1. Linkages: CalWORKs and Child Welfare Collaboration to Improve Outcomes

2. Vision
Began in 1998 – 1999.
Stuart Foundation funded a site visit to Colorado.
State, County, Foundation
Planning phase 2000 – 2002
Work Groups formed
Developed the Planning Guide
The Linkages Planning Guide was developed and can be found on the cfpic.org website for a copy

3. Three Stages of Implementation
Pilot counties selected 2003.
Phase II Counties selected 2005.
Phase III Counties selected via a Federal Demonstration Grant.
Steady expansion from 14 to 30 counties.
Pioneer Counties: Alameda, Calaveras, Del Norte, Merced, Orange, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, Yolo (Santa Cruz left 2005; Mendocino, left project 2009)
Phase II: Contra Costa, Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Sacramento, Siskiyou, Sutter, Trinity, Ventura (Marin, Napa left 2009)
Phase III: El Dorado, Imperial, Nevada, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Shasta, Tulare
Phase II:
Phase III:

4. Foundation for the Linkages Vision
Poverty is a risk factor for child abuse and neglect:
Families with annual incomes below $15,000, compared to families with annual incomes above $30,000 are over 22 times more likely to experience some form of maltreatment.
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

5. Shared Vision
Child Welfare Services can serve as an anti-poverty program in helping families to achieve self-sufficiency.
CalWORKs can serve as a child abuse prevention program by providing families the resources they need to promote safety and well-being for their children.

6. Mutual Families
Overlap of clients in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Child Welfare Services (CWS):
Statewide, 60% children in CWS have a history of AFDC or TANF.
Varies by county: from 44% - 87%.

7. Mutual Families (cont’d.)
CWS use predicted by: AFDC/TANF use, unemployment, and family poverty rates.
(California Department of Social Services RAD, August 2002)

8. Linkage Strategies Early Mutual Client Identification.
Screening CWS referrals for economic needs
TDM/CalWORKs inclusion.
Coordinated Case Plan.
Joint Fiscal Case plan.
The Engaging Parents in CCP Guidelines can be found on the cfpic.org website

9. Linkage Strategies (cont’d.)
Shared policies and procedures.
Resource sharing (Mental Health, AOD, DV, Transportation, Child Care, Housing).
Joint and Cross-Training.
Procedures and protocols can be found on the cfpic.org website

10. Key Messages: Effective, Efficient and Essential
For Families: Working together, we achieve better outcomes for families. We help families become self- sufficient and children to have safe, stable lives.
For Programs: By leveraging resources from both programs, we achieve our program goals of increased workforce participation rates and reduced child maltreatment.
Communication materials using the Effective, Efficient and Essential tagline can be found on the cfpic.org website under the Linkages Project

11. Key Messages (cont’d.) Efficient
Leveraged resources: When we collaborate, we leverage resources and strengths from both programs. Each program can do what it does best.
Less duplication: We decrease the duplication of service referrals and supportive services when we work together. Families receive streamlined services and benefit from coordinated case planning.

12. Key Messages (cont’d.) Efficient
Team approach: Collaboration creates a team approach to working with vulnerable families. More people are available to help solve problems.

13. Key Messages (cont’d.) Essential
Our success is connected: Our programs have similar missions and serve many of the same families. Our success in treating family issues in one area impacts family well-being in another area.
Working smarter: We save time and money in the long run by collaborating. Otherwise, many of the same family issues repeat themselves and we fail to use available resources to treat underlying issues.

14. Key Messages (cont’d.) Essential
Critical in tight budget times: Collaboration is more important than ever in tight budget times when social service funding is especially limited. We work to maximize every dollar.

15. What we know from Evaluation Surveys
What Coordinators said the Top 3 Factors necessary to make Linkages a successful practice:
Strong Leadership supporting Linkages
The likelihood that families will be better off
Workplace willingness to try new things
Harder + Co are doing the Statewide evaluation on Linkages.
There are three (3) surveys that have been conducted over the past several years. Another round of surveys will be done the last year.
Implementation Survey which goes to Coordinators to determine how Linkages is being implemented in the county
Staff Survey goes to Linkages staff in the county to obtain their perception
Organizational Survey which goes to Coordinators to obtain information on how the organization adapts and changes to implement Linkages

16. Survey Evaluation (cont’d.)
Staff involved in Linkages stated:
68 % felt they were more successful with their clients
81 % perceived better outcomes for their clients
65 % had more job satisfaction

17. What Staff are Saying:
Linkages: “We have more people to give input about what’s going on with the family, so it makes it easier for us as a team to make a decision about whether the children are safe in the home.”
Julian, CWS staff in Stanislaus
“Because there is no way I know all the services Child Welfare offers and visa versa, working together, it’s really making sure that the family gets all the available services.”
Alma, CalWORKs Los Angeles County
Julian Wren is in the Linkages program in Stanislaus and the quote is from the Interviews for the Meeting the Linkages Challenge video.
Alma Vega, is in the CalWORKs program in LA and the quote is from the Interviews for the Meeting the Linkages Challenge video.

18. What Staff Are Saying (cont’d.)
“Our ultimate goal is to help families…because ultimately we know that the outcomes for children are not good when they grow up in foster care.”
Nina, Child Welfare, Los Angeles County
“And when you sit down in a room and you have your social worker and your CalWORKs worker in the same room and they’re both telling you the same thing and you’re there, you know you can’t later on tell your social worker one thing and your CalWORKs worker something else.”
Richard, CalWORKs Stanislaus
Nina Powell-McCall is a manager in Child Welfare in LA county and taken from her Interview for the video
Richard Mahaney is in the CalWORKs program and involved in the Stanislaus Linkages program and this is taken from his Interview for the video.

19. What Families are Saying
“As for me being a good manipulator as I was…not able to manipulate the situation because they both knew what was going on.”
Paula, Parent in Stanislaus County
“They became the people that I leaned on…that I knew were going to be there to give me the right advice.”
Andrea, Parent in Los Angeles
Paula is a parent who was successful in recovery, getting her children back, and becoming employed. Taken from her interview for the Meeting the Challenge video.
Andrea is a parent in LA successful keeping her children, using the Paid Work position from the CalWORks Welfare to Work program and who attributes her success due to the Linkages team from both CalWORKs and CWS who helped her. Taken from her Interview for the video

20. What Families are Saying (cont’d.)
“Just remember that you’re going to help somebody and its going to be one less family out there that needs help and you’re the person that made it happen.”
Alecia, 13 year old, Stanislaus
Alecia is Paula’s daughter who experienced life with her mother living in a home where drugs where used. This is taken from her Interview for the video.

21. Questions?