CalWORKs

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, also known as CalWORKs, focuses on helping recipients move from public assistance to employment, or from welfare-to-work (WtW). In Los Angeles County, WtW services are provided by Greater Avenues to Independence (GAIN). Most able-bodied parents are required to participate in the GAIN employment services program. Participants meeting WtW requirements may receive referrals to treatment for substance use, mental health, and domestic violence. The ultimate goal is to assist CalWORKs participants in becoming self-sufficient. CalWORKs cash aid is restricted to a four-year lifetime limit for most aided adults, which includes aid received in other States; however, aid continues for the eligible children. CalWORKs recipients who become employed and whose income from earnings exceeds the amount allowed to continue receiving cash assistance may continue to receive ongoing CalFresh benefits, Medi-Cal coverage, and child care and transportation services.

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Asian Pacific-Islander Targeted Outreach Program (API)

The Asian Pacific Islander (API) targeted Outreach Program is designed to provide SUD information and education to the Asian Pacific-Islander communities in Los Angeles County. The API SUD Community Outreach Worker offers different methods of outreach and engagement to the API population to help those they connect with overcome the fear, stigma, and barriers that prevent individuals from seeking treatment and recovery services. The Community Outreach Worker provides information and education regarding CalWORKs, substance use disorder and mental health services, and offers direct referrals to SUD treatment for those who identify as having an alcohol/drug abuse problem. The Outreach Worker focuses on identifying an individual's SUD needs and connect them with culturally and linguistically appropriate levels of staff and treatment services, where possible.

CalWORKs (CENS) Adult At-Risk

The Adult At-Risk Program is designed to provide individuals receiving DPSS CalWORKs (CW) benefits an opportunity to learn about and be aware of substance use disorders (SUD) through interactive educational sessions. This initiative provides education courses about the effects of substances and their impact on an individual’s life. These courses are designed for individuals whose screening results determined they might be at-risk of developing a SUD based on reports of experimental or early-phase substance use. The sessions are designed to teach ways to prevent adults from developing SUDs and maintain a healthy and SUD free lifestyle.

General Relief

General Relief (GR) assists Los Angeles County residents who are not eligible for other State or federal cash assistance programs. GR includes a monthly cash grant for a single person and access to supportive services. Residents of Los Angeles County may apply for GR assistance at any DPSS GR district office, by mail, fax, or online through the Your Benefits Now (YBN) self-service portal available on the DPSS website. The GR Mandated Substance Use Disorder Recovery Program (GR MSUDRP) is a requirement for any GR applicant who is pre-screened by DPSS workers when there is a reasonable suspicion of an Substance Use Disorder (SUD). If there is an indication of an SUD disorder from the prescreening, the GR applicant is referred to the DPH-SAPC CENS for a formal SUD screening. If at the screening appointment the applicant is determined to have a SUD, the applicant may still be approved for GR if all other eligibility criteria are met, and must participate in an SUD treatment program as a condition for continued eligibility for GR. GR MSUDRP is designed to provide services to indigent adults who want to recover from substance use disorders and reach self-sufficiency. Links

Family Dependency Drug Court (FDDC)

The Family Dependency Drug Court (FDDC) Program is a collaboration between the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Superior Court, DCFS, County Counsel, SAPC, and attorneys for both the parent and children. The program addresses the needs of parents with substance use disorders while efforts are being made to foster family reunification. The program requires a minimum of twelve months of treatment and aims to:

1. Decrease time to reunification;
2. Reduce the number of substantiated allegations of abuse or neglect following reunification;
3. Lower the rate of subsequent removal after reunification; and
4. Track re-entry rates and the time that elapses before the termination of parent rights.

Substance Use Disorder - Trauma-Informed Parent Support Program

The Substance Use Disorder - Trauma-Informed Parent Support (SUD-TIPS) Program is a partnership between Department of Public Health-Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (DPH-SAPC) and DCFS. The purpose of SUD-TIPS is to ensure greater access to trauma-informed (SUD) services and early intervention services for DCFS-served adult parents. The services are intended to link DCFS families with timely and responsive support services to address substance use concerns. The project aligns Client Engagement and Navigation Services (CENS) SUD Counselors to the 19 DCFS regional offices within LA County. The CENS Counselors ensure greater access to trauma-informed substance use disorder (SUD) services and prevention and early intervention for mental health services for DCFS-involved parents/caregivers. The target population is any DCFS-served adult parent who has a referral or case involving actual or suspected substance use. Parents are referred by CSWs to the CENS staff for screening, referral, prevention, and/or early intervention services. The CENS Counselors receives referrals from the DCFS Children's Social Works located in the Regional offices within their CENS Service Planning Area (SPA). Upon receipt of those referrals CENS Counselors reach out to the parent and schedules an SUD screening appointment. Parent will be screened using the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) triage tool to determine if the parent needs SUD treatment and the provisional level of care to which the parent will be referred.

Perinatal Services

All PPW Treatment Providers must treat the family as a unit and admit both women and their children, (age 0-16) into treatment services as appropriate. PPW Treatment Providers must serve the following individuals with a SUD: pregnant women, women with dependent children, women attempting to regain custody of their children, postpartum women and their children, or women with substance exposed infants.

Dependent children age 0-16 can receive support services while the mother is enrolled in treatment. This includes:

• Residential Room and Board: For Child (age 0-16) accompanying parent to residential treatment services and Recovery Bridge Housing. Contingent on participation in Residential Treatment services by perinatal or parenting woman.
• Recovery Bridge Housing Bed: For child (age 0-16) accompanying parent to Recovery Bridge Housing (RBH). Contingent on participation in RBH by perinatal or parenting woman.
• Child Case Management: Arrangement, coordination and monitoring of services for children: primary medical care, primary pediatric care, gender-specific treatment, and therapeutic interventions.
• Cooperative (Co-Op) Child Care: Licensed-exempt and delivered while the mother is receiving treatment services. Parent, legal guardian, or adult relative of at least one child in the co-op agrees to care for their children and must combine their efforts so each parent rotates as the responsible caregiver with respect to all the children in the cooperative.
• Licensed-Like Child Care: State licensed, treatment agency provides on-site child care and supervision to children in a group setting while the mother is receiving SUD treatment services.
• Transportation: Transportation (using an agency owned or leased vehicle) for the mother and child(ren) 0-16 years of age. May be used only to ensure access to the following services: primary medical care, primary pediatric care, gender-specific treatment, therapeutic services for children. Not available to residential providers as this benefit is built into the residential rate.

Perinatal Women and Children Residental Treatment Services

The Women and Children’s Residential Treatment Services (WCRTS) program is a funding source to be used to support services that are not covered under Drug Medi-Cal (DMC) for PPW patients receiving services in Residential settings. Covered non-Drug-Medi-Cal cost include residential room and board, as well as the full cost of treatment services for women ineligible for or unenrolled in Medi-Cal, and receiving services in a PPW residential program. The four primary goals include:

1. Demonstrate that alcohol and other drug abuse treatment services delivered in a residential setting and coupled with primary health, mental health, and social services for women and children, can improve overall treatment outcomes for women, children, and the family unit.
2. Demonstrate the effectiveness of six-month or 12-month stays in a comprehensive residential treatment program.
3. Develop models of effective comprehensive service delivery for women and their children that can be replicated in similar communities.
4. Provide services to promote safe and healthy pregnancies and perinatal outcomes.

The four outcomes include:

1. Preserving family unity
2. Promoting healthy pregnancies
3. Enabling children to thrive
4. Freeing women and their families from substance abuse

Reproductive Health Screening

DPH-SAPC and DHS partner in this program geared at identifying and screening women of reproductive age (18-50) to facilitate a conversation regarding their pregnancy intention. The Reproductive Health Screening program utilizes trained staff from our Pregnant and Parenting Women (PPW) Treatment Provider Network. The Counselors work with women with active substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring disorders, in an effort to identify the most appropriate service based on their reproductive desires. The program integrates reproductive counseling and education into the participant’s treatment goals. Participants are offered referrals to health clinics that can address their reproductive needs.

PPW-CENS Outreach Referral Program

The PPW Client Engagement Navigation Services (CENS) MAMA's Outreach Program utilizes CENS Counselors who work remotely from their respective CENS Area offices to connect and receive reproductive health referrals from their aligned DHS MAMA’s Neighborhood offices. This program serves pregnant women who are receiving services from DHS MAMA’s Neighborhood. The MAMA's Neighborhood staff identifies and assess women who may need SUD services. Upon their consent, women are referred to the CENS Area Office staff for screening, referral to treatment or early intervention services. If SUD services are recommended, CENS will refer participants to the appropriate PPW DPH-SAPC network of contracted Perinatal treatment providers based on the woman’s proximity, type, and level of services needed.

DPH-SAPC’s CENS staff are registered or certified SUD counselors who have a working knowledge of SUD treatment and referral processes, SUD treatment options, and supportive ancillary services. The CENS serve as liaisons between individuals involved, and the SUD system. CENS staff provides face-to-face services to facilitate access to and completion of SUD treatment.

PPW-DHS Health Education Services

As part of DPH-SAPC ongoing programs to promote reproductive health coordination for both men and women of childbearing age, contraception and reproductive health education (HE) classes are offered to Treatment Agencies within our pregnant and parenting women (PPW) Provider network. DHS Health Education staff are aligned with selected PPW sites to conduct virtual HE group classes to the women on a weekly or monthly basis. The HE classes can accommodate up to 12 individuals as well as provide one-on-one consultations. Those pregnant women who wish to obtain further prenatal, perinatal, and reproductive health services are connected the DHS’ MAMA’s Neighborhood clinic for ongoing services.