Hi, I'm Stephen Budde
Stephen Budde, PhD, LCSW
Executive Vice President
I am Executive Vice President of JPA and a Lecturer at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. I have over 30 years of experience in child welfare and mental health as a researcher, teacher, administrator, trainer, consultant, and therapist, including ten years as JPA’s Director of Clinical Programs.
I have led or participated in numerous evaluations and studies at JPA and as Senior Researcher and Assistant Professor at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. I consult on best practices, evaluation, and quality improvement to the Illinois DCFS, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois, Illinois Children’s Justice Task Force, Casey Family Programs, multiple private child welfare and mental health agencies, and foundations.
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My research and practice interests include the power of relationships and relationship-oriented intervention strategies; mental health interventions and consultation for professionals in early childhood programs and elementary schools; clinical and program level theories of change, engagement and retention of children and parents in services in child abuse prevention, mental health, and foster care programs; mental health and psychiatric hospitalization outcomes for children in care; conceptualizing and measuring child well-being; child protection decision making; residential care approaches and outcomes; and philosophy of science.
In addition to external projects, I oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of JPA’s Connect 2 Kids (C2K) program. This innovative program provides clinical consultation and support to teachers and parents to help them understand and respond more effectively to the social and emotional needs of children throughout elementary and middle school.
My BSW is from George Williams College; my AM and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. I belong to the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Psychological Association, Intrapsychic Humanism Society, and the Psychotherapy Action Network.