DPSS Annual Report 24_25 FLIP v16_compressed

Children’s Services Division

Integrating for Better Outcomes

Linkages by the Numbers May 2021 to April 30, 2025

Linkages Offers Coordinated Support to Keep Families Safe at Home

6,655 Families Served

Since launching in Riverside County in May 2021, the Linkages program has united the Children’s Services and Self Sufficiency divisions to deliver com munity and home-based services that help families involved with child welfare keep their children safely at home. The program provides housing assistance, mental health and domestic violence re sources, welfare to work activities, home visiting programs and other stabilizing supports that strengthen family func tioning and promote long term indepen dence. Historically, many parents involved in both the CalWORKs and child welfare Social workers in Children’s Services re ferred a father to the Linkages program at a time when he was struggling to re gain stability. He was hesitant to engage at first, unsure whether another program could help. But steady, compassionate outreach eventually led him to partici pate in a Family Reunification case that offered a path forward. With integrated support from Children’s Services and the Self-Sufficiency pro gram CalWORKs, he began rebuilding stability and trust and reshaping his future, supported by resources that helped him take each next step. A piv otal moment in his journey came when he acknowledged he would likely fail a drug test. Instead of judgment, staff responded reinforced his willingness to keep trying and strengthening his con nection to the team that was focused on helping him succeed. Over time, he secured employment, regained stability and rebuilt his rela

systems faced confusing, sometimes conflicting requirements that made it difficult to navigate programs and ex pectations. Linkages address those challenges by breaking down traditional silos and creating seamless access to services, aligning with Riverside Coun ty’s broader commitment to a no wrong door approach and Riverside County’s Integrated Service Delivery model. Each family in Linkages is anchored by a case worker who provides specialized sup port to the family, coordinating services, easing barriers and ensuring parents can successfully navigate programs to ac cess help.

5,031 Parents Exited the Program after Receiving Services with 9,281 Children Represented Among the Exits 7% Of the 11,259 Children Discharged from the Connected Program Experienced Recurrence of Maltreatment 54% Reunification or Family Stabilization Exits, Exceeding the 43.6 Percent National Standard 6% Experienced a New Case Within 12 Months, Outperforming the 8.3 Percent National Benchmark

Linkages Connects Father to Child and Financial Self Sufficiency

tionship with his child. After nearly 21 months, he reunified with his son and later chose to discontinue public assis tance on his own, marking a significant step toward long-term self-sufficiency. His experience shows how empathy, col laboration and the Linkages model can restore dignity and hope for families that are working to heal and move forward.

Riverside County Department of Public Social Services | Annual Report 2024 - 2025

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