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Approve and present a plaque of appreciation honoring Teri Ruggiero, Public Authority Administrator, upon her retirement from Solano County with 14 years of dedicated public service in the Department of Health and Social Services, Public Health Division, Older and Disabled Adult Services Bureau (Supervisor Vasquez)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve and present a plaque of appreciation honoring Teri Ruggiero, Public Authority Administrator, upon her retirement from Solano County with 14 years of dedicated public service in the Department of Health and Social Services, Public Health Division, Older and Disabled Adult Services Bureau.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Teri Ruggiero began her career with Solano County as the Public Authority Administrator in H&SS on October 5, 2009. In this role, Ms. Ruggiero managed the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Public Authority. She embodied the mission of Older and Disabled Adult Services (ODAS) to provide access to services and resources that sustain health and well-being, support independent lifestyles, and promote physical safety and emotional security for older and disabled adults and children in Solano County.
Ms. Ruggiero was a regular contributing member of the ODAS leadership team and made significant strides in leading the Public Authority in assisting over 20,000 IHSS recipients, providing oversight and guidance in recruiting over 2,000 quality caregivers to the IHSS Public Authority Registry so that IHSS recipients would have back-up and regular caregivers as necessary, and providing oversight and guidance to the ODAS IHSS provider enrollment team serving over 1,500 new providers each year through the provider orientation process.
At the county and state levels, Ms. Ruggiero was well-known and respected for her role in providing support and guidance to the IHSS Public Authority Advisory Committee. She planned and coordinated ten provider and consumer outreach conferences, and she produced a yearly newsletter sent to over 10,000 IHSS consumers and providers from 2010-2020. She also provided subject matter expertise to IHSS negotiations since 2010 and supported educational programs for caregivers and health benefits for 1,300 caregivers. She supported implementation of the California Welfare Directors Association/California Association of Public Authority Provider Enrollment and Payroll groups in 2016 and facilitated monthly meetings to share best practices.
Ms. Ruggiero was also an innovative leader, supporting implementation of new web-based registry software, creating policies to enhance IHSS provider and recipient support, and seeking to optimize the provider and recipient experience in Solano County. She was instrumental in encouraging the State in 2013 and 2014 to adopt the REVA and Nexus Registry software systems to improve the referral system case management and provider enrollment processes. Under Ms. Ruggiero’s leadership, several counties have visited Solano County Provider (Caregiver) Orientation as a model for designing their own orientation practices.
Ms. Ruggiero retired on December 28, 2023, and H&SS is grateful and proud to recognize her outstanding contributions to improving the health and quality of life of the residents of Solano County. Ms. Ruggiero has demonstrated commitment, kindness, and innovation in her leadership, leaving an indelible imprint on colleagues, community, and State leadership. Solano County Public Health wishes her well upon her retirement and future endeavors.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing and purchasing the plaque are included in the Board’s FY2023/24 Working Budget. There is no additional impact on the County General Fund. The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and are absorbed by the Department’s FY2023/24 Working Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve and present a plaque of appreciation for Ms. Ruggiero. This is not recommended as it is an opportunity to acknowledge Ms. Ruggiero for her 14 years of dedicated service to Solano County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION