CDSS Shares DEI Efforts at CQI Statewide Conference
On March 23-24, 2022, UC Davis Human Services hosted the 5th annual CQI Statewide Conference for Child Welfare and Probation: A Pathway to Partnerships. On the opening day, keynote speakers Gregory Rose and Marcela Ruiz from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) highlighted how the pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is crucial to building lasting partnerships with children, families and stakeholders in their safety and stability.
In their keynote, titled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—The State’s Efforts,” Rose and Ruiz laid out the theoretical and practical framework that guides the State’s policies and practices. Rose, former Deputy Director of the Children and Family Services Division and currently the Assistant Director for Equity and Inclusion at CDSS, emphasized that the state views equity both as an outcome and a process, meaning that true equity cannot be achieved without involving traditionally marginalized populations in the process.
“There is a definite tension between focusing on ‘inside the building’ or ‘outside of the building,’” Rose noted. “Do you have to have a ‘clean house’ before you start the work outside? We think there’s a way to do both in parallel.”
Applying an equity lens within the department
Ruiz, the director of the Office of Equity at CDSS, went on to explain the tools CDSS is developing to ensure an equity lens is applied for internal practices. In addition to HR hiring practices and performance evaluations, Ruiz emphasized that the communication and events for staff prioritize psychological safety in the workspace. “The Department wants to create space for people to bring their whole selves to work,” she explained, “as [psychological safety] impacts the ability to engage in the difficult conversations around equity.” These conversations are vital to recognize and understand the impacts of structural inequality and race as a social construct.
Both presenters noted the importance of getting everyone on the same page, recognizing that everyone begins with a different background and understanding of issues involving equity. One of the most important starting points, they explained, is recognizing the difference between equality and equity. After unpacking their own definition of the two concepts (equality being summarized as equal access to something, and equity being more precise and helpful access based on the individual’s personal circumstances), they dove deeper into the child welfare context. “[Equity means] not having cookie-cutter case plans,” explained Rose, “embracing the child and family team … [and] implementing ICWA with fidelity.” ICWA, when applied correctly, facilitates very specific actions to address the historical inequalities associated with centuries of policy that disproportionally negatively affected tribal children, parents, families and communities. More broadly, equity in the context of child welfare involves the difficult but important task of operationalizing, as a large organization, more customized services unique to the context of the children and families in care.
Data transparency leads to informed decision-making
Other efforts the State is making center not only on collecting data, but also distributing it. Information about workforce characteristics and answers to internal racial equity surveys are made available for use by other departments—further highlighting the importance of transparency in building long-lasting partnerships. Ruiz described this practice as “using data to make inequities visible,” and noted that this transparency serves the State’s goal of an equitable process as well as outcome.
This work toward diversity, equity and inclusion, Ruiz noted, “means bringing consciousness and intentionality to our decisions so that we are aware of the disparities and inequities of the communities we serve… [it is] essential, and it is central to our work as public servants.”
Register Now for the 2023 CQI Statewide Conference
March 29-30, UC Davis Conference Center