UC Davis Receives $600,000 Grant to Launch Statewide Domestic Abuse Training for County Staff
Blue Shield of California Foundation grant will fund development of trauma-informed training for CalWORKs, CalFresh and refugee assistance workers
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.
Developed in collaboration with the California Department of Social Services, the program will serve all 58 counties and train CalWORKs, CalFresh and other public self-sufficiency programs workers who play a pivotal role in the lives of individuals and families navigating trauma, poverty and abuse.
“Domestic abuse is one of the most complex challenges facing families in California today,” said Alison Book, LCSW, executive director of Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education. “County staff are often the first, and sometimes only, line of support for survivors navigating public services. This grant from Blue Shield of California Foundation allows us to design meaningful, trauma-informed training that meets the real-world needs of these professionals to deliver responsive services. We’re deeply grateful to the Foundation for their partnership and their commitment to advancing healing, safety and equity across the state.”
About UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education
For 45 years, UC Davis CPE’s Human Services division has advanced the university’s outreach mission by equipping human services professionals and organizations with training, consultation and research. Through workforce development, it strengthens agencies’ ability to support vulnerable communities, improving outcomes for children, adults and families in California and beyond.
For more than 65 years, UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education has blended the distinctive academic expertise of UC Davis with practical training designed to improve capability and job performance. With nearly 60,000 annual enrollments, UC Davis CPE serves lifelong learners in the growing Sacramento region, all 50 states, and more than 100 countries.
UC Davis Human Services, Custom Training and Services team will lead a four-phase training program that includes community engagement, curriculum development, pilot testing and statewide training implementation.
By partnering with the California Department of Social Services, Mathematica, Parent Voices, the County Welfare Directors Association and other stakeholders, the project will develop effective, role-specific instruction that can be delivered in person, virtually and through self-paced e-learning.
“We are proud of this statewide effort to increase awareness about how public services can more effectively support survivors of domestic abuse,” said Jennifer Troia, director of the California Department of Social Services. “We are grateful for our partnerships with UC Davis, the Blue Shield Foundation of California, Mathematica, Parent Voices, and our other partners, as we work to center the voices and experiences of survivors in this important work.”
The program's approach is built on cultural responsiveness and healing-informed practices. By incorporating the lived experiences of survivors, it will ensure training reflects real-world challenges.
About Blue Shield of California Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation supports lasting and equitable solutions to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. When we work together to remove the barriers to health and well-being, especially for Californians most affected, we can create a more just and equitable future. For more information, visit: www.blueshieldcafoundation.org.
“Through programs such as CalWORKs and CalFresh, the California Department of Social Services serves millions of Californians, many of whom are also domestic violence survivors,” said Debbie I. Chang, CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “But we know, from listening to survivors, that a bad experience with the system can prevent them from getting needed services. We are happy to take the next step in this project by supporting UC Davis to create updated training for California’s dedicated social services staff in all 58 counties, directly informed by survivors’ voices.”
UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education – Human Services is a long-established leader in social services training. Last fiscal year, it trained more than 42,000 professionals across all 58 California counties, 12 states and 37 tribes. With deep experience in child welfare, behavioral health, self-sufficiency, and adult services, UC Davis Human Services strengthens the public human services workforce.
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