When Anna stepped into her role as bilingual intensive case manager at Wellroot Family Services, she had no idea she was walking a path her father, Andrew, had paved decades earlier. It wasn’t until a month into her job that she made an unexpected connection. Her father was the first director of social work at the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH), the very organization that is now Wellroot Family Services.
Despite growing up with two licensed clinical social workers as parents, Anna’s journey into social work wasn’t a given. Rather than pushing their children into a specific career, her parents emphasized pursuing meaningful work that brought joy.
“We had a big value in our family of doing something you love,” she said. “It was never about following a set path. It was about finding something fulfilling.”
Ironically, that pursuit led her to social work. Through studying anthropology and working with marginalized communities, Anna realized that her passions aligned perfectly with the profession’s core values. With a heart for helping families navigate challenges, she pursued a master’s in social work and, in a twist of fate, ended up at Wellroot.
The Early Days
Decades earlier, Andrew had been in her shoes. Fresh out of graduate school, he was hired by the CEO Bev Cochran as their director of social work.
“I had the advantage of an education in mental health and the disadvantage of no experience,” Andrew joked.
At the time, trauma-informed care was new to UMCH. Without formal mental health services or structured counseling, discipline was left to house parents.
“Back then, the assumption was that kids just needed structure and discipline,” Andrew reflected. “We were just starting to understand that these kids had been through real trauma and needed more than rules. They needed care, counseling, and support.”
Even then, hiring and retaining skilled professionals—a challenge that remains in social work today—was an issue.
“I hired three social workers to help implement counseling and support services,” he said. “It was unheard of for every child to have access to a counselor, but we were trying to push in that direction.”
The Evolution of Social Work
The field of social work has transformed dramatically since Andrew’s days at UMCH. Trauma-informed care, strength-based models that focus on the strengths and resources of individuals and communities rather than their problems, and an emphasis on mental health are now standard, but these changes didn’t happen overnight.
Today, Wellroot’s programs reflect those changes. Social work at Wellroot isn’t just about providing shelter. It’s about supporting families before a crisis happens, keeping them together whenever possible, and equipping them with the tools to thrive.
Social workers at Wellroot embody this shift in philosophy. We walk alongside families, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to make informed decisions.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about the families Wellroot serves is that people are making decisions without understanding the full impact on their lives,” she said. “The truth is people are doing the very best they can with what they know and what they have. Everyone’s ‘best’ looks different, and part of our job is to support them in building a better future.”
Once Wellroot Family, Always Wellroot Family
For Anna, Wellroot isn’t just a workplace—it’s a full-circle moment in her life. The same organization that shaped her father’s early career is now shaping hers, a testament to the enduring nature of Wellroot’s mission for over 154 years.
Wellroot has always been about more than just services—it’s about creating a family of support, where children, parents, and dedicated professionals like Anna can thrive. But this work doesn’t happen alone. Social workers need strong community backing to continue changing lives.
Together, we can ensure that every child and family receive the compassionate, strength-based care they deserve.
