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County of Santa Clara

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Office of the Board of Supervisors

SCVHHS ADM^

County Government Center, East Wing
70 West Hedding Street. 10th Floor
San Jose. California 95110
(408)299-2323
FAX 298-8460 TDD 993-8272

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James i. ocau. Jr.

Supervisor. Fourth District

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

TO:

November 16,1998

Bob SiUen, Executive Director, SCVHHS

Dr. Guadalupe OKvas, Director, Public Health
FROM:

SUBJECT:

Jim Beall, Supervisor, District 4
Violence Prevention Council(VPC)Action Plan

First, I again want to commend the Pubic Health Department and
the community on an exceptional Action Plan. In analyzing all the
excellent recommendations such as the Public Awareness &

Education recommendations,the Community Based Initiatives,

Reducing/Preventing Firearm Related Injuries & Death and
Promoting Violence Free Relationships,I would like to ask staff to do
the following:

In my October 27th opening remarks I mentioned a county
employee's family whose teenager was accidentally shot in the head

by a friend. As a result of this tragic incident,the family created the
idea of Teens Against Guns or TAG,a group that would involve
youth in an effort to raise awareness through community education
about the dangers of mixing guns and youtii. I would like staff to
explore this idea further with the family,the Human Relations
Commission, Schools, Park & Recreation Departments and other
youth-serving organizations and bring back a proposal on a
program that could involve youth and fulfill the recommendations in
the VPC Action Plan that relate to youth,firearms, public awareness
and education and community based initiatives.

^5'

Recently, a child abuse case was brought to my attention that
highlights an issue regarding child abuse. Our Child Death Review

Team caught this case of child abuse where the diild had been seen by
twenty (20) doctors and not one doctor detected child abuse. It was
suggested that some child abuse detection training be performed for
doctors, nurses and other healthcare employees in our county. It was
also recommended that a more systematic way of identifying
children at risk of abuse be considered such as a coimty-wide

computer database of children's medical records that healthcare
professionals can access when they suspect child abuse. I would like
staff to explore this concept further with the Child Death Review
Committee,the Violence Intervention Program at VMC,the D.A.'s
Office, Stanford Children's Hospital and the Good Samaritan

Foundation and bring back a plan to address the critical issue of child
abuse. This effort would move forward the education and training

portion of the Promoting Violence Free Relationships Pohcy
recommendations.

Last, a member of my staff recently met with a child health services
coordinator for SCVHHS, and several staff from Choices for

Children, a childcare provider resource and referral services

organization in Campbell. This group is proposing creating a
community collaboration to develop an anti-violence curriculum and
training program for preschoolers, their childcare providers and
their parents. I would also ask staff to please investigate this
concept further with Choices for Children,PubHc Health, Health
Realization and the Good Samaritan Foundation and come back to

the Board with a proposal outlining a curriculum and training

program. This proposal would help in the Parent Education portion
of the Promoting Violence Free Relationships PoHcy
Recommendations.

I beheve these are worthy ideas which,if implemented, wiE fulfill a
number of the proposed Action Plan recommendations.
c: Phyllis Perez, Clerk of the Board
Richard Wittenberg, County Executive
Board of Supervisors

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