J. Mark Eddy Joins Partners for Our Children as New Research Director

Seattle, WA, July 15, 2011 --(PR.com)-- J. Mark Eddy, Ph.D., has been named research director for Partners for Our Children (POC) at the University of Washington. In addition to his research director duties, Dr. Eddy will serve as a research professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Eddy has specialized in research around prevention programs that benefit children and families. He is committed to forging relationships between the research community and practitioners and policy makers, with the shared goal of improving outcomes for children and families.

“We’re extremely pleased to have a researcher of Mark’s caliber on our team,” said Benjamin de Haan, executive director of POC. “He has a wide range of expertise on issues affecting children and families, and we’re expecting great and exciting opportunities to use that expertise.”

“Mark is very well known for his dedication to mentoring and guiding others, his breadth of knowledge, and his commitment to improving outcomes for children and families in care systems. His gifts will complement and enhance the expertise at POC and the School of Social Work” added Edwina Uehara, dean of the University of Washington’s School of Social Work.

POC was founded in 2007 as a collaborative effort of the UW School of Social Work, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and private funders, with a focus on children who are involved in the child welfare system or at risk of being involved. POC provides unbiased research, experience, and practical, action-oriented strategies for improving outcomes for children and families.

“I look forward to working with Partners for Our Children, the School of Social Work, and their many collaborators to strengthen Washington’s children and families, and the systems that support them,” said Dr. Eddy. “I am honored to have the opportunity to join such a stellar group of faculty and staff dedicated to this crucial mission.” Dr. Eddy will begin his work with POC in early July.

Previously, Dr. Eddy served as a senior scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center and is the principal investigator on several randomized prevention trials of programs delivered within systems of care for children and families. He is an associate editor of the professional journal Prevention Science and co-edited the recently published book, “Children of Incarcerated Parents: A Handbook for Researchers and Practitioners.”

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