Todd Franke

Todd Franke is a Professor of Social Welfare and Doctoral Program Chair at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), affiliated with the Luskin School of Public Affairs. He holds a MSW from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the same institution. His work focuses on child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and health systems integration. He currently serves as Associate Director of the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities.

Research interests include the impact of disability on children’s education, urban mobility, and gang involvement among youth. He has conducted studies on personal assistance services for children with disabilities and prevention programs for child maltreatment. Over the past seven years, he has secured over $9 million in research funding. Notable projects include the Best Start LA Initiative and the Partnership for Families Initiative funded by First 5 LA.

Dr. Franke has advised agencies serving diverse communities in California, contributing to policy evaluations for Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles City Council. He co-leads efforts to integrate health and social services in schools and designs evaluations for youth development programs.