The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group

03/25/2026

The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group's (CWG) work is only as strong as the people who make up our team. We're proud to spotlight Wendy Alexander and highlight her incredible experience and perspectives...Please do reach out to Wendy, or us here at CWG, if you're interested in learning more about how we all might be able to work together to drive systems change!

Wendy is a global child welfare and behavioral health strategist with over 20 years of experience leading systems transformation across the United States and internationally. She has served in director-level roles, driving cross-sector reform within child welfare and systems of care, with expertise in foster care, trauma-informed practice, placement stability, and culturally responsive service delivery.

With lived and professional experience across Dubai, Africa, Asia, and the U.S., Wendy brings a global lens to complex system challenges and supports organizations in strengthening outcomes for youth and families. She is known for identifying and addressing systemic barriers that impact placement stability shifting the focus from individual challenges to system-level solutions that create lasting change.

In addition to her systems work, Wendy is a business development strategist who partners with organizations to expand services, build sustainable programs, and position for growth across local and global markets. She also supports the thoughtful integration of innovation, including AI, into human service systems to enhance efficiency and impact.

As a speaker, trainer, and consultant, Wendy equips leaders with practical strategies that bridge policy, practice, and innovation to drive lasting systems change.

12/19/2025

CWG Executive Director Freida Baker is retiring 12-31-25. Incoming Executive Director Matthew (Matt) Claps has been introduced in prior posts, and Freida continues to express great confidence and excitement about Matt's appointment by the board.

Freida shared that CWG highlights include "working for and alongside Paul Vincent, learning from the excellent array of child welfare consultants associated with CWG, developing relationships across the country, and instilling a strong practice foundation for our social work interns." Not long after Freida was appointed in 2019, COVID loomed large, but the organization weathered challenging days and has continued to grow. She launched the CWG intern program, working in partnership with universities across Alabama to support BSW and MSW students. Final thoughts from Freida are shared below.

"After 43 years in child welfare, I am hopeful. Our field is working to embrace families as the partners they are and to honor the rights of families to be whole. Safety remains paramount, but emerging is a gentler, broader understanding of the concept of ‘safety’ that is more inclusive, less impulsive, and more likely to lead to successful collaboration with families. If we can continue this work and remain on a trajectory that leads to development of improved resources instead of punitive system responses, we will see healthier families, fewer adults in corrections, and a new generation of children who feel seen, heard, and respected. Always remember that our profession is noble. It is grounded in advocacy - which is not always easy to demonstrate and not always well-received. But if the whole world is against your client, your advocacy is more important than ever. A sincere thanks to my first caseload and all children and families since then. I still do not feel worthy to be in their presence. I especially want to thank those who taught me so much, celebrating successes and forgiving missteps along the way, i.e., co-workers, supervisors, colleagues and others. Finally, special thanks to the late Ruby M. Boykin, Rose M. Johnson, the late Paul Vincent, (CWG founder), Carolyn Lapsley, Jerry Milner, Margaret Bonham, Lu Missildine, Tom Bernier, Cornelius Bird, Sue Steib, and my sister Betty Barlow. I wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season, and my best always."

12/15/2025

A valued colleague and friend, Jennice Floyd, MSW, passed away 12-12-25 in The Villages, FL. Jennice fiercely believed in families and was an inspiring teacher and coach for caseworkers, supervisors, and leaders in child welfare across the country. She began her career with a caseload in the field at the Department of Human Resources in Alabama, where she held several roles including consultant, supervisor, and county director. Upon her retirement from DHR, she became a national child welfare consultant with CWG, where she conducted trainings, provided coaching, supported system assessments, review work, and many other opportunities. Jennice was so eager for children and families to experience improved outcomes, and was a consistent source of wisdom, patience, and kindness. She is survived by her husband Jim Peterson of The Villages, her sister Joan, and nieces. Please leave thoughts, memories, highlights below if you like. Jennice we are all better off because you were in the world, and we will miss you.

12/14/2025

Name that flashback!

12/14/2025

11-20-25: CWG Consultant Alan Butera, left, is pictured with Sam Rascon from the TRE program in Lea County, New Mexico. Since September, 2025, Sam has directed a full time curriculum for fathers in Lea - many of whom are CYFD involved fathers. The TRE program is one of two fatherhood specific programs known in the state of New Mexico. Butera participated in a group recently, finding the fathers were "actively engaged and challenged to discuss tough parenting topics that - absent Sam's efforts - it's unlikely anyone would be doing this with these men." Butera reports that Sam's work "extends beyond the classroom and many of the dads, if not all, are regularly talking with him and meeting with him for support regularly." CWG supports work with fathers and we appreciate the opportunity to learn more about resources for them in New Mexico. The link to the Tre website is below.

https://www.treprogram.com/our-vision

12/01/2025

11/07/2025

Yaay Matt! Incoming CWG Executive Director Matt Claps, MSW, (right), was recently recognized as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni of Social Work Practice Award winner at Florida State University. Pictured with Matt is Dr. David Springer, Dean of the FSU School of Social Work. The CWG Board of Directors and consultants offer heartfelt congratulations, and are very proud of this well-deserved accomplishment in Matt’s career.

10/31/2025

These two have something brewing... Happy Halloween from CWG!

10/22/2025

Incoming CWG Executive Director Matt Claps, left, and CWG child welfare consultant Alan Butera are working in Roswell, New Mexico this week. Important QSR and family teaming work in collaboration with CYFD and others. Great job you two!

10/08/2025

The Board of Directors of The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group (CWG) is excited to announce that Matthew (Matt) Claps, MSW, has been named as the next Executive Director of CWG following the retirement of the current Executive Director, Freida Baker, on 12-31-2025.

Claps brings an extensive history of national, state, and local experience in human services as a practitioner, senior leader and/or consultant. Guided by a core belief that kids have a right to be raised by family and families deserve the support to do so, he has championed efforts to improve practice through organizational supports so that youth and family outcomes are improved. His 25+ years of experience includes holding various state leadership roles in Florida, at both the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF); and being the Senior Director of Practice for Child and Family Services at Casey Family Programs, where he and his team provided practice leadership while he also consulting nationally on behalf of Casey. He was also a Principal Technical Assistance Consultant for the American Institutes for Research (AIR) where he was a subject matter expert in child welfare systems. Early in his career, he provided support to the Federal Court Monitor for Alabama's R.C. Consent Decree, where he first engaged with CWG in supporting Alabama's efforts to successfully exit the lawsuit.

Claps is well-versed in the Quality Services Review ©, (QSR), as an early contributor and having supported its development and implementation across the country. An engaging communicator, trainer, coach and consultant, Claps brings broad experience in conducting systems assessments using mixed quantitative and qualitative inquiry methods, developing and implementing practice and systems improvement initiatives, while also providing leadership and consultative support to numerous state, county and tribal social services systems, and private/not-for-profit agencies. He has been a frequent contributor to the child welfare literature and presents often at workshops, training, conferences, and other venues. He is a nationally recognized expert in Practice Model development and implementation, Continuous Quality Improvement and use of Qualitative Case Review methods to advance practice so youth and families may thrive.

Board Chair Tom Bernier emphasized that, by selecting Claps, the board made a decision “that will be in the best interest of CWG for years”. Claps recently moved to Tallahassee, FL from Bainbridge Island, WA. He received his bachelor’s from The University of Florida and the MSW from Florida State University. Claps can be reached at [email protected] and will officially begin his new role on January 1, 2026. Thank you for joining CWG in welcoming Matt and sending him our best wishes!

08/13/2025

Did you know there are 101 things you can do with a social work degree? Listen to this WUSB 90.1 FM Stony Brook interview with producer and host Allison Van Cott McEntee; Dr. Leah Topek-Walker, LCSW-R; and Silas W. Kelly, LMSW, recipient of the 2022 NASW Foundation International Rhoda G. Sarnat Award for his work in educating the public about the positive contributions of social workers. Kelly contributed to the newly released book “101 Things to Do With a Social Work Degree." The three talked about the book, library social work, and ethical storytelling. To listen: https://tinyurl.com/5ywn3cj3