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We are the County Welfare Directors Association of California. We are a nonprofit association representing the human service directors from each of California’s 58 counties.

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Summary of Final Budget Agreement
CWDA Budget Update #4 Details Key Agreements in Health and Human Services Programs

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COVID-19 Information and Materials
CWDA Compilation of Documents and Links issued by the State, Federal and County Governments and Trusted Partner Organizations

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Immigration Resources for Counties
This page includes tools and resources for county human services agencies relating to immigration, health care and public benefits under current law. 

Hot Topics

Hot topic State Budget

Budget Update #4: Summary of Final State Budget Agreement
Details of key budget decisions between the Governor and the Legislature in Health and Human Services Programs

Hot topic State Budget

CWDA Statement: Final Budget Preserves Critical Services
"The budget agreement will help us navigate this moment and preserve baseline services to our communities in their time of greatest need." 

Hot topic State Budget

Budget Memo Highlights CWDA Top Budget Priorities
County human services programs are responding to COVID-19 challenges; need strong support, not cuts, to continue aiding vulnerable Californians

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News & Updates

Recent News

Budget Priority

2021 State Budget Updates
Updates Issued In January 2021

Governor Newsom released his third proposed budget this morning, for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The following budget update summarizes the proposals and issues included in the Governor’s Budget impacting the health and human services area. CWDA staff will continue to keep you updated in the coming weeks as we learn more details.

Press release

CWDA Selects Cathy Senderling-McDonald as Next Executive Director
Current deputy brings more than 20 years of human services policy experience to the job

Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) today announced the selection of Cathy Senderling-McDonald to lead the organization as Executive Director effective January 1, 2021.   

She will step into the new role after 20 years at CWDA and having served as Deputy Executive Director since 2010, where she has been at the forefront of legislative, budget and policy changes that improve human services programs and the delivery of those services to vulnerable Californians.

 

CWDA New Executive Director Press Release 12-1-2020 (Full Release)

Photo of Cathy Senderling-McDonald

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Longtime CWDA Executive Director to Retire at Year’s End
Frank Mecca has led organization since 1991; numerous achievements in fighting poverty and improving Californians' lives

Sacramento, CA – Executive Director Frank J. Mecca announced today that he will retire at the end of this year following a nearly thirty-year career with the County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA).  In the role of Executive Director since 1991, Mecca built CWDA into a powerhouse policy and budget advocacy organization for California’s county human services agencies and the people they serve. 

CWDA Executive Director to Retire at Year's End (Full Press Release)

Picture of Frank Mecca

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CWDA Statement on Final 2020-21 State Budget

“Governor Newsom and the Legislature have come together to avoid the deepest cuts to the vital safety net programs that Californians are counting on as they face the continued, dual threats of COVID-19 and the deep recession caused by the economic shutdown,” said CWDA Executive Director Frank Mecca.

Full statement:

CWDA Statement on 2020-21 Budget Agreement

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Blog Posts

Blog post Frank J. Mecca, CWDA Executive Director

Governor Newsom: Support Legislature’s Plan to Protect Abused Children & Seniors
The future of our most vulnerable is in your hands

When the pandemic-induced recession and plunging revenues nationwide began to signal enormous budget holes for state and local government, CWDA called on California leaders to pay special attention to the two populations most at risk of falling through the cracks: abused and neglected children and older adults. Today, we report with gratitude that the Senate and Assembly listened. Their joint budget plan, released this week, includes $1 billion to prevent the decimation of vital county programs, including Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS) programs

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