Ever wonder if there is a connection between poverty and child welfare involvement? Or what policy solutions may help families in poverty? We explored these questions and more at our Poverty & Child Welfare Forum on December 8th at the UW’s Haggett Hall, Cascade Room. The forum brought together practitioners, advocates, researchers, and others engaged in child welfare and anti-poverty work in Washington state to:
- Present relevant data exploring the connection between poverty and involvement in the child welfare system;
- Address our statewide responses to child welfare-involved families as they relate to poverty; and
- Explore policy solutions that could reduce the number of families in poverty
Presenters and Panelists included:
- Todd Herrenkohl, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research, University of Washington School of Social Work (moderator) (Updated)
- Joe Mienko, University of Washington School of Social Work; Partners for Our Children
- Logan MacGregor, Economic Services Administration
- Jennie Romich, Ph.D., University of Washington School of Social Work; West Coast Poverty Center
- Barbara Lucenko, Ph.D., Research and Data Analysis; Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
- Alise Hegle, parent; Advocacy Program Manager, Children’s Home Society of Washington
- Leroy Pelton, Ph.D., University of Nevada – Las Vegas; School of Social Work
- Dee Wilson, Casey Family Programs
- Lori Pfingst, Ph.D., Washington State Budget and Policy Center
- Tony Lee, Statewide Poverty Action Network
- Maureen Marcenko, Ph.D., University of Washington School of Social Work; Partners for Our Children
- Bob Plotnick, Ph.D., University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance
- Esther Wanjihia, Children’s Administration caseworker
The presentation slides can be viewed here.