2023-24 Awards

San Diego County Taxpayers Association

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies were awarded the Public-Private Partnership Award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. The Sheriff's Office invested in vocational training for inmates. Students in the programs complete a combination of classes, work hours, and exams to earn a nationally recognized certificate. The Taxpayer's Association is an independent agency which is not affiliated with County of San Diego government. 

California State Association of Counties (CSAC)

The County of San Diego won a California State Association of Counties 2023 Challenge Award for it's program called Promoting Menstrual Equity in San Diego. Free menstrual product dispensers were installed at 24 County-owned facilities, a model that can be replicated by any other jurisdictions. 

National Association of Counties (NACo)

The County of San Diego received 47 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties, which recognizes innovative county government programs from across the nation each year. Among the awards was a Best in Category recognition in the Personnel Management, Employement, and Training category for a County Child Support Services' program. The Tomorrow's Leaders Today: SD DCSS Nurtures Talent with Student Worker program provides students with valuable real-world experiences instrumental in their professional development. 

Among the NACo winners were: 

• The Same Day Hiring program established by the Department of Human Resources allows the County to hire the most qualified candidates quickly while staying compliant with Civil Service requirements. Applicants received job offers the same day they were interviewed and could be fingerprinted on the spot. This approach has led to nearly 2,000 hires. 
  
  
• The Lindo Lake Improvements Phase 1 project restored the park's lake by removing years of sediment from the basin. Also increasing the depth of the lake, and reducing lake bottom infiltration using a natural clay liner. The project restored terrestrial and aquatic habitat and benefits both the environment and the Lakeside community. 

• Construction of the County’s Dianne Jacob Lakeside Equestrian Park, a 14-acre equestrian and event center located in the unincorporated community of Lakeside, was completed in December 2023. The facility features two arenas with bleacher seating, scoreboard, and state-of-the-art sound system, announcer's booths, a concession/meeting building, horse and livestock corrals and hitching posts. The facility also includes a public day-use park. 

• The County’s Pilot Shallow Rental Subsidy Program provides rental subsidy payments of $500 a month for 18 months to older adults who are at risk of homelessness, rent-burdened, and in need of financial assistance. The Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities developed and implemented the SRSP to improve housing stability for seniors. Since the program's launch in the spring of 2023, it has provided rental subsidy payments for 222 older adults across San Diego County.
  
  
• The County District Attorney’s Juvenile Diversion Initiative is a countywide early intervention program that prioritizes diversion options for youth instead of filing criminal charges. The goal is to reduce the number of young people who enter the juvenile justice system, and address the causes of unsafe behaviors. Upon completion, the diverted youth will have the opportunity to have their arrest record sealed. 

Other Awards:

The County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office placed first in the 2023 Pensions & Investments Eddy Awards. The office won for public plans with more than 5,000 participants in the category of Ongoing Investment Education as it relates to the Deferred Compensation Program 401(a) and 457(b) plans. 

County Health and Human Services Agency won a Centers for Disease Control U.S. TB Elimination Champions Project award for TB champions who are making significant contributions to eliminating TB in the United States. 

County Health and Human Services received a Blue Shield of California Leading the Way Award. Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan honors San Diego providers, community groups and public officials for advancing health, equity and innovation.