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Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services records

 Collection
Identifier: 0431

  • Staff Only
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Scope and Content

This collection comprises three groups of records that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services has generated during its history. Two of these groups come from agencies within the DPSS: the Bureau of Social Services and the Staff Development Division. The former consists solely of a run of administrative memorandums, while the latter group constitutes material--e.g., reports and training program--created and received during the course of this agency's activities. Thus it is much larger in volume and contains more types of material than the does BSS. In the third group have been gathered materials that the DPSS; its predecessor agency, the Department of Charities; and the Public Social Services Commission have created. The Department of Public Social Services is central here, with the others closely connected to it. In 1966 the Department of Charities underwent a name change and eventually became the Department of Public Social Services; in 1967 the Public Social Services Commission was established, with formalized authority, to act as an advisory and research body to the DPSS. Thus, these LA County governmental organizations have a symbiotic relationship, with the DPPS the central organization.

This collection's material is all textual, overwhelmingly bureaucratic in nature. Within the holdings of the DPSS exist many reports or studies privately published and bound by the DPSS. Many of these are statistical reports on DPSS programs, making them a resource for investigating the types and quantity of work for which the DPSS has been responsible over the years. Of special interest is an undated compilation of poverty data--e.g., family size, ethnicity--by census tract in Los Angeles (See box 15, folder 1 ). Also, found in this collection are correspondence, departmental handbooks, and studies of critical social issues, e.g., child abuse.

The Staff Development Division series contains memorandums, quarterly and monthly reports, research reports, correspondence, lettergrams, and committee agendas and minutes. There also exist forms, schedules, course plans and outlines, proposals, and tests for the SDD training programs. Of special interest are the training materials devoted to affirmative action and equal opportunity employment. Staff Development Division records also include personnel grievances and evaluations, which have been restricted because of their personal nature.

The chronological span of the DPSS series, including the Public Service Commission, is 1948-1999, with much material dating from the decade of the 1970s. The Staff Development Division encompasses material dating from 1971-1981, and the Bureau of Social Services holds material from 1974-1981. Thus, this collection is especially strong in documenting the history of the DPSS in the decade of the 1970s into the early 1980s. As a result, it covers such important changes in national, state, and local welfare as the implementation of Title XX and the development of such work programs as GAIN.

Dates

  • Creation: 1948 - 1999
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1970 - 1980

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Advance notice required for access.

Conditions Governing Use

The use of archival materials for on-site research does not constitute permission from the California Social Welfare Archives to publish them. Copyright has not been assigned to the California Social Welfare Archives, and the researcher is instructed to obtain permission to quote from or publish manuscripts in the CSWA's collections from the copyright holder.

Extent

17.1 Linear Feet (39 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services records consist of materials generated by agencies within the DPSS (the Bureau of Social Services and the Staff Development Division) and the DPSS itself, its predecessor agency, the Department of Charities, and the Public Social Services Commission. Included are reports and studies, memorandums, correspondence, committee agendas and minutes, and training materials. The chronological span of the DPSS series, including the Public Service Commission, is 1948-1999, with much material dating from the decade of the 1970s. The Staff Development Division encompasses material dating from 1971-1981, and the Bureau of Social Services holds material from 1974-1981. Thus, this collection is especially strong in documenting the history of the DPSS in the decade of the 1970s into the early 1980s. As a result, it covers such important changes in national, state, and local welfare as the implementation of Title XX and the development of such work programs as GAIN.

Organization

These records have been organized into three series: Bureau of Social Services; Staff Development; and Department of Public Social Services. Within each series (and subseries), files have been arranged alphabetically by title.

Acquisition

Frances Lomas Feldman; Robert Foust; Gwen Boswell.

Title
Finding aid for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services records
Status
Completed
Author
Clay Stalls
Date
2000 January 15
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States