In this first episode, Drs. Amanda Barczyk and Leah Bouchard talk with Melissa Batalden Mendez, M.S.W., LICSW, Child Welfare Education Partnership Coordinator at the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy. They also connect with title IV-E scholar Drew Middendorf, B.S.W., and title IV-E program alumna Christine (Chris) Sammon, M.S.W. Guests share their pathways to careers in child welfare and discuss title IV-E education programs, including how to get a stipend, the kinds of support to expect, and their overall value. This podcast series was produced and distributed by James Bell Associates on behalf of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSP233201500133I. The opinions and ideas expressed in the podcasts are those of the panelists and do not necessarily represent the official views, policies, or positions of the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Melissa Batalden Mendez, M.S.W., LICSW, Child Welfare Education Partnership Coordinator, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy Melissa is a licensed clinical social worker in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. She's practiced child welfare social work within public and private child welfare agencies, primarily focused on foster care/kinship care, adoption, and post-adoption. Additionally, she's been on faculty for B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs at Minnesota universities and colleges for the last 12 years. Her current role is with the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy where she works with the Minnesota Title IV-E Child Welfare Consortium, a group of nine Minnesota university social work programs that have child welfare-specific programming to prepare students to work in public, private, and tribal settings. Drew Middendorf, B.S.W., Title IV-E Scholar at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) Drew is a recent graduate of the SMSU social work degree program. Drew is an active member of the SMSU Esports team and Social Work Club. Christine (Chris) Sammon, M.S.W., Rice County Child and Family Services Division Manager and title IV-E alumna from Minnesota State University, Mankato Chris has been a social worker in rural southern Minnesota for more than 25 years, during which time she has worked with youth, conducted family meeting conferences, and provided mental health and case management services. She currently serves as Child and Family Services Division Manager for Rice County Community Services. She received her B.S.W. from Minnesota State University, Mankato and returned for an M.S.W. through the Title IV-E Scholarship Program. Chris has since taught as an adjunct instructor in the university’s social work program, been a guest speaker for college title-IVE programs, and given panel presentations on topics such as trends in hiring and retention and supports for staff in county child welfare systems.
