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County plans school-based social-worker pilot to support mandated reporters and connect families to services
Summary
DFCS described a pilot to place community-based social workers in school districts to support school staff on mandated reporting and link families to county services; the pilot will start in one San Jose-area district next academic year and the department will seek a South County partner for a second site.
The Department of Family and Children Services told the Children, Seniors and Family Committee on March 27 that it is designing a school-based community social-worker pilot to station county social workers in school districts to support school staff on mandated-reporting practices and to help link families to county and community services.
What DFCS described DFCS said the pilot will place at least one social worker in a participating district and begin with one San Jose-area school district in the next academic year; staff said they aim to add a second pilot site in South County. The social workers role will be to partner with teachers, school-based staff and administrators on mandated-reporting procedures and to assist with referrals and connections to services rather than acting as the primary caseworker for families.
Design and timeline: DFCS said it met with a prospective district and will begin co-design work in April with call-center and prevention-bureau staff to create a memorandum of agreement and define operational responsibilities.
Committee direction: supervisors supported the pilot and asked DFCS to return with monthly updates as planning continues. Vice Chairperson Young moved to receive the verbal report and requested monthly updates; the motion passed.
Public comment: callers urged that mandated-reporting trainings must be paired with effective intake and screening responses when abuse is reported; DFCS reiterated limits on disclosing investigation details and said cross-agency responses include DFCS, law enforcement, the Childrens Advocacy Center and the District Attorney.
Ending: DFCS said it will continue co-design work with school partners in April and return to the committee monthly with status updates and next steps toward launching the pilot.
