Assistant Agency Director :. Carol Collins

Carol J. Collins, was appointed Assistant Agency Director of the Department of Children and Family Services in August 2002.

Ms. Collins is committed to improving the lives of children and families in Alameda County. She has spent 18 of her 20 years at the Social Services Agency in the Department of Children and Family Services. Her program knowledge is extensive having worked in every program area (Emergency Response, Dependency Investigation, Family Preservation, Family Maintenance, Family Reunification, Long Term Care, Shelter Care, Independent Living Skills, Child Welfare Worker (CWW), Training, and Adoptions) within the Department either in a direct service or management capacity.

In 1999 Ms. Collins was appointed Division Director of Community Services/Intake, which includes the front-end Children's Protective Services Programs. In this role Ms. Collins provided leadership in focusing services on child abuse prevention and early intervention programs, such as Neighborhood Services and Another Road to Safety (ARS).

Additionally, Ms. Collins provided leadership in the planning and operation of the Department's first Assessment Center, which opened in August 2002. The Assessment Center is designed to lessen the trauma of children coming into foster care, to allow for a medical and mental health screening, and to appropriately place children.