Professional Expertise
Dr. Mannes has dedicated his professional life to human services, particularly in the areas of social and child welfare policy, child and family services, family-based reforms, and American Indian and Alaskan Native child and family programming. His work focuses on the intersection of policy, applied social science research, organizational and community change, program and product development, and training. He is an author, speaker, consultant, and educator.
Contributions to Search Institute
Dr. Mannes leads the strategic direction for Search Institute’s research and evaluation efforts in conjunction with the president and executive team, as well as directs the development of research and evaluation projects and coordinates interdivisional projects. He also directs the operations and staff of the Research and Evaluation Group.
Professional History
Dr. Mannes most recently served as executive director of the National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice at the University of Iowa, and held an academic appointment as an adjunct associate professor in the School of Social Work. His career in human services spans more than two decades and includes many leadership positions in which he has conceptualized and developed policy, regulations, and exemplary programs at the national, state, and local level. Additional experience includes:
- Child welfare program specialist, Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.
- Adjunct professor, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
- Assistant professor and director, Family Preservation Institute, Department of Social Work, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces
- Senior program manager, American Indian Law Center, Inc., University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque
Education
- Ph.D. in human services studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
- M.S. in education, instructional systems technology, Indiana University, Bloomington
- B.A. in literature, The American University, Washington, D.C.
Major Publications
- Co-editor, contributing author, Setting Direction for Family-Centered Services in Child Welfare into the Twenty-First Century (Columbia University Press, in development)
- The Evolution and Implications of Reforms for Public Child Welfare and Community-Based Family Support (American Humane Association, 1998)
- Co-author, “Revisiting the Concept of Community,” Prevention Report (National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice, University of Iowa, 1998)
- “The New Psychology and Economics of Permanency,” Prevention Report (National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice, University of Iowa, 1998)
- “Factors and Events Leading to Passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act,” Child Welfare (1995)
- “Family Preservation: A Professional Reform Movement,” Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare (1993)
- “Seeking the Balance Between Child Protection and Family Preservation in Indian Child Welfare,” Child Welfare (1993)
- Co-author, “Consent Decrees in Public Child Welfare: An Evolutionary and Descriptive Analysis,” Journal of Law and Social Work (1992)
- Co-author, editor, Leadership in Administering Indian Human Services (Department of Social Work, New Mexico State University, 1991)
- Co-author, Marketing Human Service Innovations (American Indian Law Center, 1989)
Awards and Honors
Dr. Mannes was a member of a working group that received an award from the Secretary of Health and Human Services for outstanding team effort in developing timely and effective guidance for states regarding the federal Family Preservation and Support Services Program, 1994. He also received the “Best of West” award in recognition of the best general adult informational radio broadcast in 13 western states and three Canadian provinces, 1979.
Professional Activities
- Advisory Board member, National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment
