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County Leaders Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis
CWDA joins several other county associations, as well as local governments in California and nationwide in declaring that racism is a public health crisis.

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We Advocate.
We Educate.
We Collaborate.
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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Counties Celebrate End of Cruel Public Charge Changes
Biden Administration Withdraws Defense of Trump-Era Regulatory Changes

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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 Diversity Equity and Inclusion

CWDA DEI Efforts Detailed in New Blog Post
CWDA's Board and Staff have adopted a comprehensive five-year plan to enhance our DEI work. Read the blog, and view the timeline and plan details.

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

Event

CWDA 2023 Conference – Call for Presenters

The Call for Presenters for the CWDA 2023 Annual Conference on October 11-13 in Anaheim, CA is now open! 

Post

CWDA Comments on DHCS CalBH CBC Proposal
Submitted January 13, 2023

DHCS has made strengthening California’s behavioral health system a top priority, particularly for individuals with the greatest needs. To help address ongoing gaps, DHCS intends to apply for a new Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration to expand access to and strengthen the continuum of mental health services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries living with SMI and SED.  The California Behavioral Health Community-Based Continuum (CalBH-CBC) Demonstration aims to amplify the state’s investments and further strengthen the continuum of care for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Budget Priority

State Budget Update #1 – Governor’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget
Updates Issued In January 2023

Governor Newsom released his proposed 2023-24 budget this morning. The following budget update summarizes what we know so far about the proposals and issues of interest in the health and human services area. 

Press release Cathy Senderling-McDonald

As Storms and Budget Deficits Descend on California, the Safety Net Must be Protected

Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) of California released the following statement from Executive Director Cathy Senderling-McDonald today: 

“Today’s budget shows the Governor’s commitment to maintaining safety net programs that help our most vulnerable Californians in their times of greatest need. Many of these programs are operated at the local level by the county human services programs CWDA represents, and we applaud his commitment to upholding the principles and values on which he has built his Administration.

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Blog Posts

Blog post Cathy Senderling-McDonald

With New Plan, CWDA Deepens Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

As I stepped into the role of CWDA’s Executive Director in January 2021, our state and our county human services agencies were grappling with several interrelated crises.  One was the devastation, fear and human loss of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our county staff were on the front lines, meeting a surge of need and witnessing the devastating impact of the virus on communities long excluded from the basic foundations of health – quality housing, nutrition, preventive care and more. 

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