Interview with Dr. Marsha Martin, US Department of Health and Human Services

With this edition, the Journal of Children & Poverty introduces a new section titled Inquiry. The purpose of this section is to highlight a series of frontline issues simultaneously facing policymakers and practitioners, as well as the burgeoning research interests of the academic community. Inquiry is not meant to be an opinion or editorial section, but rather a glimpse into what some of the journal's readership, be they academics, policymakers or practitioners, are currently thinking. This section also intends to put forth a cross-national perspective on issues that transcend national boundaries, while being deeply rooted in a country's political, economic and social history. Our hope is that the Journal of Children & Poverty's Inquiry section can provide a place for thought and reflection on the issues that affect children and their families today, as well as the bold and pragmatic solutions necessary for tomorrow. We launch Inquiry with an interview conducted on September 6, 2000 with Dr. Marsha Martin, Special Assistant to Secretary Donna Shalala, US Department of Health and Human Services. In her role as Special Assistant, Dr. Martin is assigned to work on issues at the discretion of the Secretary. Given that the Health and Human Services Agency is the only federal agency dedicated to the health and social well-being of all Americans, particularly America's families, her position requires that she work on a variety of cross-cutting issues that confront the public. She functions as the eyes and ears of the Secretary, focusing on the issues as brought to the attention of the Secretary by various constituencies, particularly those that are disproportionately or adversely affected by policy changes, as well as vulnerable populations or those with special needs. She must function in both a responsive and proactive way assuring all the while that the Department's domestic and international policies are consistent.