Dr. Angela Pharris — The Science of Hope

Four experts in human services from around the country give their perspectives on the value of upstream support in preventing downstream crises. Frank Alexander talks about how data transparency can help systems react to root causes quicker. Kristie Gordy talks about WY Home Matters and using all the resources of an agency to support families across their interactions. David Reed breaks down how he led a push in Indiana to save money by creatively using federal funds to tackle root causes of foster care removals. And Christine Norbut Beyer discusses how New Jersey leverages universal home visits by nurses to new parents to provide support in the home and prevent future challenges. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com, or email Deb Shropshire ([email protected]) or Kelly Harder ([email protected]).

Liesl Wendt, Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), joins Dr. Deb and Kelly to talk about how compliance doesn’t have to limit creativity, how an over reliance on the text of policy can limit how well the practice works, and how those served by human services should feel welcomed and be treated with dignity when they interact with agencies. Liesl spoke about how her upbringing emphasized service to others, and the ways she’s taken that into her career. Before her current role at ODHS, Liesl served statewide as both a technical advisor and as the self-sufficiency director over things like SNAP and TANF for the state. She also served as a county commissioner and later a county director of human services for Multnomah County, which contains most of Portland. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com, or email Deb Shropshire ([email protected]) or Kelly Harder ([email protected]).

Frank Alexander, deputy director of Boulder Housing Partners, joins Dr. Deb and Kelly to talk about taking a systems-level approach to hyper-local issues in human services. Frank spoke about how his experience in housing assistance taught him about the way human services systems can utilize data to improve outcomes. He also describes the way those systems often fail the people they serve, and specifically how the overuse of investigations as a tool can erode trust. Before his current role at BHP, Frank built a career working in housing and human services at different levels, including more than 15 years leading the programs in Boulder county, Colorado and more than a year in national leadership at Casey Family Programs. He has received awards for his work by the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and Casey Family Programs, and under his leadership Boulder County Housing and Human Services won more than 60 other awards for outstanding service. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com, or email Deb Shropshire ([email protected]) or Kelly Harder ([email protected]).

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Stephanie Muth, the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, to talk about the importance of “why” in organizational leadership. She also spoke about how good internal communications supports the work being done by the department, and ways to integrate interagency collaboration into both the planning and execution of the services being provided by the agency. Before her current role as executive commissioner, Muth served as commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, as well as a series of executive positions over her more than two decades of work in the state. She traces her beginnings in the public sphere back to the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, where she obtained first her Master’s in Public Affairs, and where she later attended as part of the Governor’s Executive Development Program. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com, or email Deb Shropshire ([email protected]) or Kelly Harder ([email protected]).

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Christine Norbut Beyer, the former Commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families, to talk about building systems that listen to the people they serve, support their employees, and last beyond any one leader. Christine discusses how the department navigated crises under her leadership and the lessons she learned while bringing all stakeholders to the table to support children and families. Before spending more than eight years at NJDCF, Beyer served as Senior Director of Strategic Consulting for Casey Family Programs where she worked with states around the country to improve outcomes for children and families in the foster care system. She also previously held leadership positions in New Jersey’s child welfare system, including as the director of the state’s child protective services agency. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com, or email Deb Shropshire ([email protected]) or Kelly Harder ([email protected]).