifts and donations valuing $38,045 for CY 2021: $17,807 for the benefit of children at PCC and $20,238 for the benefit of children involved with CWS. This item supports the County’s vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically left behind, as well as our ongoing commitment to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe and thriving communities. This will be accomplished by furthering collective efforts to maximize resources through community partnerships and providing equitable access to these resources.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. In accordance with County Administrative Code Section 66 and Board Policy A-112, accept gifts and donations totaling $17,807 to the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center from Promises2Kids, Robert Duggan, and Paul and Barbara Peterson; and accept gifts and donations valuing $20,238 to Child Welfare Services from Promises2Kids.
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to sign letters of appreciation, upon receipt, on behalf of the County of San Diego to the donors.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Child Welfare Services (CWS) periodically receives monetary gifts and in-kind donations of over $5,000 to benefit children temporarily residing at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) and children involved with CWS. PCC is a County-operated licensed Temporary Shelter Care Facility administered by CWS and provides 24-hour non-medical care for up to 10 calendar days for children and youth under 18 years of age who can no longer safely remain with their family of origin due to abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. Examples of services provided at PCC include physical and mental health services, medication support, and crisis services to all youth entering the facility and throughout their length of stay. In Calendar Year (CY) 2021, PCC served 1,004 unduplicated children. Of the 1,004 unduplicated children served in CY 2021, 40% of the children were White, 26% of the children were Black, 26% were Hispanic, 2% of the children were Filipino, and 2% of the children were Native American. Other ethnic groups comprising less than 1% of the population at PCC include Asia Indian, Cambodian, Pacific Islander, Hawaiian, Laotian, Cuban-Haitian, Romanian, Vietnamese, and other Asian and Eastern.
PCC represents a unique public-private community partnership that continues to generate periodic gifts and donations from individuals and private corporations for the children residing in this temporary shelter. The partnership maximizes resources available and ensures children at PCC and involved in CWS have equitable access to gifts and donations that aid youth in maintaining connections to their race and identity and fosters their continued sense of belonging despite the barrier of being unable to safely live with their biological families or in their communities.
Expenditures from gifts and donations received provide all children and subgroups within increased access to recreational and special events, celebrations, and other items or activities that support identity and connections that cannot be funded by other funding sources. Additional expenditures made in CY 2021 in support of advancing just and equitable access to donated resources include on-site and off-site hair and braiding appointments for youth at PCC, and necessities to support transgender youth. Monetary and in-kind donations received are monitored and publicly disclosed through the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board and the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board meetings and annual reporting to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Expenditures are internally tracked by HHSA and CWS to ensure transparency and accountability of donations and gifts received and provide for the advancement and equitable distribution of resources.
FISCAL IMPACT
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services (CWS) received donations valued at $38,045 between January 2021 and December 2021 to support activities of children at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center and to support children involved with CWS. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
This item was presented to the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board as an informational item on March 22, 2022.
This item was presented to the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board as an informational item on March 11, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) Policy A-112 and the San Diego County Administrative Code Section 66 require Board approval to accept gifts and donations over $5,000. The County of San Diego (County), Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Child Welfare Services (CWS) periodically receives monetary gifts and in-kind donations over $5,000 to benefit children temporarily residing at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) and children involved with CWS. On June 8, 2021 (8), the Board approved accepting gifts and donations valued at $59,703 for Calendar Year (CY) 2020.
PCC is a County operated Temporary Shelter Care Facility administered by CWS and provides 24-hour non-medical care for up to 10 calendar days for children and youth under 18 years of age who can no longer safely remain with their family of origin due to abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. PCC was built on land owned by the County with funds raised from private donations received through Promises2Kids. The campus includes six residential cottages, a nursery for infants, a medical clinic, school, library, cafeteria, gymnasium, two swimming pools, three playgrounds, and a recreation field. In CY 2021, PCC served 1,004 unduplicated children with an average daily population of 61 children.
PCC represents a unique public-private partnership that continues to generate periodic gifts and donations from individuals and private corporations for the children residing in this temporary shelter. Monetary donations are deposited to HHSA’s PCC Trust Fund. Typical expenditures pay for recreational and special events and for the purchase of toys and other items for the children. During the 2021 calendar year, PCC received the following monetary and in-kind donations of over $5,000 to benefit the children at PCC and throughout CWS:
PCC Monetary Donations
• Mr. Paul and Barbara Peterson donated $5,000.
PCC In-Kind Donations
• Promises2Kids donated new toys, clothing, and holiday art supplies valued at $6,621.
• Robert Duggan donated San Diego Padres baseball tickets and parking passes valued at $6,186.
Donations received throughout CWS are disbursed to the children in care to assist with their educational and recreational needs. During the 2021 calendar year, the following cumulative donations over $5,000 were made to benefit children involved with CWS:
CWS Monetary Donations
• Promises2Kids donated $810.
CWS In-Kind Donations
• Promises2Kids donated new toys, sports equipment, and school and art supplies valued at $19,428.
Today’s action requests the Board to accept gifts and donations valuing $38,045 for CY 2021: $17,807 for the benefit of children at PCC and $20,238 for the benefit of children involved with CWS.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action to approve acceptance of gifts and donations received by Health and Human Services Agency in Calendar Year 2021 to A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center and Child Welfare Services and authorize the Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to sign a letter of appreciation to the donors supports the County of San Diego’s (County) 2022-2027 Strategic Plan Initiatives of Sustainability (Resiliency), Equity (Health), Empower (Transparency and Accountability), and Community (Partnership) by furthering efforts to maximize resources through broad community partnerships and providing equitable and just access to these resources.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN N. ROBBINS-MEYER
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Letters of Appreciation