California Department of Child Support Services Puts the “Lead” in Leadership

In an effort to encourage CA DCSS executives to strengthen their leadership capabilities and lead a movement from the ground up, CA DCSS Director Alisha Griffin and Chief Deputy Director are making available opportunities for executives to attend robust leadership training. There are several different courses currently being offered to CA DCSS leadership including the California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Agency “Leadership Development Academy, a nine-day course that explores ways to improve communication within and across departments and approaches to instill common values throughout the organization. Additionally, participants develop strategies to both lead and manage organizational change efforts and identify the impact of their leadership style on their staff. Through an exploration of best practices in public sector leadership, participants leave with an understanding of how to enhance and expand their skill sets to be effective leaders. CA DCSS Executives Veronica Potter, Regional Administrator and Nan Chen, Chief Financial Officer both recently graduated from the Academy.

In addition to the CHHS Leadership Development Academy, CA DCSS executives and managers are rotating through a two-day leadership program titled “The Leadership Challenge” the department has partnered with Sacramento State University to provide. The course includes team building, reported feedback from staff and colleagues through Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) assessments and promotes the “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® Model. Several CA DCSS cohorts have already completed the course with positive feedback.

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