www.hayconsulting.org - LINKAGES Los Angeles County's Service Partnership to Strengthen Families

WELCOME TO LINKAGES

LINKAGES is a program designed to enhance the service experience of families who are involved in both child welfare and public assistance.

The strategic framework behind Linkages in LA county consists of three approaches to service collaboration between the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Department of Public and Social Services (DPSS) on behalf of children and families.

APPROACHES TO SERVICE COLLABORATION

1. Position a DPSS resource within DCFS: the Linkages GAIN Services Worker is an individual co-located at a DCFS office. The focus of the LGSW is to facilitate service collaboration between DCFS and DPSS.

Click here for details about the LGSW (link removed)

2. Implement strategies and tools to facilitate service collaboration: five protocols target populations of DCFS families who can benefit from the resources of DPSS.

Click here for details about Linkages Protocols

3. Assign liaison roles throughout DPSS offices: in each DPSS office, one or more managers are designated as Linkages Liaisions to facilitate service collaboration on behalf of mutual clients.

Click for contact info for the DPSS Linkages Liaisons (link removed)

Linkages Mission

Working together to strengthen families, ensure child safety, promote well-being and sustain self-sufficiency.

Goals

Prevention:

To ensure that families who are not currently connected to the resources of DPSS, but could be, are provided an expedient method to access DPSS programs.

Intervention:

To ensure families who are dually involved in both CalWORKs and child welfare services have the opportunity to maximize resources and coordinate case planning to provide a safe and stable home for their children while working toward economic self-

sufficiency.