On Sunday, November 21, the LA Times published a long editorial about the need for reform at the LA County Department of Children and Family Services. On November 25, they printed social workers’ response. Click here to read the full article at latimes.com
“Headline-grabbing cases have led The Times and some in public office to say the solution is tougher discipline for social workers, not tough system reform,” wrote Tony Bravo, Larry Golan, Blanca Gomez and Mike Ross. “The headlines have dramatized what we witness daily. Morale among our ranks has never been lower. But what will rally social workers is seeing that everyone in the child welfare system is making progress every day to make children safer.”
Click here to read the full story at latimes.com. Tony and Blanca are on SEIU 721’s executive board, and Blanca, Larry and Mike are leading our CEO project teams on system reform.
Social workers are taking a leadership role in confronting the problems with inconsistency between DCFS offices, lack of training and ER backlogs. They are currently meeting weekly with the CEO’s office on these priority projects. Much hard work remains, but even with the negative headlines, behind the scenes our voices are being heard.
Click here to read more about the project teams at seiu721.org.