Dependency Wellness Court (DWC)

The DWC is a collaboration between the SSA’s DFCS, the DEBS, Superior Court, Juvenile Defenders, DADS, DMH, the DA’s Office, and First Five (5) SCC. The target population is methamphetamine or other substance-using parents whose use has placed their children in- or at-risk of out-of-home placement.

Procedures

There are two (2) different procedures for setting up a DWC case, depending on whether the children are in the home, or they have been removed from the home.

When children are in the home use the following procedures:

  1. The DFCS CalWORKs EW Liaison:
    1. Assesses the case to establish the current level of benefits.
    2. If the CalWORKs case is open, review the case for possible corrections. If corrections are required, contact the DEBS Liaison in the District Office where the case is assigned.
    3. If the CalWORKs case is not open, proceed to Step 3.
  2. The DEBS Liaison:
    1. Follows up with the case corrections required.
    2. Notifies the DFCS CalWORKs EW Liaison once the corrections have been made.
  3. The DFCS CalWORKs EW Liaison:
    1. If the CalWORKs case is not open, contacts the client and/or Social Worker/Mentor Mom to determine if the client is potentially eligible for cash assistance/CalFresh/Medi-Cal.
    2. If the client is potentially eligible, completes the “CalWORKs/DFCS Intake Referral“ (SCZ 1812) and instructs the client to apply at the nearest Intake Office.
  4. The DEBS Intake if an intake appointment is not available within three to five working days, DFCS referrals must be given priority assignment.

When children are not in the home, use the following procedures:

  1. The DFCS CalWORKs EW Liaison:
    1. Identifies the parent(s) as FWC clients.
    2. Assesses the case to establish the current level of benefits.
    3. If the CalWORKs case is closed because the children were removed, contact the Social Worker to determine if the client is potentially eligible for FR (AB 429) Services.
    4. If there was no DEBS case open prior to the child(ren)’s removal, proceed to Step 3.
  2. The DFCS SW, if parent(s) are eligible for AB 429 services, sends a completed copy of the SC 1812 to CommonCase@ssa.sccgov.org to initiate AB 429 services.
  3. The DFCS CalWORKs EW Liaison follows these guidelines:

If the case...

Then...

is open,

Informs the DEBS Continuing Office to follow BEnDS 2009-05 to set up a FR (AB 429) case.

is closed,

Follows DCBP Processes H/B 28.6.
  • If there was no DEBS case open prior to the child(ren)’s removal, contact the client and or the SW/Mentor Mom to determine if the client is potentially eligible for CF and/or GA.
  • If the client is potentially eligible for CF/GA, complete an SCZ 1812 and instruct the client to apply at the nearest Intake Office.
  1. DEBS Intake, if an intake appointment is not available within three to five working days, DFCS referrals must be given priority assignment.

Related Topics

Family Reunification Services Only (AB 429)

Identifying Common Cases

Integrated Common Case Plan