Reinforcing the State’s Safety Net
UC Davis CPE Partners with Counties to Evaluate and Improve Services that Support Vulnerable Californians
UC Davis research improves lives. But it’s not all about medical or scientific breakthroughs. Sometimes it’s as simple as providing a temporary bed for a child who has been removed from an unsafe home.
Real research. Real people. Real change.
From Labs to Lives is more than a campaign—it’s a comprehensive record demonstrating how UC Davis research, fueled by federal/public investment, is transforming lives, communities and our collective future. As critical programs face funding freezes and elimination, these stories remind us what’s at stake—and what we risk losing. Learn more about From Labs to Lives
The university-wide initiative From Labs to Lives illustrates the myriad ways in which federally funded research at UC Davis impacts individuals, families and communities. UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) contributes to this fabric of life-changing outcomes through its research and evaluation work with county and state human services agencies.
UC Davis CPE’s Human Services department collaborates with counties across California to strengthen outcomes for children and families through research-driven evaluation and improvement initiatives, primarily allocated from federal funding. One of the most impactful examples of this work is the support for the California Child and Family Services Review (C-CFSR)—a statewide accountability system designed to ensure children in the child welfare system receive the care and support they deserve.
What Is the C-CFSR?
The California-Child and Family Services Review provides a structured process for counties to evaluate their child welfare and juvenile probation placement systems, identify strengths and challenges, and develop targeted strategies for improving outcomes. Every five years, counties must complete a County Self-Assessment (CSA)*—a data-informed, community-engaged process involving focus groups, statewide peer reviews and local meetings. Findings from these assessments guide the development of System Improvement Plans that shape each county’s next five years of work to enhance safety, permanency and well-being for children and youth.
Turning Research Into Action
Many counties, especially the small northern counties, do not have the time or expertise to carry out their CSA. It is a highly structured process that requires intensive planning over the course of 6 to 10 months. “Our team provides that expertise,” explained Julia Hernandez, Ph.D., M.S.W., director of the UC Davis Human Services Research and Evaluation Team. Acting as project managers, facilitators and data analysts, the team helps counties design and complete their CSAs, synthesize findings and craft data-driven system improvement plans that are both actionable and sustainable.
“Our experts coordinate the entire process—organizing focus groups, leading stakeholder discussions and compiling findings into comprehensive reports that help counties translate research into measurable improvements,” Hernandez said.
Immediate, Tangible Impact
The C-CFSR process doesn’t just produce reports—it transforms lives. For example, in one northern California county, the evaluation identified a critical issue: children entering care after hours were sleeping in county offices due to a lack of emergency placements. Through the collaborative C-CFSR process, the county developed an “emergency beds” program—enlisting licensed foster parents to keep an open bed for short-term placements. Now, youth entering care on nights and weekends are staying with families instead of in offices, providing immediate comfort and stability.
A Statewide Effort for Systems Improvement
“This process is a cornerstone of California's continuous quality improvement system for child welfare, and I'm proud of the work our Research and Evaluation team does to help state and county agencies improve outcomes for vulnerable children, adults and families," said Alison Book, M.S.W., LCSW, associate dean for Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education.
Over the past four years, UC Davis CPE Human Services has supported 25 counties across California in their C-CFSR efforts. “Through these partnerships, we’ve helped build stronger, more responsive child welfare systems that are grounded in research and guided by compassion,” Book added.
*The funding for County Self-Assessments flows from the county's general allocation from multiple federal funding sources, including Title IV-B, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the General Fund as administered by the California Department of Child Welfare Services.
For 45 years, UC Davis CPE’s Human Services department 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 across the U.S.
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.