Aging and Adult Services-Public Guardian receives 20 Achievement Awards for service programs

San Bernardino County’s Department of Aging and Adult Services – Public Guardian (DAAS-PG) received a remarkable 20 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The national awards program honors excellence in county government programs annually with Achievement Awards.

The 20 NACo awards won by DAAS-PG is the second-greatest number of awards earned this year among San Bernardino County departments.

“We are humbled to receive this distinguished honor,” said Director-Public Guardian Sharon Nevins, San Bernardino County DAAS-PG. “The department is committed to providing vital services to county residents across the lifespan.”

The programs and services recognized empowered staff with training, and residents with access to technology, secure housing, community restoration after natural disasters, and more.

The Department of Aging and Adult Services-Public Guardian administered the Digital Connections (DC) program in September 2023 to bridge the digital divide, also known as the “digital gap,” between those who have access to technology and those who do not. The time-limited DC program provided older adults and individuals with disabilities, the most vulnerable and underserved members of the community, with tablet devices, virtual basic literacy skills training and essential broadband connectivity. Through this innovative program, DAAS-PG and community partners enabled older adults and adults living with a disability to embrace technology, stay socially connected, and access meaningful content and tools tailored to their unique needs.

Several of the programs and services recognized by NACo are collaborations with county departments and community organizations that work together to ensure the county’s seniors and those with disabilities can remain safely in their homes. Adult Protective Services (APS), a major program of DAAS-PG, added Housing Navigation as part of the Home Safe program. The Housing Navigator plays a crucial role in assisting vulnerable adults in finding safe and stable housing solutions. The Housing Navigator provides general information, action plans, guidance, support and referrals to assist APS clients in resolving their housing needs.

The DAAS-PG Partnership Approach to Restoring a Community After a Natural Disaster was developed to assist older adults and individuals with disabilities who have experienced isolation, food scarcity, residence displacement or other trauma related to a natural disaster. DAAS-PG coordinated with the county’s Office of Emergency Services, as well as other county departments and community-based organizations to deliver supplies to older adults and individuals with disabilities who are impacted by natural disasters. Services may include medical, mental health and housing placement.

DAAS-PG provides programs and services to improve or maintain choice, independence and quality of life for older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers throughout the county. For more information about DAAS – PG programs and services, call Senior Information and Assistance at 1-800-510-2020 or visit hss.sbcounty.gov/daas. To read about the 20 programs and services that received Achievement Awards, please visit the NACo website.

Additional County Update News – August 22, 2024