Date

5-2025

Document Type

Capstone Project (Campus-Only Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Department

Health, Human Services and Public Policy

Major

Collaborative Health & Human Services

Abstract

Children who experience instability in their lives are more likely to experience social isolation, poor mental health, and are more likely to be targeted and victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Some of the causes of instability are poverty, substance abuse, and physical abuse. Monterey County Department of Social Services Family and Children’s Services provides 24-hour Child Protective Services. Their goal is to keep minors safe and in a permanent home. The department serves the children, youth, and families that are residents of Monterey County. The project consisted of streamlining the placement packets so that social workers spend less time completing paperwork with the resource parents and more time engaging with them and the dependent children to reach a successful and permanent placement. Management, social workers and clerical staff were consulted to determine what documents were essential and which documents were able to be discarded. The implementation method consisted of reviewing the current packet, interviewing five social workers before and after the new placement packet’s release, and meeting with staff to determine what documents were required to be in the packet. The result was that social workers spent an average of 41 minutes less completing paperwork. This allowed them to spend more time engaging with resource parents. It is suggested that the new placement packet be available to social workers for at least a year to be able to assess its efficiency.

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