Professional Interests 

Dr. Dettlaff's research interests focus on improving outcomes for children of color in the child welfare system through the elimination of racial disparities. Specifically, Dr. Dettlaff is actively involved in research addressing the overrepresentation of African American children in the child welfare system and identifying and understanding the unique needs of immigrant Latino children who come to the attention of this system. Dr. Dettlaff is also Principal Investigator of the Jane Addams Child Welfare Traineeship Project, which provides advanced training and financial assistance to students pursuing careers in child welfare.

Current Research

• Examining the factors that contribute to disparate outcomes for African American children in the child welfare system
• Developing and evaluating interventions to address racial disparities
• Analyses of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) to identify the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of immigrant Latino children and families in the child welfare system
• Examining the current state of policy and practice with immigrant children and families in the child welfare system

Teaching

• Child and Family Practice III
• Child and Family Practice IV
• Advanced Child Welfare Practice

Practice Experience

Dr. Dettlaff's practice experience includes several years as a practitioner and administrator in public child welfare, where he specialized in investigations of maltreatment.

Selected Recent Publications

Dettlaff, A. J., & Fong, R. (in press). Conducting culturally competent evaluations of child welfare programs and practices. Child Welfare.

Velazquez, S., & Dettlaff, A. J. (in press). Immigrant children and child welfare in the United States: Demographics, legislation, research, policy, and practice impacting public services. Child Indicators Research.

Thomas, K. A., & Dettlaff, A. J. (in press). African American families and the role of physical discipline: Witnessing the past in the present. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment.

Dettlaff, A. J., Rivaux, S. R., Baumann, D. J., Fluke, J. D., Rycraft, J. R., & James, J. (2011). Disentangling substantiation: The influence of race, income, and risk on the substantiation decision in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.04.005

Dettlaff, A. J., & Johnson, M. A. (2011). Child maltreatment dynamics among immigrant and U.S. born Latino children: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 936-944.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Berger Cardoso, J. (2010). Mental health need and service use among Latino children of immigrants in the child welfare system. Children and Youth Services Review,32,1373-1379.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (2010). Factors contributing to disproportionality in the child welfare system: Views from the legal community. Social Work, 55, 213-224.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (2010). Adapting systems of care for child welfare practice with immigrant Latino children and families. Evaluation and Program Planning, 33, 303-310.

Phillips, S. D., Dettlaff, A. J., & Baldwin, M. J. (2010). An exploratory study of the range of implications of families' criminal justice system involvement in child welfare cases. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 544-550.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (2009). Culturally competent systems of care with Latino children and families. Child Welfare, 88(6), 109-126.

Rycraft, J. R., & Dettlaff, A. J. (2009). Hurdling the artificial fence between child welfare and the community: Engaging community partners to address disproportionality. Journal of Community Practice, 17, 464-482.

Dettlaff, A. J., Vidal de Haymes, M., Velazquez, S., Mindell, R., & Bruce, L. (2009). Emerging issues in the intersection of immigration and child welfare: Results from a transnational research and policy forum. Child Welfare, 88(2), 47-67.

Dettlaff, A. J., Earner, I., & Phillips, S. D. (2009). Latino children of immigrants in the child welfare system: Prevalence, characteristics, and risk. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 775-783.

Phillips, S. D., & Dettlaff, A. J. (2009). More than parents in prison: The broader overlap between the criminal justice and child welfare systems. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3, 3-22.

Dettlaff, A. J. (2008). Immigrant Latino children and families in child welfare: A framework for conducting a cultural assessment. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2, 451-470.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (2008). Deconstructing disproportionality: Views from multiple community stakeholders. Child Welfare, 87(2), 37-58.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (2006). The impact of migration and acculturation on Latino children and families: Implications for child welfare practice. Protecting Children, 21(2), 6-21.

Affiliations, Associations & Consultations 

Chair, CSWE Commission on Educational Policy

Faculty Fellow, Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy

Chair, Research Committee, Migration and Child Welfare National Network

Member, CWLA National Advisory Council on Cultural Competence and Disproportionality

Member, Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)

Editorial Reviews

Child Welfare, Review Board

Families in Society, Consulting Editor