Social Work Difference Maker Lance Hillsinger Shares His Story

Lance Hillsinger worked in social services for 34 years. As he shares his story he talks about what he saw as a cycle for families that was difficult to break free from. Growing up in Southern California, he was fortunate to have parents who were a good example of what a marriage should be. He talks about these early years and how this positive upbringing was so different from the majority of cases he handled as a social worker.  He wrote a book, In Place of the Parent: Inside Child Protective Services, which examines the child welfare/juvenile court system. He then wrote a second book, Build a Better Bridge: Social Policy for the 21st Century, where he goes beyond child welfare and examines social welfare programs (cash aid, food stamps, etc.) in general.    Though he thought he might become an engineer, he obtained a bachelor"s degree in psychology and political science from UCLA and a master"s degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University.