This episode of Nonprofit Report features a conversation with leaders working to improve the lives of children in the state of Georgia. Together, they discuss systemic challenges, community partnerships, and the need for coordinated solutions across agencies and service providers.
Guests:
Juanita Stedman, Executive Director, Together Georgia
Gwen Skinner, VP of Operations, Devereux Georgia
Interview by: Mark Oppenheim
Key Points:
- Children in care are the responsibility of all. Stedman emphasizes that children in state custody are a shared community responsibility—not only for DFCS, but for schools, faith communities, health agencies, and local leaders. Together Georgia’s Better Together initiative convenes stakeholders to identify needs and connect families to existing resources.
- Devereux Georgia serves youth with some of the most complex needs—often after dozens of failed placements—requiring persistence, creativity, and unwavering commitment.
- Both leaders draw on long careers in public service. Stedman, a former juvenile court judge, now advocates for providers at the policy level. Skinner, with decades in juvenile justice and mental health, brings a foster parent’s compassion to her leadership role.
- Oversight protects children, but bureaucracy can delay or block effective solutions. Regular meetings between agencies and providers in Georgia have improved communication and problem-solving.
- Many of today’s most challenging cases involve children with significant mental health or developmental needs. Prevention, early intervention, and integrated services across systems are key to reducing the number of children entering care.
Other Points on Georgia’s Child Welfare System:
Both Stedman and Skinner stress the importance of breaking down silos between mental health, child welfare, education, and other systems. Collaboration at the community level ensures that resources are maximized and families receive the right help at the right time, as well as ensure that everyone in the network is doing their part to ensure children are advocated for fairly.
Trust and relationships are at the heart of lasting change. By bringing providers, policymakers, and communities together in open dialogue, Georgia can build a stronger, more responsive safety net for its most vulnerable children.