What a blessing and honor it is to join the MLJ team here in Indianapolis! My name is Lauren Raczkowski and I have recently joined MLJ as the new Director of Social Services. Don’t worry, Karlene is still here! She is now the Executive Director and my mentor.
For the last 16 years, I have worked in Philadelphia’s child welfare arena and I’d love to share a little bit of my history. I completed my bachelor’s in social work from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA before relocating to Philadelphia. Once in Philly, I started working for Catholic Social Services as a foster care social worker. I then transitioned to Philadelphia’s CPS department, also known as the Department of Human Services (DHS). I spent the majority of my tenure at DHS conducting investigations of allegations of abuse and neglect but also worked in our adoptions unit as well as the hotline. During this time, I completed my Master’s in social work from Temple University and was subsequently promoted within DHS. For the last three and a half years I have supervised and led a team of social workers through investigations and assessments and supervised BSW and MSW students for both Temple and Widener Universities. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and training new social workers!
I bring not only my career to Indy but my family as well. I was married in 2015 and have a beloved blended family. I have three children, two teenagers and a nearly 9 year old who dreams of being a tween! We are all making the transition well and are excited about our new life in the Midwest.
I have dedicated my career to assisting children and families find safety, permanency and well-being. I am thrilled to take on my new position here at MLJ and help families grow, thrive and ensure children find loving homes. As a child, my parents took in numerous foster children and I was able to witness firsthand how love and support can help children flourish. I watched my parents navigate the often daunting policies and procedures to affirm the best possible outcomes for our foster children. I am committed to working with you through this sometimes cumbersome process and ensuring you have all the tools and information you need to bring your child(ren) home! MLJ has an awesome team of dedicated staff working diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible. I look forward to working with you to achieve your dream family.
