News Highlights

• Fairfax County will receive five awards at the NACo Annual Conference July 21-24.
• Awards received represent programs that contribute and enhance county government.

Fairfax County received five National Association of Counties 2017 Achievement Awards, recognizing effective and innovative programs that contribute to and enhance county government in the United States. NACo will recognize the award-winning counties at its 82nd Annual Conference and Exposition July 21-24 in Columbus, Ohio. 

Awards are given in 21 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. Each nominee is judged on its own merits and not against other applications received.

Civic Education and Public Information

• Citizen Scientist Floatable Monitoring Program - Department of Public Works and Environmental Sciences
  The Citizen Scientist Floatable Monitoring Program is designed as a hands-on, year-long collaboration between the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and Fairfax County Public Schools.
  
  Scientists from DPWES and students from several schools across Fairfax County work together to monitor levels of floatable (stream litter) that is reaching our local waterways. Students are encouraged to use collected data to create an action plan for reducing the amount of floatables reaching their stream. The program fosters a connection between the students and their environment while providing DPWES with information about floatable loading in specific streams.

County Administration and Management

• Democratizing Open Data - Neighborhood and Community Services
  The Democratizing Open Data program makes some of the open data provided by Fairfax County universally accessible through the use of interactive visualizations that allow viewers to explore data through intuitive but powerful interfaces.
  
  The program aims to convey complex information in a clear and visually effective manner.
  
  Fairfax County’s interactive data visualizations hosted on the county’s website help to bridge the gap between data, accessibility and understanding.

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

• Diversion First  - Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board; Fire and Rescue; Office of the Sheriff; Police Department; Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court; Office of Public Affairs
  Diversion First is a program which offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system for low level offenses. Diversion First changes the way behavioral health and criminal justice systems interact, resulting in better outcomes for individuals and the community. The program is designed to prevent repeat encounters with the criminal justice system, improve public safety and promote a healthier community.

Information Technology

• Courtroom Interpreting Control System - Court Technology Office
  The Fairfax County Court Technology Office (CrTO) led a collaborative effort including judges, court staff, deputy sheriffs, interpreters and technical staff to implement a technological solution to improve the interpreting processes in the courtrooms and during arraignment and advisement hearings with the Adult Detention Center (ADC).
  
  The new interpreting system developed a customized touch panel control device that supports both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting in the courtrooms. The updated interpretation process has improved overall courtroom audio, streamlined courtroom interpreting tools and improved processes with the ADC during remote arraignments that allow non-English speaking individuals to speak directly through an interpreter.
   
• Mobile Connected Courtrooms - Courts and Information Technology
  Fairfax County Courts and Department of Information Technology researched, designed and implemented a new digital courtroom platform which allows users to wirelessly connect their personal devices to the existing courtroom evidence presentation system, known as Courtroom Technology Management System (CTMS).
  
  CTMS 2 was designed to migrate to digital industry standards and accommodate digital technology by integrating wireless device capabilities into the courtroom evidence presentation process. This required a significant upgrade to maintain compatibility with evolving PC and laptop configurations, support wireless handheld devices (Android and Apple) and provide better video quality by supporting higher digital resolutions.

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