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Take a look at some of San Bernardino County's Achievements in 2021.
County Leads Point-in-Time Count of the Homeless Population
San Bernardino County has conducted the first Point-In-Time Count of the county’s homeless population in two years. The results will help determine how much assistance the county receives from the federal government to address homelessness.
This year’s count took place on Feb. 24. The annual count was suspended in 2021 to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. To make this year’s return of the Point-in-Time Count (PITC) as safe as possible, the County Office of Homeless Services (OHS) provided 2,500 hygiene kits containing items such as socks, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant to participating cities for distribution to the unsheltered homeless who were counted and surveyed this morning. OHS also provided more than 500 KN95 masks and vests to the cities and agencies participating in this year’s PITC.
Since the 2019 PITC, the County’s award-winning National Association of Counties (NACo) mobile application survey leveraging Esri’s Arc GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology has been used by volunteers throughout the county visiting riverbeds, underpasses, and anywhere else the homeless might be found to count them, ask them a series of questions to help the county determine how best to address the issue of homelessness, and assist those in immediate need of help.
“Homeless individuals in our community can count on the County for assistance,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “The Point-In-Time Count helps the County to better understand the circumstances faced by those who are unhoused and ensure that we have the resources necessary to meet the needs of the homeless in our community. Reaching out in a direct way and personal way improves the quality of life for homeless individuals and provides dignity in difficult circumstances.”
The results of today’s count will be released in the coming months.
“We woke up bright and early to continue our fight against homelessness in our community by conducting a Point-In-Time Count,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. “We traveled with volunteers, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s H.O.P.E team and Social Work Action Group (SWAG) to physically count homeless in our community. We are all equally invested in assisting in this crisis, and the only way we can make change, is if we work together.”
“What we saw was heartbreaking yet eye-opening,” Baca said. “We have all been aware of how detrimental the homelessness crisis has been in our county, our state, and our country. Homelessness affects everyone in our community, and the quality of life for all those around us. It’s not a problem just for those experiencing homelessness, it’s a problem that wounds our entire soul. No one should have to struggle the way we saw individuals struggle today. We must keep up this fight for those that can’t fight for themselves.”
“I’d like to thank all of the volunteers and county employees who were out working at the break of dawn gathering information about our homeless residents,” Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford said. “The information they gathered is critical to our coordinated efforts to help homeless families and individuals get off the streets.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires local governments to conduct biennial counts of their homeless populations. However, San Bernardino County conducts an annual count in alignment with best practices recommended by HUD. The federal government uses the information to determine how much funding to provide counties to help with addressing the needs of the homeless.
The most recent San Bernardino County PITC in 2020 found that 72.6% of the county’s homeless were counted within eight of the county’s 24 cities – Barstow, Colton, Fontana, Ontario, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, and Victorville. Seniors represented the largest increase of a distinct target population.
In June, the County assigned an executive-level position to focus full-time on strategic and continuous efforts addressing homelessness in communities across the county. The move was intended to place a concerted focus on the Homeless Strategic Plan and align the homeless population’s health and housing needs to the services provided by the county and its partners.
The effort includes the County Community Development and Housing Department and the County Office of Homeless Services in partnership with several other County departments and offices that have a role in addressing homelessness. The emphasis is on moving quickly and taking advantage of key services while implementing new solutions.
“In partnership with several community organizations and county departments – including the Sheriff, Behavioral Health, Aging and Adult Services, Public Health, and Probation – we intend to build on the successes achieved by the pandemic-inspired Project Roomkey and Project Homekey and make serious progress toward addressing homelessness throughout San Bernardino County,” said County Deputy Executive Officer Supriya Barrows, who leads the Community Revitalization effort.
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San Bernardino County Library Hosts Cover to Cover Club
The San Bernardino County Library is partnering with In-N-Out Burger again this year to promote reading among children. The Cover to Cover program kicks off on Saturday, March 5 and will run through Saturday, April 16. This program will encourage students to read in all communities across the county.
To participate in this program, sign up online through Beanstack at sbclib.beanstack.org. For every five books read, an achievement award will be unlocked on Beanstack, and a voucher for a free hamburger or cheeseburger will be issued at your local County library. Participants must be between the ages of 4 and 12, and a parent or guardian will need to sign to receive voucher. Each child may earn a total of three awards and vouchers for the duration of the program.
For more information on the San Bernardino County library system, please visit sbclib.org or call (909) 387-2220
San Bernardino County Couples Get Married on 2/22/22 at the 222
There was no better time to get married than at the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk’s main office at 222 W. Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 (2/22/22). One hundred twenty-six couples took advantage of this unique, and easily memorable date, and received marriage ceremony services with our County Clerk’s office. In addition, the County Clerk issued 132 marriage licenses on this day. Services were provided at both County Clerk offices in San Bernardino and Hesperia.
“On average, our department will perform around 16 marriage ceremonies per workday,” said Bob Dutton, San Bernardino County’s Assessor-Recorder-Clerk. “To have 126 marriages performed in one day, it is safe to say that our team was extremely busy. It was all hands on deck to get couples married, but I’m glad to say our County Clerk team got the job done.”
Tuesday, February 22, 2022, was celebrated nationally as “Twos Day”. The date is unique as it is a palindrome date, meaning it can be read both forward and backwards. Assessor-Recorder-Clerk staff celebrated “Twos Day” by decorating the lobbies to celebrate this special day.
The next 2/22/22 will not occur until 200 years from now. Our County Clerk team will be ready to assist San Bernardino County residents in the year 2222.
For information regarding Marriage Services, and other Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk services, visit: www.sbcountyarc.org.
Smile SBC And First 5 Team Up to Promote Children’s Dental Health
'Little Teeth, Big Responsibility’ Campaign Focuses on Young Children Dental Hygiene
Here’s something that might surprise you: Tooth decay is the number one chronic disease among children.
Smile San Bernardino County (Smile SBC) in the Department of Public Health and First 5 San Bernardino have teamed up to relay the message about the importance of early dental visits with their “Little Teeth, Big Responsibility” campaign. The campaign includes billboards and online advertising in San Bernardino County, as well as a new website, social media posts and publicity.
According to Christine Hoang, DDS, a dentist with San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, “Three out of four third graders are experiencing tooth decay in San Bernardino County.”
The County is urging parents and caregivers to make their child’s oral health a priority, and this starts by taking a child to the dentist by their first birthday – even if they don’t have any baby teeth yet. Other important care tips include:
- Wipe gums twice a day. Use a soft, clean cloth to help wipe away cavity-causing sugars.
- Once baby teeth come in, brush twice a day with a small-bristled toothbrush.
- Limit sugary drinks.
“We want to encourage parents to put their children’s oral health at the top of their lists,” said Karen Scott, executive director of First 5 San Bernardino. “It is important to get children to the dentist early so they can become comfortable with the dentist and caregivers can learn how best to prevent cavities.”
Parents are also encouraged to visit SmileSBC.org to find links to San Bernardino County dental offices in Ontario, San Bernardino and Hesperia as well as tools to search for other nearby dentists. The website also has information about how to get help with enrollment or transportation, as well as other dental health resources.
The San Bernardino County Museum announces the 2022 dates for the popular Cosmic Nights, astronomy-themed evening events in partnership with the San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers (SBVAA), and at the Victor Valley Museum, the museum’s branch in Apple Valley, in partnership with the High Desert Astronomical Society (HiDAS).
Michael Grabhorn and Lorrie Denson, First District Commissioners
County’s Behavioral Health Commission Invites Community to Serve
If you are passionate about behavioral health services in our community, we invite you to apply to serve on the San Bernardino County Behavioral Health Commission.
The Commission works to champion a progressive system of seamless, accessible, and effective services that advances prevention, intervention, recovery and resiliency for individuals, families and communities. This system includes DBH, contract agencies, private providers, community and faith-based organizations, consumer support and education groups, and other health organizations in an integrated matrix.
Currently, vacancies exist in the first and third supervisorial districts. Please visit the Clerk of the Board website to apply online or by mail. For more information about the commission, visit https://wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/bhc/.
Job Openings and Hiring Events in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County has jobs that will be opening on Saturday, March 5.
We encourage you to apply and share these job openings with those who may be interested in them. Recruitments listed are subject to final department approval. Check sbcounty.gov/jobs for the most up- to -date recruitments.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Card Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Cards are a convenient way to show proof that you have been vaccinated.
Read our FAQs at sbcovid19.com/vaccinecards and watch this video to learn more about vaccine cards and what to do if you need to replace yours.
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Latest Stats
566,612 Confirmed Cases (up 0% from the previous day)
6,580 Deaths (up 0.46% from the previous day)
6,494,570 Tests (up 0.2% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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