Our final virtual Lunch & Learn for 2025 explored the path from a mandated report to community pathway support, and the trust needed across Families, Agencies, and Community Based Organizations to make it work. We explored the specific example of the Strong Families and Communities program in San Francisco – a collaboration involving San Francisco Human Services Agency, Safe & Sound, Instituto, and other Community Based Organizations, which demonstrates an innovative approach to supporting families by building trust where it may have been broken.

In 2024, there were 4,204 children in San Francisco City and County with an allegation of physical abuse (25%) or general neglect (35%). Around 38% of those allegations were Evaluated Out. That means the hotline screener determined that the allegation of abuse or neglect, as defined by law, could not be substantiated or that the report lacked sufficient information to proceed. However, we know from the data that many of those reports indicate that a family lacked resources and supports, they were experiencing poverty, and/or they needed some parenting help. The Strong Families and Communities program offers to connect those families with an appropriate Community Based Organization, such as Safe & Sound, to offer them the resources they may need.

In today’s webinar we discussed how this program works in practice from three different perspectives: the Human Services Agency, Safe & Sound, and a parent involved in the program. We are grateful to our expert panel for joining Safe & Sound CEO Dr. Pegah Faed in this conversation:

• Denard Ingram, Program Support Analyst, San Francisco Human Services Agency
  
• Stephany Ortiz, Bilingual Clinical Care Coordinator, Safe & Sound
  
• Melina León, Assistant Director of Care Management, Safe & Sound
  
• Mary (not her real name), client of Strong Families and Communities, participated via a recorded message

1. The program was developed with a multidisciplinary team, including people with lived experience, to ensure it was fit for purpose. It requires trust between the organizations involved, which was embedded from the start by being clear on each organization’s role and ensuring the processes work for everyone involved, including the families. These processes are discussed and tweaked over time to ensure they remain sound. This flow diagram shows the process flow between agencies.
   
2. Trust is earned from families by ensuring there is consent and interest to engage at every stage. The screener from the Human Services Agency (HSA) offers options to the family and gains their permission before sending their details to the relevant Community Based Organization (CBO). When Safe & Sound follows up the referral, they ensure the family understands it is not compulsory to accept support, and that they can leave the program at any time.
   
3. At each stage of the process, an emphasis is put on clarity. HSA screeners explain that there is no further investigation into the family taking place and that any relationship with a CBO is separate from involvement with Child Protective Services or HSA. When Safe & Sound initiates contact with referred parents, they use a script to ensure they cover all the relevant information and explain clearly who the organization is, what it can offer and its purpose.
   
4. Sometimes trust takes time to build, especially when there are concerns from the family about involvement with Child Protective Services or an investigation. People receiving a call from HSA are sometimes unaware that a report has been made, so even though the screening call is to tell them they have been ‘Evaluated Out’, this information can be a shock, which causes hesitation and anxiety to engage further. Some families never engage in Safe & Sound services despite numerous attempts at contact, some refuse support at first but engage later when a particular need arises, and some visit the center immediately to begin connecting, but take some time to truly trust the organization or their care coordinator. Safe & Sound care coordinators make it clear that engagement in programs and resources is voluntary, and if there is reluctance, offer to stay in touch through text or email with information about different programs and events, to ensure families know they can take up offers of support at any time.
   
5. As with all new clients, referrals from HSA to Safe & Sound are offered a warm intake meeting so that support services can be tailored to match what the family needs at that moment. This meeting gives us a more holistic understanding of the parent and their family, which means we can understand their specific needs better than the initial HSA screener who had limited information based on a report made at a point in time.
   
6. Data and record keeping is important to ensure families do not get lost in the system. However, separation of client data between the different organizations is paramount for client confidentiality. Referrals to CBOs from HSA are only made with the explicit consent of the parent. No data about the initial caller or report is passed to the CBO. HSA will only share the parent name, family size/makeup, and the services they recommended. Safe & Sound will build on this information through our own intake process, which is based on the information the parent provides. Upon intake, no updates on specific families are provided back to the HSA.

In addition to participating in this program, Safe & Sound is helping to lead two statewide initiatives that relate to Mandated Reporting. Specifically, Safe & Sound continues to help advance Mandated Reporting reform in California through the Mandated Reporting Advisory Committee, the body that is implementing a set of reform recommendations we helped to develop. Safe & Sound is also at the forefront of building strong community pathways so families can get support where they live, before systems have to step in.

That work—and reforms like mandated reporting changes—only happen if parents, caregivers, and communities trust us, which is why this year’s Lunch & Learn webinar series was so relevant.

We hope you will join us again in 2026 for the next series.