Assessment & Planning Toolkit

This toolkit helps you explore and prepare for service collaboration between CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services, including what type of Linkages program best fits your service environment. Here you’ll find tools and guidance on how to get Linkages up and running for the first time, reinvigorate after a lull, or expand in a new direction.

Develop A Work Plan

Based on your assessment results, planning for Linkages can begin. Document a clear path from where you are now to the end goal–either launching Linkages for the first time or renovating an existing program. It is important that leadership supports development of a work plan and empowers the Planning Team to use the plan as a monitoring tool for staying on course.

Preparing Your Team

Learn what Linkages 2.0 collaborations looks like and how work planning can help launch your effort by viewing our Preparing Your Team to Create a Linkages 2.0 Collaboration recorded webinar.

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Customize Your Program

Linkages is not a one-size-fits-all program; each county determines the nature of service coordination that best meets their needs. The Program Design Road Map provides a step-by-step guide for creating or modifying your Linkages program. Your Implementation Team works together to choose the target population to be served, design the type of service coordination strategies needed and develop the policy and practice protocols for staff to follow.

Program Design Road Map

The Program Design Road Map includes many examples from successful Linkages programs across California to help you along the way.

Assessment & Planning Lessons Learned

With a clear concept of your Linkages program, you can now focus on the details of implementing your program. Depending on your areas of focus, you can refer to the other Toolkits for information and guidance. Finally, it’s worthwhile to learn what other counties have experienced and recommend in terms of implementation their Linkages Programs.