DATE:
February 28, 2023
21
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ESTABLISH THE CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The child welfare system has made significant changes over the past 15 years to improve the response to children who have been abused or neglected; however, more changes can be made to move beyond the status quo. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic elevated the need to create equity for children and families and brought to light the urgency to undertake a fundamental transformation to a better way for child and family well-being. There is an imperative need to transform the child welfare system toward prevention, with a focus on the earliest of interventions, and an overall change to a more equitable approach to reducing child maltreatment.
To support this transformation the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) has taken steps to increase supports for families, promote family strengthening efforts, and reduce the impact of trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and child maltreatment. In March 2022, as part of the State of the County Address, then Chair Nathan Fletcher announced that the County of San Diego (County) will establish a new department, Child and Family Well-Being.
After coordinating with staff, the community, departmental leadership, and contractor ICF International, today's action requests the Board's authorization to create the Child and Family Well-Being Department within the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), inclusive of County HHSA Child Welfare Services (CWS), First 5 Commission of San Diego (First 5 San Diego), and additional programs and services. In addition, today's action requests authorization to make any changes necessary to support the reorganization and partnership of CWS and First 5 San Diego into the Child and Family Well-Being Department. The creation of the Child and Family Well-Being Department provides the oppo...
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