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.

 

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.

Directly Involved 

People considered "directly involved" with the survivor's case can include staff assigned to work on the survivor's case, such as:

• The Eligibility Worker (EW)/Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/Employment Counselor (EC)
• The EW/AEC/EC’s supervisor
• The CalWORKs Social Worker (SW) or Domestic Violence (DV) Advocate 
• The survivor’s probation officer
• Relevant contractors that the survivor has been referred to
• Other staff needed to assist and serve the survivor.

Not Directly Involved 

People who are not considered "directly involved" in the case can include:

• Any third party, unless authorized by the survivor
• Anyone not assigned to the survivor’s case
  Family, friends, spouses, and co-workers of the survivor
• County staff and contractor staff who are not assigned to the case
• County staff and contractor staff who are not trained in procedures and protocols specific to DA, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking
• Anyone who may seek to harm or share the survivor’s information with someone who seeks to harm the survivor
• Anyone or any agency that seeks to share the survivor’s information with unauthorized persons
• Any other person the survivor has not given the county written permission to share the survivor’s information with. 

Survivor and Abuser in the Same Case 

When the abuser is currently in the survivor’s public benefits case, including CalWORKs, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal, AEC/EC/EWs must ensure that any information about the survivor’s identification as a current or past DA survivor, their request for services, waiver, or other DA-related information is not shared with the abuser.

DEBS Referral Application 

A referral to the CalWORKs SW or DV Advocate is processed through the DEBS Referral Application. The AEC/EC/EW completes the referral in the DEBS Referral Application as follows:

1. For the Program, select “CW” or "WTW" as applicable.
2. For the Referral Type, select "Employment Services".
3. For the Provider Name, select "Domestic Violence Prevention Provider".
4. Document in the Referral Comments field:
   • Verbal consent was received from the client to process a DA referral.
   • The client's communication preferences, including safe and non-safe times of the day to contact the client.
5. Attach a completed SCD 1029 to the referral.

Note: Refer to the DEBS Referral App User Guide for general instructions if needed.

Domestic Abuse Case Flag 

An AEC/EC/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.  
• The Notes field must include the client's communication preferences, including safe and non-safe times of the day to contact the client.

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.