We at SEIU 721 are proud to announce that our very own President and Executive Director David Green will receive the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award for his contributions to the field of Social Work. The award will be bestowed by the California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children at CAPSAC’s 40th Annual Awards Ceremony this Fri., Sept. 18 beginning at Noon.
David Green is a part-time Adjunct Professor at Cal State LA’s School of Social Work, where he teaches the Master’s in Social Work (MSW) policy classes to the next generation of professionals serving children. As most SEIU 721 members know, David Green also has dedicated his professional life to public service for more than two decades at LA County’s Dept. of Children & Family Services as a Children’s Social Worker III.
Among his many contributions to the field of Social Work, CAPSAC considered David Green’s most significant to be his sustained effort to strengthen the structural conditions under which Children’s Social Workers (CSWs) protect abused and neglected children – especially his focus on systemic improvements rather than individual fixes.
“Child safety is inseparable from workforce stability, manageable caseloads, and professional support systems,” David Green said. “That’s why we’ve advocated for reduced caseloads, improved retention strategies, and enhanced training supports at SEIU 721. These are the kinds of reforms that directly impact the quality and timeliness of child abuse investigations and safety assessments. I know it to be true from my one-on-one professional experience. But I also know because of the testimony I hear directly from numerous SEIU 721 members in the field of Social Work. We know it because we live it. And I cannot thank CAPSAC enough for recognizing it. I feel so unbelievably honored and humbled to be receiving the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award – and I dedicate it to all the Social Workers at our Union who give everything they’ve got to improving the lives of our most vulnerable children and families.”
CAPSAC also noted that a key factor in deciding to honor David Green was his challenge to a $2 million settlement involving LA County CEO Fesia Davenport and the Board of Supervisors. When workers and Union officials were told there were insufficient funds for employee raises, David Green publicly questioned that explanation on LAist via KPCC 89.3 FM.
“When I heard this on-air exchange, I made the decision to nominate him for the Neal Snyder award,” said Siyon Rhee, PhD, MSW and Director & Professor at the School of Social Work at the Rongxiang Xu College of Health & Human Services at Cal State LA. “Neal was about challenging decisions made by the powerful and forcing light on decisions made in secrecy. David Green’s willingness to question LA County’s decision publicly demonstrated professional courage and ethical consistency. At a time when child welfare agencies face staffing shortages and retention crises, raising concerns about fiscal priorities reflects a commitment to transparency and the well-being of the workforce responsible for protecting children. Such advocacy is not politically easy. It requires moral clarity and a willingness to stand for principle — qualities deeply aligned with the legacy of our colleague, Neal Snyder.”
Members and non-members of CAPSAC are invited to view CAPSAC’s 40th Annual Awards Ceremony, which will be accessible online by clicking here. No prior registration is required. (In addition to David Green, other awardees will include Laura Fulton and Georgia Lundon – who will both receive the Paul Crissey Graduate Student Research Award.)
Congratulations to SEIU 721 President Green and all CAPSAC Award Recipients!