DCS Talks

DCS Talks with Rebecca Bevans who is the Director of Training and Program Development in the Office of Child Safety at the Department of Children’s Services. The Office of Child Safety and its investigators train for and carry out the work of investigations, and they often coordinate their work with law enforcement, child advocacy centers and prosecutors. This division also supports the preservati...

In this edition of DCS Talks we would like to learn more about the legislative process and new laws are integrated into DCS policy and practice. We will discuss a few of the new laws that started in July of 2021 that impact DCS. 

In this edition of DCS Talsk, we interview Shay Jones the lead specialist of the TNDCS Non-Custodial Prevention Services program and this DCS program is established to provide resources for families to prevent children and youth coming into care. The focus on connecting families with prevention services not only aligns with research around permanency, but also supports the implementation of new fe...

DCS Talks about ChildStat which is a collaborative process for data collection and reporting. ChildStat uses a case conferencing model where one case is seen as an opportunity to critically analyze practice, policy, and procedures from a systems perspective. It helps to identify specifically what steps can be taken to enhance practice and promote safety and permanency. 

The Family First Prevention Act (FFPSA) was passed by Congress in 2018 as part of the bi-artisan spending bill.  FFPSA encourages child welfare agencies to join together with community partners to envision a new way of working together and supporting families.

Join the DCS Assistant Commissioner of Administration, Julie Rotella to learn about the importance of adoption as a permanency option for children who are in full guardianship in Tennessee. Ms. Rotella interviews DCS child welfare professionals and adoptive parents who share success stories and positive outcomes for children who have found forever families. 

DCS Talks podcaster and director, Kate Greer interviews professional social workers that work at the Department of Children's Services in honor of Social Worker Month. Social Work Month in March is a time to celebrate the great profession of social work.  According to the National Association of Social Work, "As practitioners, social workers are trained to help people address personal and sys...

In this edition DCS Talks to Sammi Maifair the Senior Associate Counsel at DCS and Lindsay Coleman the Director of Permanency Planning in the Office of Child Programs about confidentiality and building teams with families. Children, youth and families involved with DCS have the right to the privacy of their records and personal information. DCS has a coordinated system of policies and practices in...

DCS Director and podcaster, Kate Greer interviews Child Protective Services supervisor, Dale Lynn about mitigating bias in reports of child abuse and neglect. Mr. Lynn explains how being evidenced based is key to mitigating unconscious bias.  Mr. Lynn discusses understanding the history of a family while also having a fresh perspective and the ongoing understanding that people can make change...

DCS Talks podcaster and Assistant Commissioner, Julie Rotella asks child welfare professionals and foster parents, "Can there be too much holiday joy?" While the holidays are joyful for many there may also be times when the holidays may be stressful, especially in the child welfare community! Listeners will hear about ways to mitigate holiday stress as well as ideas from child welfare professional...

November is National Adoption Month! Each year, the Children's Bureau and child welfare agencies and across the country focus outreach and awareness-raising efforts around a new adoption-related theme to help support professionals working each day to find permanency for children and youth in foster care in their community. This year's National Adoption Month theme is "Engage Youth: Listen and Lear...

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness month, we are interviewing DCS case manager, Zanetta Williamson and two domestic violence liaisons, Valerie Conley and Elizabeth Vickers. Domestic violence is a social problem that affects families from all walks of life. Many families that experience domestic violence also come to the attention of the child welfare system. Our guests today are on the...

Rosie Heath  is the Deputy Compact Administrator for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) at the Department of Children’s Services. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children is an agreement between all fifty states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Compact Agreement provides for the movement and safe placement of children between states when th...

In this edition DCS Talks to Mr. Donovan Haynes who is the Director of Affirmative Action at DCS in the Office of Internal Affairs. Mr. Haynes has many duties as the Affirmative Action Director and one of the most important roles he oversees is as the Title VI Coordinator for DCS. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in a...

DCS Talks to Corrie Copeland  who serves as the Commissioner for the Interstate Commission for Juveniles at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services in the Office of Juvenile Justice. The Interstate Commission for Juvenile it is the governing body of laws that regulates the interstate movement of juveniles who are under court supervision or have run away to another state. Ms. Copeland...

DCS Talks About Transitioning to Adulthood in this edition, Tristan Slough discusses the importance of transitioning youth from DCS custody to adulthood. Tristan spent time in DCS custody and speaks from first hand experience. He currently serves as a Peer Support Worker with Monroe Harding.  Tristan shares his wisdom as he outlines the key principles of preparation and planning for our youth...

Join DCS Talks to discuss the importance of Full Disclosure with Director of Permanency Planning, Lindsay Coleman.  When a child comes to the attention of the DCS  and is potentially in need of out-of-home care, DCS takes responsibility to engage the family in identifying relatives or kin who may support the child and family.  As part of the process of building a team around the fam...

Diligent search is a process through which child welfare agencies recruit, retain, and support foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic diversity of children and build family teams. In this edition we will interview two subject matter experts on the topic of diligent searches in child welfare, first we talk to Alicia Wright who provides direct service to children and families as a case...

In this edition of DCS Talks,  DCS Assistant Commissioner, Julie Rotella interviews Jon Ebert, PsyD and Tarah Kuhn, Ph. D., psychologists from the Vanderbilt Center of Excellence, to discuss the virtual sessions, Roots of Resiliency that are currently being offered weekly for parents to ask questions, gather resources and interact around shared experiences.

DCS Talks about the laws around mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect in the state of Tennessee. This discussion lets the listener know that it is everyone's responsibility to report child abuse and neglect. Listeners will also be informed about what to expect when they call the child abuse hotline  and how to make a report.  

In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. join DCS Talks pod-caster and Assistant Commissioner of Administrative Services, Julie Rotella, LCSW as she discusses factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect. Did you know that two-thirds of children who were abused DO NOT grow up to be maltreating parents? Learn about this information as well as resiliency strategies to mitigate the poten...

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)  is a review process including an assessment and case reviews for the Children’s Bureau to monitor state child welfare programs and compliance with federal regulations. Program Director, Tony Nease explains the process and it supports the DCS principles of Safety, Permanency and Well-Being. 

Katie Butler, MSSW serves 8 counties in the East region as the Independent Living Program Specialist. Ms. Butler works with youth ages 14-23 that were in foster care to promote their safety and well-being as they transition into adulthood. Ms. Bulter is a social worker who started with DCS in 2006 as a member of one of the first cohorts of the DCS Title IV Tuition Assistance program after graduati...

Mary Rolando is the Adverse Childhood Experiences Innovation Director at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Ms. Rolando came to DCS from the Vanderbilt University Center of Excellence for Children and Youth In or at Risk of State Custody. Ms. Rolando has served as the representative to the Council on Children’s Mental Health, Tennessee Autism Summit Team, Infant Mental Health Initiat...

In this DCS Talks, Colt Marcengill and Anna Richmond, LAPSW discuss domestic violence in child welfare work and how the Safe and Together model impacts the families we serve . The Safe and Together model works to keep children safe and together with the non-offending parent to minimize additional trauma. The mission of Safe and Together is to create, nurture and sustain a global network of domesti...