San Bernardino CountyCommunity Indicators Report
Created in 2010 to support the development of a countywide vision, the San Bernardino Community Indicators Report provides the community with an annual assessment of how the county is faring across a range of indicators.
Economy
In an effort to respond to the needs of the business community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the County of San Bernardino launched the COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program, the first of its kind in the State of California, designed to provide grant funding to small businesses and to encourage ongoing compliance with State health orders. The program provided nearly $30 million dollars total to over 6,100 small businesses who used the funds for rent, utilities, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and payroll expenses to keep their businesses afloat in the face of shutdowns and restricted patronage.
Education
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Fontana Unified School District opened Learning Centers at three campuses throughout the district to serve students that are homeless. The Learning Centers are managed by City of Fontana staff who otherwise would have been working with students through the After-School Enrichment Program. These staff volunteered to change their assignments to serve the students, and the district collaborated with the city to develop safety protocols for both staff members and students. Students in the program receive access to the internet, a working device, three meals a day, a safe space to learn, and a caring adult that they can connect with daily. On Wednesdays, all students in the Fontana Unified School District participate in a wellness check-in, and students in the Learning Centers have the chance to connect with staff from the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Support Department to ensure that their physical and emotional needs are met. The district has served over 50 students, with plans to open a fourth Learning Center for increased capacity.
Income
San Bernardino County Human Services, in collaboration with the Workforce Development Department and the Law and Justice Group, launched the Community Employment Pathways (CEP) program in 2020. The program was implemented in partnership with First Step Staffing, Inc. to assist residents in securing employment and income to meet basic needs. The target population for the program is county residents age 18 and over who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, unemployed, underemployed and/or involved with the justice system. Some of the innovative strategies include advocating for services that meet customer’s comprehensive needs, intentionally matching program participants with employment assignments to increase their retention and success, and providing customers with reverse referrals to community agencies to facilitate access to additional resources. Although launching a new program during the pandemic was challenging, County staff and collaborative partners worked to restructure the process through increased case consultation, countywide presentations to raise program awareness, and proactive recruitment of additional referring partners. With over 288 employment offers made, the program has shown the value and need for strong cross-sector partnerships in creating resilient communities.
Housing
The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino implemented multiple strategies to support families and sustain community engagement during the coronavirus public health crisis. HACSB implemented significant program policy modifications to support customers, including rent hardship exemptions, rent deferrals, extensions on rental assistance, and temporary deferrals to non-emergency work orders, inspections, and recertifications. In addition, the pandemic amplified essential needs for many customers. Resident Services Coordinators conducted wellness calls to maintain contact with families, identify their critical needs, and connect them to resources. HACSB also collaborated with community partners to provide services such as contactless meal delivery to residents. Partners in supporting customer wellness included the Department of Aging and Adult Services, Pal Charter Academy, Innovative Home Family Care, and Redlands Unified School District.
Wellness
San Bernardino County’s Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) has been proactive in responding to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. DBH expanded access to crisis services, adding three new crisis text lines. Since the pandemic began, DBH has responded to over 1,900 calls to these lines, diverting 76% of the calls from hospitalization. DBH staff have also been deployed to skilled nursing facilities to provide life-saving support and education to the health care providers of the county’s most vulnerable residents. Staff conducted over 300 visits, distributed over two million pieces of PPE, and provided mental health resources and crisis counseling to thousands of staff, residents, and families.
Safety
The Safe Return Program is a public safety program designed to protect and locate missing persons with special needs (Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia, down syndrome, etc.). The Program’s registry database allows officers to match data with lost individuals to reconnect them with their loved ones. The registry also works in reverse; If a loved one goes missing, a picture, description, and other valuable information are immediately available. Registration is free and accessible to all county residents.
Transportation
COVID-19 created a substantial demand on non-profit organizations to distribute food and other essential items at different events throughout San Bernardino County. When Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) was asked to assist with these events, three VVTA staff members stepped up and offered their service whenever needed. These staff members drove paratransit buses to food banks to assist with picking up large amounts of food to be distributed at events at multiple locations. They would then transport and offload the food and actively distribute the food at the drive-up events for the community. They participated in over 20 different events, benefitting thousands of individuals and families. Their help was critical in making these events a real benefit to the community in these times of need.
Environment
The San Bernardino County Flood Control District was recognized with the 2020 Management and Administration Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for their Homeless Encampment Clean-Up Program. The award honors innovative and effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. The Homeless Encampment Clean-Up Program cleans up flood control facilities such as channels, basins, and streambeds littered with trash and debris from homeless encampments that present potential for environmental concerns in addition to compromising the safety of the homeless individuals living in these facilities. The team has collected over 695 tons of trash and debris, equating to over a million pounds or 79,925 trash bags full of trash over a year.