The Social Services Agency is comprised of the following Departments:
The individuals and families and community members we serve often have complex needs that span across Departments. Our ability to work together on their behalf, seeking to address the needs of the “whole person” or “whole family” is essential to well-being – at an individual, family and community level. Each Department is doing amazing work, day in and out on its own – when we come together to effectively collaborate, it’s a force multiplier, making us that much more capable of helping the most vulnerable in our community.
Meet the Directors leading the County's Social Service departments.
Michelle Callejas, Director of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS)
Michelle has worked in the health and human services field for 30 years and has a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master's Degree in Counseling and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has extensive leadership experience in both public and community non-profit sectors, providing and overseeing services for domestic violence survivors, children who have experienced severe trauma, and within the multiple systems that serve these vulnerable populations.
DCFAS provides services and supports to promote the safety, health and well-being of children, families, dependent adults and older adults. Services focus on promoting child safety, strengthening families, and supporting dependent adults and older adults to live with dignity and respect in home-based or least restrictive settings.
DCFAS works with several other departments within and outside of the Social Services Agency as many of the clients we serve also touch other systems. For example, DCFAS works with DHSH, DHA and DHS to address homelessness in the community. DCFAS also works closely with DHS, using Public Health Nurses across the department and Behavioral Health Clinicians to ensure appropriate services for children and youth in foster care. When all departments work together to coordinate services and care, outcomes are better for respective clients.
DCFAS serves some of the most vulnerable community members from birth through end of life and tries to enhance their safety, well-being and quality of life. DCFAS has an amazing team of dedicated employees across all classifications who either provide services directly or support those services behind the scenes!
Emily Halcon, Director of Homeless Services and Housing (DHSH)Emily started her career in local government at Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), working on development of affordable housing and community development projects. In 2008, with the Obama stimulus, SHRA was tasked with overseeing funds for homeless prevention and re-housing (at the time a new concept in homeless services!) for the County. Emily led not only program development but policy shifts locally to adapt to new federal guidelines around homeless services and funding. Since that time, Emily has worked exclusively in homeless services, as a consultant working with communities to use data to drive system change and then overseeing the City of Sacramento Homeless Services for six years prior to coming to the County in January of 2021.
DHSH drives policies and programs aimed to prevent and end homelessness, serving as the connector between the many, many organizations working on this complex issue. DHSH oversees $50 million in County funding for direct services, but is also responsible for developing a Countywide response to this highly visible and complex issue.
DHSH depends heavily on other social service departments to bring the necessary services to help meet the needs of the people it serves and also seeks to be a resource to other social service departments that are struggling to meet the shelter and housing needs of their clients. As homelessness is often a symptom of so many other unmet needs in an individual's life, our work cannot be successful without strong collaboration within the social service agency and with external partners in the community.
DHSH staff care passionately about improving the lives of those we serve and addressing the community impacts of homelessness, and will go the extra mile to help an individual in need or to connect one of it's sister departments to critical services. However, as a social service department with no 'mandate' to solve the issue of homelessness, DHSH is challenged with ever changing funding, community perception and political wills. DHSH recognizes that every department in the County is impacted by homelessness, and wants to be resource to help.
Julie Gallelo, Executive Director of First 5 Sacramento Commission
Julie's career has centered on services for the state's most vulnerable populations. She has directed health and social services programs at community-based organizations, federally qualified health centers and county government. For more than 20 years, her passion has focused on improving the lives of children and families through public policy, parent advocacy and community engagement.
First 5 was formed 25 years ago through the Prop 10 tobacco tax to fund early intervention and prevention programs for children ages 0-5 and their families. Our priority areas are: racial equity; health and well-being; quality child care, parent partnership and systems improvement. First 5 Sacramento invests more than $20 million each year serving 14,000 children, parents and providers.
Throughout the years, First 5's partnership with the other social service departments continues to strengthen through the vision of leaders focused on a multidisciplinary approach to the whole child, whole family. First 5 and DCFAS co-fund the county's premier child abuse prevention collaborative- Birth & Beyond- which operates 9 family resource centers. First 5 and DHS partner through funding, staffing resources and co-development of public health programming for children prenatal through age 5 and their families, particularly programs and campaigns focused on maternal and child mortality. It's through continued cross collaboration, capacity building and leveraging investments that we will find solutions and improve systems to better serve our diverse population.
First 5 Sacramento is committed to advancing racial equity and social justice in everything we do in fulfillment of our mission to best serve all children and families in Sacramento County. Our deep and genuine respect for the diverse families we serve drives us to use our privilege to support efforts that advance social justice and fight racism. We embed this work into the development of our goals, outcomes, strategies and investments. In 2021, the Commission approved an historic Resolution addressing Racial Equity and Social Justice. The Resolution is both a declaration of racism as the root cause of health and early learning disparities, as well as our Commission's pledge to actively and intentionally engage in work to dismantle racism both within and outside the First 5 network.
Ethan has been with DHA for almost 19 years and worked in several divisions including CalWORKs as a case worker, Staff Development, County Medically Indigent Services Program, and Performance Measures.
DHA helps Sacramento County residents who are in need, become self-sufficient and independent, by providing public benefits, employment assistance, and supportive services.
DHA works closely with DHSH, DCFAS, DHS, as well as DCSS as our programs have a role in prevention and public benefits for a wide array of mutual customers. DHA is the first line in prevention by determining eligibility (initial and ongoing) to cash aid, food, and health care benefits for those in our community.
DHA serves 1 in 3 Sacramentans in a wide array of public benefits such as cash benefits, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal. The department also provides employment assistance and supportive services for those eligible to benefits.
Tim Lutz - Director of
Health Services (DHS)
Tim brings 18 years of County government experience to the role of the Director of Health Services for Sacramento County. He started his career in Human Resources at the County of Tulare, before moving over to the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, where he served as senior Human Services analyst, Aging Services Manager, Fiscal Operations Director, and finally for 3 and a half years as the Agency Director. Tim also served as the Calaveras County Administrative Officer (CAO) for over a year and a half. Tim’s experience also includes oversight of disaster recovery operations, emergency services and animal services.
DHS is dedicated to delivering comprehensive health, social, and mental health services to the Sacramento community. Comprising of three service divisions—Behavioral Health Services, Public Health, and Primary Health Services—the department directs resources toward innovative strategies and programs that aim to improve community health, enhance well-being, and increase access to services for individuals and families.
Health Services is intricately intertwined with other departments within the Social Services Agency, forming a comprehensive network aimed at promoting well-being on both individual and community levels. The collaboration between Health Services and other departments ensures a holistic approach to addressing health challenges by recognizing the interconnectedness of physical and mental health. For example, Public Health and Environmental Management work closely together when investigating hazardous material leaks or foodborne illness investigations. Behavioral Health provides services to children involved in CPS. By fostering cooperation among departments, we can create a more integrated and effective system that addresses the multifaceted aspects of health and well-being.
The department is committed to improving health, well-being, and enhancing access to services for individuals and families through creative strategies and programs. Emphasizing a mission centered on serving the people of Sacramento County, the department values diversity, treats staff with dignity and respect, and promotes safety and welfare. The provision of culturally competent and linguistically proficient services is a priority, we strive to deliver quality services with a focus on customer experience, guided by values of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and integrity.
Jennea Monasterio - Director of Environmental Management Department (EMD)Jennea has more than 20 years of experience in the environmental and health and safety fields. Her health and safety career began in the biotechnology industry in Silicon Valley, Napa County Environmental Health and eventually Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD).
EMD houses 32 diverse programs and inspects thousands of facilities each year to ensure the health of the public and the environment. One of the most known programs is retail food safety, or “health inspections” at restaurants, schools, mobile food trucks and hospitals. Maintaining food temperatures, correct storage methods and sanitation levels are critical in preventing outbreaks of food borne illness.
In an effort to protect the environment, specifically underground water and soil health, EMD regulates hazardous materials storage and disposal and facilities that operate underground storage tanks, above ground storage tanks, and/or store toxic chemicals or drums of hazardous waste that if compromised or degraded, can leak into the groundwater supplies or surrounding soil.
EMD’s work often intersects with other County Departments. During emergencies, EMD is onsite at shelters inspecting sanitation, water and food supplies. EMD ensures that new food diversion and organic waste requirements are being met in collaboration with the Department of Waste Management and Recycling, and works closely with Public Health Officer, Dr. Kasirye, especially during public illness outbreaks of water borne or food borne illnesses.
EMD values education and outreach in order to achieve compliance with state laws. Each year the department offers free workshops and webinars on food safety, pest management, pool operator requirements, and how to apply for a mobile food vending permit, and posts instructional videos on the webpage so that regulated businesses know what to do to pass inspections.
Dalen Fredrickson - Director of
Child Support Services (DCSS)Dalen is the Director of Child Support Services. His career in child support services began in 1991 in Utah before he subsequently worked in the child support program in Texas and briefly in Rhode Island, before coming to Sacramento. He is passionate about the work his department does because he's seen the difference child support makes in the lives of children.
DCSS helps families by establishing parentage, child support, and medical support orders. The Department will help with locating parents, modifying child support orders when circumstances change, and providing enforcement services to ensure compliance with child support orders. It collects and distributes more than $10 million to Sacramento families each month.
DCSS receives referrals from DHA to help families receiving public assistance. DCSS helps provide income for children and families involved with many other departments. We share a lot of customers who need services such as employment help, health services, etc. The child support caseload has been declining even though there is still great need, so we are interested in increasing referrals to our department, or other means of helping families not currently enrolled.
The receipt of child support is linked with improved outcomes for children. Many of the improved outcomes cannot be replaced with other types of aid or service. For example, children who receive child support have better educational outcomes, even when controlling for other variables. DCSS is working very hard to improve services and provide excellent help for Sacramento families.
