What Makes Linkages Work?
Experience from Linkages counties points to eight key ingredients. Regardless of the target population being served, these elements create a recipe for Linkages success.
Shared vision of Linkages.
The vision for Linkages is that all mutual families achieve safety, stability and economic self-sufficiency through service coordination. This notion combines aspects of both CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services (CWS), setting the foundation for bringing expertise and resources together to better serve families.
Consistent, visible commitment from joint leaders.
Linkages thrives when leaders from CalWORKs and CWS stay closely aligned and vigilant about the value of partnership. Because Linkages brings together two programs that historically have worked independently, leaders who model collaboration and demonstrate their shared belief that mutual families are better served when both programs work together help make Linkages a success.
Accurate and systematic identification of families to receive Linkages coordinated services.
Building systems to identify families who will benefit from a Linkages approach is the first step in effective service coordination. Identifying families requires three things: analyze your service population and target families who can most readily benefit from the shared resources of CalWORKs and CWS; quickly and accurately identify these families regardless of where they enter the system and respond to changes in family circumstance that may create an opportunity for service coordination (e.g., job loss prompts application to CalWORKs).
Deliberate service coordination between CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services.
Families juggling two separate case plans can be overwhelmed by conflicting timelines, service gaps or duplication and an overload of expectations. By working together and streamlining plans, caseworkers help families meet their goals. Counties choose the approach to coordination that fits the target population, operational environment and staffing patterns.
Jointly trained workforce.
Linkages is a practice innovation that requires staff to work together in new ways. Training is essential to reinforce not only the Linkages strategies but also the case worker relationships necessary to jointly serve families. From training, staff receive content knowledge and skills about Linkages practice as well as getting to know their service partners.
Leveraged resources.
Sharing of resources between both Child Welfare and CalWORKs when serving mutual families stretches valuable resources, maximizes funding and helps sustain services to families.
Shared accountability for economic self-sufficiency, family stability and child safety outcomes.
The strength of the Linkages partnership relies on each program seeing its part in promoting the goals of the other. By working together, the effects of poverty and maltreatment in the lives of mutual families can be mitigated.
Robust communication between CWS and CalWORKs and across stakeholders.
Serving families collaboratively is best supported by frequent communication between the agencies involved. Establishing multiple mechanisms for communication ensures staff from both agencies understand each other’s skills and resources, share a mutual understanding of Linkages and coordinate roles and responsibilities on behalf of families.