HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08251987 - T.1 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on August 25, 1987 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Torlakson and McPeak
NOES: None
ABSENT: Supervisor Schroder
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT: Presentation By Mary Beth Phillips and State Department
of Justice On The In-Home Child Protection Act of 1987.
On July 28, 1987, the Board of Supervisors approved an invitation
.to Mary Beth Phillips and a representative of the State Department of
Justice to make a presentation on the In-Home Child Protection Act of
1987.
On this date, Mary Beth Phillips and Michelle Dilly, Department
of Justice, appeared to make the presentation to the Board on the
In-Home Child Protection Act of 1987 and to request the Board to aid
in the implementation of this legislation.
Mary Beth Phillips spoke on the background of the In-Home Child
Protection Act of 1987, and on the incident of abuse to her four year
old child which led to her work on this bill. She commented on her
role in the promotion of this program to prevent such an incident from
occurring again to another family.
Michelle Dilly, Department of Justice, spoke on the provisions of
the In-Home Child Protection Act and on the implementation of the
pilot program in five counties, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda,
Santa Clara and San Diego, and commented that the program is similar
to that operated by the State Department of Social Services in
licensing family day care centers. Ms. Dilly commented that under the
In-Home Child Protection Act of 1987, parents can request that the
Department of Justice conduct a background examination of any baby-
sitter they intend to hire, and she reviewed the process used by the
Department in this examination.
Mary Beth Phillips spoke on the issue of publicity for the
program, and requested that the Board write a letter of support to the
Office of the Attorney General indicating that this is an important
program in the County of Contra Costa, that children in this County
are important and if one Elizabeth Phillips can be prevented from
happening again that that is extremely important to do so, and re-
quested the Board look at this program as a preventative, deterrent
program. Mrs. Phillips also requested help with publicity in news re-
leases and placement of posters and one or more of the Board Members
or their staff being on the advisory group to monitor progress of the
program.
Supervisor Powers recommended sending a letter to the Attorney
General' s office, as requested by Mrs. Phillips, and assisting in
whatever way possible in recruiting persons for the advisory board and
placing pamphlets and posters in all our Social Service Deparment
offices and other facilities where parents and children come into
contact with the County. Supervisor Powers also requested Mrs.
Phillips and Ms. Dilly to provide the Social Service Director with the
pamphlets and applications.
Supervisor Torlakson commented that perhaps news items could be
written by Mrs. Phillips and others and submitted to various
newspapers for publishing, and suggested Mrs. Phillips and Ms. Dilly
make presentations to various advisory committees involved.
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Supervisor Fanden recommended a presentation of the program to
the Family and Children Services Advisory Committee.
Supervisor McPeak recommended that the Contra Costa County
Employees Newsletter carry information on the program availability,
and that the pamphlets on the program be placed in the out-patient
clinic and County well-baby clinics. Supervisor McPeak also re-
quested brochures be provided for members of the Contra Costa Health
Plan.
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that a letter to Attorney General John
Van de Kamp urging active support of the Department of Justice in
implementing the In-Home Child Protection Act of 1987, including
increased publicity is AUTHORIZED; the Director of Personnel is
DIRECTED to include information on Babysitter background
investigations in the County employee newsletter; Mary Beth Phillips
and representatives of the Department of Justice are REQUESTED to make
a presentation on the program to the Family and Children' s Services
Advisory Committee; and REQUESTED that information brochures on the
program be made available in Social Services Department offices,
Health Department out-patient and well-baby clinics and through the
Contra Costa County Health Plan.
I hereby certify that this is a true anstcorrectcopy of
an action taken and ciatered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: 7
Orig. Dept. • Clerk of the Board PHIL SATE R, C°eriti of the Board
cc• County Administrator of Supervisors and County Administrator
County Counsel 4 0
Social Services Department °
BYHealth Department ' Deputy
Contra Costa Health Plan
Family and Children' s Services
Advisory Committee via Barbara Chase
Social Services Department
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