This month the Southern Area Consortium of Human Services (SACHS) program proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary! The very first SACHS meeting was held back in November 2001 in Dana Point, CA.

We would like to acknowledge our founding SACHS members, including our first SACHS Chair, Larry Leaman (Director, Orange County Social Services Agency) and SACHS Vice-Chair, Rodger Lum (Director, San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency) as well as Carol Anselmi (Assistant County Administrator, San Bernardino County Human Services); Anita Bock (Director, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services); Dennis Boyle (Director, Riverside County Department of Public Social Services); Charlene Chase (Director, Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services); Barbara (B.J.) Fitzgerald, (Director, Ventura County Human Services Agency); Jim Semmes (Director, Imperial County, Department of Social Services and our two SACHS University partners, Anita Harbert (Director, School of Social Work, San Diego State University) and Teresa Morris (Director, Department of Social Work, CSU San Bernardino). In addition, initial SACHS program support was provided by Rino Patti (Faculty Leader) and Academy for Professional Excellence staff Donald Dudley; Tom Packard; Donna Daly; Jennifer Tucker-Tatlow; and Karen Prosek.

Looking back, the main discussion topics during the first year of SACHS quarterly meetings included: Funding Sustainability; Succession Planning; Child Welfare Placement Resources; Aging; Service Integration Coordination; Customer Service; Prevention Services; and Diversifying Management Workforce. Interestingly, most of these reflect SACHS Directors’ hot topics that continue to be discussed at Fiscal Year 2021/2022 SACHS meetings.