Social workers and SEIU staff met with DCFS Director Trish Ploehn Jan. 20 to discuss recommendations to improve child welfare, working conditions and department operations.
The team presented our report: Reforming the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services: Recommendations from Los Angeles County social workers” directly to Ploehn and her executive team.
The recommendations are the product of hundreds of hours of work and dozens of interviews by a committee of social workers comprised of Children’s Social Workers and Supervising Children’s Social workers representing a variety of specialties and units.
The recommendations outline a vision for DCFS where social workers have:
- The resources we need to do quality social work like access to computers, phones, fax machines and copy machines.
- Improved mentoring and coaching including improvements to the training academy.
- Enhances departmental policies including revising burdensome policies.
- Improved coordination between LA County departments so that workers have access to the most relevant and up to date information.
- Increased access to medical hubs, including increasing the number of 24-hour medical hubs from one to three.
“DCFS is under pressure to change and it’s time they listen to workers on the line. Our recommendations provide a framework that can truly improve the experience for social workers and the families we serve.”
Lorraine Cavuoti SCSW Torrance
“This isn’t rocket science, we know what it takes to move forward, but the department doesn’t change unless it has to. We are constantly reminding them and the Board of Supervisors that we can work together and achieve positive outcomes.”
Mike Ross, SCSW
El Monte DCFS
Next Steps:
1. DCFS management reported that they are already considering several changes that overlap with social workers’ recommendations. We will respond to their commentary on our recommendations.
2. We are also starting another round of meetings with the child welfare deputies of the Board of Supervisors to talk to them about our vision next week. Then we will schedule a follow up meeting with top DCFS.