James Bell Associates
James Bell Associates
4.0from 4 ratings
- 18
- Episodes
- 4
- Ratings
- 2022
- First episode
About James Bell Associates
The James Bell Associates podcast explores perspectives and approaches to improve the health and well-being of children, families, and communities through evaluation. Listen in as researchers and practitioners discuss evaluation and research topics with an emphasis on child welfare, child and family development, and tribal evaluation.
- Publisher
- James Bell Associates
- Category
- kids & family
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 2 Mar 2022
- Latest episode
- 15 Oct 2025
Latest episodes
18 episodes in the feed.
15 Oct 2025
Community Colleges as Springboards, Pathways to Child Welfare Careers, Episode 5
In this fifth and final episode, Drs. Barczyk and Bouchard talk with Katelynn Jarrells, M.S.W., Program Head and Associate Professor of Human Services and Mental Health at Brightpoint Community College, and Naomi Reddish, M.S.W., Administrator of Community-Engaged Child and Family Well-Being Initiatives and Assistant Professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. Katelynn and Naomi share their paths to careers in social work and how programs such as the one at Brightpoint Community College can be a pathway to a 4-year degree program. They also discuss how 4-year universities can partner with community colleges to support students interested in child welfare careers, and challenges to consider when choosing community college as a career gateway. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
8 Oct 2025
Multidisciplinary Approaches, Pathways to Child Welfare Careers, Episode 4
In this fourth episode, Drs. Barczyk and Bouchard talk with Austin Griffiths, Ph.D., CSW, and Jonny Silva, D.S.W., to discover their pathways to entering a career in child welfare. They also discuss the benefits of—and barriers to—implementing a multidisciplinary approach to child welfare workforce training and education and Dr. Griffiths’ research on the child welfare workforce. Listeners will learn about opportunities offered at the LifeSkills Center for Child Welfare Education and Research at Western Kentucky University. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
1 Oct 2025
Clinical Supervision and Support, Pathways to Child Welfare Careers, Episode 3
In this third episode, Drs. Barczyk and Bouchard talk with Anita P. Barbee, Ph.D., M.S.S.W., Professor and Ph.D. Program Director at the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, at the University of Louisville. Dr. Barbee discusses the knowledge and skills she hopes clinical supervisors will gain from training, the supervisory practices that research has found to be effective at reducing turnover and burnout among child welfare workers, and why clinical supervision and workforce support programs matter. She also shares her own pathway to working in the field. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
24 Sept 2025
Clinical Licensure, Pathways to Child Welfare Careers, Episode 2
In this second episode, Drs. Barczyk and Bouchard talk with Myca Jeter, LMSW, LCSW, Director of Clinical Bridge at CWEL. Myca discusses her pathway to a career in child welfare, the importance of recruiting child welfare social workers for clinical licensure, and challenges to receiving licensure. She also talks about the impact of CWEL and its Clinical Bridge program in supporting individuals with an M.S.W. who seek licensure. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
17 Sept 2025
Title IV-E Education Programs, Pathways to Child Welfare Careers, Episode 1
In this first episode, Drs. Amanda Barczyk and Leah Bouchard talk with Melissa Batalden Mendez, M.S.W., LICSW, Child Welfare Education Partnership Coordinator at the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy. They also connect with title IV-E scholar Drew Middendorf, B.S.W., and title IV-E program alumna Christine (Chris) Sammon, M.S.W. Guests share their pathways to careers in child welfare and discuss title IV-E education programs, including how to get a stipend, the kinds of support to expect, and their overall value. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Melissa Batalden Mendez, M.S.W., LICSW, Child Welfare Education Partnership Coordinator, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy Melissa is a licensed clinical social worker in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. She's practiced child welfare social work within public and private child welfare agencies, primarily focused on foster care/kinship care, adoption, and post-adoption. Additionally, she's been on faculty for B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs at Minnesota universities and colleges for the last 12 years. Her current role is with the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy where she works with the Minnesota Title IV-E Child Welfare Consortium, a group of nine Minnesota university social work programs that have child welfare-specific programming to prepare students to work in public, private, and tribal settings. Drew Middendorf, B.S.W., Title IV-E Scholar at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) Drew is a recent graduate of the SMSU social work degree program. Drew is an active member of the SMSU Esports team and Social Work Club. Christine (Chris) Sammon, M.S.W., Rice County Child and Family Services Division Manager and title IV-E alumna from Minnesota State University, Mankato Chris has been a social worker in rural southern Minnesota for more than 25 years, during which time she has worked with youth, conducted family meeting conferences, and provided mental health and case management services. She currently serves as Child and Family Services Division Manager for Rice County Community Services. She received her B.S.W. from Minnesota State University, Mankato and returned for an M.S.W. through the Title IV-E Scholarship Program. Chris has since taught as an adjunct instructor in the university’s social work program, been a guest speaker for college title-IVE programs, and given panel presentations on topics such as trends in hiring and retention and supports for staff in county child welfare systems.
29 May 2024
The Future of Child Welfare Reform: Reforming Through Policies, Laws, and System Change
How can the child welfare system be reformed? Join Senior Research Associate Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W., as she talks with experts who share their perspectives. Guests will discuss significant problems facing the child welfare system; recommendations for improving, restructuring, or completely reimagining it; and thoughts on the role research and evaluation could play in advancing reform. In the fifth and final episode, Dr. Barczyk interviews Tleena Ives, M.A.O.L., the Director of Tribal Relations at Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families and enrolled member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. They discuss the creation, impact, and need for further reform of the Indian Child Welfare Act; services that can benefit children and families and the need for them to be culturally relevant; the importance of partnering with tribes; areas of training needed for state employees and researchers; and ways researchers can expand the field’s knowledge about the current problems facing children and families involved in the child welfare system. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The views expressed are those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. government.
15 May 2024
The Future of Child Welfare Reform: Taking Incremental Steps on the Path to Big Changes
How can the child welfare system be reformed? Join Senior Research Associate Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W., as she talks with experts who share their perspectives. Guests will discuss significant problems facing the child welfare system; recommendations for improving, restructuring, or completely reimagining it; and thoughts on the role research and evaluation could play in advancing reform. In this fourth episode, Dr. Barczyk talks with Sarah Font, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Pennsylvania State University. They discuss major problems facing the child welfare system, methods to improve evaluation metrics, the need for streamlined funding streams, and ways to obtain the perspectives of people with lived experience. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The views expressed are those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. government.
7 Feb 2024
The Future of Child Welfare Reform: 1. Abolishing the Child Welfare System, Part 1
How can the child welfare system be reformed? Join Senior Research Associate Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W., as she talks with experts who share their perspectives. Guests will discuss significant problems facing the child welfare system; recommendations for improving, restructuring, or completely reimagining it; and thoughts on the role research and evaluation could play in advancing reform. This first episode is part 1 of Dr. Barczyk’s talk with Dorothy Roberts, J.D., Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania and an acclaimed scholar of race, gender, and the law. They discuss major problems facing the child welfare system; what child welfare abolition means; how to build a more just approach to better meet the needs of children and families; and how reform could positively impact children who are overrepresented in the system, including BIPOC children and those identifying as LGBTQ+. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The views expressed are those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. government.
6 Feb 2024
The Future of Child Welfare Reform: Advocating for Child Welfare Reform
How can the child welfare system be reformed? Join Senior Research Associate Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W., as she talks with experts who share their perspectives. Guests will discuss significant problems facing the child welfare system; recommendations for improving, restructuring, or completely reimagining it; and thoughts on the role research and evaluation could play in advancing reform. Episodes will be released through spring 2024. In this third episode, Dr. Barczyk talks with Michelle D. Chan, a writer, activist, mother, and founder and director of California Families Rise. In addition to sharing her personal experience with the child welfare system as a parent, Ms. Chan discusses problems in the system; how advocates like her use data and research to drive their efforts; how data and research could be more accessible to community members, including those who interact with the system; and how researchers and evaluators could support advocacy efforts.
5 Feb 2024
The Future of Child Welfare Reform: Abolishing the Child Welfare System, Part 2
How can the child welfare system be reformed? Join Senior Research Associate Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W., as she talks with experts who share their perspectives. Guests will discuss significant problems facing the child welfare system; recommendations for improving, restructuring, or completely reimagining it; and thoughts on the role research and evaluation could play in advancing reform. This second episode is part 2 of Dr. Barczyk’s interview with Dorothy Roberts. They discuss the role research and data could play in advancing child welfare reform, including gaps in existing research, ways to measure the impact of reform strategies, and ways to improve the quality and relevance of research. Resource: Dorothy Roberts: https://www.dorothyeroberts.com/home
13 Oct 2022
Moving Beyond Data Collection: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 4
How can the child welfare system collect and use data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to ensure safe and affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, caregivers, and family members? Join Angela Weeks, D.B.A., director of the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (the National SOGIE Center), and Elliott Hinkle, B.A., P.S.S., national young adult consultant at the Children’s Bureau’s Capacity Building Center for States. In this fourth episode, Angela Weeks talks with Kamora Dawson, CNP, Lemon Pepper, and Jessie Fullenkamp, LMSW, of the Ruth Ellis Center. They discuss their statewide effort to collect SOGIE data with the Michigan Children’s Services Administration, how they grappled with confidentiality, and the top challenges staff identified. This podcast is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates in collaboration with the National SOGIE Center on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number 47QRAA20D0008. Resources Glossary: www.sogiecenter.org/media/ssw/institute/sogie-center/QIC-LGBTQ2S-SOGIE-Glossary.pdf National SOGIE Center: www.sogiecenter.org Ruth Ellis Center: www.ruthelliscenter.org Michigan SOGIE Data Collection Rollout infographic: https://www.sogiecenter.org/media/ssw/institute/sogie-center/Michigan-SOGIE-Data-Collection-Rollout-Graphic-508.pdf The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: www.988lifeline.org
6 Oct 2022
Storytelling With SOGIE Data: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 3
How can the child welfare system collect and use data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to ensure safe and affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, caregivers, and family members? Join Angela Weeks, D.B.A., director of the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (the National SOGIE Center), and Elliott Hinkle, B.A., P.S.S., national young adult consultant at the Children’s Bureau’s Capacity Building Center for States. In this third episode, Angela Weeks talks with Shauna Hines-Lucadamo, M.A., and Ellen Kitzerow of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Department of Human Services. They describe their decade long process to collect SOGIE data and how they used data dashboards to help change the way their workforce thought about SOGIE data collection. This podcast is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates in collaboration with the National SOGIE Center on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number 47QRAA20D0008. Resources Glossary: www.sogiecenter.org/media/ssw/institute/sogie-center/QIC-LGBTQ2S-SOGIE-Glossary.pdf National SOGIE Center: www.sogiecenter.org Center for the Study of Social Policy: https://cssp.org
30 Sept 2022
Implementing Organizational Change: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 2
How can the child welfare system collect and use data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to ensure safe and affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, caregivers, and family members? Join Angela Weeks, D.B.A., director of the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (the National SOGIE Center), and Elliott Hinkle, B.A., P.S.S., national young adult consultant at the Children’s Bureau’s Capacity Building Center for States. In this second episode, Angela Weeks talks with Jennifer Croessman, M.S.S.A., L.I.S.W., and Kori Sewell of the Department of Children and Family Services of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. They discuss the county’s efforts to safely and effectively collect SOGIE data from young people and lessons they learned along the way. This podcast is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates in collaboration with the National SOGIE Center on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number 47QRAA20D0008. Resources Glossary: www.sogiecenter.org/media/ssw/institute/sogie-center/QIC-LGBTQ2S-SOGIE-Glossary.pdf National SOGIE Center: www.sogiecenter.org The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org
30 Sept 2022
Understanding the Importance of SOGIE Data: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 1
How can the child welfare system collect and use data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to ensure safe and affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, caregivers, and family members? Join Angela Weeks, D.B.A., director of the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (the National SOGIE Center), and Elliott Hinkle, B.A., P.S.S., national young adult consultant at the Children’s Bureau’s Capacity Building Center for States. In this first episode, Elliott Hinkle talks with Angela Weeks and Sonia Emerson, a consultant to the National SOGIE Center on racial equity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and child welfare. They discuss what SOGIE data is and why it’s important, particularly to young people involved in the child welfare system. This podcast is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates in collaboration with the National SOGIE Center on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number 47QRAA20D0008. Resources Glossary: www.sogiecenter.org/media/ssw/institute/sogie-center/QIC-LGBTQ2S-SOGIE-Glossary.pdf National SOGIE Center: www.sogiecenter.org Capacity Building Center for States: https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: www.988lifeline.org
18 Apr 2022
Diversity, Engagement, & Co-Creation: Equity in Child Welfare Evaluation, Episode 4
How can child welfare programs advance racial equity through evaluation? This podcast follows Grace Atukpawu-Tipton, Ph.D., M.S.W., senior research associate and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at James Bell Associates, as she talks with experts in racial and ethnic equity, disparity, and disproportionality in child welfare and other human service systems. Join them as they explore approaches and methods to apply an equity framework in the evaluation of child welfare programs and practices. In this fourth episode, Dr. Atukpawu-Tipton talks with Jessica Pryce, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at Florida State University. Dr. Pryce draws on her experience with child welfare research in highlighting family resiliency, focusing on equity to address gaps in service access and delivery, increasing diversity in research teams, and involving individuals and communities with lived experience in child welfare in the co-creation of research and evaluation. This podcast is especially relevant for Children’s Bureau child welfare discretionary grantees in planning and implementing evaluations of their funded projects. It is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I.
5 Apr 2022
Family & Community Voice: Equity in Child Welfare Evaluation, Episode 3
How can child welfare programs advance racial equity through evaluation? This podcast follows Grace Atukpawu-Tipton, Ph.D., M.S.W., senior research associate and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at James Bell Associates, as she talks with experts in racial and ethnic equity, disparity, and disproportionality in child welfare and other human service systems. Join them as they explore approaches and methods to apply an equity framework in the evaluation of child welfare programs and practices. In this third episode, Dr. Atukpawu-Tipton talks with Alan Dettlaff, Ph.D., dean and inaugural Maconda Brown O’Connor Endowed Chair of the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. Through Dr. Dettlaff’s extensive work in addressing the impacts of structural and institutional racism on children of color in child welfare, he shares his thoughts on engaging families that have experienced fear and trauma in child welfare research and evaluation, valuing and understanding qualitative data, and elevating the voices of families in the research process. This podcast is especially relevant for Children’s Bureau child welfare discretionary grantees in planning and implementing evaluations of their funded projects. It is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I.
21 Mar 2022
Implicit Bias & Stigma: Equity in Child Welfare Evaluation, Episode 2
How can child welfare programs advance racial equity through evaluation? This podcast follows Grace Atukpawu-Tipton, Ph.D., M.S.W., senior research associate and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at James Bell Associates, as she talks with experts in racial and ethnic equity, disparity, and disproportionality in child welfare and other human service systems. Join them as they explore approaches and methods to apply an equity framework in the evaluation of child welfare programs and practices. In this second episode, Dr. Atukpawu-Tipton talks with Rita Cameron Wedding, Ph.D., professor of Women’s Studies and Ethnic Studies at Sacramento State University. Since 2005, Dr. Cameron Wedding has used her curriculum Implicit Bias: Impact on Decision-Making to train judges, public defenders, and practitioners in child welfare, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and education throughout the United States. She shares examples from her experience on topics including benefits and barriers to incorporating an equity perspective in evaluation, the role of implicit bias, and ways to avoid perpetuating stigma in language and research dissemination through collaboration and context. This podcast is especially relevant for Children’s Bureau child welfare discretionary grantees in planning and implementing evaluations of their funded projects. It is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I.
2 Mar 2022
Cultural Humility & Community Partnership: Equity in Child Welfare Evaluation, Episode 1
How can child welfare programs advance racial equity through evaluation? This podcast follows Grace Atukpawu-Tipton, Ph.D., M.S.W., senior research associate and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at James Bell Associates, as she talks with experts in racial and ethnic equity, disparity, and disproportionality in child welfare and other human service systems. Join them as they explore approaches and methods to apply an equity framework in the evaluation of child welfare programs and practices. In this first episode, Dr. Atukpawu-Tipton talks with her JBA colleague Tess Abrahamson-Richards, M.P.H., a senior research associate specializing in tribal evaluation and a member of the Spokane Tribe in Washington State. Ms. Abrahamson-Richards draws on her extensive experience to share lessons learned in conducting evaluations involving Native communities. She discusses the importance of bringing cultural humility, partnering with communities throughout the entire evaluation process, and including American Indian/Alaska Native as a demographic category in data sets. This podcast is especially relevant for Children’s Bureau child welfare discretionary grantees in planning and implementing evaluations of their funded projects. It is produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I.
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