By providing dedicated students with the financial support they need to access specialized child welfare training, Title IV-E helps emerging professionals build impactful careers that improve outcomes for children, youth and families.
Balancing personal well-being against workplace stress can be tricky in any profession. But in child welfare, where the job often means guiding families through some of the darkest moments of their lives, it can feel like a daily struggle. From managing complex case plans and child removal proceedings to responding to abuse and neglect, child welfare professionals face high risks of burnout, secondary traumatization and other serious stressors. Left unaddressed, these pressures can drive turnover and weaken workforce resilience.
Karla McNicholas of Butte County has been named the 2026 Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families, recognized for her dedication to connecting youth with family and fostering a sense of belonging. Her work highlights the impact of intentional family engagement in improving outcomes for children and families across Northern California.
As a child welfare social worker with Napa County’s Department of Children and Family Services and Title IV-E alumnus, Shirley “Kippi” Begay wakes up every day knowing that she has found work with purpose. A former Care Coordinator with the Native American Health Center in Oakland, Kippi, who is San Carlos Apache, Navajo, Hualapai and, by her own account, Urban Indian, helps to build brighter futures for Native children and families in her community.
Eight social workers from across Northern California are recognized for their dedication to improving outcomes for children, youth and families.
In celebration of March's National Social Work Month, the Northern Academy annually invites colleagues and community partners across Northern California to nominate an outstanding social worker for the Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award. The award recognizes professionals whose dedication and compassion make a lasting difference in the lives of children, youth and families.
Vania Buck is thinking big about the future of child welfare. “We’re facing a lot of challenges with retention and recruitment, and I think building new kinds of systemic support can really make an impact.” It’s a major task, but Vania isn’t intimidated. In fact, with a Title IV-E-funded Master of Social Work (MSW) under her belt, a doctorate in progress, and an innovative course on the books at Chico State, she’s already leading the charge.
UC Davis CPE partners with counties to evaluate and improve the systems that support millions of vulnerable children, adults and families throughout California.
The 2025 West Coast Child Welfare Trainers Conference brought together more than 140 attendees from throughout the nation for three days of learning, connection and inspiration. Hosted by the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services, the event featured dynamic keynotes, in-depth seminars and community-building activities that highlighted the power of collaboration and the shared pursuit of excellence in training those who impact the safety and well-being of children, families and communities.
Alumni story: How the Title IV-E Education Program empowers students to build lasting careers, connections and communities in child welfare—transforming futures while shaping California’s social work landscape.
UC Davis Human Services’ Northern Academy hosted the California Safety Organized Practice Conference May 28–29, 2025, drawing 200+ child welfare professionals to reconnect with SOP’s relationship-centered core. Under the theme “Connecting to the Heart of SOP,” attendees heard powerful keynotes from Lisa Maaca Bartlette and Irving Chavez, previewed the new “Robert’s Story” video series, and joined a dozen-plus workshops focused on trauma-informed, strengths-based practice. The event amplified lived experience, sparked fresh collaboration across roles, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to family-led solutions.
One of the great strengths of the California Title IV-E Education program is its remarkable reach. With IV-E-supported Associates of Arts (A.A.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.A.S.W.) and Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) programs on offer at twenty colleges and universities across California, it’s a program that touches down in every kind of community and creates opportunities for every kind of student.
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.
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 March 25–27, 2025, the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services welcomed California’s child welfare and probation county teams to 2025l CQI Statewide Conference for Child Welfare and Probation in Sacramento. With 350 attendees from 49 California counties and one Tribe, the annual event enjoyed the highest turnout since it began in 2018.
In celebration of National Social Work Month in March, the Northern Academy invited our colleagues and community partners in the Northern California region to nominate an outstanding social worker for the 2025 Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award! We are excited to announce this year’s nominees!
