Former Leadership Team of U.S. Children's Bureau Launches Family Integrity & Justice Works at Public Knowledge®

LAKEWOOD, N.J., July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National Management Consulting Firm, Public Knowledge^®, welcomes the former leadership team of the U.S. Children's Bureau, David Kelly, Jerry Milner, and Christie Matlock, to launch the new Family Integrity & Justice Works (FIJW).

Family Integrity & Justice Works (FIJW) will catalyze and promote a radical vision for a child welfare replacement movement designed to honor the power of families and communities.

The team formerly led efforts at the Children's Bureau to promote a new vision for child welfare focused on family well-being, community empowerment, and primary prevention.

Family Integrity & Justice Works at Public Knowledge^® will drive a national effort to advance bold child welfare replacement strategies through public engagement, coalition building, advocacy, and direct technical assistance. The work will focus on solidifying a replacement for the child welfare system.

"To make real and lasting change, we must have a clear vision and relentlessly adhere to our core values. Public Knowledge^® is known for being value-driven and achieving meaningful, positive outcomes. They didn't get this reputation from accepting incremental change but from helping jurisdictions do right by children and families. It's a perfect fit, and I'm incredibly excited by what we can make possible together," Milner said.

The current system was never established to support families – it is reactive and often results in unnecessary family separation. The team will work with diverse stakeholders to craft and implement bold replacement strategies to proactively help and strengthen families.

"The FIJW is humbly committed to replacing, not improving, the current system with equitable practices to serve all families," Matlock said.

Building alternative approaches and replacing the child welfare system requires advocacy, lived expertise, grassroots support, and government action. David, Jerry, and Christie bring decades of combined experience with state and federal government, tribes, the legal and judicial community, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. This experience will allow them to navigate complexities across government and in communities. Along with the Public Knowledge^® team, they will work toward radical change and wholesale replacement of the current system.

"Change of the nature and magnitude needed requires all sectors to come together and recognize that to continue on the current path is to participate in harm and perpetuate injustice. FIJW is designed to support jurisdictions that are ready to step forward boldly. We must all see ourselves as key participants in realizing a new way," Kelly explained.

The Family Integrity & Justice Works will take an entrepreneurial approach to spur change. Family Integrity & Justice Works will join the community, organizational and agency leaders, individuals with lived expertise, and professionals to embrace fortifying and healing approaches.

"We have never had a child welfare system built to empower children and families. With innovation, the right people, partnerships, and experience, we can accelerate this work and do it right by the people we are all entrusted to serve. We are grateful to have David, Christie, and Jerry lead this effort and build Family Integrity & Justice Works at Public Knowledge. I can't wait to see what the future holds," said Public Knowledge^® President Stacey Obrecht.

About the Family Integrity & Justice Works 
The Family Integrity & Justice Works will advance a national vision of child and family well-being and transform child welfare into approaches that promote family unity, integrity, and justice. The work will focus on replacing the current child welfare system as opposed to improving existing systems that were never designed to support families. The Family Integrity & Justice Works will participate in efforts to end family and racial injustice in child welfare; partner with like-minded public, private, local, and other entities to strengthen their strategies; and serve as a national thought leader, specialized technical assistance provider, and communication conduit for radically replacing the current system with family fortifying and healing approaches. 

About Public Knowledge^®
Public Knowledge^® is a national management consulting firm focused on Programs, People, and Systems. We exist to empower our clients to solve tough problems and thrive in complex situations. For more than 30 years, we have helped our clients achieve their goals by understanding their needs and their objectives as a foundation for our problem-solving process. Our goal is to provide our clients with unparalleled service and act as their catalyst for positive outcomes. Learn more by visiting Pubknow.com.

Media Contact:
Stephanie Meisner, Public Knowledge^® 
[email protected], 307-314-3391

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SOURCE Public Knowledge