California's EMQ FamiliesFirst recently named Gordon Richardson the regional executive director for their capital region. This position will require Richardson to help children and their families in the Sacramento-area during crises.
According to their website, EMQ FamiliesFirst is the state's largest child services agency. The group offers mental health treatment, foster care and social services to help families recover from trauma, addiction or abuse.
After receiving his masters degree in social work, Richardson published many papers on foster care issues and restorative justice. He worked at Stanford Home, a nonprofit agency assisting young people and families in difficult circumstances, for ten years. He was also named Social Worker of the Year in 2007 by the National Association of Social Workers.
Individuals like Richardson who are interested in helping children and families through challenging situations may want to consider earning a social work degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field is projected to grow faster than the average rate with a 16 percent increase in employment through 2018.
Individuals who enter the social work field earn approximately $28,550 to $40,866 annually, according to PayScale.