Leading for justice
Alumnus Reggie Bicha protects Wisconsin's vulnerable children and families
Reggie Bicha (M.S.W. 2000) once aspired to be director of a large county human services agency. In 2008 he surpassed his dream when he became secretary of the new Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Wisconsin’s first cabinet agency devoted exclusively to helping and protecting children and families.
“I could never have fathomed this,” says Bicha of his role leading an agency with a budget of more than $1 billion and 500 employees.
Bicha majored in social work at UW-Eau Claire and, after five years in the field, enrolled in the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work. He praises Professor Ron Rooney’s classes for being particularly helpful in providing real strategies for working with clients and Professor Esther Wattenberg’s courses for their depth and inspiration.
“We would have fantastic conversations about practice or policy issues,” says Bicha.
Along the way, Bicha received a Title IV-E Scholarship, which supports M.S.W. students who demonstrate a commitment to the field of public child welfare.
Bicha worked as a social worker and administrator in local and state agencies until Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle tapped him to lead the new agency. There was no honeymoon period. As Bicha was putting together his leadership team in 2008, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discovered egregious fraud in one of the 30 programs incorporated in the new agency—Wisconsin Shares, a child-care subsidy program.
“We knew we had a problem in Shares, but we were surprised by how out of control it was,” says Bicha.
He assembled a task force that included the district attorney, local law enforcement, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s office. They investigated providers’ fraudulent reimbursement claims; conducted criminal checks of childcare providers; eliminated low-quality care; and improved access to high-quality, safe care for more kids. The reforms resulted in a $47 million savings last year and a projected additional $67 million this year.
Using a portion of the savings from the Shares program, the Department of Children and Families launched YoungStar, a childcare rating and improvement system. The program sets a five-star rating system for providers based on education, learning environment, business practices, and the health and well-being of children (nutrition, support for children with special needs, and capacity to address abuse and neglect). A tiered reimbursement system rewards programs for higher quality care.
The School of Social Work recognized Bicha’s continuing commitment to the welfare of children and families by naming him Alumnus of the Year in 2008. “A good manager in any field is really just a good social worker,” says Bicha. “You take the time to analyze a situation and the opportunities for growth and progress and develop relationships…. It’s all about bringing people together and moving people forward.”
Story by Kara Rose | Photo by Michael Kienitz | September 2010
