Greetings, D4 residents -  

With June and the start of summer, I hope everyone is prioritizing spending time outside, of course with plenty of sunscreen and drinking water! 

June has proven to be an exciting month. In addition to holding my regular Food4Thought sidewalk office hours (this month we were at the Rose Garden Farmers’ Market), my office also attended fun-filled events including Viva Calle SJ, the unveiling of Coach Percy Carr Gymnasium at San Jose City College, a Burbank Community Association BBQ, Juneteenth in the Streets hosted by the African American Community Service Agency, and the Special Olympics NorCal Summer Games at Santa Clara University.  

The Board of Supervisors proclaimed the month of June as Pride Month and I was proud to join other elected officials in the City of Santa Clara to raise the Pride Flag and to rededicate ourselves to the work of standing with, serving and protecting the rights of our LGBTQIA+ neighbors, increasingly in jeopardy in today’s political environment. 

Budget Workshops 

The Board of Supervisors conducted three budget hearings this past month. At the conclusion of the third hearing, the fiscal 22-23 budget was unanimously approved by the Board. 

My priority in the budget process this year was to ensure that administration meaningfully funded a response to our declared public health crises of mental illness and substance use disorders by investing in workforce pipeline development, additional service slots, and facilities to meet all levels of acuity, from locked, inpatient facilities to peer-led residential facilities and outpatient supports. You can read more about my thoughts on the budget in this month’s Medium post.  

Budget Inventory 

During the budget proceedings, each Supervisor has an opportunity to recommend “inventory” grants to non-profit organizations for one-time funding for projects that align with the mission of the County. My office received more than 70 applications for grants, which were vetted through a quantitative and qualitative ranking process. I ultimately recommended a total of 42 grants totaling nearly $1.6M. 

Grants ranged from the largest at $235,000 to Pacific Clinics, which serves youth in mental health distress across Santa Clara County, to the smallest – three grants for $5,000 each including to LEAD Filipino for an event celebrating the LGBTQ community, a video history project for the Billy DeFrank Center, and to Prosperity Labs to support microbusinesses for makers. A full list of D4 grant recipients can be found here.  

Roe v Wade  

I am outraged by the decision of the Supreme Court to revoke a woman’s constitutional right to have an abortion. This decision marked the first time in the history of the Court that a right determined to be constitutional was revoked. Santa Clara County has been and will continue to be a safe haven for individuals who may seek an abortion or other reproductive health care. We do not put barriers between a person and their reproductive health.  

You can view the comments I shared at a recent press conference with local elected officials responding to the SCOTUS ruling here. 

Behavioral Health Board  

I will be nominating a new member to serve on the County’s Behavioral Health Board (BHB). The BHB meets monthly to advise the Board of Supervisors and County staff on mental health and substance use treatment issues and is made up of people who have received treatment (consumers), family members, and people with knowledge of the behavioral health system including healthcare providers, judges and social workers. Our current vacancy is for a person who has received mental health or substance use treatment services, ideally through the County system. If you are willing to serve on the BHB please check out the BHB website for more information and an application link. Feel free to contact my office with any questions. 

As we return to in-person gatherings, please feel free to send an invitation to my office for me to attend your neighborhood or community event. I enjoy engaging with residents and look forward to seeing you all soon.   

I am on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Nextdoor and LinkedIn. There you can find resources, news and events.  

As always, if you have questions, comments, and/or concerns, email me at [email protected].  

I and my team are here for you.      

Be well,       

Susan  

Volunteer

• Sourcewise

• Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

• Child Advocates of Silicon Valley

• Silicon Valley Strong

• HERO Tent

You can get directly involved in your community

by serving on a local Board or Commission.

Click below for a list of opportunities!

• Ongoing: COVID Vaccinations

• Ongoing: Mission College Concert Series

• July 4: Rose White and Blue Parade

• August 2: National Night Out

• August 28: Silicon Valley Pride

IN THE NEWS

You can keep track of D4-specific coverage and County news by visiting the newsroom on my website.