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2023-2024 Annual Report Available

The cover of the County of Orange Social Services Agency's 2023-2024 Annual Report features an employee holding a bag of groceries.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) has published its annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024, covering the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The report highlights the agency’s accomplishments and initiatives and shares the positive impacts that SSA has made to the community as a whole, serving one in three residents.

The annual report features SSA’s FY 2023-2024 accomplishments, focused on serving the most vulnerable Orange County residents, including:

  • Opening the County Community Service Center in the city of Brea to provide a second one-stop shop where residents can find so­cial services programs and other community services. 
  • Connecting more than 1 mil­lion Orange County residents to low- or no-cost health insurance as full scope Medi-Cal eligibility expanded to more adults. 
  • Launching the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to serve as a bridge between immigrants and refugees, and the supports they need to thrive in Orange County. 
  • Celebrating the one-year anniversary of the statewide CalSAWS eligibility system and online portal BenefitsCal, which streamlines access for residents to public assistance programs no matter where they live in California. 
  • Embarking on SSA’s first five-year strategic plan, MOSAIC. 

“We have accomplished so much in the last fiscal year, from returning to pre-pandemic processes to providing enhanced training opportunities for our staff to leveraging technology to give our clients a better customer experience,” SSA Director An Tran said. “That work would not have been possible without our staff who every day engage our clients with compassion. The goals we have set for next fiscal year and the rest of our five-year strategic plan will strengthen our connections to the community so that we may meet their needs in ways that bring comfort and security.”

Read the full report(link is external).

2023-2024 Annual Report Available

The cover of the County of Orange Social Services Agency's 2023-2024 Annual Report features an employee holding a bag of groceries.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) has published its annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024, covering the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The report highlights the agency’s accomplishments and initiatives and shares the positive impacts that SSA has made to the community as a whole, serving one in three residents.

The annual report features SSA’s FY 2023-2024 accomplishments, focused on serving the most vulnerable Orange County residents, including:

“We have accomplished so much in the last fiscal year, from returning to pre-pandemic processes to providing enhanced training opportunities for our staff to leveraging technology to give our clients a better customer experience,” SSA Director An Tran said. “That work would not have been possible without our staff who every day engage our clients with compassion. The goals we have set for next fiscal year and the rest of our five-year strategic plan will strengthen our connections to the community so that we may meet their needs in ways that bring comfort and security.”

Read the full report(link is external).

Orange County’s Only Children’s Advocacy Center Receives Re-accreditation and Expands Services

The Child Abuse Services Team (CAST) is once again nationally recognized as a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) through its renewed accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance (NCA). The organization also awarded CAST with accreditation under the optional Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) and Physical Abuse Standards. 

For 35 years, CAST has brought together public safety agencies, medical professionals, social workers, child interview specialists and child advocates in a multi-disciplinary team to conduct child sexual abuse investigations in a manner that keeps the victims’ needs at the forefront. In meeting the criteria for the optional standards, CAST can also provide services for children who are victims of or witness to human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, and physical abuse. 

“Our reaccreditation and the addition of the optional CSEC and Physical Abuse Standards is an acknowledgement of what makes our Children’s Advocacy Center so unique: the high levels of collaboration and coordination between the departments in the County of Orange, local law enforcement, the medical community and of course the volunteer child advocates who remain with the children throughout the investigation process and the victim advocates who support families during the legal process,” said An Tran, Director of the County of Orange Social Services Agency, CAST’s lead agency. 

CAST, the only CAC in Orange County, works with all 23 local law enforcement jurisdictions to bring victims and witnesses to the center for forensic interviews, medical exams and/or crisis intervention therapy. In 2023, CAST served nearly 660 children, conducting 478 forensic interviews, completing 80 sexual abuse exams, and 20 physical abuse exams. Victim witness had 471 referrals.

NCA ensures all CACs provide children and families with effective, efficient, relevant and compassionate services through an accreditation process every five years. 

“The Child Abuse Services Team is to be commended for its continued commitment to effectively support the statewide CAC movement in California,” said NCA Chief Executive Teresa Huizar. “As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration.”

If you suspect a child is experiencing abuse or neglect, please call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 714-940-1000 or 800-207-4464, or your local law enforcement agency.

Immigrant and Refugee Art to be Featured at The Stories that Connect Us

Immigrant and refugee artist paints landscape art.

OC Residents are invited to attend The Stories that Connect Us, a free community event of celebration and awareness, presented by the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) and Orange County Resettlement Agencies. 

OIRA and Orange County Resettlement Agencies will host the event from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at the Anaheim Central Library, 500 W. Broadway, Anaheim, CA 92805.

“For OIRA’s first official community event, I want to welcome and celebrate the rich talent, culture and experiences that our refugee and immigrant neighbors knit into the fabric of our Orange County community,” said OIRA Director Jose Serrano. 

Festivities will kick off with an art walk featuring work from Colombian American artist Andres Felipe Rivera, Venezuelan American artist Jhonaikel Vielma Belandria, Syrian Emmy award-winning video journalist Samer Alchikh Kouider and other featured artists. A Dabke performance by Western High School’s Arabic class will follow. Noorzad Productions, an Afghan family-owned event and party planning business, will cater the event with light appetizers featuring flavors from Afghanistan. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with artists and artwork, as well as the opportunity to share their own talent during Open Mic and Poetry Reading hour. 

The event aims to bring together people from various cultures and backgrounds to celebrate the unique characteristics, stories and contributions of refugee and immigrant residents in Orange County. All are welcome. 

For questions, please email OIRA at OIRA@ssa.ocgov.com.

County Community Service Center to Open in Brea

A photo of the new Brea office

A previous version listed an incorrect phone number for the Brea location.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is opening a second County Community Service Center (CCSC) in Brea on Monday, June 10. 

CCSC Brea is a one-stop shop for Orange County residents where their needs will be assessed to best match them to services and resources available from SSA, its co-located partners, other government agencies and community-based organizations.

With SSA, clients can apply for benefit programs that provide money for groceries, no- or low-cost health insurance, and cash aid. The OC Health Care Agency and CalOptima Health will help patients take control of their health care decisions. Additionally, job seekers and businesses can visit OC Workforce Solutions on the third floor to access employment resources. 

Community resource specialists will assist clients with vital records such as birth and marriage certificates, DMV appointments to get ID cards or driver’s licenses, and navigation of city and County services, among other comprehensive supports. Referrals to housing, childcare and educational services will also be offered.

The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs plans to place a social worker at CCSC Brea to connect clients to the services and resources they are eligible for. 

“The opening of this location is yet another milestone in the expansion of County services into our community,” said SSA Director An Tran. “The success of CCSC Brea comes from working with our co-located County and community-based partners. OC Health Care Agency, CalOptima Health, OC Workforce Solutions, the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and SSA are bringing together our collective resources in one place.”

CCSC Brea joins CCSC Westminster, which serves an average of 1,600 clients each month. 

Staff at both locations can assist customers in multiple languages, including Spanish and Vietnamese. 

CCSC Brea, at 675 Placentia Ave., will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To contact CCSC Brea, call 714-834-7500 or email CCSCBrea@ssa.ocgov.com

CCSC Westminster, at 15496 Magnolia St., is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To contact CCSC Westminster, call (714) 372-3454 or email CCSCWest@ssa.ocgov.com

29th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County Now Available

Cover of the 29th Conditions of Children Report featuring four children holding a chalkboard reading, "We love OC."

The 29th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County is now available, offering a comprehensive assessment of the health, economic well-being, education and safety of Orange County’s Children.

The following areas have shown improvement in the lives of local youth:

Good Health: The percentage of uninsured children in Orange County dropped to 3.6%, representing a 42.8% decrease in the number of uninsured children since 2012, a 10-year low.

Economic Well-being: The percentage of Orange County children receiving CalWORKs represents a decline. In 2021-22, 3.2% of Orange County’s children received CalWORKs assistance, a 48.3% decrease from 6.1% in 2012-13.

Educational Achievement: The percentage of college-ready Orange County students increased for the 10th straight year. In school year 2021-22, 57.2% of high school graduates within Orange County were eligible for University of California or California State University, higher than the State of California’s eligibility rate of 51.4%. The high school dropout rate continues to decline, at 4.0% in the 2021-22 school year compared to 7.3% in 2012-13.

Safe Homes and Communities: The juvenile arrest rate continues to decline. In 2021, there were 1,368 juvenile arrests in Orange County, an 84% drop from 8,578 juvenile arrests in 2012. An arrest is usually a youth’s first formal encounter with the juvenile justice system. It is important that at this first encounter a pattern of juvenile delinquency does not continue into adulthood.

While much progress has been made, continued areas for focus include behavioral health, chronic absenteeism and child poverty, among others.

This year’s front section explores the data with a focus on local solutions for advancing equity in Orange County and highlights several programs addressing health disparities in our county.

To read the full report, visit https://ssa.ocgov.com/about-us/news-publications/occp/annual-report.

Input Sought on Older Adult Programs and Services

Orange County residents have an opportunity to shape the future of programs and services for older adults and their caregivers by completing the countywide Older Adults Needs Assessment Survey.

The County of Orange in partnership with the Office on Aging has contracted with Advance OC to develop and conduct this Survey. Input offered through the survey, available now until December 30, 2023, will help define the needs of older adults and their caregivers and will be used to make recommendations for improving services. The findings will be presented to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in Spring 2024.

“The input we gather from these surveys is key to our understanding of how best to serve Orange County’s older adults, who face a variety of different needs to be addressed in their senior years,” said Board Chairman Donald Wagner, Third District Supervisor.

The anonymous survey asks residents to rank their greatest needs and concerns and provide input on topics such as housing, transportation, remaining safely at home and caregiving. Residents can also identify concerns about aging, including physical and mental health and quality of life. The survey will also gather demographic data to identify gaps in service for Orange County’s communities.

"Orange County is getting older, and we must take steps to redesign our programs and services to meet the needs of our aging population," said Vice Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor. "In addition to serving seniors, we will continue to address issues such as the cost of living and affordable housing, which are driving so many young families away from Orange County."

The survey is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic and Farsi. Older adults and caregivers can fill it out online at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7469482/OC-MPA-CommunitySurvey-2023, or in-person at their local senior center and locations where they access older adult services

. "Input from our various communities, including monolingual speaking and working-class communities, will shape critical services for older adults and their caregivers,” said Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento. “We need the public’s input on what is most important and how we can best provide services for our growing aging community.”

Additionally, the County and its contracted partner, Advance OC, will also host a series of community education and resource fairs throughout the rest of the year. Residents can register online at www.olderadultssurvey.com or call (949) 415-6898 to attend. Some of the planned events include:

• Delhi Center in Santa Ana on September 21, 2023, hosted by Supervisor Sarmiento

• Asian Garden Mall in Westminster on September 22, 2023, hosted by Vice Chairman Do 2

• Brookhurst Community Center in Anaheim on September 25, 2023, hosted by Supervisor Chaffee

• Norman Murray Senior Center in Mission Viejo on October 12, 2023, hosted by Chairman Wagner

• Soka University in Aliso Viejo as part of the Senior Summit on October 27, 2023, hosted by Supervisor Foley

Additional events will be listed on the Older Adults Needs Assessment website.

“It’s important for every Orange County senior and for the loved ones and caretakers who assist them to complete the survey,” said Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “By collecting the data, we can understand the challenges seniors face and able us to create better programs to serve their needs.”

“As the County Supervisor whose district includes the largest aging population, I know the importance of hearing from our aging residents of all diverse backgrounds so we can plan for future housing, healthcare, transportation, recreation and other needs,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley, Fifth District. “We hope the public will participate in our efforts, and share ideas, thoughts, and concerns to help us plan for the future.”

“This Assessment will help us identify and prioritize the needs and factors affecting the health of our aging population, specifically those aged 55 and older,” said Claudia Harris, Director of the Office on Aging. “The information will be crucial in helping the County understand the holistic needs of the aging population and provide us with a better understanding of the areas of greatest need, current barriers to accessing services, and more precisely identify gaps in services and inequities creating these gaps.”

For more information, visit www.olderadultssurvey.com.

Cypress Regional Center Closing Permanently

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced today that its Cypress Regional Center at 6100 Chip Ave. will not reopen. The office first closed for repairs in late 2022.

Clients can continue to contact their assigned case worker or obtain services through:

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