Antonovich unveils States new nursing home grading system Mayor Michael D. Antonovich held a press conference at Windsor Manor highlighting the Nursing Home Grading System he initiated which will go into effect statewide on January 1, 2011. "To enhance the quality of care for our senior citizens, the state law I initiated requiring nursing homes to publicly display their federal five-star rating follows the success of our restaurant grading system," said Antonovich, who also fathered the County's restaurant grading system in 1997. "This posting system provides vital information for families to make informed decisions about the care for their loved ones and provides incentives for facility operators to establish and maintain high-quality standards of care and compliance." The rating system covers quality of medical care, staffing levels, food services, sanitation, bedsore mitigation and the results of licensing inspections. The system designates five stars for the highest rated facilities, down to one star for the poorest

Article contained in the Supervisors June Newsletter MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH: AB 109 IS SET TO BANKRUPT COUNTIES, JEOPARDIZE CITIZENS In April, Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 109 - the public safety realignment bill - essentially launching a Trojan horse-style attack on local governments and ensuring catastrophic consequences for Los Angeles County's criminal justice system. Set to take effect Oct. 1, this would shift responsibility for convicted felons and parolee supervision from the state prison system to the county, transferring the state's legal obligation to already overcrowded local jails and stressed law enforcement agencies - without fully paying for the burden. Los Angeles County's jail system, the largest in the nation, is already challenged with rampant violence and illness among detainees due to severe overcrowding conditions. The county's jails operate under strict federal court-appointed ACLU monitors, who cite overcrowding as the root cause of problems long-plaguing the Men's Central Jail. Jumping barely funded state felons into over-crowded jails means increased disruption, violence and liability. History speaks for itself. An older state contract was terminated when a rise in inmate fights and homicides resulted state prisoners doing time in county jails. While the state vows that inmates transferred into county jails under AB 109 will be of the nonserious, nonviolent and non-sex- offender type, the reality is that many have actually been convicted of crimes and pleaded down from more serious charges. California's stunning 70 percent recidivism rate means hardened, repeat offenders are continuously cycling through the state's criminal justice system and will return to local jails through realignment. Unlike state prisons - designed for long-term confinement - county jails are intended as detention centers for individuals awaiting trial, transfer, completion of misdemeanor sentencing. L.A. County jails simply do not have the capacity to take on the increased risk, liability, and social and fiscal responsibilities of a bigger and more dangerous criminal population.
County Supervisors Vote to Ban Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Motion by Mayor Antonovich, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to ban Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in County unincorporated areas. Mayor Antonovich had introduced a motion in July of this year directing staff to prepare an ordinance amending the County’s Zoning Code to prohibit Medical Marijuana Dispensaries. The Regional Planning Commission, after considering a draft ordinance and conducting a public hearing, recommended approval of the ban to the Board of Supervisors. “Attracting crime and other nuisances, these facilities have a negative impact on the communities where they’ve operated -- leading more than 100 cities and 9 counties in California to pass similar ordinances,” said Antonovich. “Since many municipalities in Los Angeles County currently have either a ban or moratorium, adjacent unincorporated communities would become the obvious location of choice for dispensary operators -- creating an undue burden for residents in these areas.”	New Nursing Home Grading System Nursing Home Grading System he initiated which will go into effect statewide on January 1, 2011. "To enhance the quality of care for our senior citizens, the state law I initiated requiring nursing homes to publicly display their federal five-star rating follows the success of our restaurant grading system," said Antonovich, who also fathered the County's restaurant grading system in 1997. "This posting system provides vital information for families to make informed decisions about the care for their loved ones and provides incentives for facility operators to establish and maintain high-quality standards of care and compliance." In 2009, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Antonovich’s motion to provide the Federal Government’s grading reports of area nursing homes on the Los Angeles County website. The motion also encouraged the State to require that nursing homes post their five-star rating issued by the Federal Government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to allow the consumer to make an informed decision about care. Signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger, Assembly Bill 215 by Assemblymen Cameron Smyth and Mike Feuer requires nursing homes to post assigned grades reflecting their quality ratings.
History Behind County Mayor Designation Los Angeles County joins many county governments across the nation that use the designation of County Mayor for the governing body’s chair, including – Florida’s Miami Dade County, Tennessee’s Macon County, and Utah’s Salt Lake County. On October 29, 1996, the Board of Supervisors voted to implement the designation of its governing body’s chair as Mayor through a County ordinance and an official amendment to the Rules of the Board. The Board of Supervisors serve as the “Mayor and City Council” for the 1.5 million residents who live in our 134 unincorporated communities in addition to the County’s 88 cities. The County of Los Angeles is similar to New York City and other major metropolitan areas who provide law enforcement, property assessment, tax collection, flood control, public health protection, and public social services; whereas the County’s cities are similar to boroughs. The Board of Supervisors has executive, legislative and quasi-judicial responsibilities in developing policies and administrating vital programs for all of our municipalities. Among the specialized services provided by the County are water conservation, parks and recreation, and many diversified cultural activities including the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Concert Hall and the Music Center. The board approves the appointment of county department heads. However, the Tax Assessor, District Attorney and Sheriff are all elected. Approximately half of our 88 cities contract with the County for their fire, police, public works, and other municipal services.	Antonovich Convens first meeting of the LA County Mayor's Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich convened his first meeting of the Board of Supervisors as Mayor and outlined his agenda for 2011. Mayor Antonovich spoke on the challenges facing the Board, including the nearly $14 trillion deficit at the federal level and $26 billion deficit at the state level affecting every county, city and school district. He attributed the state’s deficit to its practice of spending more than it receives and to term limits. “When I was in the legislature we literally walked a bill through both the Assembly and Senate and to the Governor in a couple of hours – we knew we had to work together to solve a problem.” He praised the Board’s ability to work together in the past to solve common problems and called on that cooperation to continue in the future. In 2011, Mayor Antonovich will work with the Board of Supervisors to: § Implement as a Countywide Goal “Youth Self-Sufficiency” for foster youth in the areas of permanency/housing, social and emotional health, education and workforce preparedness. § Enhance partnerships between law enforcement agencies to enforce laws and protect our communities. § Implement structural reforms to meet shrinking budgets. § Eliminate duplication of services and consolidating and eliminating where appropriate. § Recommend that the legislature enact a 2-year budget to allow local governments the ability to plan and provide vital services. § Enhance work place productivity. § Stop the practice of placing unqualified individuals in high salary positions. § Reform civil service § Address the pension crisis. § Ensure our first responders and communities are earthquake prepared and ready to meet any challenges. § Work with the federal government for full implementation of the County Fire Department’s recommendations following the Station Fire. § Expedite the building and opening of Martin Luther King Hospital, the Antelope Valley Multi-Ambulatory Care Center, and the Olive View/UCLA Emergency Room. § Support legislation that the mentally ill homeless receive the treatment that they need to transition to healthy and productive lives. § Work with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation to promote jobs and bring businesses to the County § Streamline the County’s permitting process. § Assure the full enforcement of the Convalescent Home Grading System, which Mayor Antonovich initiated and will become State law in January 2011.