Child welfare workers and agencies are facing many changes to regulations and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide information and support during this unprecedented time, we have compiled and continue to frequently update this list of relevant COVID-19 resources for child welfare practitioners and leaders.
- CDSS Letters & Notices
- - ACL 20-23: COVID-19 Guidance for visits/youth in dorms
- ACL 20-25: COVID-19 Guidance (CW & Probation)
- ACL 20-28: COVID-19 Guidance for ER Workers
- ACL 20-31: COVID-19 Documentation guidance for CW/Probation
- ACL 20-33: COVID-19 Guidance for placement preservation
- ACL 20-43: COVID-19 Guidance for Resource Family Approval (RFA)
- ACL 20-44: COVID-19 Guidance for Placement & Rate Flexibility
- ACL 20-45: COVID-19 Guidance for Extended Foster Care (EFC)
- ACL 20-47: COVID-19 Guidance for AAP and KIN-GAP
- ACL 20-51: Guidance For County Placement Agencies Regarding Outreach To Foster Caregivers 65 Years Of Age Or Older During The COVID-19 State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-56: Providing Independent Adoption Program Services During The COVID-19 California State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-58: Child Welfare Reunification Assessments During The COVID-19 Related California State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-70: Resuming In-Person Caseworker Visitation Requirements For Dependent Children And Wards
- ACL 20-73: Extensions Of Prior Guidance Pertaining To The Documentation Of Monthly Caseworker Visits Or Investigatory Contacts Within CWS/CMS Conducted Through Alternate Means Of Contact Due To The COVID-19 State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-74: Extensions Of Prior Guidance Pertaining To Foster Youth Status Verifications; Placement Preservation For Children, Nonminor Dependents, And Care Providers Exposed To, Symptomatic Of, Or Positive For, COVID-19; Reunification Assessments; And COVID-19 Documentation Within CWS/CMS
- ACL 20-81: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related To Foster Care Eligibility And Funding During The Declared COVID-19 State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-91: Extension Of Temporary, Limited Exceptions To Pre-Covid-19 In-Person Requirements Related To Complaint Investigations Within The Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program
- ACL 20-92: Resuming In-Person Visitation Requirements And Extending All Other COVID-19 Related Waivers And Flexibilities In The Independent Adoption Program As Previously Outlined In ACL 20-56
- ACL 20-100: Utilization Of Temporary Shelter Care Facility On An Emergency Basis (E-TSCF) For COVID-19 As A Placement Of Last Resort
- ACL 20-112: Guidance Regarding Extended Foster Care Program Flexibilities Due To COVID-19 Impacts, Optional Transitional Housing Program-Plus Extensions, And Supervised Independent Living Placement Approvals
- ACL 20-117: Continued Assistance For Young Adults In Extended Foster Care Upon Turning 21 Years Of Age On Or After April 17, 2020
- ACL 20-117E: Continued Assistance For Young Adults In Extended Foster Care Upon Turning 21 Years Of Age On Or After April 17, 2020
- ACL 20-124: Provides Guidance To Adoption Agencies Regarding Relinquishments And Adoptive Placement Signing During The COVID-19 State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-123: In-Person Advisement And Signings In The Independent Adoption Program During The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) California State Of Emergency
- ACL 20-130: Temporary, Limited Exceptions To In-Person Caseworker Visitation Requirements For Dependent Children, Nonminor Dependents, And Wards
- ACL 21-07: Revised Guidance For The Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program And Emergency Placements Due To COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-08: Updated COVID-19 Related Exceptions To In-Person Monthly Caseworker Visitation Requirements For Dependent Children, Nonminor Dependents, And Wards
- ACL 21-18: Family And Sibling Visitation For Children Involved In The Child Welfare And Probation System During COVID-19
- ACL 21-26: Revised COVID-19 Related Exceptions To In-Person Independent Adoption Program Requirements
- ACL 21-34: COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Guidelines For Caseworkers As Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers – Emergency Services Sector
- ACL 21-51: Temporary Requirements For Title IV-E Agencies To Provide Young Adults In Extended Foster Care Continued Assistance And The Suspension Of The Age, Education, And Employment Requirements For The Extended Foster Care Program As A Result Of The Supporting Foster Youth And Families Through The Pandemic Act
- ACL 21-60: Extension Of Rate Flexibilities To Support The Emergency Care And Placement Needs Of Children And Nonminor Dependents Due To COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-60(E): Extension Of Rate Flexibilities To Support The Emergency Care And Placement Needs Of Children And Nonminor Dependents Due To COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-73: Federal Chafee Cash Payment for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency for Eligible Current and Former Foster Youth At Least 18 And Not Yet 27 Years of Age
- ACL 21-74: Treatment Of Grant Payments Received By Foster Care Payment Recipients From The Golden State Grant Program
- ACL 21-77: Termination of Temporary Policy Flexibilities Related to COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-80: Termination Of Temporary Policy Flexibilities Related To COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-81: Termination of Temporary Policy Flexibilities Related to COVID-19 Impacts
- ACL 21-83: 2021 Financial Support For At-Risk Families During Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) California State Of Emergency
- ACL 21-90: Temporary Flexibilities For Participating In The Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Period
- ACL 21-92: Extension Of The Suspended Education And Employment Requirements Within The Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program And Continued Assistance For Young Adults In EFC Upon Turning 21 Years Of Age On Or After January 27, 2020 Through December 31, 2021
- ACL 22-05: Extension Of Rate Flexibilities To Support The Emergency Care And Placement Needs Of Children And Nonminor Dependents Due To COVID-19 Impacts
- ACIN I-31-20: COVID-19 Guidance on documentation (CWS/CMS)
- ACIN I-32-20: COVID-19 Foster youth access to cell phones
- ACIN I-33-20: COVID-19 Guidance for monthly caseworker visit compliance (alternate contact methods)
- ACIN I-34-20: Notice of California’s Child and Family Services Review (C-CFSR) 90-Day Extension of Reporting and Activity Due Dates in Response to COVID-19
- ACIN I-44-20: Financial Support For At-Risk Families During Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) California State Of Emergency
- ACIN I-50-20: Public Health Guidance Related To COVID-19 For Home-Based Care And Congregate Care Facilities In Child Welfare Practice
- ACIN I-58-20: Documentation Of Placement Facilities/Homes That Will Accept Placement Of COVID-19 Exposed/Positive Children In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)
- ACIN I-62-20: Clarification Of The State’s Face Covering Order In Children’s Residential Facilities
- ACIN I-69-20: Reminders Of Counties’ Civil Rights Obligations During States Of Emergencies
- ACIN I-11-21: Temporary Increase In CalFresh Maximum Allotments Due To COVID-19 Effective January 1, 2021
- ACIN I-21-21: COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Guidelines For Staff Working In Children’s Residential Community Care Facilities, Resource Families, And Certified Family Homes As Part Of The Phase 1B Eligible Education And Child Care Sector
- ACIN I-34-21: Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility For Minor Youth 16 And 17 Years Of Age In Foster Care
- ACIN I-37-21: Educational Resources For Caregivers And Foster Children And Youth During Continued Distance Learning And The Return To In‑Person Education During The COVID-19 Pandemic
- ACIN I-42-21: Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility For Minor Foster Youth 12 Years Of Age And Older
- ACIN I-88-21: Notice Of $4M Chafee Emergency Covid Funding Available To Assist Counties With Supportive Services For Foster Youth To Independence (FYI) Vouchers
- ACIN I-102-21: Guidance Regarding Covid-19 Vaccination Eligibility For Minor Foster Youth 5 Years Of Age And Older
- CFL 19-20-89: Claiming Instructions For Children And Non-Minor Dependent Programs Impacted By The COVID-19 Pandemic
- CFL 19-20-90: Fiscal Year 2019-20 Post 2011 Realignment Child Welfare Services Program Allocation Augmentation Due To COVID-19
- CFL 20-21-11: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Title IV-B Allocation Due To COVID-19
- CFL 20-21-55: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Administrative Allocation Due To Covid-19 For Continued Support For Eligible Young Adults That Were In Extended Foster Care As Of Their 21st Birthday Occurring On Or After April 17, 2020
- CFL 20-21-61: Updated Claiming Instructions To Counties For Nonminor Dependents Unable To Meet Extended Foster Care Participation Conditions And For Eligible Young Adults Who Turned 21 Years Old For Fiscal Year 2020-21
- CFL 20-21-98: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Temporary Child Welfare Services and Foster Care Supports Allocation Due to COVID-19
- CFL 20-21-107: Claiming Instructions For The Extension Of Rate Flexibilities To Support Foster Children And Non-Minor Dependents Due To The Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic
- CFL 21-22-11: Claiming Instructions For Family First Prevention Services Act Part I – Kinship Navigator Activities During The Emergency Period (April 1, 2020 Through September 30, 2021)
- CFL 21-22-71: Claiming Instructions For The Extension Of Rate Flexibilities To Support Foster Children And NonMinor Dependents Due To The Impacts Of The COVID-19 Pandemic
- CFL 21-22-81: Fiscal Year 2021-22 Temporary Child Welfare Services And Foster Care Supports Allocation Due To COVID-19
- ACWDL: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19 Or Novel Coronavirus) Guidance Related To Ongoing Child Care For At-Risk Populations - Webinars
- - UC Davis Human Services - Beth Cohen webinars (Impact of COVID-19)
- UC Davis Human Services - Engagement in Distance Learning for Resource Families
- Bruce Perry webinars
- NCWWI Supporting the Virtual Workforce webinars
- Maintaining A Child’s Connections during COVID19 & PowerPoint 04/24/20 - 1pm
- Family Reunification and Family Maintenance during a Pandemic & PowerPoint 04/24/20 - 11am
- Emergency Response in a COVID-19 Pandemic & PowerPoint 04/22/20
- Rachel Barr-Georgetown University: Using Media Effectively with Young Children and Virtual Visitation (Part 1)
- Rachel Barr-Georgetown University: Using Media Effectively with Young Children and Virtual Visitation (Part 2)
- The Power of Connection: How Resource Families Can Support Adolescents through the COVID19 crisis
- Virtual Contacts with Children/Families in Family Maintenance (Central California Training Academy)
- Virtual Contacts with Children/Youth in Out of Home Placement (Central California Training Academy) - Child Welfare Practice Resources
- - Safety Assessment and Planning During Physical Distancing (PDF)
- Successful Video Visits With Young Children (PDF)
- Child Welfare Supervision During Physical Distancing: Tools and Guidance (PDF)
- Family Team Meetings: Guidance for Facilitators During Physical Distancing (PDF)
- Ways to Promote Children's Resilience to the COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF)
- Child Trends
- Child Trends – Promoting Children’s Resilience
- Child Welfare COVID Resources
- Child Welfare Information Gateway
- Child Welfare League of America
- The Chronicle of Social Change – Coronavirus: What Child Welfare Systems Need to Think About
- The Chronicle of Social Change – Family Visits are an Essential Service for Youth in Foster Care
- Solution-Focused Questions
- Child and Family Teams (CFT) Resources on CDSS website - Family Resources
- - I have a Question about Coronavirus (eBook for kids written by two Maryland Social Workers)
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – Parent/Caregiver Guide to helping families cope with COVID-19
- NPR-Just for Kids: A Comic exploring the new coronavirus
- California Parent and Youth Helpline - Health and Human Services Workforce
- - Social Work Career – COVID-19 Resources for Social Workers & Therapists
- National Association of Social Workers: COVID-19 Page
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Sequence for putting on PPE
- CDC Video – How to Don and Doff PPE - Resources for Virtual Services for Parents
- Virtual 12-Step Meetings
- Online 12-step meetings
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
Virtual Parenting Classes
- Triple P online classes ($80)
- Triple P CEBC info - Resources for Foster Youth
- - Foster Club
- Youth Law Center - State & National COVID-19 Resources
- - Administration on Children and Families
- Alliance for Children’s Rights
- American Public Human Services Association
- California Courts Emergency Rules for COVID-19
- California Department of Social Services
- California Department of Education
- California COVID-19 Manage Stress for Health Page
- California Surgeon General’s Playbook: Stress Relief during COVID-19
- California Surgeon General’s Playbook: Stress Relief for Caregivers and Kids during COVID-19
- Children’s Bureau
- National Child Welfare Workforce Initiative