County Policy Priorities for Transforming the Child Welfare System

Regardless of population size, geography and available resources, counties are deeply invested in our residents’ health and well-being. Every day, we provide services that help vulnerable individuals and families thrive, functioning as an integral part of the federal, state and local partnership in human service delivery. Whether keeping families sheltered when they face homelessness, providing nutrition support to infants and toddlers, operating job training programs, or protecting children from abuse and neglect, counties provide services that break cycles of poverty and help our residents succeed. 

Counties employ 257,000 human services workers nationwide and invest over $62 billion annually in federal, state and local funds in safety-net services that safeguard residents’ health and well-being and keep families stable. This includes implementing federal and state policies surrounding prevention and response to child abuse and neglect.

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