Each year, CSAC honors the best and brightest programs our counties have to offer. We do so through our annual Challenge Awards program.

Last year, we added a new component to our ongoing efforts to promote the most innovative and cost-effective programs our counties have developed. In conjunction with National County Government Month in April, we produced a series of videos that highlight our Challenge Award-winning programs. The videos were very popular and successful in helping to tell the county story.

Tomorrow, we begin rolling out the videos of counties’ most recent award-winning programs. Throughout April, you will get an opportunity to learn about these fascinating programs through short videos and accompanying blog postings. Over the next four weeks, we will be honoring programs developed by the following counties:  Calaveras, Los Angeles, Monterey, Nevada, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Solano.

To make these videos, CSAC staff had a golden opportunity to go out in the field and learn about these successful programs first hand. What we learned ran the gamut. From a program that teaches financial literacy to foster youth to a unique landfill tarp design that saves significant dollars, from providing a cellular “lifeline” to behavioral health clients to helping at-risk youth build self-esteem through an academy, these programs are working. We met the staff that developed and implemented the programs. And we met the residents these programs benefit. Overall, we learned about 13 programs in nine counties.  It was a rewarding experience – and one that we look forward to sharing with you.

We want to thank everyone who assisted us in our county visits and making these videos a reality. We hope the videos show that in California, “County Government Works.”