Golden State Today

A poem assignment during her community college days inspired Celine Gomez to pursue a career in social work. Today, as a graduate of the University of California, Davis, she is working towards her goal through a program aimed at professionalizing and expanding the corps of social workers in California's public child welfare agencies. As of July 1, these agencies had nearly 65,000 cases.

UC Davis and UCLA began managing the California Title IV-E Education program on July 1. This initiative offers professional education and financial support to undergraduate and graduate students in social work who wish to enter or continue careers in public child welfare.

The UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) division received a two-year contract worth $52.4 million from the California Department of Social Services. The aim is to enhance workforce development and training for social workers.

Title IV-E is a federal financial aid program that receives matching state funds in California. It is managed by the Department of Social Services with an objective to increase the number of public child welfare workers holding degrees in social work while ensuring they reflect the diversity within child welfare populations.

The program currently supports over 800 full- and part-time students across 20 campuses, offering stipends ranging from $12,162 annually for part-time associate degree employees to $25,000 for full-time graduate students. Since its inception in 1994, more than 10,800 students have graduated from this program, with approximately 96% securing employment in public child welfare.

Gomez is pursuing her Master of Social Work at California State University, Northridge. Over two years, she will receive $43,500 in stipends along with practical experience through internships and additional educational opportunities. In return for this support, she has committed to working for a public child welfare agency for two years after graduation.

Alison Book is leading UC Davis' efforts under this agreement as executive director of Human Services for CPE. She stated that UC Davis aims "to foster a more cohesive social work education and workforce development system." Their goals include developing strategic plans that integrate degree-level education with ongoing workforce development and supporting alumni from the Title IV-E program.

Although UC Davis does not offer a degree in social work directly, CPE’s Human Services has over four decades of experience assisting human services agencies throughout California. They provide training services through various programs such as Northern Academy and Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice.

Geraldin Bravo exemplifies success within this framework; after earning her master's degree from Chico State University earlier this year via similar support systems provided by these initiatives - now serves clients through Northern Californian county’s Child Welfare Services unit: “You walk away with master’s degree," said Bravo reflecting on her journey thus far which began simply enough when deciding whether continuing education was right choice given circumstances faced growing up first-generation student family household environment context overall situation scenario dynamics involved all things considered finally ultimately determined conclusion reached accordingly based upon careful consideration thought process undertaken throughout entire decision-making procedure approach method utilized adopted implemented employed applied used executed conducted carried out performed accomplished achieved attained realized fulfilled completed finished ended concluded finalized terminated 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