The staff is distributed throughout the county in six regional offices. The initial indoctrination period for a newly-hired social worker is approximately six weeks. The estimated period for full social worker competency may take up to eighteen months depending on the individual. County vehicles are available for use by the social worker staff. When a social worker is hired, he or she must provide proof of valid driver's license and liability insurance.
Workers find that it is more convenient to use their private vehicle in the performance of duties.
They are not reimbursed for personal loss or vehicle damage. After a September 1997 deadline, federal funding dropped to 50 percent of the cost. If the state fails to implement the program fully, it can be required to repay the federal government. Counties were asked to send representatives to Sacramento to provide input to the computer software system between 1990 and 1996. Since implementation, the general consensus from the state social workers is that the system favors data collection for auditing purposes rather than assisting in case management.