Matthew Claps Email & Phone Number

A Principal Technical Assistance Consultant in the Youth, Family and Community Development program in the Human Services Division at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Responsibilities include serving as a subject matter expert in the provision of training and technical assistance in human services with a focus on improving child welfare and related inter-disciplinary systems to help clients accomplish their goals. Working with federal, states, counties, tribes and local partners, design, implement, evaluate and scale effective and promising evidenced-based programs and practices to improve outcomes for youth, families and communities. Build and facilitate cross sector teams who collectively advance improvement strategies. Utilize methodologies that draw from systems theory, organizational development, continuous quality improvement, implementation science, change management and adult learning theories. Design and execute strategy to accomplish project goals. Lead business development efforts, including developing responses to proposals. Recruit and manage project teams. Build and manage project implementation plans and budgets.

Working with both state child welfare and behavioral health systems, provided consulting services focusing on the implementation of best practices, policies and other program infrastructure to advance the quality of practice to improve outcomes for youth, family and communities. Consultation included: - Developing and implementing qualitative case review protocols. - Developing, delivering and evaluating training curriculums and staff professional development initiatives. - Facilitating strategic workplan development to advance system improvement efforts, and the related policy and data analysis needed to support such efforts. - Coaching staff and leadership on organizational culture, implementation, and use of data. - Stakeholder engagement, meeting planning and facilitation. - Developing and implementing continuous quality improvement processes and related program evaluation methods, including the use of quantitative and qualitative measurement and building data collection instruments.- Lead, or participate as a member of, third-party evaluation teams. - Present to key stakeholder audiences and author of summary reports.Affiliations include Human Systems and Outcomes (January 2006 - July 2011), Janus Consulting and The Center for the Study of Social Policy (2023), New Mexico State University - Center for Innovation (2023) and the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group (2023).

Seattle, Wa

A senior leadership team member in Child and Family Services (CFS) within Casey Family Programs. CFS is comprised of ten service sites in five different states (WA, TX, AZ, CA, ID), with ~ 175 staff serving 1,200+ youth and families per year with a $35 million annual budget. In this role, provided leadership and guidance on all child welfare services. This includes leading and implementing practices, policies and programs, maintaining services accreditation, continuous quality improvement initiatives and clinical skills training and professional development of staff. Consulted with more than twenty child welfare systems (federal, state, county or tribal governments or provider agencies) across the country. Was either the lead, or a member of, onsite interdisciplinary teams as part of foundation's mission to provide, improve and ultimately prevent the need for foster care. In support of the organizations goals of demonstrating direct child welfare practice to influence and improve public systems, provided strategic direction and leadership to the development and implementation of CFS's integrated Practice Model and related functional assessments, clinical practices, electronic health record system, CQI processes and data and reporting. Working in partnership with research services, was the co-lead for comprehensive evaluations. Was co-lead for initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Was co-lead for initiatives to embed the principles and values of a trauma and healing informed system of care across CFS. Lead for the organization for the 2013, 2017 and 2021 Council on Accreditation (COA) reviews of direct service standards. Ensured CFS met all accreditation requirements. Recognized by COA for delivering exemplary programs. Co-lead for strategic planning for CFS to develop 5-yr. strategic plan (2018-2024).Developed and managed contracts and budgets (~ 3 million / year). Supervised a team of four senior-level program advisors.

Tallahassee, Florida

Member of the senior leadership team for statewide child welfare system and supervised a team of up to ten program staff. Directed training and professional development for Florida's child welfare professionals, a 4,000+ person workforce with approximately 1,000 persons completing required training and certification annually. This included leading the development and implementation of new statewide training curriculum and administrative rules for professional training and certification. Managed a $16.8 million annual training budget and oversaw multiple university contracts to deliver the training system. Collaborated with a number of stakeholders for developing and implementing the policy framework (statutes, rules, procedures) for Florida's child welfare system. This included co-leading the development, implementation and evaluation of Florida's Family Centered Practice Model and related activities for establishing three Innovation Sites across the state. Directed a variety of initiatives to meet programmatic goals, improve the quality of services and achieve outcomes for children and families. Activities included developing trainings, organizing a statewide child welfare trainers network, and managing several contracts for technical assistance and consultation support. Completed state and federal planning and reporting requirements. Re-designed and implemented Florida's Child Welfare Leadership Program in which costs were reduced by 50% while simultaneously increasing enrollment by 100%. Appointed to various interagency workgroups and comittees, including: Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Child Protection Interagency Committee; A member of the Interagency "Rapid Response Team" for children and families (including author of team's organizing charter) and was the Chairperson for the Steering Committee of Florida's Center for the Advancement of Child Welfare Practice (2008-2011).

Tallahassee, Florida

In this role, was a member of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) twelve person Executive Management Team and supervised a team of two senior level policy analyst positions. APD served over 30,000 clients with approximately 2,000 employees and a $1.2 Billion budget. This position was the liaison between the Central Office and the Community Services Division's fifteen statewide area offices. Provided operational direction and technical assistance for Home and Community Based Waiver (HCBS) funded services for the state Developmental Disability program. Other roles and responsibilites included developing and managing the agency's strategic planning process and developing and piloting the agency's qualitative monitoring. Was also the agency's lead for child welfare and children's mental health related policy and practice issues, requiring significant collaboration with a number of stakeholders, as well as, working in support of a variety of legislative priorities for youth and families. Appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to the Statewide Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Council (2007-2008).

Consulted with state agencies and not for profit programs. Developed and implemented quality assurance, policy, program and training strategies focusing on child welfare, mental health, developmental disability and special education systems. Conducted ongoing program evaluations in support of these efforts. Consulting work was across 10 different states (AL, FL, GA, D.C., IA, DE, MA, ME, TN, MI), which included coordinating the statewide federal court monitoring activities for Alabama's child welfare system (R.C. Consent Decree) and developing and implementing the qualitative federal monitoring tools for the District of Columbia's mental health system (Dixon Consent Decree). Based on the scale and scope of the project, organized and led teams of sub-contracted consultants necessary to meet project goals.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

Completed a variety of teaching, research and grant-related projects as both a masters and doctoral student. Graduate Instructor or Teaching Assistant for Florida State University School of Social Work courses, including Theories and Models of Social Work Practice (instructor), Social Work Research and Evaluation (teaching assistant) and Child Welfare Policy and Practice (teaching assistant). Managed a three-year federally funded grant ($460,000) to develop an integrated child welfare and children's mental health concentration and certification program for the School of Social Work. Additional paid internships as a school social worker (1999) Child Protective Investigator (2000) and prison counselor (2001) for Serious Violent Offenders.

Jacksonville, Fl

Case Management and counseling services for youth involved with the juvenile justice system and crossover youth in foster care. Completed screenings & assessments, developed treatment plans and provided crisis counseling in the Juvenile Assessment and Detention Center for Duval County, Florida. Maintained a caseload providing case management services for youth and families. Coordinated and brokered services. Facilitated individual and group counseling sessions for youth and families receiving services from the agency.

Msw, Social Work

Three additional years of doctoral studies focusing on social policy analysis, systems of care, research and program evaluation.

B.S., Psychology, Minor In Religion