Office of Prevention
Services Task Force
On September 15, 2021, the Board adopted a new motion to explore the establishment of a County Office of Prevention Services by convening a task force chaired by the Executive Director of Racial Equity.
The task force will be responsible for providing recommendations on a governance structure for a comprehensive community-based prevention services delivery system across County services, with the goal of delivering upstream interventions to address the social determinants of health and improve overall well-being for adults, children, youth, and families. As a Brown Act body, the task force is subject to all the provisions and requirements therein, to conduct open and public meetings.
Motion Deliverables
Governance Structure
Recommended options for a governance structure designed to coordinate and effectuate a comprehensive community-based prevention services delivery system
Funding Analysis
A comprehensive Countywide funding streams analysis, with information provided by impacted departments and reviewed by CEO Budget, that will detail existing funding available for Countywide prevention services to support the implementation of a full-scale Countywide coordinated prevention strategy.
Prevention Metrics
A set of guiding prevention metrics, principally informed by an equity centered framework (i.e., life course, racial equity, or social determinants of health) which reflect how County residents’ lives were made better as result of receipt of prevention services.
Reimagining Health And
Safety For Families And
Children
The Board motion calls for recommendations to establish a centralized entity to oversee, manage, and coordinate Los Angeles County prevention services. It also invites us to radically reimagine the entire County structure by centering anti-racist principles and an equity-driven lens. The County now has an opportunity to shift our collective work from a reactive to proactive lens – with the opportunity to transform fundamentally how our institution operates, provides services, and commits to reducing health inequities that disproportionately impact Black, Latino/a/x, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, low-income and other communities experiencing disadvantage.
To achieve this task, the task force will engage in four main phases including preparation, initiation, planning and design, and implementation.
Prevention Services Task Force Meetings
Subscribe to the Task Force Meeting Calendar
To add upcoming Prevention Services Task Force and Table meetings to your personal calendar, please use the following iCalendar button:
Please see the following instructions on how to subscribe to this calendar and add it to your email (please be sure to subscribe, as “importing” will not automatically update meeting changes): Microsoft Outlook app | Outlook on the web | Google Calendar (see: Use a link to add a public calendar)
Public Comment
For those who wish to provide public comment, you may email prevention-taskforce@ceo.lacounty.gov. Deadline to submit written public comment will be 24 hours prior to the meeting. Please include the agenda item and meeting date in your correspondence.
Committee Structure
Participating organizations will include, but not be limited to: Departments of Children and Family Services, Mental Health, Public Health, Health Services, Public Social Services, Economic Opportunity, Aging & Disabilities, and Justice, Care, and Opportunities; Office of Child Protection; CEO–Homeless Initiative; the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority; the Los Angeles County Development Authority; CEO – Poverty Alleviation Initiative; the Los Angeles County Office of Education; County Counsel; First 5 Los Angeles; and the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children & Families.
Task Force Members:
- Task Force Chair: D’Artagnan Scorza, Ph.D.: Executive Director, Racial Equity, CEO – Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative
- Songhai Armstead, J.D.: Interim Director, Justice, Care, and Opportunities
- Carlos Benavides: Community Member with Lived Expertise*
- Yahniie Bridges: Community Member with Lived Expertise*
- Robert Byrd, Psy.D.: Acting Deputy Director, Prevention Division, Department of Mental Health
- Jackie Contreras, Ph.D.: Acting Director, Department of Public Social Services
- Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed.: Director, Department of Public Health
- Alicia L. Garoupa, LCSW: Chief of Wellbeing and Support Services, Los Angeles County Office of Education
- Christina Ghaly, M.D.: Director, Department of Health Services
- Tyrone Howard, Ph.D., M.Ed.: Director, UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children & Families
- Tamara Hunter, DSW: Executive Director, Commission for Children & Families
- Kelly LoBianco: Director, Department of Economic Opportunity
- Tracie Mann, MPA: Chief of Programs, Los Angeles County Development Authority
- Minsun Meeker, MPP: Assistant Executive Director, Office of Child Protection
- Carrie Miller, Ph.D.: Executive Director, CEO – Poverty Alleviation Initiative
- Angela Parks-Pyles: Deputy Director, Department of Child and Family Services
- Kiara Payne, MSG: Associate Director, Permanent Housing
- Fran Sereseres: Community Member with Lived Expertise*
- Tiara Summers: Executive Director, Youth Commission
- Cheri Todoroff, MPH: Executive Director, CEO – Homeless Initiative
- Laura Trejo, DSW, MSG, MPA: Director, Aging and Disabilities Department
- John Wagner, MPA, MPP: Executive Vice President, Center for Child and Family Impact, First 5 Los Angeles
*Note: Individuals designated as “Community Members with Lived Expertise” are those holding the three allocated spots per body, as detailed in their Position Description and the Task Force’s Community Engagement Process. This designation is not meant to diminish any work, titles, and leadership held across other organizations, but instead uplift their important contributions in this initiative as individuals. Moreover, multiple additional members hold personal lived expertise and/or represent community-centered organizations and perspectives.
