Domestic Abuse (DA) - Confidentiality

All clients must be given the opportunity to confidentially disclose DA. A client’s confidentiality must be protected at all times. To ensure the safety and confidentiality of the DA survivor, DA information must be provided in a private location. With the exception of mandated reporting requirements, DA information is NOT to be shared with any outside party, other governmental agency, resource and referral program, or with any employee of the agency who is not directly involved in the client’s case, unless a written release of information has been signed or the information is required to be disclosed by law.

Once the client gives consent, the only information exchanged will be on a “need to know” basis. The only information shared is that which the other agency needs in order to work effectively for, and with, the client.

Note: A referral to the CalWORKs Social Worker (SW) or Domestic Violence (DV) Advocate is processed through the DEBS Referral Application. The Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/Employment Counselor (EC) must document that the “client gave verbal consent for this referral” in the Referral Comments field of the referral and attach the completed Authorization for Release of Information (SCD 1029). 

Authorization For Release of Information (SCD 1029)

The SCD 1029 is used as a release to obtain information to assist the client in identifying and removing barriers to employment and self-sufficiency.

Permission to Release Domestic Abuse Information When Moving to Another County” (WTW 37)

The WTW 37 must be provided to recipients who have been identified as victims of DA at the time they are identified and at their annual redeterminations. The recipient must be informed that if they move to a new county and have not signed the WTW 37 form, any information regarding their DA situation cannot be transferred to the receiving county unless they sign a new WTW 37 form in the receiving county.

Domestic Abuse Case Flag 

An AEC/EC or Eligibility Worker (EW) who submits a DA referral is responsible for adding a DA Case Flag in CalSAWS as follows:  

• On the Case Flag Detail page, the referring AEC/EC/EW must click the [Select] button in the Title field and select [Domestic Abuse].  
• The Begin Date field should be the same date the DA referral was submitted.  
• The End Date field should be set for 30 days from the Begin Date.  Once the SW/DV Advocate completes and sends the CalWORKs Domestic Abuse Participation Status (SCD 1554) to the AEC/EC/EW, the receiving worker will revise the End Date field to match the End Date listed on the SCD 1554.