This week’s episode sheds light on the ongoing barriers to effectively engaging people with lived experience in child welfare system transformation. Recognizing that the community holds the answers has become a central theme in many conversations, yet agencies often lack the skills and experience needed to work with them well. It’s easy for leaders to fall back on old ways of thinking, outdated power dynamics, and the lack of financial incentives to change. Elliott and Tecoria talk to Jennifer Holman, Oregon Department of Human Services’ Family Preservation Manager, and Jeanine Morales, a Senior Advisor and lived expert at Foster America. They share their journey and the challenges of changing traditional government approaches to focus on community-driven solutions.
While Jennifer and Jeanine describe how ODHS is striving to better integrate voices of lived experience to drive meaningful change, they are honest about not having all the answers. What they aim to convey to listeners is how to navigate situations when solutions are not readily available. They emphasize the importance of patience, honesty, and prioritizing relationships.
