Finding the Heart of Title IV-E With Dean Miller – Part 1 (Episode 86)

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"Through the work of CW PREP, we've really sought to change that narrative and to show people the power that is public child welfare, and the possibility that could be, once we get folks in it." —Dean Justin Miller, University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky has sought to build the future of the child welfare workforce through the development of its Child Welfare (CW) PREP program—a Title IV-E Prevention Services Program, as amended by the Family First Prevention Services Act, focused on building pathways to careers in social work for young people eligible for Chafee and Education and Training Voucher funding.

This episode is the first of a two-part conversation with Justin Miller, D.S.W., dean of the University of Kentucky's College of Social Work. It focuses on how child welfare agencies can strategically market their title IV-E programs to both young people and their families to break down uncertainty around program eligibility and meet youth where they are. The episode emphasizes the importance of advertising to all members of a youth's support group to help clearly show how the agency can support youth's short- and long-term goals.

The following individuals are featured in this episode:

• Dr. Justin Miller, dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky, founder of the Jefferson County Foster Care Peer Support Program and the Kentucky Chapter of the Foster Care Alumni of America, cofounder of the Louisville Association of Social Workers, and a proud foster and kinship care alum.

Topics discussed include the following:

• How the construction of Kentucky's CW PREP program has led to a rise in title IV-E students across the State.
• How to strategically market title IV-E programs to youth and their families to increase understanding and buy-in.

The importance of centering young people and social workers as key contributors in child-serving systems.