ABOUT ALICE

Alice was unanimously appointed to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in 2000 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006 to represent District 3. In January 2009, she was selected to serve as President of the Board for 2009 and 2010. In January 2010, she announced her decision to leave public office at the end of her term, January 3, 2011. During her ten years on the Board, Alice left a mark in the areas of economic development in the unincorporated areas of the County; health care workforce development; streamlined County procedures; and domestic violence awareness.

Prior to serving on the Board, she worked on Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan’s staff from 1995 to 2000. In that capacity, Alice was instrumental in shaping the county's policies and programs related to social services and health care, particularly mental health, child welfare and welfare reform.

Alice has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1990. During her 10-year career as a social worker and clinical supervisor, she became well-versed in mental health policy issues and advocated for these issues. Alice is a co-founder of the Association of Chinese Families of the Disabled and the East Bay Chinese Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Alice received her bachelor's degree in Sociology from Hong Kong Shue Yan College, and her master's degree in Social Work at San Francisco State University.

Accomplishments: Please hover/click on the timeline item for more information. Alice Lai-Bitker: A Decade of Service

Alice Lai-Bitker: A Decade of Service
Cameron Skateboard Park: To help a little boy realize his dream, Alice threw her support behind the skateboard park. Developed REP (Re-imagining Educational Practices) Magazine's programs for youth.
Alice reelected.
Appointed to Alameda County's Board of Supervisors. Health is Not Just Health Care: Disturbed by the persistent gap in health status among various communities, especially African American and Hispanic County residents, Alice convened a group of elected officials and community leaders to examine the impact of local decision making and policies on health outcomes.
Day of Remembrance: A signature event of her tenure, Alice commemorated the victims of domestic violence each year. In addition, she worked to raise funds for prevention, intervention, and prosecution services. In 2004, working with the State Legislature, AB 2010 was passed which raised fees for marriage licenses, birth certificates and death records for this purpose. 2004 NACO award: One of the major barriers to obtaining health insurance was the complex and fragmented system for enrollment. Working with the Children and Families Health Insurance Task Force and the Social Services Agency, Alice led to effort to streamline the enrollment process. As a result, in a 2-year period, almost 20,000 county residents successfully applied for health insurance. The National Association of County Organizations recognized the program by awarding it the 2004 Innovation Award.
Assumes presidency of Board.
Opened the Family Justice Center: As part of her domestic violence work, Alice worked with the District Attorney to procure federal funds for a pilot program. The Family Justice Center centralizes social and legal services in one location, making it easier for families to obtain services.
Created Health Insurance Task Force: With over 160,000 Alameda County residents who have no health insurance, Supervisor Lai-Bitker convened a broad-based task force to find ways to expand health insurance coverage. At the end of 6 months of work, the Task Force comprising health care providers, labor, county agencies, local health plans, elected public officials, and community organizations presented the Board of Supervisors with a blue print for addressing the uninsured issues. The blue print was adopted unanimously by the Board. Alice sponsored a Green Building Ordinance affecting the unincorporated areas, which the Board of Supervisors passed. The ordinance requires higher environmental standards for buildings constructed in the unincoporated areas, not only to reduce the county’s greenhouse gas emissions, but also to attract green jobs and green buildings to the county.
Drove away the proposal for a casino: Alice spearheaded the community effort to successfully oppose a casino near the Oakland airport. Hundreds of signatures were gathered by her staff and sent to federal officials in Washington DC.
Created Immigrant Nurse Re-entry Program: This workforce initiative provided coursework and supplemental training to immigrants living in Alameda County who had previously worked as nurses in their home countries. The program won a 3-year $500,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In the time, 84 nurses graduated from the program and 64% successfully sought employment in local hospitals and clinics.
Established first District 3 Supervisor’s Office in San Lorenzo: To improve access to County government for residents living in the Unincorporated areas, as one of her first priorities, newly appointed County Supervisor Lai-Bitker opened the first-ever district office.
Formed an Economic Development Committee for the Unincorporated Area: In response to constituent concerns, this committee became a vehicle for the community to develop strategies specific to the unique needs of the Unincorporated Area. A major outcome was a strategic plan to attract and retain business and the hiring of an Economic Development Director.
Juvenile Justice Center: The Juvenile Justice Center is a state of the art facility that includes a 360 bed Juvenile Hall with an adjacent Court Facility that houses 5 court rooms and offices for the District Attorney, Public Defender, Behavioral Health Care, Court Clerk, Sheriff, and Probation staff. San Lorenzo Initiative.
Stimulus Funds: The County received $46 million for energy efficiency, transportation, and health care projects.

Website in Chinese - AliceandAssociates.com © 2011 - Alice And Associates, LLC