About Jim Harris

Jim has a Ph.D. In Childhood Development. His Master Degree was earned in Counseling Psychology.

Jim has spent two decades in the child welfare field. His career path included work as a therapeutic foster parent in addition to serving as a supervisor, clinician, and administrator within children’s residential treatment centers. Graduate and post-graduate level assignments included counseling adolescent girls in residential placement, as well as conducting research on the impact of no physical contact policies on children and youth in congregate care settings.

Aside from the child welfare field, Jim has assisted in daycare centers, tutored (gifted) elementary school students, and he has taught adult education classes. Dr. Harris also serves as adjunct faculty at the Community College of Rhode Island. He has authored numerous articles on child and youth-related topics and regularly presents at conferences and events.

When he is not working Jim treasures the time he can spend with his wife and their two beautiful young children. He is also an ardent New England Patriot fan.

Professional accomplishments include:

Drafting legislation to give state-contracted children's residential providers budget increases (multiple years).

Designing training curriculums for direct care workers, supervisors and clinicians working in children’s residential programs.

Identifying need for, and co-developing the Children's Residential Programming curriculum, which serves as the half-way mark towards an Associates degree in Human Services.

Organizing and leading efforts to assist Rhode Island children’s residential providers in meeting accreditation standards.

Serving as a member of state-wide committees re-writing Rhode Island’s Crisis Intervention and Childcare (Residential Programming) Regulations.

Academic and Professional Awards:

Aplha Sigma Lambda Society [Scholarship and Leadership]

Golden Key National Honor Society

University of Rhode Island, College of Continuing Education Katzoff Award as the Outstanding Male Graduate

State of Rhode Island (House of Representatives) Citations

Key Program: Unlocking Potential of Youth and Families Award