MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Grenda Ernst, LCSW

The San Luis Obispo (SLO) unit would like to recognize Grenda Ernst, LCSW, as the Social Worker Spotlight for this month.

Grenda graduated from UC Riverside with a degree in English Literature, which she says prepared her to write well, but did not move her along any particular career path. While there were a number of social workers in her family, she had resisted the idea of social work because she thought she might be choosing it because it was familiar, and not because she was suited for it.

To explore the field further, she went to work for the LA County of Bureau of Public Assistance, as a non-MSW social worker and found that she liked the work very much. That job also taught her that she lacked the skills needed to deal with some of her clients, so she applied to the School of Social Work at Fresno State University and graduated in 1968.

Bill Ernst (recipient of the 2017 SLO County NASW Social Worker of the Year award) was a classmate of hers in graduate school, and they married just five days before graduation. After graduation, she worked for the San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Services for two years before their first child was born. She then worked part-time at Atascadero State Hospital (ASH) until their youngest child was in school.

She was a social worker at ASH for 12 years, mostly as part of the family treatment program, which she recalls was an exciting time that included training from well-known therapists, and family therapy conducted on the units—something that is unthinkable now.

After a brief time as coordinator of Forensic Services, Grenda became the Chief of Social Work Service and, eight years later, program director of the first program at ASH to house sexually violent predators (SVPs). Her last position at ASH as clinical administrator of the hospital, which she says was an interesting and stimulating place to work.

She explains that she is particularly proud of being awarded Social Worker of the Year by the SLO County Chapter in 2001, and the Dorothy F. Kirby Award for Outstanding Administrator in Human Services by the California Chapter of NASW in 2003.

In the 13 years since Grenda has retired, she has been involved in volunteer work, particularly with the Friends of the Atascadero Library, helping to raise funds for the new library on Capistrano Avenue and, more recently, as a board member of the Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County. She has also worked with the Senior Nutrition Program, Atascadero Loaves and Fishes, and AAUW. She describes herself as someone who cares deeply about political issues and nearly all areas of concern to social work, especially women’s health, health insurance, protection and advocacy of children, equal rights, and nondiscrimination.

Since retirement, Grenda and Bill have become the grandparents to three grandchildren, with a new baby arriving soon. She adds that she and Bill cannot imagine anything more satisfying, fun, and funny than being with their grandchildren.

The NASWCA SLO unit thanks Grenda for her service to the field of social work.