For survivors of domestic abuse, seeking help can be an overwhelming and deeply vulnerable experience. For public assistance professionals, knowing how to respond with compassion, empathy and understanding can make a meaningful difference.

That message was at the heart of an Aug. 11 kickoff event at UC Davis, marking the launch of a statewide pilot training initiative designed to strengthen how California’s public assistance professionals support survivors of domestic abuse.

Developed by UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s Human Services department in partnership with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the pilot represents the culmination of a two-year effort by the Custom Training and Services team to develop updated, trauma-informed training for county staff who serve people through CalWORKs, CalFresh, refugee assistance and other public assistance programs. The initiative is supported by a $600,000 philanthropic grant from the Blue Shield of California Foundation.

The kickoff of the Aug. 11-12 pilot at the UC Davis Conference Center brought together public assistance professionals and leaders from across the state, along with partners who helped shape the curriculum. Together, presenters underscored a central theme of the initiative: Effective support begins with listening—to professionals, to community partners and, most importantly, to survivors themselves.

Proud of this ‘noble work’

UC Davis Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan opened the kickoff by sharing a personal story that underscored why this work matters to her.

In addition to being a mechanical and civil engineer, Croughan’s father, Pete, spent part of his career as a full-time pastor. In that role, he was frequently called upon to respond to domestic abuse situations, sometimes personally intervening and removing firearms.

“Only years later did I understand how dangerous this was—and how much courage it took,” Croughan told participants. “We are shaped by our lived experiences. My parents taught me that service to others was paramount, and that standing up to injustice was always necessary.”

Croughan told the audience that those same values are reflected in the work of the professionals gathered for the training.

“I am so proud to be part of a university that is supporting your noble work,” she said.

Listening before building

The training was not developed in isolation. Over the past year, UC Davis CPE Human Services conducted a statewide needs assessment to understand what county professionals need and how the public assistance system can better respond to survivors. More than 200 county professionals participated in a statewide survey, while 36 listening sessions brought together county leaders, frontline staff, Tribal partners, community-based organizations and domestic abuse survivor advocates.

Joseph Sapp, a section chief with CDSS, emphasized the importance of that listening process during the kickoff event. 

“Those conversations helped establish a key goal for the training: preparing public assistance professionals to approach their work with compassion, dignity, empathy and informed support,” he said.

The curriculum was developed collaboratively with CDSS, Mathematica, Parent Voices California, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and other statewide partners. The resulting training includes practical strategies for recognizing, responding to and supporting people and families experiencing domestic abuse.

Centering the survivor experience

For Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices California, the survivor perspective was essential to building the curriculum.

The goal, she said, was to create a curriculum that takes trauma-informed principles and turns them into something transformative.

That distinction is important. Trauma-informed training is not simply about understanding what survivors have experienced. It is about changing how professionals interact with them and how systems respond to their needs, she said.

Maria Jandres knows firsthand why that change matters.

As a survivor and advocate who helped shape the curriculum, she described seeking help during what she called “the most vulnerable, shamed moments of my life.”

For someone experiencing domestic abuse, navigating public services can involve much more than finding the right program or resource. Jandres explained that certain cultural values can make it difficult to share deeply personal experiences with strangers. At the time, she did not know how to tell someone that she was homeless and experiencing domestic violence.

That is where a seemingly simple interaction can become significant.

A caseworker knowing how to ask the right questions, Jandres said, can help begin to build trust. So can recognizing the importance of following up with clients rather than simply directing them to another resource.

Her message brought the purpose of the training into sharp focus: Sometimes, effective support starts with a question asked with care—and continues with someone taking the time to listen.

Building skills for real-world situations

“Domestic abuse is one of the most complex challenges facing families in California today,” said Alison Book, associate dean 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. The pilot training is designed to give those professionals practical tools to respond more effectively when domestic abuse is part of a client's circumstances.”

The introductory course, “Foundations in Domestic Abuse for Public Assistance Staff,” is part of a larger pilot series that also includes program-focused modules. Feedback gathered during the pilot will be used to refine the curriculum before statewide implementation.

That emphasis on continuous learning reflects the collaborative nature of the initiative. The training is not a finished product being handed down to counties. It is being shaped by the experiences and expertise of the people who work within public assistance systems, as well as  by the people who have had to navigate those systems during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.