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Description:

Many child welfare systems have abdicated their duties in the wake of the pandemic \u2014 failing to identify and protect children who have fallen victim to maltreatment. How can child welfare officials inspire a different approach that increases touchpoints with children, uses the resources of caseworkers and foster families more effectively, and offers faster, better care coordination for vulnerable children? What role should technology companies play in collaborating with states to improve care coordination?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Greg McKay \u2014 the Director of Worldwide Health and Human Services for Microsoft and the former director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety \u2014 to discuss these questions and more. Greg talks about how his unique background in law enforcement, investigation, and foster parenting helped him take Arizona\u2019s child welfare system from \u201cworst\u201d to \u201cfirst\u201d on several measures. Later, Greg discusses the importance of updating state care coordination and record-keeping technology to allow case workers to spend more time in the field with vulnerable children and less time entering data into antiquated systems.

Resources:

What lessons can the child welfare system take from the COVID-19 pandemic?| Naomi Schaefer Riley et Al. | American Enterprise Institute

Child welfare in the midst of the pandemic | Naomi Schaefer Riley et Al. | American Enterprise Institute

 Show notes:

01:20 | Greg McKay\u2019s background in law enforcement, investigation, foster parenting, child welfare administration, and technology

02:35 | Taking Arizona\u2019s child welfare system from \u201cworst\u201d to \u201cfirst\u201d

07:16 | How antiquated technology is limiting case workers\u2019 ability to protect children during the pandemic

08:58 | How the pandemic is reducing the number of abuse and maltreatment cases that get reported, and what that means for children

10:25 | Why children need to return to in-person learning

16:50 | The most effective intervention technology companies can offer child welfare officials

19:25 | Increasing partnership and care coordination between government systems