The 27th 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 the County’s children.

The following areas have shown improvement for the lives and well-being of Orange County’s youth:

• Good Health: The infant mortality rate in 2019 remained low, demonstrating a 27.5% decrease since 2010. This measure is a widely used indicator of societal health, related to maternal health, quality of and access to medical care and public health practices.  
• Economic Well-Being: The number of total Orange County child support cases decreased by almost 24% from 77,582 cases in 2011/2012 to 59,271 cases in 2020/2021. Over the same period, improvements in child support collections per case have increased by over 12%, ensuring an increase in income to parents to provide for the basic needs of their children. 
• Educational Achievement: Over half of Orange County high school graduates are college-ready, having completed the course requirements to be eligible to apply to a University of California or California State University. Since 2016, college readiness has increased for students who are English Learners or considered socioeconomically disadvantaged.
• Safe Homes and Communities: In 2019, 4.7% of juvenile prosecutions were gang related, down 65% from 13.6% in 2010. A drop in gang-related prosecutions is an important indicator of overall improvement in both the well-being and safety of communities.

 “Currently available data shows that prior to the pandemic, continued progress was made across many of key indicators that report on the health and well-being of Orange County children. While we are pleased to report on positive outcomes made, we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our families significantly in several ways. As we learn more about the effects of the pandemic, we may see new information emerge from which we will measure future progress of our collective efforts,” said Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor, who serves as the Chair of the Orange County Children’s Partnership (OCCP), the advisory board responsible for publishing the report. Supervisor Chaffee continues, “While we highlight improvements made, our work is never done — there is always more we can collectively do to ensure our youth thrive.”

This year’s report also includes a special section related to COVID-19 and the county’s “all-in” response to the pandemic.  

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

This week the Orange County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 2021 as Adoption Awareness Month and presented a resolution to the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) in recognition of the Agency’s significant contributions to support and mentor foster youth, as well as to resource and adoptive families in Orange County. 

SSA also recognized adoptive parents Laura and Martin on behalf of Orange County families who provide “forever” homes to children in need of permanency.

“Every child deserves a loving family environment that provides a sense of belonging and security,” said Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor. “Parents like Laura and Martin who grow their families through adoption provide the love and support critical to the healthy development and success of our children.”

From July 2020 to June 2021, 336 adoptions were finalized in Orange County, an increase of 24% from the previous fiscal year. Overall, the primary goal is to reunify children with their parents, but there are times when this is not possible.

“This month we recognize all foster and adoptive families for their selfless efforts on behalf of Orange County’s children,” said Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor. “The impressive increase in the number of adoptions at a time when many are struggling demonstrates how dedicated our community is to providing loving homes.”

The theme for this year’s National Adoption Month is “Every Conversation Matters,” encouraging all to have conversations about adoption and adoption-related matters. SSA prioritizes conversations with youth in foster care to engage them in the process of finding the right adoptive family. 

Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District, stated, “Every single child matters and adoption is an intentional process that brings the joy, safety, and commitment of a family to so many. Adoption is all around us and I am grateful to recognize Adoption Awareness Month and the many incredible families in our communities.” 

National Adoption Awareness Month has been celebrated every November for more than 25 years after President Ronald Reagan first proclaimed National Adoption Week in 1984 and President Clinton expanded it to the entire month in 1995. 

“November is a month for gratitude, and I would like to extend my gratitude to those people who open their hearts and homes to our children in foster care,” said

Supervisor Donald P. Wagner, Third District. “Their compassion provides the path toward a stable adult life. Again, I thank you for your selfless work.”
Each year, the Children’s Bureau, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, focuses on outreach and raising awareness of the need for adoptive families for teens in the United States. Currently, more than 122,000 children and youth across the nation waiting to be adopted are at risk of aging out of foster care without permanent family connections. 

“National Adoption Month is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on adoption and reaffirm our commitment to give every child, especially teenagers waiting to be adopted, the chance to become part of a family,” said Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett. “It is a time to pay tribute to those in our community who have opened their hearts and homes to adopted children, thereby establishing permanent family connections in a loving and supportive environment.” 
For more information on becoming a resource family, please call (888) 871-KIDS or visit www.oc4kids.com.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is warning clients who possess an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to be on the lookout for potential scammers trying to obtain confidential client information to commit fraud. 

SSA and other county social services agencies have been made aware of a recent uptick in activity concerning potential fraud attempts across the state. One such attempt involved texting to obtain personal information, including but not limited to, an EBT card number and/or personal identification number (PIN), Social Security number, bank information and/or date of birth. Please be advised this information may be used to withdraw funds from recipient accounts.  

Clients are advised NOT to give out their personal information. Please remember that SSA will never ask for your personal information in a text message or via email.

If you are unsure if a request for information is legitimate, please contact the SSA call center to confirm the request at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned case worker if you have one. 

If you have called the phone number associated with a request for personal information or responded to a text or email request and have provided personal information, it is recommended you change your PIN and report your EBT card as lost or stolen by calling:

• The state’s EBT Customer Service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (877) 328-9677, or
• The SSA call center from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays.

You may also wish to file a report with your local police department. 

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA)’s call center will be unavailable Saturday, October 16 for system maintenance. 
Clients can visit http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org to apply for or check on existing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or General Relief public assistance benefits or alternatively through one of the following options:

• CalFresh only through www.GetCalFresh.org.
• Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com.
• In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our 24-hour Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or at 714-940-1000.
• Please call the 24-hour Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.

The SSA Call Center will reopen Monday, October 18 with operating hours from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

With access points to General Relief now available at all County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) regional centers, the Central Regional Office (CRO) will close its public-facing counters beginning Friday, October 1.

Working under the Agency’s mission of providing accessible and responsive services to vulnerable populations, SSA increased the number of physical locations Orange County residents can access General Relief, a temporary cash assistance program for indigent adults, broadening the Agency’s ability to serve the community while also considering operational efficiency.

SSA staff and core operations stationed at CRO, 2020 W. Walnut St. in Santa Ana, will transition to other SSA regional center offices.

In addition to General Relief, households can apply for CalFresh, Medi-Cal and CalWORKs at the following locations, which are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday:

Anaheim Regional Center 3320 E. La Palma Ave. Anaheim, CA 92806	Laguna Hills Regional Center 23330 Moulton Parkway Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Cypress Regional Center 6100 Chip Ave. Cypress, CA 90630	Santa Ana Regional Center 1928 S. Grand Ave. Santa Ana, CA 92705
Garden Grove Regional Center 12912 Brookhurst St. Garden Grove, CA 92840

Per California Occupational Safety and Health guidelines, all visitors who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear a mask when visiting an SSA office but may do so for safety. Unvaccinated visitors are required to wear a mask or cloth facial covering when entering an SSA office and for the duration of their visit. Children younger than 2, those who have breathing issues or those with an underlying medical or mental health issue are exempt from wearing a mask.

SSA continues to highly encourage Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below, to avoid long in-person wait times and help prevent the spread of illness.

• Online: www.mybenefitscalwin.org
  • As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
  • Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com

• By phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799

• Call Center hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays.

• To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our 24-hour Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or at 714-940-1000.

• Please call the 24-hour Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.

For additional information on SSA programs, please visit www.ssa.ocgov.com, and to stay up-to-date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.