Family Services (FS) Referrals

Eligible Welfare-to-Work (WTW) clients may be referred for FS at any point in the participant flow as follows:

• Client request (self-referral)
• Service Provider recommendation
• Eligibility Worker (EW)
• Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/Employment Counselor (EC); OR
• Social Worker (SW).

Referral Process

FS referrals may be self-initiated by the client or made via a service provider when a service need is identified. The steps in the table below describe the required actions by the assigned AEC/EC when referring a client to the FS Unit. These steps include the required actions by the FS Team for providing services.

A. The Assigned AEC/EC:

1. Identifies services or needs with the client:
   1. Homelessness
   2. At risk of homelessness and
   3. Additional services combined with the Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) and the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (CHSP) inlcude Domestic Violence (DV), Mental Health, At-Risk Youth, or FS Other Services.  
2. Discusses FS program requirements with the client.
3. Explains the triage assessment process to the client.
4. Calls the assigned FS AEC/EC to conduct triage (for other units, call the FS Officer of the Day (OD) or FS Lead).
5. Requests updated contact information from the client.
6. If  the unit’s FS AEC/EC is not available, locate the FS OD or FS Lead.

Note: The FS-AEC/EC will notify the assigned Case Management (CM) EC when FS referrals are made by other functional units (Example: Employment Connection Center (ECC), Rapid Response Team (RRT), etc.).

B. The designated FS AEC/EC or FS OD/FS Lead:

1. Conducts FS assessment triage with the client.
2. Meets with the client to assess their needs, provides program information, explains program criteria, and discusses objectives and timelines.
3. Determine best program to meet client’s current needs:
   1. Homelessness
   2. At risk of homelessness
   3. Additional services combined with homelessness and at risk of homelessness (DV, Mental Health, At-Risk Youth, or FS Other Services).
4. Request additional information from the client if needed.
5. Schedules the client for follow-up appointment if needed.
6. Notifies the assigned  AEC/EC of the FS triage outcome.  When a client is eligible for services and willing to sign an FS Plan, the FS AEC/EC will notify the asigned AEC/EC and request a completed Family Services Request & Application (SCD 2417) and a DEBS Referral.
7. When the client is not eligible for FS services, updates the DEBS referral and Employment Connection Application (ECA) as required, and notifies the assigned AEC/EC.  

C. The Assigned AEC/EC:

1. Reviews the SCD 2417 to identify FS needs, including the completion of the housing section; assists the client with form completion, as needed.
2. Ensures that the SCD 2417 is thoroughly completed and signed by the client.
3. Collects the appropriate documents/verification to support the needs, such as a court-ordered eviction notice, lease agreement, at-risk youth documentation, etc.
4. Refers the client to the FS unit through the DEBS Referral Application. The DEBS Referral Application is also located under, SSA Applications.  Attaches the client's SCD 2417, along with any collected documents, the the DEBS Referral.
5. Reviews, assigns, and authorizes service arrangements as needed to attend an appointment with the FS AEC/EC.
6. Updates CalSAWS with a Journal Entry in the Journal Detail page.

D. The Clerical Support Team:

1. Receives the referral via email generated from the DEBS Referral Application.
2. Assigns the referral review to the FS AEC/EC via ECA.
3. Sends an email notification to the referring party about the assignment to the FS AEC/EC.
4. Updates CalSAWS with a Journal Entry in the Journal Detail page by selecting 'WTW' in the Type field and entering 'Assigns FS Referral' in the Short Description field.  

E. The FS AEC/EC

1. Schedules an appointment with the client as needed.
2. When the triage was not able to be done same day, reviews the SCD 2417 and other supporting documents, and follows up with client within 48 hours.
3. Submits other supporting documents and referral forms to Imaging.  
4. If the client does not want to participate in the FS Program, enters a CalSAWS Journal Entry using 'WTW' in the Type field and 'Family Services Case Update' in the Short Description field indicating that the client withdrew the FS request.
5. When the client agrees to a FS Plan, continue with Step I.

F. The FS AEC/EC:

1. Retrieves the FS referral email.
2. Reviews ECA.
3. Schedules an appointment with the client to  review their need and the appropriate FS Plan based on their circumstances.  The client must sign the Family Service Plan (SCD 2392) and the Welfare-To-Work Plan Activity Assignment (WTW 2), if applicable.
4. Enters the FS Plan into CalSAWS.
5. Continues to make entries in ECA that follow current business process and workflow.
6. Updates the DEBS Referral Application referral Outcome tab to Completed.
7. Assigns and schedules the FS Activity(ies) as appropriate. 
8. Updates with the appropriate Activity Status for activity(ies). For an integrated FS Plan, adds the WTW activity(ies), and updates the activity status, as appropriate.  
9. Assigns Need(s) and Service Arrangement(s) for duration of the FS Plan.
10. Submits the SCD 2392 and WTW 2 to Imaging and provides copies to the client.
11. Informs client as to how the FS Plan will be monitored, tracked, and how subsequent activities will be implemented, if applicable.
12. Implements the clients first goal or concurrent goals/tasks and required actions as outlined in the FS Plan.
13. Requests the case via email to the FS Supervisor and Lead.
14. Enters a Journal Entry, using 'WTW' in the Type field and 'Family Services Case Update' in the Short Description field.

G. The FS Supervisor/Lead:

• Emails the respective AEC/EC Supervisor/Lead and the assigned AEC/EC and cc’s the FS Supervisor/Lead to request a case transfer to the FS AEC/EC.

H. The FS team member:

• Follows the table below when the client agrees to participate in FS Services:

If Service Need is...	Then...
FS DV,	Completes the CalWORKs Domestic Abuse Participation Status (SCD 1554) and/or the CalWORKs Domestic Abuse (DA) Service Plan (SCD 1555).
FS Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse Services,	Completes the CalWORKs Community Health Alliance Services Referral     (SCD 1686) and the CalWORKs Referral Results (SCD 29)
FS Socal Work Services	Completes SCD 29, SCD 1554 and/or SCD 1555.

• Issues copies of FS-related forms to the client.

I. The Assigned AEC/EC:

1. Prepares the case for transfer to the Control Clerk for assignment to the FS AEC/EC within 2 working days of receiving request or when case updates are completed for transfer.

Note: The client's Linkages AEC/EC and FS AEC/EC coorinate service delivery to the client.  The Linkages AEC/EC will remain the client's assigned case manager until the Family Maintenance/Family Reunification plans are completed.  

2. Ensures all case actions are current and updated per case transfer policy.
3. Completes the Contact-Action Summary Case Transfer (SCD 163T), and in the comments section of the SCD 163T, indicates the name of the FS AEC/EC to receive the case.
4. Submits the case to the Supervisor/Lead  for a case transfer.
5. Enters a Journal Entry using 'WTW' in the Type field and 'Family Services Case Update' in the Short Description field.

J. The Assigned AEC/EC:

If a client does not complete their FS referral process, the FS AEC/EC will notify the assigned AEC/EC so they can move forward with their other WTW program requirements.  When this occurs, the assigned AEC/EC will complete the following steps:

1. Follows existing procedures, including integrating non-FS services into the existing WTW Agreement or contacting the client for assignment of the next WTW activity and assignment of service arrangment needs.
2. Updates CalSAWS with a journal Entry using 'WTW' in the Type field and 'Family Services Case Update' in the Short Description field.