Professional Interests 

Dr. Dettlaff’s research interests focus on improving outcomes for children of color in the child welfare system through the elimination of disproportionality and disparities. Specifically, Dr. Dettlaff is actively involved in research addressing the disproportionate overrepresentation of African American children in the child welfare system and identifying and understanding the needs of immigrant Latino children who come to the attention of this system. Dr. Dettlaff is Principal Investigator of a two grants that are evaluating interventions to reduce disproportionality in the Texas child welfare system, and is conducting a national study examining the state of child welfare policy and practice with immigrant families, funded by the American Humane Association. In 2007, Dr. Dettlaff co-edited a special issue of the journal Protecting Children on emerging issues in the intersection of immigration and child welfare. 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 disproportionate rates of African American children in the child welfare system
• Developing and evaluating interventions to address racial disproportionality
• Analyses of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) to identify the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of immigrant 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

Practice Experience

Dr. Dettlaff’s practice experience includes six years as a practitioner and administrator in public child welfare, where he specialized in investigations of abuse and neglect.

Selected Recent Publications

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (In Press). Factors contributing to disproportionality in the child welfare system: Views from the legal community. Social Work.

Dettlaff, A. J., & Rycraft, J. R. (In Press). Adapting systems of care for child welfare practice with immigrant Latino children and families. Evaluation and Program Planning.

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

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. (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 

CWLA National Advisory Council on Cultural Competence and Disproportionality

Migration and Child Welfare National Network

Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, Faculty Fellow

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

• Commission on Curriculum and Educational Innovation

Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)

Editorial Reviews

Child Welfare, Review Board

Families in Society, Consulting Editor

Journal of Poverty, Editorial Board Member