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News Release

Child Welfare Workers Honored With Award During Social Work Month -03/08/22

(Salem, Or.)- The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division is celebrating National Social Work Month in March. Social work is at the heart of child welfare practice worldwide, as well as other areas supported by social services. ODHS annually helps 1.5 million Oregon residents through all stages of life using foundational social work practices. 

“National Social Work month is a time to recognize those who do social work as important to our world and our community well-being,” said Child Welfare Director Rebecca Jones Gaston. 

Two Oregon Child Welfare workers, Sarah Dielman from Clatsop County and Skye Hopkins from Washington County were recognized with the 2021 Tom Moan Memorial Award honoring excellent demonstration of the core values of social work and excellent child welfare practice. Awardees are chosen through nominations from families, community partners and Child Welfare Division employees. 

  • Sarah Dielman, one of this year’s winners, is an Adoption Worker with 18 years of experience in Clatsop County. Sarah’s compassion and trauma-informed ways of engaging with children and families in our care set her apart to be chosen as an award recipient. ​​​​​​​ 
  • Skye Hopkins is a Permanency Worker with the Hillsboro Branch and has been working for 8 years with Child Welfare. Skye was chosen for her special ability to connect and engage with families, share wisdom and form partnerships to make services more accessible to families.

“We are exceptionally proud of both Sarah’s and Skye’s work serving and strengthening the children and families of Clatsop and Washington Counties, and throughout Oregon”, said Director Jones Gaston. “Rolf Moan, Tom Moan’s son and award committee chair, noted a common thread in all the nominee and awardee interviews: a belief that the circumstances these children and families faced were temporary and that they could play a role to help children and families reach their full potential, and I couldn’t agree more. It is crucial to the system transformation we are building towards by recognizing this important work.”

Honorable mentions for the award include: Anna Rios, Nina Foster, Liselott Hernandez Olivera, Thomas Hodge, Cathy Coleman, Twyla Kelley, Joseph McUne, Rebekah Lawrence, Cynthia Ramirez, Lila Wade, Dominique Rich, Jennifer Jones, Sally Johns, Leslie Hinds, Kiana Bustamante, Ashley Burgess, Melissa Jacobs, Zachary Tharp, Wayne Kohnke.

For more information on how you can celebrate National Social Work Month, visit the National Association of Social Workers website.

About the ODHS Child Welfare Division: The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division is committed to transforming itself to better support the individual needs of families and to best serve Oregon’s children and young people. Read the Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation to learn more.

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