Anita M. Bock's Letterhead

County of Los Angeles DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES 425 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, California 90020 (213) 351-5602 JOAN SMITH Acting Director Board of Supervisors GLORIA MOLINA First District September 14, 2006 YVONNE B. BURKE Second District ZEV YAROSLAVSKY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Third District DON KNABE Fourth District PRESS RELEASE MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH Fifth District Trish Ploehn Appointed New Director of Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has appointed Trish Ploehn as the new Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Ms Ploehn’s appointment will be finalized at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 and she will be sworn in on September 20th.

In her new position, Ms Ploehn will direct all operations of DCFS, a Department that has an annual budget of more than $1.5 billion and approximately 7,000 staff. Ms Ploehn will oversee all the personnel, programs, facilities and services necessary for the administration of protective services, foster care, adoption and treatment for children in accordance with federal, state and county statutory and regulatory requirements.

“This is a time of great change in the area of child welfare throughout the Country. DCFS is blessed with a supportive Board of Supervisors, many outstanding, dedicated staff and a multitude of active and caring partners. Together, we are committed to ensuring that all Los Angeles County children have the opportunity to grow up in safe, permanent and loving families,” said Ploehn.

Ms Ploehn will continue to work on implementing five goals for DCFS outlined by the Board of Supervisors. The five goals include:

 Safety -- Ensuring child safety, consistency in decisions and proper match of services and resources to need.

 Permanence -- Ensuring children achieve timely permanence.

 Well-being -- Ensuring that care and service meet the children’s fundamental needs.

 Performance Contracting -- Ensuring services are focused on client outcomes.

 Family Centered, Neighborhood Based Services -- Ensuring families and children are engaged in service planning and that those services are delivered locally.

-MORE- “Given Trish’s history with the Department with the many roles and areas of responsibility she has served in, her excellent leadership as a Deputy Director and her commitment to continuing the vision and direction set under Dr. Sanders, our previous Director, she is an excellent choice and will serve the Department well in her new role,” said Joan Smith, Acting DCFS Director.

Ms Ploehn is the first Director to be selected from within the Department. She began her career with the Department prior to its current structure in 1979 as a treatment counselor working with youth at the MacLaren Children’s Center. She went on to work as a social worker until 1989 when she was promoted to an assistant regional administrator. After serving in various administrative positions, Ploehn took over as a deputy director in 2003.

Ms Ploehn graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in sociology and received a master’s degree in social work from California State University, Long Beach. She is married with one son.

For more information, call the DCFS Office of Public Affairs at (213) 351-5886.