Baltimore, MD (December 15, 2014) — Maryland Department of Human Resources Secretary
Ted Dallas will receive a Casey Excellence for Children Award for Child Welfare Leader for
2014. The award is bestowed by Casey Family Programs to honor leaders who have made
substantial contributions to the child welfare field and have helped to improve the lives of
children and families.
“This award belongs to the thousands of hard working and dedicated DHR child welfare
professionals who come to work each day and improve the lives of the vulnerable Maryland
children and families we serve,” Secretary Dallas said. “I am also grateful for our Social Services
leadership team, Governor O’Malley and Lieutenant Governor Brown for their commitment to
children and support of initiatives critical to our success. We could not have recorded these
accomplishments without their leadership and commitment.”
The Casey Excellence for Children Award for Child Welfare Leader recognizes efforts in
Maryland to focus child welfare policy on promoting safety, family strengthening, permanency
and community-based services for children and families. Under DHR’s Place Matters Initiative
launched in 2007, the department has significantly improved child welfare outcomes, including:
- Maryland has driven down the number of children in out-of-home care by 50%.
- More than 19,300 children found permanent homes through family reunification,
adoption or guardianship. - The number of youth in group home placements has decreased by more than 50%.
- There are fewer children in foster care today in Maryland than at any time in the past 27
years when electronic record keeping began.
Secretary Dallas and other award winners will receive their awards at a Casey Family Programs
reception in Seattle on Jan. 13, 2015.
Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing
the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families across
America. Founded in 1966, they work in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to
influence long-lasting improvements to the safety and success of children, families and the
communities where they live.
Media contact: Brian Schleter
410-767-8944
DHR Communications
MD Department of Human Resources
