Blog

Visit our Human Services Blog regularly for information about current issues, research and happenings in the field of human services. All content is generated by UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education staff, instructors or colleagues.

We also produce several digital publications—each with a specific focus on an area of human services practice:

From the Director: A Future Fueled by Hope

I’m writing this on the eve of the distribution of the FFPSA-Part IV High Fidelity Wraparound Certification and Approval All-County-Letter. By the time this newsletter is published, we’ll be in full “go-time” mode. I’m sure there will be questions asked that we hadn’t anticipated, and I imagine some will feel anxiety around the new requirements. But more than anything, I’m feeling grateful for–and hopeful about–this new opportunity to lift up and make certain the things that make Wraparound so powerful.

The CDSS and RCFFP High Fidelity Wraparound Technical Assistance System Has Your Back!

If you are starting or strengthening a California High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) program, we want you to know that we’re right here to support you! The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in partnership with the UC Davis Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP), offers a comprehensive Technical Assistance (TA) system designed to meet counties, providers and system partner needs, no matter where you are in the process.

Acronym Corner: The Aftercare ACL 25-27 / BHN 25-027 is Here!

The long-anticipated (and yes, even slightly feared) Aftercare guidance is finally here! While the expectation to provide six months of Aftercare services via Wraparound has been in place since 2021, the new ACL 25-47/BHIN 25-027 introduces updated expectations. It clarifies that any Wraparound provider contracted for Aftercare services must now be aligned with the newly revised Wraparound Standards and must demonstrate that alignment through the formal certification process.

From Darkness to a Symbol of Hope

At age 15, after periods of family struggles and homelessness, I was placed into foster care through Children’s Protective Services. After I was placed in a group home in Orange County, I went to a family who adopted me. I applied myself and was able to graduate from high school. I knew I wanted to continue with higher education, but my journey to college wasn’t easy. There were so many challenges.

"We're moving forward in a healthy way."

 

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Crystal, who was eager to share her story on how Wraparound, through Aspiranet, provided her entire family with hope, support, resources, understanding, encouragement and tools to improve their lives. They are all together now, Crystal and the kids: Lysa, age 15; Scarlett, age 12; Delilah, age 1; and Xaiver, age 6. Her mother, Rhonda, also joined us for the interview.

Instructor Spotlight: Chevonna Gaylor

Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education is thrilled to shine a light on Chevonna Gaylor, MA, LMFT. A powerhouse of knowledge, compassion and unyielding dedication to community healing with more than two decades of experience in mental health, trauma-informed care and Wraparound services, Gaylor brings an unstoppable drive to her work, always guided by the belief that healing and growth should be accessible to all. Whether she’s leading a training, sharing her lived experiences or engaging with colleagues, her dedication shines through.

We Found Our Way

Once caught in a cycle of addiction, arrests and family separation, Robert has transformed his life through determination, sobriety and access to services. After losing custody of his children and battling methamphetamine use, he committed to recovery through inpatient treatment, parenting classes and court-ordered services. Now, with 15 years of sobriety, a strong marriage and two thriving teenage sons, Robert shares his story.

UC Davis Receives $600,000 Grant to Launch Statewide Domestic Abuse Training for County Staff

DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education – Human Services has been awarded a $600,000 grant from Blue Shield of California Foundation to develop and deliver a comprehensive state-wide training initiative for county workers who support survivors of domestic abuse. The two-year needs assessment and curriculum development project is the first Blue Shield Foundation grant received by UC Davis in more than 15 years.

Honoring Excellence in Child Welfare: 2025 Sarah Duncan Award Recipients Announced

Presented each spring by the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services, the Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award honors Northern California’s outstanding social workers who reflect Duncan’s passion, skill and tireless commitment to improving outcomes for children and families. Now in its fourth year, the award continues to celebrate those making a lasting impact in the field.

“Healing is Not an Individual Journey”

California’s child welfare workforce is predominantly comprised of passionate and committed individuals driven by a deep desire to change their communities for the better. Tasked with intervening in complex and distressing cases of abuse and neglect, however, these dedicated workers often experience compassion fatigue, secondary trauma and burnout as a part of their deep connection to the profession.

From the Director

 

Collectively, our nation is in a period of profound change. The word “uncertainty” is everywhere—used by scholars, media personalities, politicians, colleagues and friends alike. It has become shorthand for something deeper: a widespread sense of disorientation, transition and not quite knowing what comes next.

Wraparound: A Blessing in Disguise

Jesus and Cassie, along with their toddler Xavier, were proud to share their Wraparound journey with Lynne Jones, field consultant at the Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice. We are excited to uplift their story of resilience, courage, faith and hope.

Honoring Cheryl Treadwell

Cheryl’s wisdom, warmth and unyielding spirit will be deeply missed in the halls of social services, but her legacy is woven into the very fabric of child welfare. Though she now embarks on a well-earned retirement filled with hiking, family time and community service, her voice, her passion and her fight for equity will continue to inspire us all.

What About Baby?

In the Summer 2024 issue of Wraparound Connections, Jarred “Jay” Vermillion’s article, Aligning for Action: California's Wraparound Initiative Taking Flight to New Heights!, explored the history and future of California’s Wraparound Initiative. As a Wraparound Champion for the 0-5 population, I was especially struck by two statements in the piece that deeply resonated with my work.