Alameda County Social Services Committee Meeting - March 25, 2026
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Alameda County Board of Supervisors Social Services Committee Meeting
This meeting, held on March 25, 2026, featured three informational items: an update on the CalFresh Employment and Training program in light of expiring ABOD waivers, a report from the Commission on the Status of Women, and the seventh status update on the Department of Children and Family Services' response to a 2024 audit. The committee discussed program expansions, implementation challenges, and ongoing efforts to improve child welfare services.
CalFresh Employment and Training Program Update
- The committee received a presentation on the CalFresh Employment and Training (E&T) program, a voluntary program helping participants build skills and move toward self-sufficiency. It also serves as a qualifying work program for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABODs) to meet the federal 80-hour monthly work requirement.
- The ABOD waiver is expiring; implementation in Alameda County begins June 1, 2026. Non-exempt ABODs must meet the work requirement to continue receiving CalFresh beyond an initial three-month period within a 36-month time clock. Many recipients are exempt due to age, disability, pregnancy, or caregiving responsibilities.
- The department is expanding partnerships, including a new workfare component with the Alameda County Community Food Bank and new partners such as the Salvation Army (offering CNA and construction pre-apprenticeship programs) and Las Positas College.
- In federal fiscal year 2024-2025, the program served 1,091 unduplicated participants (58% male, 42% female; 27% ABODs without exemptions). Employment outcomes included 33% employed through the program, with an average wage of $19.58/hour and a highest wage of $37.50/hour.
- Supervisor Fortunato Bass questioned staffing capacity (both internal social workers and contracted partners) to handle the increased demand from ABOD requirements. Director Andrea Ford noted that the program leverages third-party and state partners, with a 50% federal reimbursement model that does not directly draw from county funds for third-party partners.
- Supervisor Tam asked about cost: past annual plans were around $5–6 million, but the most recent was approximately $2–3 million. The program relies on non-federal matching funds for the county’s portion.
- Discussion clarified differences between CalFresh and Medi-Cal work requirements: Medi-Cal’s requirement is about $580/month and can include other income sources; CalFresh’s is 80 hours/month. The state is exploring alignment.
Commission on the Status of Women Update
- Vice Chair Sonia Salwan presented the commission’s recent work, including a visit to Santa Rita Jail to support incarcerated women, advocacy at the California Commission on the Status of Women’s 60th anniversary (resulting in foster youth advocacy becoming the state commission’s top priority), and the adoption of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) by Alameda County in June 2025.
- The next step is implementing CEDAW through intersectional gender analysis to identify disparities. The commission is preparing for its 50th anniversary.
- Supervisor Tam asked how the board could support implementation. Salwan highlighted the need for housing and support systems for foster youth, suggesting dedicated housing communities for foster children.
Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Audit Status Update
- Michelle Love provided the seventh update on the 2024-108 audit report. A six-month progress report was due that day, and a CDSS on-site review is scheduled for March 26, 2026. The on-site will include case reviews, staff interviews, and focus groups.
- Updates included: dashboard transparency (data from CWS/CMS, refreshed monthly, with updated verbiage); accountability mechanisms (new policies for supervision documentation and training); and progress on closing the backlog of open referrals.
- The backlog of open referrals without contacts is now 687 (down from a previous figure of 984, which included attempted contacts). Approximately 50% of referrals without contacts are assigned to staff who resigned or are on leave. About 300 new referrals are received each month.
- Emergency response staffing: 57 staff as of January 15, 2026, down to 11 in mid-February due to staff on leave; new staff are anticipated. Overtime for day/swing shift ERU staff totaled about 1,700 hours over six months.
- Placement capacity: a transitional shelter care facility will soft-open on March 27, 2026. There are 477 approved resource family homes; 928 children/young adults (231 young adults) are in out-of-home care. Homes are needed for older youth, sibling sets, and children with special needs.
- Hiring and attrition: in 2024, 22 bachelor’s and 46 master’s level staff were hired, with 19 total attrition (27% of hires). In 2025, 10 bachelor’s and 24 master’s were hired, with 20 total attrition (59% of hires). The overall vacancy rate declined from 35% to 25%.
- Recommendations six, seven, nine, and thirteen are deemed fully implemented by the state auditor. Recommendation ten (SIP) is pending confirmation. Recommendations 11 and 12 await the assessment center’s opening to complete action items.
- Supervisor Tam expressed concern about the attrition rate and asked how the board could help (e.g., technology investments). Love said ideas would be brought back. Supervisor Fortunato Bass requested a future walk-through of the audit dashboard at a full board work session.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; all items were informational.
- The committee received updates and directed staff to provide follow-up information on staffing capacity for CalFresh E&T and to consider linking audit recommendation status charts on the public dashboard.
- Supervisor Fortunato Bass requested a future full-board work session to walk through the DCFS audit dashboard.
- The next DCFS update is scheduled for the March 10 board work session; the next task force meeting is March 27, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Social Services Committee meeting for Monday, March the 23rd, 2026. May have a road call, please. Supervisor Bortunato Bass. Presence. Supervisor Tem present. We have a core. Thank you. Can you go with instructions on participation? For all public commenters, please state your name for the record prior to your presentation. If you wish to speak on a matter not on the agenda, please wait until Supervisor TAM calls for public input on non-agendized items. Only matters within the committee's jurisdiction may be addressed. In person participants, please fill out a speaker card at the front and hand it to the clerk. Online participants, please use the raise hand function. Dialed in participants, please dial star five to use the raise hand function. The clerk will call your name when it is your turn to speak and allow you to come up to the podium if you are in person or to unmute if you are online or dialing in. Thank you. Thank you very much. So we have three informational items on the agenda today, starting with the CalFresh employment and training program update. Thank you, Supervisor Tam Andrea Ford, Agency Director for Social Services. Well, the impending implementation of CalFresh work requirements as a result of HR1. We are going to give your board an update on CalFresh employment and training. It's been about a couple of years, so um this today's update is very much needed. Um I'd like to ask Christine and Candace to come to the podium and begin the presentation. Thank you for the opportunity for allowing us to provide you an update on Alameda County's CalFresh Employment and Training Program. My name is Candice Willis. I'm an associate program specialist with program planning and support, and I will be joined by Christine Sherdu, who will be joining me after my updates. I'll be going over the program overview and the ABOD updates, and Christine will then follow with employment outcomes program expansion and client success stories as well. Next slide, please. So before discussing the CalFresh employment and training program, it is helpful to briefly explain what CalFresh is. And as discussed by my colleagues, Roland Schau and Jaima Nat and Smetskill in February's Health and Social Services Joint Committee. CalFresh is the federal nutrition assistance program, known nationwide as SNAP. But it's also known as food stamps, and it provides low-income households with monthly benefits on an electronic benefit transfer card, also known as an EBT card. And clients can use this as their full retailers that accept it. Next slide, please. So CalFresh ENT is a voluntary employment and training program that helps participants build skills and move toward employment and long-term self-sufficiency. It is also a qualifying work program that can help ABOD participants or able-bodied adults without dependents to meet the federal 80-hour monthly work requirement. The program primarily serves active CalFresh recipients who are not required to participate in CalWorks Welfare to Work Program. And so this would also include timed out CalWorks participants as well as general assistance recipients who also receive CalFresh. Next slide. CalFresh ENT includes several activities that support participants along their path to employment. It begins with initial enrollment where participants complete orientation and assessment and develop an IEP plan or an individual employment or educational plan. Participants may then engage in education or vocational training, including community college programs, adult schools, GED, or high school diploma programs, ESL, and other industry specific training. The program also includes job search activities such as career counseling, independent job search, supportive job search, placement support, and work readiness workshops. And our supervised job search provides a more structured support with job search and placement activities. Next slide, please. Calfresh ENT also includes work experience and work-based learning opportunities, which may be paid or unpaid. These activities can include internships or on-the-job training and pre-apprenticeship programs. The program also offers self-employment training for participants who are interested in developing and launching their own businesses. In addition, we provide job retention services that are available for participants who obtain employment through the program. These services include case management and supportive services for up to 90 days after employment to help participants maintain their jobs.
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