Enhanced Case Management Community Health Workers
Our Vision
We envision a thriving community where children, youth, and families have the power and resources to live healthy, safe, and productive lives.
Our Mission
We foster a safe, healthy, and thriving community by linking children, youth, and families with programs and services to address their unique needs.
Our Values
The Link values strengths-based, empowerment-focused, community-driven collaboration, developed through mutual respect, compassion, and integrity.
ECM Community Health Workers provide services to families that include:
- Support accessing food, housing, clothing, health care, and parent education
- Assistance navigating the social services system for mental health services, disability benefits, drug and alcohol recovery, adoption and guardianship support and family reunification
- Advocacy for students and their families by coordinating with teachers, school counselors, and principals to support academic success
- Linkages to community partners for domestic violence services, homeless services, transportation, employment resources and much more.
- Coordination of S.A.F.E. Team Meetings to support children and families when they’re most vulnerable. These meetings are a collaboration with the family, school staff, agency partners, a family advocate and community organizations to help families overcome barriers and access services, learn more here.
ECM Community Health Workers provide ongoing support to families with:
- Accessing food, housing, clothing, health care, and parent education
- Navigating the social services system, including Mental health services, Disability benefits, Drug and alcohol recovery, Adoption and guardianship support, and Family reunification services
- Advocacy for students and families by coordinating with Teachers, School counselors, and School principals
- Connections to community partners for Domestic violence services, Homeless services, Transportation, Employment resources and more
- Attendance and support at S.A.F.E. Team Meetings:
- Collaborative meetings involving the family, school staff, agency partners, CHWs, and community organizations
- Purpose: help families overcome barriers and access services when they are most vulnerable
North County Family Advocates
Bessy Hoffman
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 712-5038
Primary Service Areas: Serving families with children ages 0-5 in Atascadero, Santa Margarita, Templeton, and Creston. Family Advocate for Templeton High School and Vineyard Elementary, Templeton.
Rosario Gabriela Huerta
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503-9409
Primary Service Area: Lillian Larsen Middle School and Cappy Culver Elementary School.
Carmen Del Real
Bilingual Coordinator
Community Health Worker
Paso Robles Office
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503-9638
Primary Service Areas: Lewis Flamson Junior High School
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Carmen brings her passion for community services to families at Lewis Flamson Junior High School. She joined The Link in 2021 with a desire to provide support to the most vulnerable in our community. Carmen has worked in the Health Care sector as a social service director and brings a wealth of experience to The Link team. With the tools and support she provides, families will increase their opportunity for success and well being.
Carmen's role with The Link has expanded to provide organizational leadership at the Paso Robles Family Resource Center site. She provides invaluable support to the staff and serves as a liaison with Link adminstrative staff.
Mayra Velazquez
Bilingual First 5 Early Childhood
Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 712-6487
Primary Service Area: Serving families with children ages 0-5 in Paso Robles, San Miguel and Shandon.
Sonia Greene
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 674-3827
Primary Service Areas: Atascadero Middle School Templeton Middle School and Templeton Elementary School
Danilda Reyes
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 674-9505 Primary Service Areas: Santa Lucia Middle School, Coast Union High School, Cambria Elementary, Leffingwell High School Continuation.
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Danilda Reyes serves as a Family Advocate for The Coast Unified School District in Cambria. She has experience working with children and youth in behavioral programs and in one on one classroom settings. She was a Teacher at The Dominican Republic with experience in Kindergarten students, Elementary and Middle School Students. Danilda is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Nancy Martinez
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 859-4982
Primary Service Areas: Laguna Middle School and San Luis Obispo High School
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Nancy graduated from California State University in December 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, where she built a strong foundation in advocacy, and social justice. Her academic background supports her commitment to serving individuals and families through informed, compassionate, and client-centered work.
Her passion for supporting families and youth developed through her internship with DAYS Long Beach, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving underserved communities throughout Long Beach. During this time, Nancy gained hands-on experience and learned how to advocate for those navigating complex challenges.
She approaches her work with empathy, professionalism, and humility, and is committed to helping families working for The Link.
Karla Najera
Bilingual Community Health Worker
Contact: Cell phone (805) 538-9592
Primary Service Areas: Los Osos Middle School and Morro Bay High School
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Karla Najera is a passionate advocate for families and communities. In 2020 she served as an interpreter for the SLO County Behavioral Youth Services. Karla served as the North County Lead promotora and coordinator of the mobile clinics working in collaboration with the SLO Public Health Department. She also has experience working with families and children who are healing from trauma, and supporting and improving family relationships through counseling and education. Karla helps families to navigate complex systems and challenges by providing essential resources and services. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, and traveling in her free time.
Carrie Collins
Family Advocate Services Director
Contact: (805) 794-0217
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Carrie Collins serves as the Family Advocate Services Director for the Link Family Resource Center. Previously Carrie was a Training and Consulting Specialist with Strategies 2.0 at Children’s Bureau. She provided training and consultation throughout the state to assist organizations and individuals in their work with family strengthening and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Carrie received her Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. Her background includes over 20 years in the Head Start and Migrant Head Start program in Parent Involvement and Leadership, and Staff Career Development and Training. She served two years in AmeriCorps providing pesticide safety training to farm workers throughout the state of Utah. Carrie and her husband share the joy of being parents to 4 grown children, and grandparents to 6 grandsons and 2 granddaughters!
S.A.F.E. Referral Forms
SAFE Referral Form
Please note that for SAFE referrals, the client must initial for each agency authorized to exchange information (page 3) and sign and date the last page (page 4). Please send all SAFE referrals to:
Email: behavioralhealth.safe@co.slo.
Form 815 (English)
County of San Luis Obispo Multi-Agency Referral and Client Release of Information
Form 815 (Spanish)
County of San Luis Obispo Multi-Agency Referral and Client Release of Information
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I refer a family to The Link?
Please download and complete The Link Advocate Referral Form
Submit the completed form to Family Advocate Services Director Carrie Collins at Carrie@linkslo.org or fax to (805) 462-8901
Where is The Link Family Resource Center located?
Please visit us at one of our two North County Family Resource Centers.
Atascadero Family Resource Center
4507 Del Rio Ave. Building #1 Atascadero, CA 93422
Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm (805) 794-0217
Paso Robles Family Resource Center
665 26th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm (805) 794-0217
What is The Link Family Resource Center mission?
Our Mission
We foster a safe, healthy, and thriving community by linking children, youth, and families with programs and services to address their unique needs.
Our Vision
We envision a thriving community where children, youth, and families have the power and resources to live healthy, safe, and productive lives.
Our Values
The Link values strengths-based, empowerment-focused, community-driven collaboration, developed through mutual respect, compassion, and integrity.
Is The Link a nonprofit organization?
The Link received 501(c)(3) status in the spring of 2004. Since then, the organization has expanded from a small project of the Atascadero Youth Task Force into a thriving system of Family Resource Centers, family advocates, and community resource specialists upon which the community has come to deeply rely.
The Link was created in 1998 as a project of the Atascadero Youth Task Force; developed in order to identify available services, assist youth and families to connect with needed services, and to create services to support families. Since then, The Link has expanded from its original office location in Atascadero to two Family Resource Centers with service outreach spanning across the North SLO County towns of Atascadero, Cambria, Shandon, San Miguel, Creston, Cayucos, Santa Margarita, San Simeon, Paso Robles, Los Osos, Morro Bay, and Templeton, encompassing a community of approximately 103,000 residents. We additionally serve the South San Luis Obispo towns of Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande. Today, we are a community leader in child welfare and education services and aim to keep families united while engaging in child abuse prevention.
Contact.
Please fill out the form below. We look forward to connecting with you!
Location: Del Rio Continuation High School
Address: 4507 Del Rio Ave Bldg. #1, Atascadero, CA 93422
Hours: Open: 9:00AM to 5:00PM M-F
Office Phone: (805) 466-5404
Bilingual Family Advocate Services Director: (805) 794-0217
Atascadero Family Resource Center The LINK
Help Strengthen Our Community
Your contributions make a direct, positive impact on children and families in San Luis Obispo County.
Your contributions provide concrete support to families in our community. With your help we link children, youth, and families to resources to address their unique needs. Together we keep children safe, healthy, at home, in school and out of trouble.
Thank you for strengthening families with your generous support.
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North County S.A.F.E.
Services Affirming Family Empowerment - S.A.F.E. team intensive meetings
What is a SAFE team intensive meeting:
A SAFE intensive team meeting is a strength-based, multi-agency, school-linked support collaboration team that works with families in the community to overcome barriers to accessing services. The family participates in the meeting and the meeting goals are guided by the families’ needs and priorities.
Who we serve:
North County SAFE team provides support to all families, including adoptive, resource families, kin care providers, transitional age youth, special needs youth, and the zero to five population. Family served by the North County SAFE team reside in communities from Santa Margarita to Paso Robles, and in San Miguel, Shandon and the Carissa Plains.
SAFE services are available for all areas of SLO County. See the referral information below.
Who is on the SAFE team:
The meetings are coordinated by The Link Family Resource Center. Participating team members may include Department of Social Services, Child Welfare Services, County Mental Health, Transitions Mental Health, Public Health, CAPSLO, Youth Probation and school administration. Other agencies as needed include Creative Mediation at Wilshire, Link Education Champion, Grizzly Youth Academy, Seneca, and Lumina Alliance. The participating parent/caregiver may request additional professionals or supportive family members for extra support.
What happens at a SAFE team meeting:
The SAFE team collaboratively works with the strengths of the families with a solution focused approach to build a plan that focuses on the families strengths, concerns, supports and together build a plan to ensure health and safety of the family and children. The plan is put together and printed out for the family.
What are the goals of a SAFE team meeting:
The goal of a SAFE team meeting is to keep youth safe, healthy, at home, in school and out of trouble.
When are SAFE team meetings held:
All North County SAFE meetings are held on Tuesday.
How is a family referred for a SAFE team meeting:
If a family has a child aged 0 – 18 and working with multiple agencies and there is a need for service coordination, or the family is experiencing significant and immediate challenges. Families can be referred by community agencies, school, and a family advocate.
To make a referral for a SAFE Team Meeting please complete a SAFE Meeting Referral Form. Click Here for Referral Forms
Completed Referral Forms can be submitted by email or fax.
Email: behavioralhealth.safe@co.slo.