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Board recognizes Recovery Month, Emergency Preparedness Month and Workforce Development Month for September
Summary
Contra Costa County supervisors declared September 2025 as National Recovery Month, National Emergency Preparedness Month and Workforce Development Month and heard presentations from recovery, emergency management and workforce leaders.
On Sept. 9 the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors issued proclamations recognizing three September observances: National Recovery Month, National Emergency Preparedness Month and Workforce Development Month.
For National Recovery Month the board heard from Tom Aswad, founder and president of Support for Recovery, and from Jennifer Tuipilotu of the County's Office for Peer and Family Empowerment. Victoria Fairchild, a peer counselor and Spirit program graduate, shared personal remarks about recovery from substance use, mental health challenges, homelessness and justice involvement. Presenters and supervisors emphasized recovery as a community effort, the role of volunteers, and the county's integration of substance use and mental health planning.
The Board also recognized National Emergency Preparedness Month. Rick Kovar, Contra Costa's Office of Emergency Services manager, outlined local risks — wildfires, earthquakes and floods — and encouraged residents to sign up for CWS alerts, assemble emergency go bags and participate in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings. Kovar cited FEMA's National Risk Index ranking that places Contra Costa among the nation's higher‑risk counties and urged personal preparedness and neighborhood coordination.
Finally the Board proclaimed Workforce Development Month. Tamia Brown, executive director of the Workforce Development Board, and her staff highlighted the board's efforts to connect residents to employers, noted the Workforce Development Board's regional role, and cited metrics from fiscal year 2024 showing services to thousands of jobseekers and businesses. Supervisors praised programs that train young people and retrain workers for emerging green jobs.
All three proclamations were presented as recognitions; no formal policy or funding actions were taken on the items. Board members used the presentations to underscore ongoing county efforts in behavioral health, emergency preparedness and job training and to invite community participation in the related programs.
