Jessica Cirksena

Jesscia Cirksena is a Program Manager in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Division of the Human Services Department and is receiving this award today for her efforts to improve service delivery and compliance, ensuring timely support for residents who rely on IHSS.

This past year, Jessica led a targeted effort to resolve Community First Choice Option (CFCO) noncompliance for IHSS, driving performance to nearly 100% compliance in CFCO reassessments which saved the County of Santa Cruz thousands of dollars in penalties.

Jessica also led an effort to improve IHSS intake assessments which led to 85% of all cases being processed timely, above the current threshold of 80%. These improvements also resulted in Santa Cruz County being removed from the statewide Quality Improvement Action Plan corrective plan and positioned Santa Cruz as a top-performing county.

Jessica managed these improvements despite significant vacancies and repeatedly stepped in to fill critical gaps to protect the continuity of service for over 3,000 disabled community members. Jessica’s clarity, accountability, unwavering dedication, and solutions-focused approach stabilized the IHSS program and ensured timely, uninterrupted services for recipients.

The CalWORKS Employment Services Team

Employment Training Specialist II Nicole Williams, Social Worker II Tannya Carranco, Senior Employment and Training Specialist Lisha Erez, Social Work Supervisor II Barri Dommer, and Program Manager Katy Chevalier

Left to right: Lisha Erez, Katy Chevalier, Nicole Williams
Not pictured: Tannya Carranco, Barri Dommer

In early 2025, the CalWORKs Employment Services team identified a critical service gap affecting CalWORKs families experiencing homelessness and responded by launching the Housing Connection Pilot to reduce barriers and accelerate access to housing supports.

The team brought homeless referrals in-house to create warm handoffs, streamline coordination, and expedite placement in the housing queue for families with children. Housing connectors completed extensive training to assume this new role, while program leadership implemented monthly check-ins to promote continuous process improvement and ensure long-term sustainability; and

Since enrolling the first client on May 22, 2025, the pilot has received 72 referrals and successfully connected 23 families to housing programs, with remaining families actively queued pending program availability. To institutionalize and replicate this successful model, the team developed comprehensive policies, procedures, and step-by-step guidance for future connectors, demonstrating a strong commitment to customer service, measurable outcomes, and durable solutions for families experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County.