The Los Angeles Post

COUNTY DEPARTMENTS ‘LEADING WITH EXCELLENCE’ RECOGNIZED BY THE QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

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Innovations Projected to Exceed $1 Billion in Savings and Benefits to LA County

LOS ANGELES – Two County programs that focused on responding effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic and an innovative digitization and records management program took home the prestigious Gold and Bronze Eagle Awards at the 34th Annual Productivity and Quality Awards (PQA) ceremony held virtually on Wednesday, October 13.

These projects were singled out among the “Top 10” and were acknowledged by County Supervisors, department heads, nonprofits and labor partners for being the very best in social service delivery to the County’s 10 million residents. LA36 County Channel news anchor Naibe Reynoso who served as master of ceremonies noted the programs could result in estimated annual benefits of more than $1 billion to the County.

Among the “Top 10” winners were the Safe, Clean Water program, which addresses multiple benefits (spanning water quality, water supply and community enhancements) with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities, the LA Regional Initiative for Social Enterprises, which provide homeless, formerly homeless, and individuals at risk of homelessness with employment, Outside the Wire: Transition Assistance Program, which offers post 9/11 veterans and their families fully coordinated, stigma-free prevention and early intervention services that address the root cause of military service reintegration problems. Sidewalk Service & Virtual Ventures, which provided residents Library digital and contactless services that enhanced and expanded communities’ access to essential services, Predictive Modeling of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which developed a sophisticated statistical forecasting model for COVID-19 activity, MHOAC COVID-19 Response, which is responsible for the coordinated response within the County during a medical or health emergency, addressed the critical shortage of personal protective equipment during the pandemic and LA County COVID-19 Response for PEH Health Services (Housing for Health), which helped the homeless population in LA County maintain a significantly lower COVID positivity rate than the general population throughout the pandemic.

“This year, the Quality and Productivity Commission did a fantastic job of capturing the steadfast commitment our County has to provide quality service, especially during critical times,” said Celia Zavala, Executive Officer of the Board, one of the recipients of the Gold Eagle Award. “Every project showcased has not only improved the lives of our residents, but inspired all of us to stay focused on innovation, quality and process improvement in the years to come.”

To view more on the projects recognized this year, view the digital flipbook: https://issuu.com/executiveofficebos/docs/6271ta_qpc_2021pqa_4prg3b

“The annual Quality and Productivity Awards recognizes and celebrates our County’s commitment to service excellence and to improving the quality of life for every resident,” said Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport. “During this pandemic we not only continued to provide services, we led with excellence, compassion, and commitment to pushing the bar of service distinction with new and innovative programs that have earned well-deserved accolades. I am grateful for the Commission’s work to actively promote quality, efficiency and innovation that showcase our core values and exemplify the creative spirit and dedication of our remarkable workforce.”

2021 Top 10 Productivity and Quality Award Winners:

  1. Golden Eagle Award Winner – Emergency Expansion of Telework Human Resources with Board of Supervisors, Executive Office, Chief Executive Office, Internal Services Department, and Regional Planning
  2. Golden Eagle Award Winner – Predictive Modeling of the COVID-19 Pandemic Health Services (HSA and Emergency Medical Services Agency) with Berry Consultants, LLC, Chief Executive Office, LA Care, Public Health, and UCLA Departments of Biostatistics, Mathematics, and Statistics
  3. Bronze Award Winner – e-Personnel Digitization and Records Management Human Resources with Internal Services Department and Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
  4. MHOAC COVID-19 Response Health Services (Emergency Medical Services Agency) with Chief Executive Office (Office of Emergency Management), Medical Examiner-Coroner, Mental Health, and Public Health
  5. LA County COVID-19 Response for PEH Health Services (Housing for Health) with Chief Executive Office (Homeless Initiative, Office of Emergency Management, and Real Estate Development), Internal Services Department, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Los Angeles County Development Authority, Mental Health, Public Health, and Public Works
  6. Sidewalk Service & Virtual Ventures LA County Library
  7. Outside the Wire: Transition Assistance Program Military and Veterans Affairs with U.S. Vets
  8. Managing Outbreaks for COVID-19 Pandemic Response Public Health
  9. The Safe, Clean Water Program Public Works
  10. LA: Regional Initiative for Social Enterprises Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, with Chief Executive Office (Homeless Initiative), City of Los Angeles, and Roberts Enterprise Development Fund

2021 Commission Special Awards:

  1. Changemaker Award – Dean C. Logan – Voting Solutions for All People, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
  2. Commissioners’ Legacy Award – Managed Intake and Enhanced Placement, Animal Care & Control
  3. Community Inclusion Award – Angelenos in Action: We’re all in this Together, Public Health, Mental Health
  4. County Image Enhancement Award – Why We Rise, Mental Health
  5. COVID-19 Impact Award – Hilda L. Solis Care First Village, Public Works with First Supervisorial District, Chief Executive Office, County Counsel, Fire, Public Health, and Regional Planning
  6. Customer Service Award – Outbound Text Campaign for Food Giveaway, Public Social Services with First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Supervisorial Districts
  7. Mega Million Dollar Award – Emergency Expansion of Telework, Human Resources with Board of Supervisors, Executive Office, Chief Executive Office, Internal Services Department, and Regional Planning
  8. Outstanding Teamwork Award – TPI: Putting the Public Back in Public Safety, Public Health with First and Second Supervisorial Districts, Arts and Culture, Health Services, Mental Health, Parks and Recreation, Probation, Sheriff, and Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services
  9. Performance Measurement Award – COVID-19 Analytics, Auditor-Controller with Chief Executive Office, Human Resources, and Internal Services Department
  10. Process Improvement Award – Public Works Pavement Management Program, Public Works.