b"P athways to S afety .Keeping Families Togetherto responding to calls thatThis is accomplished throughgreat grandson, Troy, in the come to the child welfaresuccessful familyfall of 2016. Rosa and her three young daughters had beenDuring their initial conversation, Danielle learnedsystem. Larry Imwalle,engagement, involving living in the Flores Family Shelter for more thanthat Rosas husband had been arrested forexecutive director of ACTION. families in setting their ownIn December, CPS gave me two months when Danielle, a family resourcedomestic violence and without him to help paygoals, linking them toan unexpected visit and specialist, rst met them in early 2015. Daniellethe rent, she and the girls were forced to leavePathways to Safety beganservices and resourcesthats when Pathways to was sent to assess the family as part oftheir home. Rosa revealed that she had sufferedas a pilot project in Montereybased on their specic needsSafety came into our lives - Pathways tofrom his abuse for years. She was relieved thatCounty in 2006 as part of theand supporting them Safety, anshe and the children were now safe, but she feltcountys child welfarethrough this voluntary initiative that putsalone and helpless to provide for their needs,redesign. Budget and staffprocess. in motion aespecially the pain of losing their father andconstraints forced CPS into community-basedhouse all at once.reactive mode, often getting Pathways to Safetyis able response to the rst signs ofPathways to Safety family problems that mightwas introduced asMost families reported were in endangeran alternative fordesperate need of basic services, children.families under stresslike housing, food or nancial Traditionally, ato keep children safeassistance, explains Imwalle.call to Childand families together. Protective Services (CPS) about child abuse or neglect would have led to an investigation that at best wouldLike so many of the parents I talk to, Rosa wasto a family after they hadto provide some relief andthe best thing ever.Pathways result in no action due to lack of evidence or atreally overwhelmed by everything that happenedpassed the tipping point.support. Parents have anto Safetyintroduced me to worst, children being removed from their parent'sand didnt know where to turn to for help, saidRecognizing that aopportunity to share feelingsprograms that I had never custody. Danielle. community-based approachand challenges, receiveheard of and it was a was needed, the Departmentencouragement, and gainblessing, said Carla. Previously, about 90 percent of the calls thatWith support from Pathways to Safety, Rosaof Social Services turned tonew skills in dealing with came didnt meet the threshold, explains Larrywas referred to a variety of resources, includingACTION to help bring adaily issues, said PERSON,Carla willingly engaged in Imwalle, executive director of ACTION. A reportVictim Witness to get counseling services forsolution to life.a coordinator with ACTIONservices recommended by Youth Leaders participated in the Agwho oversees SOMETHING. her family resource specialist, from a concerned citizen or mandated reporterherself and her daughters, and to Parents as Against Hunger Gleaning Program toPathways was designedHenry. Through these was more often an indicator of urgent need, notTeachers for parenting classes. Most importantly, help feed low-income, hungry people in Monterey County. with a focus on preventionFor Carla, a great-grandmotherconnections he made for her, of child abuse or neglect. Rosa and her kids were able to stay togetherand building capacity in thefrom King City, this supportshe found subsidized and out of the child welfare system. community to respond towas exactly what shechildcare, attended parenting In Rosas case, the children were safe in herneeds early to keep a familyneeded after unexpectedlyclasses and received care, but it was clear they were all experiencingIve been working with Pathways from theout of the system. becoming the temporaryassistance to pursue trauma and had many needs. The CPS socialbeginning. What I nd so rewarding is that itguardian of her 4-month-oldpermanent guardianship. worker called Danielle and a new path began. offers a proactive andstrength-based approach"