David Thompson
Child Safety Manager
Child Safety and Permanency
Minnesota Department of Human Services
444 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155 |
Minnesota
David Thompson demonstrates commitment and dedication to
achieving positive change within the child protection system, always
striving to improve child safety and family stability. Throughout his
distinguished management career in Minnesota's State and county
human services, Mr. Thompson has remained focused on improving the
child welfare system and related interventions to generate the greatest
positive impact on children and their parents.
Most notably, Mr. Thompson led the Minnesota Alternative Response
Demonstration Project, which realized the impressive outcomes of
improved child safety, greater family stability, and cost-effectiveness,
as well as resulted in a statewide differential response child protection
system. As a consequence of his efforts, Minnesota has a continuum
of responses available, allowing for interventions that respond proportionately
to the severity of the child safety concern, flexibility to meet
family and child needs, as well as ensuring that child safety and family
stability are built on the strengths and protective capacities of families.
The establishment of a statewide differential response system changed
statutory mandates, revised policy, and, most significantly, improved
direct practice between social workers and families around child safety
concerns. Mr. Thompson accomplished this through private foundation
and public sector partnership; county, tribal, and community provider
collaboration; and maximization of shared learning. He exhibits an
exceptional capacity to direct and guide system improvement via effective
delivery of technical assistance; promotion of policy and practice
improvements; coordination of training, evaluation, funding supports;
and meaningful collaboration with county, tribal, and community
stakeholders using a parallel process that reflects Minnesota's practice
principles with families.
Mr. Thompson's deep respect for families and awareness of the challenging
work of county and tribal social service agencies provide the
foundation of his ongoing efforts to pursue reforms that respond early
and effectively to families and children in need. He continues to guide
Minnesota in efforts toward early provision of services and enhancement
of the State's child protection response interventions, supports,
and services to ultimately achieve positive outcomes of child safety and
well-being and family stability. Thanks to Mr. Thompson, Minnesota's
children and families live a better life.
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