SEIU Local 721 social workers spoke up at the Board of Supervisors meeting on May 20 to urge the Board to support children in Santa Barbara County by improving recruitment and retention of social workers to keep children safe.
Santa Barbara County social workers and eligibility workers from Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Santa Maria joined forces with members from LA to help deliver the message.
Santa Maria social workers and eligibility workers joined the Board meeting via video conference from the Santa Maria Betteravia Government Center.
Within the next few weeks, the county will be going through the budgeting process and will have to decide what is and what isn’t a priority. Child safety has to be the number one priority.
Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios spoke on behalf of State Assemblyman Das Williams (District 37). SEIU 721 Treasurer and LA County Social Workers, David Green closed up the board comments by urging the Board to action.
Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisor Salud Carbajal responded to the Public Comments by saying, “We want to make sure that we’re not creating a circumstance where our children are at stake.”
“When all is said and done, the buck stops with the Board and it’s all about priorities. The Board must be strong on Child Safety. The will of the Board can and needs to make this happen for Santa Barbara County.”
-David Green, SEIU 721 Treasurer, LA County Social Worker
Santa Barbara County social workers will continue to advocate for children in the County.
You can view a photo slideshow of the Board action below.
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