Understanding the Child Welfare System in California: A Primer for Service Providers and Policymakers

Understanding the Child Welfare System in California: A Primer for Service Providers and Policymakers (2^nd edition) is one in a series of primers offered to assist practitioners and policy leaders in advancing their basic knowledge of complex social service systems. Originally published in 2002, this 2^nd edition of the CWS primer was made possible due to support from the Zellerbach Family Foundation.  In addition to providing a resource for local and state policy leaders and providers, this primer and a companion publication on CalWORKs support Linkages, a statewide effort to coordinate welfare and child welfare programs in California.  Linkages is now directed by the Child and Family Policy Institute of California; CCRWF designed and directed the first phase of Linkages.

Primer Addendum: Summary of Federal & State Child Welfare Laws

Recommended Citation:

Reed, D. F., & Karpilow, K. A. (2009). Understanding the child welfare system in California: A primer for
service providers and policymakers (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: California Center for Research on Women and Families. Available on the CCRWF website: www.ccrwf.org.

Printed Copies:

While supplies last, printed copies are available at no charge through the Resource Center for Family Focused Practice (RCFFP), The Center for Human Services, U.C. Davis Extension, through a grant from the California Department of Social Services’ Office of Child Abuse Prevention.

Contact Monica Caprio at mcaprio@unexmail.ucdavis.edu or (530) 757-8643.

Please do not contact CCRWF about printed copies.

Californians Support Paid Sick Days

Click here for the complete results and graphics from the Field Research Corporation survey conducted in July 2008.

As paid sick days legislation (AB 2716 - Ma) proceeds through the California State Legislature, what does the voting public think about this workplace benefit? And do California voters see a public health benefit to paid sick days?

To answer these questions and more, CCRWF commissioned the respected Field Research Corporation to assess public opinion on paid sick days.

What did we learn?

• Striking majorities of Californians - across party, demographic, ethnic and economic lines - are concerned that 5.4 million California workers have no paid sick days - and voters support legislation that would guarantee every worker the right to earn paid sick days.

• Californians not only consider paid sick days a basic worker right, they also agree that paid sick days laws will protect the public’s health.

Click here for the complete results and graphics from the Field Research Corporation survey conducted in July 2008.

CCRWF extends thanks to the Public Welfare Foundation for funding this effort.

For another recent public health assessment of paid sick days, conducted by Human Impact Partners, click here.

Understanding Nutrition: A Primer on Programs and Policies in California

Understanding Nutrition: A Primer on Programs and Policies in California is one in a series of primers offered to assist practitioners and policy leaders in advancing their basic knowledge of complex social service systems. This Primer offers a statistical profile of the weight, dietary practices, and physical activity of Californians, a review of the relevant federal and state governmental structures and laws, a description of the programs supporting nutrition and community food security, and a review of the key policy issues.
Funding for the Primer was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Program, an equal opportunity employer and provider, through the California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active Families. For information about the California Food Stamp Program, please go to http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/foodstamps/
or call 1-800-952-5253.

Recommended Citation:

Reed, D. F. & Karpilow, K.A. (2004, August). Understanding nutrition: A primer on programs and policies in California. Berkeley, CA: California Center for Research on Women and Families, Public Health Institute. Available on the CCRWF website, http://www.ccrwf.org.

Please direct comments about this Primer to ccrwf@ccrwf.org.

Understanding CalWORKs: A Primer for Service Providers and Policymakers

Understanding CalWORKs: A Primer for Service Providers and Policymakers is one of a series of primers offered to assist practitioners and policy leaders in advancing their basic knowledge of complex social service systems. Funded by the Zellerbach Family Foundation, this Primer and a companion publication on the child welfare system, support the CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project, which aims to coordinate welfare and child welfare programs in California.

Recommended Citation:

Kelch, D.R. (2002, November). Understanding the CalWORKs system in California: A primer for service providers and policymakers. Berkeley, CA: California Center for Research on Women and Families, Public Health Institute. Available on the CCRWF website, http://www.ccrwf.org

Code Blue: Health Services For Children In Foster Care

Through the California Foster Children’s Health Project, more than 30 leaders in child welfare and health care met over a period of six months in 1997-98 to analyze issues and develop recommendations to improve health services for children in foster care. The Project was sponsored by the Institute for Research on Women and Families, an affiliate of the Center for California Studies. The Project was funded in part by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation and through support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Kate Karpilow, Ph.D., now Executive Director of the California Center for Research on Women and Families (CCRWF) served as the Project Director. Terri Carbaugh was the Project Coordinator and Dr. Linda Burden served as the Project Consultant.

Code Blue: Health Services for Children in Foster Care summarizes the recommendations and action plan developed by the child welfare and health professionals. First printed in March 1998, the document was reprinted in December 1998, due to support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Code Blue has been read widely by leaders at both the state and local levels. Of particular note, the report was used by advocates to develop legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, Chair of the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee. While the Aroner legislation did not pass, agreement was reached to put $2.48 million of general fund dollars into the California Department of Social Services 1999/2000 budget to provide public health nursing expertise to meet the health care needs of children in foster care, a key recommendation in Code Blue. These state funds are matched by federal funds to provide a total of approximately $9.9 million to counties statewide.

Code Blue also inspired Andrew Bridge, formerly Executive Director of the Alliance for Children’s Rights in Los Angeles, to organize a partnership of hospitals and health care providers to provide both immediate and long-term health care for foster children. In June 2000, the Health Care Partnership for Children was serving over 600 children, through seven health care providers.

Recommended Citation:

Karpilow, Kate; Burden, Linda; and Carbaugh, Terri. Code Blue: Health Services for Children in Foster Care. Published by the Institute for Research on Women and Families, Center for California Studies, Sacramento, California. 1st Printing - March 1998, 2nd Printing - December 1998.

Thanks are extended to the Center for California Studies for their support in making Code Blue available on the CCRWF website. Thanks also to the statewide Task Force that contributed their time and thoughtful recommendations. A list of the Task Force members is included in Code Blue.

For more information on the California Foster Children’s Health Project, e-mail ccrwf@ccrwf.org or call the California Center for Research on Women and Families at (510) 559-2696