CSAC received a record number of entries (288) in the 2017 Challenge Awards, showing that innovation is alive and well in California Counties. This year, we instituted a new judging format, utilizing new entry categories for program types as well as population size. When the judging was finalized, 16 programs were selected to receive Challenge Awards and another 31 programs are being recognized with Merit Awards.

See below for a complete list of Challenge and Merit Award Recipients, as well as program descriptions. Congratulations to all of our Challenge Award recipients!

Challenge Awards

Administration of Justice

Rural
Humboldt County – Reprogramming Corrections

Suburban
Yolo County – Yolo County Construction Program

Urban
Santa Clara County – Advancing Innovative Pretrial Justice Reform for All

Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources

Rural
Humboldt County – Track and Trace

Suburban
Monterey County – Farmworker Advisory Committee

Urban
Los Angeles County – The Growing Experience Environmental Resource Center

Government Finance, Administration & Technology

Rural
Humboldt County – Budget Road Show            

Suburban
Tulare County – Project Foxtrot Fire APP

Urban
Los Angeles County – DCFC Student Information Tracking System

Health & Human Services

Rural
Sutter/Yuba Counties – Embedding Behavioral Health Crisis Staff in ERs

Suburban
Marin County – Rx Safe Marin: Prescription Drug Misuse/Abuse Initiative

Urban
San Bernardino County – Housing Support Program Collaborative
Ventura County – Health Insurance Eligibility APP

Housing, Land Use & Infrastructure

Rural
Nevada County – Over-the-Counter Plan Review Program

Suburban
Sonoma County – Creating More Housing with 100% Rental Density Bonus

Urban
Los Angeles County – Spanish Planning Program

Merit Awards

Administration of Justice

Rural
None Given

Suburban
Imperial County – Imperial County Adult Re-Entry Summit
Napa County – Dosage Probation
Shasta County – SB 1143 Early Implementation Best Practice Solutions

Urban
Riverside County – Intensive Re-Integration Services (IRIS) Unit
Santa Clara County – Santa Clara Probation – Family of Friends

Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources

Rural
Mariposa County – Mariposa Clean Sweep
Mono County – Thermal Biomass Boiler Project

Suburban
Kern County – Electronic-Based Permit System for Energy Permits
Marin County – Parks Prescriptions Partnership Improves Community Health Outdoors

Urban
Alameda County – Training the Next Generation of Climate Protection Leaders
San Diego County – CIVICS Program

Government Finance, Administration & Technology

Rural
Humboldt County – All Hands Training Day
Humboldt County – Tsunami Zone APP
Mendocino County – Comprehensive New Employee Orientation

Suburban
Sonoma County – Marriage License Signature Project

Urban
Alameda County – Automated Employee Onboarding System
Contra Costa County – Rain Map APP
Los Angeles County – Library Offers Life Skills Training for Teen
Riverside County – Riverside County Transformation
Riverside County – Unity: Medical, Health & Traditional Emergency Management
San Bernardino County—Virtual Receptionist

Health & Human Services

Rural
Humboldt County – Child Support Collections for Multiple Small Counties
Nevada County – Nevada County CalWORKS Connection Program
Nevada County – What’s Up? Wellness Checkups in Nevada County

Suburban
Napa County – Homeless and Housing Systems Change in Napa

Urban
Alameda County – One Touch: Customer Centric Distributed Work Model
Contra Costa County – Inter-County Business Intelligence Partnership
Contra Costa County – Parent Partner Program of Contra Costa County
San Bernardino County – Mutual Aid for a Public Health Emergency
San Mateo County – Ending Homelessness in San Mateo County
Ventura County – Safe Alprazolam Prescribing and Benzodiazepine Monitoring Program

Housing, Land Use & Infrastructure

Rural
None Given

Suburban
None Given

Urban
Los Angeles County – Buyer Beware: Property Buying Education Program
San Bernardino County – Code Enforcement Illegal Dumping Program