Bio


Michael S. Wald is the Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor of Law Emeritus at Stanford Law School. He is a graduate of Cornell University, Yale Law School, and Yale Graduate School (MA Political Science). He has a special interest in applying child development research to legal and public policies designed to help children and on issues related to implementation of public policies, His work has focused in particular on policies and practices related to child maltreatment, regulation of parenting, and improving outcomes for youth ages 14-25 who are disconnected from school and work. In both teaching and writing, he has collaborated frequently with faculty in other disciplines who are interested in these areas. Most recently, he was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Parenting that produced the volume Parenting Matters.

Professor Wald has also been involved in the drafting of major federal and state legislation regarding child welfare, including the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, and has served directly in a variety of government positions, including Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Human Services and Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and as a member of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and chair of the California State Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. He also served as chair of WT Grant Faculty Scholars Selection Committee, on the board of directors of the Chapin Hall Children’s Center at the University of Chicago and on the boards of various legal organizations dedicated to helping children.

Academic Appointments


2021-22 Courses


All Publications


  • Redesigning State Intervention on Behalf of "Neglected" Children RESEARCH ON SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE Wald, M. S. 2022
  • New Directions For Foster Care Reform JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL Wald, M. S. 2017; 68 (1): 7-30

    View details for DOI 10.1111/jfcj.12083

    View details for Web of Science ID 000395081800002

  • Beyond CPS: Developing an effective system for helping children in "neglectful" families: Policymakers have failed to address the neglect of neglect. Child abuse & neglect Wald, M. S. 2015; 41: 49-66

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.01.010

    View details for PubMedID 25682259

  • Beyond CPS: Developing an effective system for helping children in "neglectful" families CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT Wald, M. S. 2015; 41: 49-66
  • Adults' sexual orientation and state determinations regarding placement of children FAMILY LAW QUARTERLY Wald, M. S. 2006; 40 (3): 381-434
  • RISK ASSESSMENT - THE EMPERORS NEW CLOTHES CHILD WELFARE WALD, M. S., Woolverton, M. 1990; 69 (6): 483-511

    Abstract

    This article reviews the risk assessment procedures and instruments that are being used by child protection agencies. Although supportive of the concept of risk assessment, the authors argue that all current instruments have major methodological deficiencies that limit the utility of such instruments as a means of predicting future abusive or neglectful behavior. The authors suggest how risk assessment decisions should be made at each stage of a child protection investigation.

    View details for Web of Science ID A1990EF53900001

    View details for PubMedID 2276291

  • LICENSING PARENTS - A RESPONSE TO MANGEL,CLAUDIA PROPOSAL FAMILY LAW QUARTERLY SANDMIRE, M. J., WALD, M. S. 1990; 24 (1): 53-76
  • FAMILY PRESERVATION - ARE WE MOVING TOO FAST PUBLIC WELFARE WALD, M. S. 1988; 46 (3): 33-?
  • PREVENTING CHILD-ABUSE - WHAT WILL IT TAKE FAMILY LAW QUARTERLY WALD, M. S., Cohen, S. 1986; 20 (2): 281-302
  • JUDGING THE JUDGES - WHAT STANDARDS SHOULD VOTERS USE CRIME AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WALD, M. S. 1986: 70-77
  • PHYSICIAN ATTITUDES TOWARD CONFIDENTIAL CARE FOR ADOLESCENTS JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS Lovett, J., WALD, M. S. 1985; 106 (3): 517-521

    Abstract

    We examined factors that determine whether pediatricians will grant confidential care to adolescents. Through four vignettes, in which adolescents of different ages and maturity requested confidential care, we assessed the willingness of physicians to give such care for four problems: request for contraceptive, diagnosis of gonorrhea, intrauterine device found incidentally on x-ray study, and illicit drug use. A random sample of 932 physicians responded to the vignettes. Overall, physicians agreed to give confidential care to adolescents in 75% of the vignettes. They were more likely to give confidentiality in cases involving sexual activity. They supported confidential care for 87% of patients requesting contraceptives, but for only 54% reporting illicit drug use. The proportion of physicians supporting confidentiality increased with age and maturity of the minors. Seventeen-year-old mature adolescents seeking contraceptives were given confidentiality by 97% of physicians. Thus physician responses to vignettes indicated that they strongly support confidential care for adolescents as represented in the clinical vignettes.

    View details for Web of Science ID A1985ACY4700038

    View details for PubMedID 3973792

  • Confidentiality laws and state efforts to protect abused or neglected children: the need for statutory reform. Family law quarterly Weisberg, R., Wald, M. 1984; 38 (2): 143-212

    View details for PubMedID 16100812

  • CONFIDENTIALITY LAWS AND STATE EFFORTS TO PROTECT ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILDREN - THE NEED FOR STATUTORY REFORM FAMILY LAW QUARTERLY Weisberg, R., Wald, M. 1984; 18 (2): 143-212
  • INTERVENTION TO PROTECT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN MINNESOTA SYMPOSIA ON CHILD PSYCHOLOGY Wald, M., Carlsmith, M., LEIDERMAN, P. H., Smith, C. 1983; 16: 207-231
  • STATE INTERVENTION ON BEHALF OF NEGLECTED CHILDREN - STANDARDS FOR REMOVAL OF CHILDREN FROM THEIR HOMES, MONITORING STATUS OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER-CARE, AND TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS STANFORD LAW REVIEW WALD, M. S. 1976; 28 (4): 625-706
  • LEGAL POLICIES AFFECTING CHILDREN - LAWYERS REQUEST FOR AID CHILD DEVELOPMENT WALD, M. S. 1976; 47 (1): 1-5
  • State intervention on behalf of "neglected" children: a search for realistic standards. Stanford law review Wald, M. 1975; 27 (4): 985-1040

    View details for PubMedID 1235590