FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2025
Alyssa Napuri – Deputy Chief of Staff
(657) 334-4930 (text preferred) | Alyssa.Napuri@ocgov.com
OC Supervisor Katrina Foley Elected Vice Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, County Continues Investments to Prevent Recidivism and Expand Health Care Access
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement following the votes to support increased security at John Wayne Airport, allow CalOptima to participate in the California Health Benefit Exchange, approve a fully equipped, in-house auto shop for justice-involved youth in Orange County, and execute various grant agreements with community-based organizations for prevention and intervention programs for juvenile and adult justice-involved individuals in Orange County.
Item #38 Election of Officers: Following the motion from outgoing Chair Don Wagner, the Board unanimously elected Doug Chaffee as Chair and Katrina Foley as Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors for 2025.
“Thank you to the Board for electing us to serve in leadership of the Board of Supervisors. I look forward to working alongside Chairman Doug Chaffee while we work together to support all of Orange County’s residents throughout this next year,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
Item #22 (HCA) Amendments to CalOptima Ordinance – Modifying the CalOptima Ordinance will allow CalOptima to participate in the California Health Benefit Exchange.
“Approximately 20,000 residents lose CalOptima Health care coverage annually because they receive promotions or get better paying jobs, providing just enough income to lapse in eligibility. By allowing CalOptima Health the ability to enter the open exchange, residents can seamlessly transition to Covered California Plans while their Medi-Cal eligible family members maintain their current coverage. A Covered California plan will also support safety net providers by offering a new line of business and a way to maintain relationships and continuity of care with patients transitioning out of Medi-Cal,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “A resident should not be penalized nor lose their health care providers because they pulled themselves out of poverty.”
Item #30 (Probation) Approve Contract with Skills Up Program, LLC for Automotive Vocational Services: The contract with Skills Up Program, LLC will provide a fully equipped in-house auto shop for justice-involved youth in Orange County. The program will allow incarcerated youth to earn an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certificate or industry-related equivalent and assist with job placement.
“I’m pleased to approve this contract with Skills Up Program to provide opportunities to youth in our Juvenile Hall to receive hands-on training for well-paying careers in the automotive services industry,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “I remain committed to supporting workforce development in Orange County, and youth in our Juvenile Hall are no exception. This program will help justice involved youth in Orange County transition to the workforce upon re-entry to their communities. I look forward to monitoring this program as it is implemented in Orange County.”
Item #36 (CEO) Grant Agreements for Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention & AB 109 Reentry Programs: Approval of these grant agreements includes $1.1 million to seven community-based organizations for juvenile-based prevention and intervention programs as approved by the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council in October 2024. These community-based organizations include reputable partners such as Carpenter Training Partners, Inc., Project Kinship, The Prism Way, Project Youth OC, Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove, and Human Works Foundation, Hub for Integration, Reentry & Employment (H.I.R.E). The item also approves $500,000 of AB 109 funds for The Break Off, a gym that provides reentry fitness programs for justice-involved adults to assist in the reentry process.
“As a member of the Orange County Juvenile Justice Council, I played a key role in developing a project proposal and approval process where community-based organizations could submit requests for funding for new juvenile-based prevention and intervention programs,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “As a result of these efforts, nine community-based organizations submitted requests to provide these services for youth in our Juvenile Hall. In October, the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council approved more than $1.1 million in funding to all nine proposals. Today, we vote to execute seven of these nine grant agreements. These organizations, using funds by the state, will implement programs that have proven effective in reducing crime and delinquency among at-risk youth including hands-on job training, peer mentorship, support groups, and more.”
In addition, Supervisor Foley released statements in recognition of the following resolutions presented during the Board of Supervisors meeting:
Resolution proclaiming January 13 as “Korean American Day”:
“In Orange County, we are proud to have the second-largest Korean-American population in the country, with more than 110,000 individuals calling this area home, including 43,000 in Irvine,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “Today, we celebrate the rich history of Korean immigration to the United States and honor the invaluable contributions of the Korean American community, which greatly enhance the cultural diversity, economic strength, and proud heritage of Orange County.”
Resolution proclaiming January 20 as “Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day”:
“Martin Luther King, Jr.'s groundbreaking work inspired our nation to act and raise our voices for equality through nonviolent civil engagement,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “Together, we can carry Dr. King's vision into the future, honoring his legacy through our dedication to service and striving for a more just and equal union.”
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Vice Chair Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Vice Chair Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee Chair, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee Vice Chair, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition Co-Chair, Orange County Housing Finance Trust Chair, and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
