Department of Human Services

Commissioner Harris receives 2003 Public Policy Leadership Award
from Rutgers Helps Governor unveil Cabinet for Children

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY – In recognition of her record as a social worker, public policy leader,director and commissioner, as well as her record of excellence in caring for people, the Rutgers’ School of Social Work honored Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris with the 2003 Public Policy Leadership Award at its 10th Annual Special Awards Dinner on Monday, May 19, 2003. She appeared with Governor Jim McGreevey, who unveiled his Cabinet for Children plan earlier in the evening.

“As Commissioner Harris embarks on her monumental task of transforming child protective services across the state,we wanted to recognize her life history of helping people,” said the Dean of the School of Social Work, Mary Edna Davidson, who presented the award.

Davidson created the Public Policy Leadership Award in 2001, to recognize achievement in the area of public policy in the child welfare sector. Last year Davidson gave the first award to Senator Wayne Bryant (D-Camden), who authored the Family CAP Legislation, which established that welfare benefits cover only the current number of children in a family, and not children conceived after a parent has gone on welfare.

Upon receiving her award, Commissioner Harris addressed the graduating social workers about the plans for transforming child protective services across the state and called upon them to help her. She also introduced her new Special Deputy Commissioner for Child Protective Services, Colleen Maguire.

“It was an honor to have her speak to my graduates, who were extremely inspired by her challenges to them. Besides her record of excellent service to people, Commissioner Harris’ public policy is so open and visionary, I think she will inspire many more professionals to go into the child welfare system,” said Dean Davidson.

As one of many initiatives established by Dean Davidson for the School of Social Work, this ceremony was created to celebrate social workers in a more personal way than the huge Rutgers University graduation ceremony. This year’s graduates, receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, were from all of the University’s campuses – Camden, Livingston/New Brunswick and Newark.

Most of the graduates majored in “direct practice,” with the largest concentration of study having been on children and families. About 50 of the graduates concentrated on administration, policy and planning, with others majoring in health, mental health and aging.

The average age of the undergraduate completing studies in social work at Rutgers is 26; the average age of the graduate student is 35. The age range of the graduates is 22-62. Most of the graduates already are working and have experience in the human services field. Some work for the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS),others work for private, not-for-profit or for-profit agencies. Many have administrative or supervisory jobs.

Under Title 4E of the Social Security Act, if a state university has a Master of Social Work program and partners with its state government, it receives a 3 to 1 match in dollars to pay for its state social workers to earn their MSW degrees. This year about 165 have graduated Rutgers with an MSW, so many of those in the audience were Commissioner Harris’ state employees under the 4E program. Others in the audience plan to spend at least two years working with DYFS.

“It was an historic evening, with me as the first African-American woman dean of the School of Social Work giving this leadership award to the first African-American female Commissioner of the Department of Human Services,” said Dean Davidson.