The Child and Family Policy Institute of California (CFPIC) is a private non-profit organization incorporated in 2004 as a 501 c 3 entity under the auspices of the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA). The purpose of the CFPIC is to “advance the development of sound public policy and promote program excellence in county Human Services Agencies through research, education, training and technical assistance.”

Beginning in late 2000 CWDA was privileged to receive the services of the National Network for Child Safety and the Public Child Services Association of Ohio, with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of assisting CWDA in identifying strategies for supporting and advancing best practices among its members. In 2002, reflecting on work that was being done in Ohio, the recommendation was made that the county Human Services directors consider establishing a private non-profit entity that could solicit private foundation funding to support their collective work. Over the course of many months similar organizations, within and outside California, were researched. Finally, in 2004, a Board of Directors was named, by-laws were written, and the Child and Family Policy Institute of California (CFPIC) was formally incorporated. Funding was obtained from the Casey Family Programs and Zellerbach Family Foundation to enable the hiring of an Executive Director and the establishment of an office in Sacramento. Since that time, the CFPIC has implemented a number of projects to support the work of California’s Human Services Agencies.

CFPIC has worked since its inception to carry out its mission in partnership with a number of other organizations, including the following:

• County Welfare Directors Association
• California Department of Social Services
• California Social Work Education Center
• California’s Regional Training Academies
• California Institute of Mental Health
• US Department of Health & Human Services; Region IX
• UC Berkeley Performance Indicators Project
• California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC)
• Alcohol and Drug Policy Institute
• California Center for Research on Women and Families
• Research faculty at California universities
• The Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice
• Philanthropic partners, including Casey Family Programs, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation