FIRST CALL FOR FAMILIES

Our Mission: To advocate for thriving, intact families rooted in strong communities.

First Call for Families is an interdisciplinary program run by Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC). The goal of First Call is to prevent children from being removed by CPS and becoming involved in the formal child welfare court system.

What We Do

Our work is comprised of three program components:

  • Through Know Your Rights Presentations, the First Call team provides information to families about their rights and responsibilities before, during, and after the removal of a child by CPS.
  • The First Call Warm Line is a toll-free phone number for families to call for support, basic advice, and/or referrals within the community.
  • First Call may also provide more individualized support for families who require more support than our other services provide. This may include services such as peer support, case management, and legal advice before a court case begins.

Who We Are

The First Call for Families team is an interdisciplinary team comprised of an attorney, mentor parents, and a social worker.

–  The attorney is the leader of the First Call team. They provide legal advice and limited legal assistance, including on navigating a child welfare investigation and related civil legal issues.

–  The mentor parents have had formal involvement with the child welfare system, and successfully reunified with their children. The mentor parents’ lived experience allows them to provide hope and a sense of agency to families, and break down barriers that are preventing parents from effectively advocating for themselves and their families.

–  The social worker provides clinical support to clients. Depending on the needs of the parent and/or family, the First Call social worker may provide services such as clinical risk assessments, safety planning, case management, support at Child and Family Team meetings (CFTs), and/or linkage to culturally responsive resources in the community.

Because First Call for Families is an attorney-led team, communications with client and prospective clients are confidential. None of the First Call team members are mandated reporters.

How to Contact Us:

To get in touch with First Call for Families, or to refer a family, please give us a call at our warm line number: 408-856-2992

Hours of Operation

Mon-Thurs, 9am-4pm

Evening hours: Thurs, 5pm-8pm

All calls to the warm line are confidential. We will never share your information without your permission. First Call for Families services are provided free of charge.