DPSS Annual Report 24_25 FLIP v16_compressed

Administrative Services Division

Child Services Administrative Support Branch

Children’s Services Administrative Support Branch Launches New Initiative and Strengthens Existing Services

The Children Services Administrative Support Branch, under the leadership of Deputy Director Ben Slagter, supports the ability of Children’s Services Division to strengthen outcomes and resources for children and families through devel opment of quality policies, continuous quality improvement and program re finement. The branch works with state, county and community partners to ad vance initiatives that improve safety, stability and longterm well-being. This work includes acquiring and managing contracts and compliance for parenting programs, counseling, domestic vio lence recovery support, substance use services and a wide range of community based resources. The branch coordinated the 2024 Com munity Partners Forum, which brought together more than 250 participants from more than 85 agencies to focus on

prevention, equity and stronger com munity networks. The event highlight ed progress in system improvement planning, culturally responsive practic es, trauma informed approaches and countywide efforts to strengthen family stability. Efforts continued throughout the year on the Child Welfare System Improvement Plan (SIP), a five year county-driven road map for improving safety, permanency and outcomes for children and families involved with child welfare. Key initiatives in SIP are streamlined approval process es for relative caregivers, strengthened prevention practices at the hotline and expanded collaboration through the Linkages program to address housing instability and economic hardship. These efforts leverage the infrastructure of the Administrative Services Division and re flect a unified commitment across DPSS

to improving outcomes and ensuring families receive timely, effective support. The branch, in partnership with Children’s Services, developed and launched the Riverside County Office of Child Abuse Prevention in January 2025. Riverside County OCAP was established through the federal Family First Prevention Ser vices Act (FFPSA), a federal initiative aimed at strengthening families and re ducing the need for foster care by sup porting evidence-based prevention ser vices. The office will serve as a strategic convener, uniting Children’s Services, public agencies, community-based or ganizations, educators, law enforcement and diverse stakeholders to prevent child abuse through targeted inclusive inter ventions that address underlying causes of abuse and neglect. It plans to hold its first Annual Child Abuse Prevention Sum mit in April 2026.

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

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