Sellers Dorsey Managing Director of Child and Family Well-Being, Katie Renner Olse, and Associate Director, Brittany McAllister, are pleased to attend the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA) 2026 Conference in Arlington, Virginia. Join Sellers Dorsey for two engaging sessions led by our team and partners on strengthening caregiver supports and advancing better alignment between child welfare and Medicaid.
Caring for the Caregivers: Grandparents Raising Grandkids
Date & Time: Monday, April 20, 3:30–4:45 pm
Location: National Landing IV
Grandparents raising grandchildren play a critical—and often under‑supported—role in the child welfare system. Their experiences offer powerful insight into where caregiver supports are falling short and where there is meaningful opportunity for improvement.
This session will explore data and trends from the Grandparents Raising Grandkids program and examine how that information can be used to strengthen coordination between providers and public agencies. Speakers will discuss how Medicaid‑ and Older Americans Act–funded strategies can better support family caregivers and highlight lessons learned from the TCARE caregiver supports model, which has been applied across diverse populations, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and children with special health needs.
Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how cross‑system collaboration can lead to more responsive and sustainable caregiver supports.
Speakers:
Katie Renner Olse, Sellers Dorsey
Cheryl Fisher, Centene Corporation
Chelsea Gilchrist, TCARE
Roundtable: Making Medicaid Matter in Child Welfare
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 21, 3:25–4:40 pm
Location: Salon A
Child welfare and Medicaid were not designed to work seamlessly together—yet today’s realities demand closer alignment. Rising behavioral health needs, placement instability, and workforce shortages are exposing longstanding gaps between these systems, particularly for children and families with complex needs.
This interactive roundtable will bring participants into conversation about how Medicaid can move beyond a parallel system to become a more effective partner in prevention and in stabilizing outcomes for children involved with child welfare. Discussion topics will include how Medicaid policy levers, managed care structures, specialty health plans, and financing strategies can support trauma‑informed care, expand behavioral health access, and strengthen community‑based services.
Grounded in real‑world experience, the session will highlight emerging policy shifts, waiver opportunities, and practical approaches states can act on now—while giving participants space to share perspectives and learn from one another.
Facilitator:
Katie Renner Olse, Sellers Dorsey
