Beth McDaniel
Policy Analyst
Dr. Beth McDaniel is a Policy Analyst at Chapin Hall, where she supports the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based programs under the Families First Prevention Services Act in Illinois and the state of Washington. In addition, she assists with the evaluation of a DCFS pilot program that aims to support pregnant and parenting youth in care through home visiting services. On another project, she works to understand how to better support families who experience homelessness via home visiting services.
Prior to joining Chapin Hall, McDaniel taught Social Policy at Auburn University, where she emphasized the role of social policies in creating and perpetuating racial and social inequities and how policies evolve over time to influence social conditions, social relations, and the health and wellness of children, families, and communities. In addition, she served as the Project Manager for a three-phase needs assessment for the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, where she consulted with prevention providers and community stakeholders to understand how to better support prevention efforts across the state. She used the experiences of prevention providers and community stakeholders to illuminate the institutional mechanisms and processes, such as state legislation and funding requirements, that coordinate child abuse and neglect prevention work across the state.
McDaniel has expertise in qualitative methodology, prevention science, and the application of developmental knowledge to inform people-centered policies and social institutions. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree and Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University. McDaniel received her Bachelor of Social Work degree and Criminology minor from the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts.