INVEST visitor: Melissa Radey

In the “INVEST visitors” series, we present visiting professors and fellows who have arrived at the flagship INVEST. This time we are introducing Ph.D., MSSW, MA Melissa Radey.

I am Melissa Radey, Agnes Flaherty Stoops Professorship in Child Welfare at Florida State University, College of Social Work and a faculty affiliate of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare.

My interdisciplinary research seeks to understand poverty and inequality and to consider mechanisms to decrease disparities in health and well-being. My work examines vulnerability and support among high-risk populations, including economically marginalized families as well as stakeholders across the child welfare system. A new focus revolves around decision-making processes in child welfare, with an emphasis on decisions regarding case substantiation, removal, and reunification, particularly in cases of neglect.

Why did you want to visit INVEST?

I applied to INVEST to develop lasting collaborations with INVEST scholars in the areas of universal basic income programs; welfare attitudes and stigma; and child welfare decision making within an international context. I want my intellectual footprint to change systems to improve the lives of those among us who face great obstacles. Working alongside those at INVEST offers the opportunity to share my substantive knowledge regarding family poverty, child welfare, and US social safety nets while gaining additional perspectives, approaches, and contexts to advance social policy and reduce inequality.

What you expect/hope to reach during your visit in INVEST?

In addition to lasting collaborations, I look to learn more about Finnish social policy and cross-cultural and cross-country comparative research. As a US scholar located in Florida, I am eager to gain insight into equitable, just policy formation.