As APLD fellows, Regina Branch and Jamielah Jenkins of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services each led research projects focused on strengthening father and paternal family engagement.
AdoptUSKids celebrates the newest leaders in child welfare. This year’s APLD fellows tackled key issues and shared ideas to improve foster care and adoption outcomes. Applications for the 2026 cohort open January 9.
Children adopted from foster care may face mental or behavioral health challenges tied to trauma and loss. Learn eight ways to guide families toward mental health support for their children.
Relationship-building isn’t always instinctive, especially when trauma and loss shape a child’s worldview. When parents and youth struggle to connect, the right guidance can make all the difference. In this blog post, child welfare expert Mary Boo shares actionable strategies to help families embrace trauma-responsive parenting, focus on connection before correction, prioritize cultural competence, and nurture authentic bonds.
Phoenix Santiago didn’t grow up discussing policy, but her time in foster care showed her firsthand its real impact on actual lives. And while that lived experience proved invaluable in her child welfare work, she felt she needed more to make the desired difference in the industry. “We never talked about data and policy at home,” she said, “and I didn’t think I had that skillset.” In 2023, she resolved to change that, and her…
Greta Archbold, who works in the New York City regional office, researched how to better prepare regional office staff to make kinship placements.