Fresno County Family Services

By: Mayra Martinez

Organizational StructureDirector:

Cathi Huerta

Deputy Director;

Howard Himes

Emergency Response (153)Case Planning Sup. & Consultation (92)Integr. Case Mang. (146)Vacant Staff (20)Support Staff (3)

Community Context•The agency plays a big role in the Community of Fresno because it has social workers from many different backgrounds and beliefs. This is helpful in working within Fresno because Fresno is a very diverse county. Also, Fresno is known to have very impoverished parts of town and the agency can assist families and children who are victims of this poverty and oppression.

Populations at Risk the Agency Addresses

•The agency serves children who are at risk or have been abused, neglected; etc. •The agency also helps restore families by providing and locating resources according to their needs.

Mission•To promote a system of best practice in partnership with the community, committed to prevention and early intervention, that ensures child safety, permanence and stability, family well-being, that is proactive, strategic, outcomes based on fiscally responsible to the children and families served

Vision•To lead and integrated network of community partners that supports, protects and strengthens children and families.

Agency’s Practices•The agency assesses families to target areas which might need improvement and to protect children.•The agency investigates cases to better understand the families and their environment such as their culture or beliefs so that they provide services in the least biased way.•The agency provides case management to find ways in which children and families can benefit from the agency’s services

Significance of Agency

•Social Justice: the agency ensures that both families and children are protected against discrimination and are given an opportunity to grow.•Social Work: the agency works with many social workers to achieve the profession’s standards.•Human Rights: the agency gives a voice to children so that their rights are not violated and also gives a voice to families who may be in need of assistance or are oppressed due to their culture or beliefs.