Social workers at Oregon Department of Human Services blend compassion with problem solving to create lasting changes for the people they serve

Article · March 27, 2026

Social workers at Oregon Department of Human Services blend compassion with problem solving to create lasting changes for the people they serve

March is National Social Work Month

March is a time to recognize and understand the passion, the hard work, the creativity, the unending support Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) social workers provide to the people they serve. They work every day to get people the help they need to overcome so many of life's challenges.

Here are the stories from five people who work in: Aging and People with Disabilities, Child Welfare, Self-Sufficiency, Office of Developmental Disabilities and Vocational Rehabilitation. We asked them several questions: what is a typical day like; is there an outstanding story you would like to share, why do you do this work and what are your guiding principles?

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Raina Mills, Family Coach, Self-Sufficiency Programs - Sandy, Oregon

Raina Mills, a Self-Sufficiency Family Coach works with people on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and domestic violence survivors in rural Clackamas County to find the support they need.

What is a typical day for you:

"Wild. I never know what is coming through or who is going to need support, or who is having something really challenging going on in their life and just want to find some support," Mills said.

Is there a story you would like to share?

A woman came to Mills for help. The woman was a domestic violence survivor and was applying for TANF. (The woman's name can't be shared for safety reasons.)

"Her whole life was in a whirlwind and she was shattered. We worked step by step, making sure that first, her safety needs were met," Mills said.

Mills helped her get her a grant to provide more security on her property. She assisted the woman with getting the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) so the woman's family member could be approved to be her child's caregiver so that she would have childcare to go back to work. She got her connected to a workforce specialist to help her with her job seeking goals and a referral to a vocational training program with Clackamas Community College. The workforce specialist helped her talk to the woman's former employer so she could explain her situation, that caused her to lose her job in. The woman was hired back at -- with a raise.

Mills also was able to help the woman with some needed car repairs so she had a reliable vehicle to drive to work and with car insurance through Northwest Family Services. Mills even got her the items she needed for the job she got back. Mills either worked through program requests or found community sources for whatever was needed for this woman to be successful in her goals.

"It was so rewarding to be a part of this journey and help be a great support. She had never wanted to need to access TANF. I was able to affirm that these were benefits that she's entitled to, she's already paid taxes that help support our programs. I know how hard it is to ask for help and I know that we all have hard moments in life. She was a pile of tears and gratitude and said she didn't think it would be possible to turn her circumstances around so quickly," Mills said.

Why do you do this work?

"I always wanted to be in a social work role. I grew up in a poverty experience. I would physically not be here if not for the housing and support of our programs. I had SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and government housing -- crucial benefits. I know first-hand the stigma of asking for help and seeking benefits. I really want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. It's a joy for me to be in service to families and to dispel the stigmas and highlight people's strengths.

What are your guiding principles?

"Always keep an open mind. Always lead with kindness and be open and willing to assist with anything someone brings to you. It is an honor to do this work, walk alongside other people and truly make a difference. I love what I do and being able to show up for others every day. The work we do is so needed and so important to the Oregonians we serve.

People need to know there is way out. I try to give people the compassion, the respect and the dignity they deserve and to lay out valuable stepping stones for them to succeed," Mills said.

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Christopher Bell, Human Services Case Manager, Office of Aging and People with Disabilities - Washington County

What do you do?

"I work assisting people across the lifespan with Medicaid Services. This allows people to remain living in their homes or in a community setting if they choose. Our programs support people's self-determination to live the way they want, with dignity, and retaining as much independence as possible. We accomplish this by advocating and developing plans of care with the client. It also involves informing them about services, such as home care workers, or helping people move to adult foster homes, residential care facilities, assisted living facilities, which could include memory care facilities, and support people's activities of daily living as they choose," Bell said.

What is a typical day for you?

"My work with APD consists of a variety of tasks and each day is different but always come down to supporting clients. Some days I'm conducting assessments with clients to address their needs for services. Other days I'm submitting paperwork or billing authorizations, making phone calls, or working with providers in the community to better support a client in their goals.

Why do you do this work?

"This work is more or less an extension of just who I am. The things I do in my job I would do if it were my career or not such as volunteering or reaching out in the community. I was raised in military culture with neighbors helping people. It's just what I do. Being able to find out I could do this as a career means a lot to me," he said.

What is your guiding principle?

"For me, when people can access services or discover our services. I think in whichever way they come to us, people are seeking help and understanding. Sometimes people have been moved through various systems, whether it was of their own choosing or otherwise. They are frustrated with their treatment or progress so far. I meet people where they are. Then we are taking steps together to make what they would like to see happen in their life. I am always moving together with people," Bell said.

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Jessie Marshall, Social Service Specialist - Permanency Worker, Child Welfare - Benton County

Jessie Marshall works for the reunification of families. "When children are removed from their families, my job is to reunify families. If that doesn't work because the children are not safe, then I help set up an adoption and/or guardianship. I make sure kids are safe and in a good home," she said.

What is a typical day for you?

"Normally my week is spent checking in with parents, face-to-face meetings with parents, resource parents, calling medical and dental providers, going to court, case planning directly with schools, families, and community partners, then a home visit then back to court. There are lots of meets and greets, paperwork and driving.

We often must balance between crisis management and documentation. Even if our entire week is scheduled with events, if a crisis happens, we must be prepared to deal with it," Marshall said.

Is there a story you would like to share?

"One case that comes to mind is a mother who I reunified with her daughters. She was a victim of domestic violence from her partner. I remembered when I first reunified the girls with mom. They were all crying, and super excited to have each other in their lives.

After a while she realized the father was not wonderful. She realized the most important thing in her life were her kids. She grew as a person. And now she's working full time. Her kids are doing great - they're in leadership classes and straight A's in school.

She still stops by the office and invites us to her kids' games. Watching her go from this person having a really hard time, down in the dumps, feeling like nothing was ever going to go her way, to being this amazing woman, helps me get through tough times.

I think of her when I'm having a hard case. It makes me know the work I'm doing does make a difference," Marshall said

Why do you do this work?

"I was a teacher at first. I always wanted to be there for the kids in the trenches. In my current career, at first, I thought this was just about helping children. Then, I realized I am doing this for the families. My goal is to help families, to keep them together and help them with the services they need. If they're having trouble with rent or their light bill - I tell them, 'Here are some services that can help.

I was in the foster care system when I was a child. Having this 'lived experience' I wanted to be someone who helped families grow together and help children. I hope that in my line of work that I help a family stop the cycle of trauma that has lasted over generations or from continuing to happen," she said.

What is your guiding principle?

"Life is hard for all of us. It's like, no matter what you do you are seen as the bad guy but at the end of the day I don't want this recognition. I want to make sure children are safe and their families are safe. What we want is to keep families together," Marshall said.

"I think my guiding principle and some of my other coworkers in the job is that we try to be positive. At our office we celebrate the small victories in our jobs. Sometimes the big victories are rare and often take years. A couple of us in the office have something called a Hope Jar that was started by a former coworker. We place stars in a jar to celebrate those small victories, for instance: a father getting clean for a week; a child being able to go to a medical appointment; reunification of a family; a mother completing her parenting class, etc. Our small victories are even smaller and far between, but we want to keep the positivity in the office. Sharing those victories of our cases with each other and being able to be proud of both the parents and the children. It also shows up when we look in our Jars, that we are trying our best to make a difference, that we are seeing progress in our families. Each of those stars represent a difference that I made and shows how hard I worked for those smaller things. It shows me that the parents I am working with do want to change and want to be the best version of themselves," Marshall said.

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Rachel Britsch, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, Vocational Rehabilitation

Rachel Britsch is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) helping Vocational Rehabilitation participants (VR) find and maintain employment. While she has a general caseload, she specializes in helping VR participants and supporting staff who have VR participants who want to pursue self-employment and start their own businesses.

What is a typical day like for you?

"I see multiple clients a day. I meet with co-workers helping with self-employment cases. I work with our business vendors in the services they provide. I update our OWL page with information around self-employment. Then there's the answering of emails, texts and phones calls daily," Britsch said.

Is there a story you would like to share?

"I partner heavily with mental health agencies, such as Cascadia Health, to help those individuals who have mental health needs. They follow a very specific employment model, which is different than how we might serve typical clients. It is an IPS+ [Individual Placement and Support] Supported Employment model, a strength-based approach to follow a client's interest. I also factor in their disability and barriers to employment to figure out the right job.

There was a woman on my caseload, whose dream job was to work in a police station, doing investigative work, or work in criminal justice. She hadn't worked in 10 plus years. She had many barriers. She came to us through Cascadia and she jumped fairly quickly into the criminal justice world. We found her a paid internship in a private company. She got her license with the state and has been in an apprenticeship. Now, she is thriving as a Private Investigator. She's already had had several cases. She is succeeding. Seeing someone thriving in their dream role is so rewarding," Britsch said.

Britsch shared another story.

"I recently helped another lady who started her own business doing interior painting. I helped her get the tools she needed to get started, such as initial marketing and bookkeeping as well as adaptations on her cell phone. She is doing phenomenally.

This is something I love about this job -- helping individuals get what they need and fostering this independence."

Why do you do this work?

"I am given autonomy to make meaningful impacts on a person's life. I am really big on fostering independence. Sometimes people just need a leg up.

I do this work because personally I am really passionate about the work we do. I value tailoring services to a person's needs to reach their highest employment potential. Individualized support is what makes this work rewarding to me."

What is your guiding principle?

"My guiding principles are person-centered support, respect for autonomy, and a strengths-based approach. I'm committed to empowering individuals with disabilities through compassionate, individualized services that promote independence and meaningful participation in work and life, Britsch said.

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Tanya Amorosino, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services Coordinator, Union County Community Development Disabilities Program - Union County

Tanya Amorosino is a services coordinator in Oregon's intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) system. She works for the Union County Community Development Disabilities Program (CDDP). The Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) partners with CDDPs and brokerages across Oregon to serve individuals who experience I/DD.

What do you do?

"When people are eligible for Medicaid, I explain what services are available for them, such as in-home, day-support programs, employment, 24-hour residential, or if they need assistive devices that assist them to help them achieve their goals, around autonomy and independence," Amorosino said.

What is a typical day for you?

"I contact individuals to check in on their support plans to see if they are satisfied with their chosen services. Some individuals I contact quarterly and some monthly. The purpose is to find out what they like about their services or just to stay on top of things they may be having trouble with. I coordinate meetings with teams to bridge communications to ensure needs are being met. Success is reported often when I ask the individuals we serve about their goals. Recently, I learned that one individual was super excited because he had learned a second language and was able to order off the menu at one of his favorite restaurants. His provider had assisted him in this task and he was able to achieve one of his goals! I hear a lot of fun success stories that make their lives better."

Can you tell me about a story that sticks with you?

"I was working with an individual who is in a wheelchair. This individual's family is a great advocate for their child. Initially, they designed and built the individual a stander so he could stand and shoot basketball hoops. Upon hearing about a product demonstration, they traveled out of town to attend an event that showcased products and technology for people with disabilities. They found that his wheelchair could be upgraded with a device to allow him to meet people at eye level, but this power standing wheelchair device cost thousands of dollars.

Amorosino contacted a local entity who offers this upgrade and was able to obtain an itemized quote specific to the needs. She worked with them and the Center for Human Development in la Grande and ODDS to get an exception approved with Medicaid for funding. It took a lot of steps and a lot of coordinating, but it all worked out.

"Now he can stand and meet with others at eye level and have a conversation which enhanced his mental health and social connections. He says he can now get a better job. He told me he was finally able to get his true height. Five feet, eight inches tall! His quality of life improved significantly. This makes my heart happy," Amorosino said.

Why do you do this work?

"I love providing opportunities for people to live their best life. One of my drives is providing them choices to assist them to feel empowered I do this work because everyone deserves the choice to live their best life. If I can offer resources to get them to that - that's what this is about. I love my job."

What is your guiding principle?

At a young age, I had the opportunity to learn about awareness of those with developmental disabilities. Awareness, Empowerment. It's about the person. It's their life. It's helping them have a voice," Amorosino said.