In this episode, host Valerie Frost talks with Tanya Torres Trice, Director of Washington DC’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), about CFSA’s efforts to build trust with the community as they launch DC’s Warmline to better support families.

Director Trice dives into the story behind DC’s Warmline, a new pathway that allows families to reach out for help before a crisis arises. She talks about how the agency made an intentional decision to slow down, engage the community, listen, review policies and practices, and then begin building the Warmline. The Warmline officially launched in February 2025. In addition to the importance of working with the community, Director Trice also shares the importance of vision, leadership, collaboration, and taking action. She also shares a turning point moment when a parent who had once publicly criticized the agency acknowledged, “If they tell you they’ll do something, they will.” Through moments like this, listeners see how small wins and community engagement can spark broader cultural shifts.

This episode offers a powerful look at how government agencies can change not just policies, but relationships, showing that when trust becomes the goal, transformation follows.

Check Out Past Community In-Site Episodes!! You can go to the website to listen to episodes, read the blog, access information and resources, and subscribe to the email newsletter. Podcasts Archive - Thriving Families

Here are some additional resources Director Trice would like to share with you. 

• 211warmline
• DC ‘Warmline’ launches for easier access to social services - WTOP News
• Building a New Model for Child Well-Being in Washington D.C.: OPT-In Initiative - Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab
• A phone lifeline for families in need in DC receives support from Doris Duke Foundation - WTOP News

We appreciate you spreading awareness by sharing this episode with your friends, family, and colleagues who care about family well-being.

Please email us if you want to connect with the creative team or find out how to engage with the family well-being movement. [email protected]