Policy Analysis in Child Welfare: An Interview With Commissioner Bill Waldman

by Brad Forenza, MSW, PhD

     Hello, and happy Autumn!

     In the spirit of transition, this month’s column (and allied episode) spotlight the second part of my interview with Commissioner Bill Waldman, New Jersey’s longest serving commissioner of human services. This time, however, Commissioner Waldman speaks to change as it relates to the implementation of child welfare services in New Jersey - changes mirrored in other state agencies around the country. 

     As noted last month, Waldman and commissioners like him were responsible for overseeing some of the Garden State’s most nuanced programs and services, such as Medicaid, residential treatment, and child welfare. In 2006, New Jersey moved its state child welfare agency away from the Department of Human Services (Waldman was no longer commissioner) and into its own cabinet-level agency, represented by its own commissioner. This gave the needs of vulnerable children and families better visibility from, and access to, the governor, state legislators, and allied stakeholders. As Waldman implies, however, policy is ripe with unintended consequences. So, as you listen, think about the strengths and challenges of reorganizing efforts such as this one, and the ways in which they can impact consumers.

Brad Forenza, MSW, PhD, is an associate professor at Montclair State University and a recognized scholar of social policy. His research foci pertain to youth development, primary prevention, and civic engagement. His academic career is accentuated by direct social work practice at youth and family development agencies, program evaluation for clients in the human services, and public policy analysis at the state and federal levels. He regularly publishes and presents his work in national and international forums. His original, public scholarship also extends to the organization of practice-oriented events and panels, the production of documentary film and a social welfare podcast, and the authorship of practitioner interviews and many policy speeches.