The County of San Luis Obispo is continuing to provide essential services to residents during the current Shelter at Home order, intended to slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in SLO County by ensuring the maximum number of people self-quarantine in their residence to the extent possible, while enabling essential services to continue.

The emergency order became effective Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 5 p.m. and will remain in effect until April 17, 2020. It will be reviewed every 14 days to evaluate the need to continue the order. The executive order is consistent with State guidance issued on March 19 and measures taken in other California counties.

“The health and safety of our community is and always will be our top priority,” said County Administrative Officer and Emergency Services Director Wade Horton. “That means we’ll continue to provide the most essential services to our community during this critical time.”

County offices are still open for business, but most public counters are closed. Residents are encouraged to access services and conduct business online or over the phone when possible; if not possible, residents may call ahead to a department to make an appointment. To protect the health of the community, residents and employees who exhibit signs of illness while visiting an office in person will be asked to leave.

See information below for detail on services available from each County department.

County Department Public Counter Open? Public Services Provided
Auditor – Controller – Treasurer – Tax Collector – Public Administrator (ACTTCPA)
(805) 781-5831
No – Property tax payments (online, drop box in lobby)
– Business license renewals (online)
– Transient Occupancy Tax and other tax payments (online)

Note: Under state law, the April 10 delinquency date for the second installment of annual property taxes remains in effect.
Agriculture/Weights and Measures (805) 781-5910 No – Conducting pesticide use enforcement
– Issuing export certification for agricultural commodities
– Inspecting incoming commodity shipments of agricultural commodities and other plant material
– Conducting exotic pest detection activities based on temporary help availability.
Airports (805) 781-5205 Yes – Airport is open unless and until directed otherwise by the FAA.
Animal Services
(805) 781-4400
Yes (modified) Shelter:
– Normal animal care of sheltered animals
– Medical care of sheltered animals
– Custodial intake
– Field Service intakes
– Returned to Owner (RTO)
– Adoption (by appointment)
– Owner surrender (by appointment only)
– Euthanasia
Office
– Bite report processing
– Lost and Found reporting (online or by phone only)

Field
– Agency assistance
– Aggressive / public safety animal response
– Bite quarantine
– Abuse / Neglect / Welfare investigations
– Injured / Ill animal intake
Behavioral Health   (800) 838-1381 Yes (modified) – Crisis Hotline available 24/7: 800-783-0607
– Psychiatric Health Facility
– Crisis Stabilization Units
– Mobile Mental Health Evaluation Teams and hospital-based services
– Assessment services through the Access Phone line: 800-838-1381
– Regional clinic sites will remain open with minimal on-site staffing; crisis calls and appointments are still answered at   1-800-838-1381
– Clinic medication services
– Martha’s Place will facilitate medication refills for children
– Other treatment services provided by telephone/telehealth
Child Support Services   (866) 901-3212 Yes – Processing child support orders
– Provide all essential services
– No genetic testing
Clerk-Recorder  
(805) 781-5080
No – Elections
– Recordings (via Electronic Recordings and by mail)
– Other services provided by mail: birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, official record copies, FBNs, notaries, CEQA filings
– Vote By Mail ballot drop box will be available in lobby
– Marriage licenses by appointment only
County Fire  
(805) 543-4244
No – Open and providing regular services
District Attorney
(805) 781-5800
No – Court support – adult and juvenile
– Case filings
– Court calendar
– Victim-witness advocates
– Discovery processing
– Investigations
– Imminent risk CAIT interviews
– Some cyber lab services for exigent circumstances only
Library   (805) 781-5991 No – All branches are closed
Parks & Recreation   (805) 781-5930 No – Golf and parks are open
– Campgrounds and playgrounds are closed.
Planning and Building   (805) 781-5600 No – Inspections
– Code enforcement for health and safety issues
– Emergency Permits
Probation
(805) 781-5300
No – Youth detention supervision
– Adult probation services at Casa Loma and Prado Rd
– Juvenile probation services
Public Guardian No – Continuing regular services
Public Health
(805) 781-5500
Yes (modified) – Communicable disease investigations
– Laboratory
– Emergency preparedness and response
– Environmental health
– Juvenile Services Center
– Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP)
– Vital records (including birth certificates and death certificates)
– Suspected Abuse Response Team (SART)
– WIC is continuing to enroll clients and distribute food vouchers via telephone and distribute emergency breastfeeding supplies / equipment.
– Foster care case management
– Field nursing is triaging urgent referrals and following up by phone
– Reproductive health is conducting visits by phone
Public Works
(805) 781-5252
No – Wastewater/Water operations
– Roads operations
– Flood control operations
Sheriff   (805) 781-4550 Yes – Daily services continue
Social Services
(805) 781-1600
Yes – Child Welfare Services
– Adult Services: In-Home Supportive Services and Public Authority
– CalWORKs
– CalFresh
– Medi-Cal
– General Assistance
– Hotlines for both Child Welfare Services and Adult Services are functioning as usual
UC Cooperative Extension (805) 781-5940 No – Providing support for agriculture, agricultural research, ensuring community members have access to food
Veterans Services   (805) 781-5766   No – Administration and processing of veterans’ claims

The following departments are currently only providing internal support, not services to the public: Assessor, Central Services, County Counsel, Human Resources, and Information Technology,