Social Worker & CES recognition events

by Dennis Tivey, Communication & Outreach Coordinator

This March, we’ll stand up and recognize Social Worker & Career Employment Specialist Month with events in five DSS offices countywide. See the table below for the schedule of events, and come celebrate our SW/CES staff! Light refreshments will be provided.

Location	Date and Time
Santa Maria, Carmen Lane – Conference Room A	March 14, 9:00 a.m.
Santa Maria, WRC – Sutter Room	March 14, 10:00 a.m.
Santa Maria, Betteravia – 1st Floor Break Room	March 16, 10:00 a.m.
Santa Barbara, CDR – Atrium	March 14, 10:00 a.m.
Lompoc – Apollo Room	March 14, 10:00 a.m.

Read on to learn more about what our Social Workers and Career Employment Specialists do, and how much they've accomplished in the last year alone!

Social Workers stand up for people, and Career Employment Specialists help people stand on their own. Every day, they are:

• Working to protect vulnerable children and adults from abuse and neglect
• Helping build, support and empower positive family and community relationships
• Addressing difficult social problems such as familial crisis, mental health and substance abuse, and domestic violence
• Helping people overcome obstacles to securing employment, education, safe and stable housing, and health care
• Helping individuals gain valuable work experience and skills through subsidized employment

In just one year:

• DSS Child Welfare Social Workers completed 3212 CWS investigations, and completed 7413 in-person visits with children in foster care.
• DSS Adult Services Social Workers completed  1479 APS investigations, and facilitated IHSS services for 3448 recipients.
• DSS Career Employment Specialists served an average of 1219 Welfare to Work enrollees, and placed 233 JOB$ program participants in paid employment.

The month of March is our opportunity to thank these compassionate professionals for the important work they do for the community. Please join the celebration.