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Deputy Director – Aging, Disability and Older Adult Services

COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA (CWDA)

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) is recruiting for a Deputy Director – Aging, Disability and Older Adult Services. The Deputy Director will be responsible for policy analysis, program implementation, and federal and state advocacy activities in support of the In-Home Supportive Services Program, Adult Protective Services Program, and related programs administered by county human services agencies.

Please click on the link below to see the full job description and how to apply. 

Budget Priority Carlos Marquez III

MAY REVISE CHILD WELFARE/FOSTER CARE ISSUES

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully submits this budget memorandum in response tothe May Revision to request one-time General Fund (GF) investment in Emergency Response (ER) Enhancement services anda two-year extension of Flexible Family Supports funding authority, which remain excluded from the Administration’s proposed State Budget.

Budget Priority Carlos Marquez III

ADULT SERVICES MAY REVISION PROPOSALS

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) respectfully urges the Legislature to reject the proposed permanent $70 million reduction to the Adult Protective Services (APS) program in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 and ongoing, as proposed in the May Revision. CWDA also reiterates its opposition to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program hours cost shift and other reductions proposed in the FY 2026-27 Governor’s Budget.

Budget Priority Carlos Marquez III

PROTECTING MEDI-CAL COVERAGE IN THE FACE OF H.R. 1 & COMMENTS ON MAY REVISION PROPOSALS

 

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) is providing our response to proposals included in the May Revision. We note that the May Revision provides county eligibility workers inadequate resources for the significant, ongoing needs of Medi-Cal clients in the face of H.R. 1, while simultaneously increasing penalties and expectations for performance measures, effectively setting up counties to fail during the most disruptive erosion of the social safety net in which they are at the frontlines.

Please read our attached budget memo.

Budget Priority Carlos Marquez III

PREVENT HUNGER & PROTECT CALFRESH FROM H.R. 1 CUTS & EMERGING RISKS

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully submits our response to several CalFresh-related proposals in the May Revision and analysis of other critical emerging CalFresh risks for counties and the 5 million Californians who rely on the program.

Please read our attached budget memo.

Press release Carlos Marquez III

Gov. Newsom’s May Revision Begins Critical Investments to Fight Back Against H.R. 1, But Bolder Action is Needed to Avert a Looming Hunger & Healthcare Crisis
Proposed Investment in County Eligibility Workers is a Good First Step, but the Final Budget Must Fully Resource County CalFresh & Medi-Cal Workers, and Reject County Cost Shifts, to Prevent Devastating Harm from Federal Cuts

Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) of California issued the following statement from Executive Director Carlos Marquez III today on Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2026 – 2027 May Budget Revision:

Press release Carlos Marquez III

State Assembly Steps Up to Protect Vulnerable Californians

Sacramento, CA- The following statement can be attributed to Carlos Marquez III, Executive Director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California, on the State Assembly Democrat’s 2026-27 Budget Proposal:

Press release Carlos Marquez III

California SNAP Stakeholders Deeply Disappointed in Bipartisan House Vote for Farm Bill that Locks In H.R. 1’s Devastating Cuts to CalFresh
Coalition Calls on U.S. Senate to Reject House Farm Bill, and on California State Leaders to Intervene Against Looming Hunger Crisis

Sacramento, CA – California’s SNAP stakeholders – representing grocers, county administrators, labor unions, legal aid leaders, food banks, and anti-hunger advocates – are deeply disappointed that the House passed H.R. 7567, the so-called “skinny” Farm Bill, that did not follow the traditional Farm Bill process and locks in H.R. 1’s devastating SNAP cuts that threaten a hunger crisis across California, including bipartisan support from the California Delegation. We thank all California Members who voted “Nay.”

Press release Carlos Marquez III

State Senate Stands Up for California Values

Sacramento, CA- The following statement can be attributed to Carlos Marquez III, Executive Director of the County Welfare Director’s Association of California, on the Senate’s Budget Blueprint for 2026-27:

Legislation

2026 Sponsored Legislation

AB 871 (Stefani): Requires financial institutions to provide an annual training on financial elder abuse that includes making reports to both local APS or law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Expanding the reports to federal authorities will improve coordination of resources, aid local law enforcement in their investigation and improves the chance of recovering stolen funds. 

(Co-Sponsored with California Elder Justice Coalition)

 

Budget Priority Carlos Marquez III

IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) BUDGET PROPOSALS

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully urges the Legislature to reject proposed reductions to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Governor’s Budget that would have grave consequences for consumers, and to adopt statutory changes that preserve the current 50/50 cost-sharing arrangement between the State and counties for Community First Choice Option (CFCO) penalties. These actions are essential to ensure older adults and people with disabilities retain safe, reliabl

Event

CWDA 2026 Annual Conference

Mark your calendars – The CWDA 2026 Annual Conference will be held October 14 - 16 in Anaheim, CA! 

More details to follow in the coming month.

Press release Carlos Marquez III

Joint Statement: California SNAP Stakeholders Urge Rejection of Chairman’s Farm Bill Proposal; Bill Would Further Erode Nutrition Supports and Increase Hunger

Sacramento, CA – California’s SNAP stakeholders – representing grocers, county administrators, labor unions, legal aid leaders, and other anti-hunger advocates – urge the California Congressional Delegation and House Agriculture Committee Members to reject the proposed Farm Bill put forth by Committee Chairman Thompson (R-PA).  

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CHILD WELFARE SERVICES (CWS): EMERGENCY RESPONSE STABILIZATION, FLEX FAMILY SUPPORT EXTENSIONS, AND ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TRAILER BILL LANGUAGE

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully submits this budget memorandum to request additional General Fund investment in Emergency Response (ER) Enhancement services and a two-year extension of Flexible Family Supports funding authority. These targeted investments strengthen the front end of the child welfare system, support prevention and placement stability, and help counties sustain timely and effective responses to reports of child abuse and neglect.

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BUDGET FACT SHEET: PRESERVE HEALTH CARE & PROTECT MEDI-CAL FROM H.R. 1 CUTS
Investing in County Eligibility Workers is Critical to Keep Californians Connected to Health Care Benefits

County eligibility workers are responsible for processing, verifying, and redetermining eligibility for applicants and Medi-Cal enrollees in California.
The county eligibility workforce helped enroll millions of low-income
adults who became newly eligible for Medi-Cal under the Affordable
Care Act (ACA) beginning in 2014, contributing to near universal
health care coverage in 2022 and 2023 when the statewide uninsured
rate dropped to a historic low of 6.2%.

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PREVENT HUNGER & PROTECT CALFRESH FROM H.R. 1 CUTS & RISKS

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully submits this memorandum to highlight three significant programmatic changes and emerging risks affecting CalFresh administration that will require targeted relief and strategic investments to ensure Californians can continue to access critical food assistance without disruption. 

Budget Priority

PROTECTING MEDI-CAL COVERAGE IN THE FACE OF H.R. 1

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully urges the Legislature to protect Medi-Cal coverage for 4.6 million impacted low-income Californians by investing in the county eligibility workforce as the State prepares to implement new federal Medicaid requirements under H.R. 1. If adequately funded, well-trained, and fully staffed, the county eligibility workforce is an upstream approach to mitigate downstream, system-wide impacts of H.R. 1, impacts that would increase uncompensated care costs.

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State Budget Update #1 – Governor’s Proposed 2026-2027 Budget
Budget Update #1 for FY 2026-27 Governor’s Budget

Overall Budget Picture

California’s overall economic picture has performed better than projected compared to the Budget Act of 2025. The Governor’s Budget proposes a $348.9 billion balanced budget with
General Fund expenditures of $248.3 billion. The stronger-than-anticipated performance of the economy, stock market, and cash receipts have contributed to an upgraded revenue
forecast, with General Fund (GF) revenues coming in higher by approximately $42.3 billion, or 6.7 percent, across the budget window (FYs 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27). The revenue

Press release Carlos Marquez III

California Leaders Must Step into the Breach and Protect Vulnerable Children, Adults and Families in the State Budget
County Eligibility Workers Make the Difference Between an Unmitigated Healthcare and Hunger Crisis and Families’ Preserving Ongoing Access to Life Saving Food Assistance and Healthcare Coverage

Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) of California issued the following statement from Executive Director Carlos Marquez III today on Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2026 – 2027 Budget Proposal. 

Press release Carlos Marquez III

Federal Freeze of Vital Anti-Poverty Programs Threatens California’s Most Vulnerable Children & Families
Stakeholders Urge HHS to Immediately Restore Stability to Child Care and Safety Net Programs

Sacramento, CA- Last night the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with baseless accusations and zero evidence, froze funding for vital anti-poverty programs that serve California’s most vulnerable children and families.  

The federal government is subjecting California to punitive paperwork and bureaucratic barriers in order to continue funding through:  

●       The Child Care and Development Fund 

●       Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, known as CalWORKs) 

Press release Andrew Cheyne Carlos Marquez III

CWDA Welcomes New Managing Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs

Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) today announced Andrew Cheyne as the organization’s first Managing Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs. Andrew brings to CWDA more than two decades of experience advocating for policies that alleviate poverty, hunger, and to uplift the voices of people served by human services programs.