DISTRICT FOUR

Behavioral Health

In July 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved using $44.3 million in state bridge housing funds to provide more housing for county residents who have serious behavioral health conditions and who were experiencing homelessness. The funding is specifically going to help create more beds within licensed board-and-care facilities—which can be home-like settings or larger facilities for people who need some specialized care but not in a hospital or clinical setting. 

This year, the County reached a milestone in a drug disposal program designed to help people—children in particular—from accidentally overdosing on opioids that are prescribed to people who undergo surgical or dental procedures. The program gives pharmacies, doctors and dentists special “drug-deactivating” pouches to give to patients. People can put their left-over or expired opioids in the pouch, add warm water and the drugs are rendered harmless. The County gave out more than 1,200 pouches in just May and June.

Environmental Sustainability

And our Board of Supervisors continued to explore ways to build housing that will require homeowners to drive less and lower carbon footprints, including in areas focused in Casa de Oro and Spring Valley.

Equity

The County is investing $500,000 to implement the Uplift Boys & Men of Color initiative. It will connect at-risk youth with wrap-around services, trauma support systems and workforce development opportunities. 

In the past year, the County made its popular Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation program permanent. The program allows home cooks to turn their homes into mini-restaurants. In the county, 58% of the home kitchen businesses are owned by women and 70% by minorities.

Healthy and Safe Communities

In September, the County opened its $79 million Southeastern Live Well Center at Market Street and Euclid Ave. The County’s sixth Live Well Center offers food and nutrition assistance, family strengthening services, financial and employment assistance, public health, behavioral health, child support, restorative justice, services for older adults and people with disabilities, and military and veterans’ services. And the community played a central role in creating a center that reflected their wants, their needs and the area’s history, culture and art.

San Diego County Fire and Medical Care Services joined forces to deliver healthcare to patients after they are discharged from Sharp Grossmont Hospital back into rural communities. The Rural Health Discharge Program pairs a County Fire/CAL FIRE paramedic captain with a public health nurse to provide care for patients returning home after hospitalization with the goal of reducing hospital readmissions.

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

In the past year, the County invested approximately $77 million in affordable housing, including awarding $42 million in January to nine affordable housing developments expected to create 872 homes, including housing located in District 4.

Public Safety and Justice Reform

The County’s new gun violence reduction work plan went into effect, working to reduce gun violence in the region—including suicide, domestic or intimate partner violence and community violence. 

Emergency Services typically deals with wildfires, but in January 2024, torrential rains caused widespread flooding, mudslides and erosion. Emergency Services took the lead as the County opened a Local Assistance Center for impacted residents, assessed damage, collected debris, and worked with state and federal agencies to help residents recover. County leaders created the Emergency Temporary Lodging Program to provide safe housing, food and mental health services to more than 2,200 people impacted by the flood.