Innovate 2024

innovate

BIG DATA

Large data systems represent new opportunities and challenges for social work researchers

The research magazine of the University of Georgia School of Social Work

A SPECIAL BOND

2022 Ph.D. Cohort – (L to R) Cameron Bics, Zach Cooper, Shannon Power, and Autumn Collier – collaborate on project for 2nd year research practicum. Story page 32.

Sam Cook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome from the Dean

Dean Philip Hong

1

Issue Notes Associate Dean for Research Orion Mowbray

2 On the Horizon Snapshots of emerging research & recognitions

4

Celebrating Success Awards, funding and recognitions

8 Eight Themes of UGA SSW Research

SSW faculty identify eight distinct

13 Social Justice Champion

Llewellyn Cornelius inducted as AASWASW Fellow

16 BIG DATA – cover story

An exciting area that represents a new direction for social work research at UGA.

from the Dean Welcome

It is my true honor to witness the firming of our foundation and the strong growth in socially innovative research at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. We are committed to purposedriven, community-engaged, and socially responsible research in an age of social innovation for the greater good by centering social work research among its interdisciplinary peers to advance social justice and the well-being of our society. We continue to build upon the works of social work researchers who have connected their academic and scholarly talents and gifts to the needs of our community in their commitment to “societal excellence.” By paving a renewed path of social innovation and community-engaged research, social work research can play an integral and unique role in defining and strengthening what “excellence” means in current times of divisions and uncertainties.

Our annual research review, Innovate, highlights our vision of promoting transformative social work research that leads social innovation in a fast-changing global, social, economic, and political environment. Social innovation is the process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social progress. It rests on the spirit of human-centered values and collaborative relationships to create sustainable research-based social impact rooted in authenticity, humility, empathy, unity, and empowerment. The School of Social Work has a collective mission of using research to inform our preparation of “culturally responsive practitioners and scholars to be leaders in addressing social problems and promoting social justice, locally and globally.”

Walking the walk with the community, in the form of Paulo Freirian praxis (reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed), is the hallmark of earning trust and participating in systemic change in solidarity with the community. Praxis can be the foundational principle for strengthening community-centered knowledge development. It serves as the roadmap for the University of Georgia School of Social Work to lead by research in action to present our reflections on the realities of structurally generated injustices, oppression, and exclusions that will remain invisible if left unresearched. Our collaborative research brings social work to the core of the 4th Industrial Revolution in leading social innovation through its command of genuine “empathy” in our walk with our community. Innovate continues to shine a light on our call to promote and share essential research-based knowledge that will shape socially innovative ways of undoing the wrongs and human sufferings of our past and inclusively making strides in ways to improve the lives and the systems that promote human well-being in our society.

Philip Hong Dean and Professor

Issue Notes

from Orion Mowbray Associate Dean for Research

As the Associate Dean for Research, I am excited to introduce our 2024 edition of Innovate magazine and to witness firsthand the remarkable contributions of our faculty and students. Their dedication and creativity inspire us all to actively investigate complex social problems head-on and identify ways we can work together for a bright future.

Our school’s research efforts have experienced unprecedented growth among our community outreach efforts, levels of student engagement, and research funding. In the past year, our school’s faculty developed over 20 unique research-focused community partnerships directed at marginalized groups and issues relevant to social justice. These partnerships represent our school’s commitment to local communities throughout Georgia, our nation, and the world. Our support for student efforts in research has also grown. This support provides significant resources for our students to cover tuition, stipends, travel costs, professional licensing fees, and so much more. Last, funding for our research grew from $8.7 million in 2022 to an incredible $15.9 million in 2023. As you read through this year’s edition of Innovate, you will see that we are making the most of our resources and producing knowledge that truly transforms how social work confronts today’s complex social problems in Georgia and across the globe.

This year, several faculty members at our school have been recognized for their outstanding research contributions. These include initiatives to develop community-responsive and culturally appropriate interventions, prevent human trafficking, reduce farmer

stress, and explore Athens, Georgia’s environmental and human histories. Although these research endeavors cross multiple disciplines, they collectively define our school’s identity in social work. Our research pursuits focus on generating knowledge that tackles issues related to social work practice and policy across the eight major themes highlighted in this issue.

Looking to the horizon, new research approaches, including the use of data science and artificial intelligence (AI), offer encouraging ways to enhance our school’s pursuits to promote health and well-being.

As you will see, many of our faculty are using modern techniques, including computational modeling, intelligent system design, and large-scale sampling methods, to increase the capacity for informed decisionmaking and tailored interventions for individuals and communities.

I’m thrilled to see the advances we’ve made in research at our school featured here. Our faculty and students have shown remarkable dedication, driving growth in our community engagement and research dissemination efforts. With a focus on social justice and innovative approaches like data science and AI, we’re poised to continue making impactful contributions to social work practice and policy. Together, we’re shaping a brighter future for all.

ON THE HORIZON

Anna SCHEYETT

Identifying motivators and barriers to stress management in agriculture

We know farmers experience high rates of stress, and research has identified actions that can reduce stress— but how to get farmers to actually engage in these behaviors? Professor Anna Scheyett, her research assistant Ian Marburger, and colleagues from UGA Extension have been surveying farmers and farmeradjacent individuals to identify motivators and barriers to stress management in agriculture. Findings will be used to inform UGA Extension programming on wellbeing among farmers and farm families.

Scheyett and colleagues from Extension have also been working with women married to farmers, asking about their stresses and their concerns about spouses. Based on this information and women’s specific requests, they are creating a resource book titled Resources for People Who Care About Farmers Under Stress, which will be shared for feedback and then finalized and distributed through UGA Extension.

Anna Scheyett & Christopher Weatherly collaborate to research farmers’ mental health.

Due to their closeness to and direct reliance on the land, climate change will disproportionately impact farmer mental health. However, existing evidence is limited, particularly for producers in the American South. Assistant Professor Christopher Weatherly, along with the assistance and guidance of Anna Sheyett, is leading a participatory study to map these impacts. Weatherly will conduct a series of individual and group interviews with both farmers and the mental health providers who serve them in rural southeastern Georgia. Part of this process involves building a collaborative model which illustrates and provides a contextually grounded account of the relationships connecting climate change to farmer mental health. While exploratory, this model will serve to both address research gaps and inform future policy and intervention efforts to mitigate and reduce future impacts. This research is funded by the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health & Safety.

Christopher WEATHERLY

Mapping the impact of climate change on farmer mental health

Wingate Downs

Wingate Downs

Snapshots of emerging social work research

Jeremy GIBBS

Religiosity and mental health with sexual minority populations

For most populations, religiosity is protective against negative mental health outcomes, such as depression and suicide. However, research with sexual minority populations, like gay and bisexual individuals, reports conflicting findings for the relationship between religiosity and mental health.

Assistant Professor Jeremy Gibbs’ research focuses on understanding how religious identity conflict (i.e., an incongruence between one’s religious identity and sexual identity) may explain why some sexual minority individuals experience religion as protective while others experience worse mental health. A recent study by Gibbs and colleagues investigated the pathway of religious characteristics (religious commitment, religious emphasis during upbringing, and anti-LGBTQ religious messages) to depression through religious identity conflict and internalized stigma. Findings from this study emphasize that some aspects of religion are protective, like religious emphasis and ritual. In contrast, others, like anti-LGBTQ religious messages and a strong commitment, may increase depression in this population.

Lydia ALETRARIS

Substance use treatment for commercial pilots

In a new study, Lydia Aletraris is examining the Federal Aviation Administration’s Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS), a specialized substance use treatment program exclusively for pilots. Its primary goal is to facilitate the return of commercial pilots to their cockpit duties following the identification of alcohol or drug use disorder through comprehensive treatment measures, all while prioritizing and bolstering air safety protocols. Teaming up with HIMS psychiatrist George Glass and medical sociologist Paul Roman, Aletraris is examining the long-term impact of the HIMS program and how pilots cope after they retire and no longer have the support structure of the HIMS program.

Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA

Lori Anderson

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

The University of Georgia will receive $5.2 million from the U.S. Department of State to expand a multiinstitutional effort to combat labor trafficking in Malawi and Zambia.

The new award adds to $2.2 million already committed to the UGA School of Social Work-based Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) to study the prevalence of labor trafficking in the region. Informed by research produced in the first phase, the additional funding allows CenHTRO and its partners to implement financial programs that can reduce the risks and prevalence of labor trafficking among youth and young adults.

SSW faculty investigators on the project are David Okech, principal investigator; Lydia Altraris, coprincipal investigator; Mary Ager; Anna Cody; and Hui Yi Also included as an investigator is CenHTRO faculty member Laura Zimmermann of the Terry College of Business and School of Public and International Affairs.

UGA is the lead partner of an international team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Washington University in St. Louis. Research partners in southern Africa include the University of Malawi and the University of Zambia.

Read more at: https://t.uga.edu/9Og

(L-R)

CenHTRO receives additional $5.2 million from the U.S. Department of State to combat labor trafficking in Malawi and Zambia.

(L-R) Aletraris, Okech, Zimmermann and Yi.

Aletraris, Okech, Zimmermann and Yi.

Awards, funding and recognitions

Jane McPherson and Michelle Ritchie (UGA College of Public Health/Disaster Management) have been awarded UGA’s Library’s 2024 Fairchild-Holcomb Award for Innovation in the Humanities ($5,000) to explore the environmental and human histories along the North Oconee River including Cedar Shoals where the UGA School of Social Work is located. The FairchildHolcomb Awards were established to support research projects involving the Special Collections Libraries or conducted in association with Libraries programs, such as the DigiLab. The awards are funded through an endowment established by Jennifer Fairchild Holcomb and Gregory Holcomb, emeriti members of the UGA Libraries Board of Visitors, to support faculty, scholars, and students in the pursuit of new knowledge in the humanities. The awards are administered in partnership with the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts.

Jane McPHERSON

2024 Fairchild-Holcomb Award

Jennifer ELKINS 2024 UGA Senior Teaching Fellow

Jennifer Elkins, associate professor and MSW program director, has been chosen as a 2024 Senior Teaching Fellow. Each spring, eight tenured UGA faculty members are selected by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Fellows. Learn more at: https://bit. ly/43SbHOU.

Campus AWARDS

School of Social Work faculty have received numerous awards of excellence in addition to the ones featured above from the UGA community. Some of these include:

CENHTRO: 2024 UGA TEAM IMPACT AWARD. Read the full story.

GAURAV SINHA: UGA SSW 2023-2024 PROMINENT CONTRIBUTIONS IN RESEARCH AWARD.

LYDIA ALETRARIS: 2024 UGA NTT (NON-TENURE TRACK) FACULTY RESEARCH AWARD.

Chad Osborn

CLIMBING THE LADDER

Most recently, the UGA School of Social Work has risen to #20 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, which places it in the top 10 among public institutions. The updated ranking moves us up eight positions since 2022, making us one of the top schools in the southeast. Our increase to #20 demonstrates our commitment to social justice and social innovation as we develop new solutions to real problems both locally and globally while also preparing culturally responsive social workers, leaders, and scholars.

We are truly grateful to be recognized for the hard work and dedication of everyone in the UGA School of Social Work.

View the rankings here: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduateschools/top-health-schools/social-workrankings

The University of Georgia School of Social Work was honored with three prestigious recognitions this year, all reflecting the incredible work of our faculty, staff, students, and community partners to advance our collective mission.

The Consortium of Social Science Associations recently ranked the University of Georgia ninth in the nation for R&D Expenditures in Social and Behavioral Science. UGA had more than $35 million in federal R&D funds for fiscal year 2022 between social work, social sciences, psychology, law, and communications.

Read more at: https://cossa.org/social-science/rankings/

BestColleges.com has recognized The University of Georgia as the #1 Online Master of Social Work program for 2024! Congratulations to all of our faculty and staff who support our online students!

Read more at https://www.bestcolleges.com/social-work/ masters/

Child Safety & Family Well-being

Culturally Informed Practice

Civil Rights & Social Justice

Health & Behavioral Health

Prevention & Intervention

Community Health & Well-being

Social & Economic Policy & Development

Human Trafficking & Human Rights

THEMES OF UGA School of Social Work Research

The University of Georgia’s distinction as a Carnegie Very High Research Activity institution reflects the special emphasis placed and energy used on exploration and analysis across campus, and the School of Social Work’s research epitomizes that status.

Trauma & Violence

With researchers across the globe, the UGA School of Social Work’s impact is both expansive and encompassing. Given this scope of research, the School’s Office of Research has worked with faculty to consolidate these activities to better structure the School’s areas of research expertise.

Associate Dean of Research Orion Mowbray headed these efforts with the help of faculty, identifying eight distinct themes.

“Social work is an inherently interdisciplinary field,” Mowbray said. “Our research efforts are closely intertwined with other fields, including public health, psychology, public policy, and many others. In order to establish the identity of our field and broaden our partnerships across the globe, we need to have an understanding as a school of what we’re strong at, and how our School’s faculty expertise aligns with distinct research priorities.”

TAKING ROLL

The School of Social Work identified these themes through three rounds of work. First, Mowbray and other members of the research office took a high-level look at faculty research productivity and other metrics to pinpoint areas of expertise.

Next, the team sought faculty feedback for these initial themes. After reaching a consensus, social work faculty self-identified their work into eight distinct categories. This process allowed faculty with multiple interests and more project-heavy workloads to portray their endeavors accurately and helped the School map out the full extent of its work.

“The goal was to present a cohesive, publicly available presentation of the research we do at the School of Social Work,” Mowbray said. “We have some faculty whose area aligns deeply with one specific theme, but we other faculty are doing a large breadth of work that fits into several areas.”

Among these themes, groundbreaking work is currently underway at the School of Social Work. Here is a closer look at the eight themes and a sample of some projects representing them.

CHILD SAFETY & FAMILY WELL-BEING

The first research theme focuses on child welfareinvolved youth and their families. Several current projects intersect subtopics of professional development, workforce training, and practice areas, as well as addressing inequalities in service systems, particularly the foster care system. This area also examines racial and ethnic inequalities, but research extends to other forms of systemic inequality.

Current projects in the area include Title IV-E program training for the child welfare workforce and a Casey Family Programs-funded exploration of the implementation and enforcement of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Several other projects involve the COVID-19 pandemic, including research in child welfare responses during and post-pandemic in Missouri, state economic support policies, and the effects of eviction moratoria and renter-supportive measures.

“The number is alarming,” Assistant Professor Liwei Zhang said. “More than 3 million children were subjected to investigation or alternative response related to child abuse and neglect in the federal fiscal year 2021. The consequence of child abuse and neglect and related child welfare involvement is toxic, including immediate injury and long-term physical and mental health challenges.”

COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELL-BEING CIVIL RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE

This research theme looks at the namesake topics through the lens of history, documentation of U.S. civil rights efforts, and a broad look at social movements and social change at local, national, and global scales.

Associate Professor Jane McPherson is expanding upon a project that hits close to home. She researched the history of the School of Social Work building, which was built by enslaved labor and used as a mill employed by child and slave labor in the past. Other projects include research into the origins of legitimation laws, which allow the biological father to be recognized by law as the legal father when a child is born out of wedlock, confronting the legacies of inequality and injustice and a longitudinal study of racial and racial disparities in child welfare.

“Research in Civil Rights and Social Justice Serves as a powerful tool to confront racism, discrimination, inequality, and human rights violations,” Mowbray said. “It provides a platform for marginalized voices, offering empirical evidence to support social work advocacy.”

This area focuses on communities and how they thrive, with an emphasis on environmental justice, positive youth development, and other larger-scale topics.

Associate Professor Rebecca Matthew is completing projects on exploring alternative and solidarity-based economies and social care cooperatives in the U.S. context and assessing the impact of nature trails on health and well-being. Other colleagues are researching connections between climate change and farmer mental health and building community-based suicide intervention for rural communities.

“Community-based research strives to work against the hyper-atomization and decontextualization everpresent today,” Matthew said. “It seeks to understand the conditions that give rise to (or foreclose) the very possibilities for healthy, sustainable communities. Given the intersecting - and intensifying - social and environmental crises facing our communities and the world today, such modes of inquiry and research are critical.”

CULTURALLY-INFORMED PRACTICE

Culturally-Informed Practice involves the teaching of social work and the importance of culturally-informed evidence bases when developing interventions. This focus effectively addresses the populations with which social workers interact, often minority or underserved persons.

Current projects include a project for community healthcare models for the Hispanic and Latinx populations that may distrust social services based on their documentation status, while others at the school work with populations that include young LGBTQ+ adults and other historically minoritized, disenfranchised, and excluded groups.

Associate Professor Jennifer Elkins’s scholarship includes developing trauma-informed care with components that help to understand the history of gender, culture, racial justice, and other demographics. One specific initiative seeks to diversify social work education into the demographics that represent social work students, an effort that meets the needs of students and reflects the motives that social workers strive for in their work.

“There are so many different communities with diverse and unique needs – culturally, racially, ethnically, linguistically,” Elkins said. “It’s important to tailor our practice to the communities we serve.”

HEALTH & BEHAVIORAL

HEALTH PREVENTION & INTERVENTION

With the largest number of faculty experts, this area of research is concerned with preventing future health and behavioral health problems. Some researchers look at servicing people with existing health problems at the individual and structural levels. Other researchers work with clients or groups of clients, while another group looks at systemic perspectives in order to promote health and well-being.

One project by Associate Professor Tiffany Washington and her research team has seen two papers published and two more under review. Her research examined how healthcare social workers’ scope of practice has changed since COVID-19, and the findings are a micro-level representation of the opportunities that the research area can bring to the healthcare industry.

“We found that healthcare social workers’ scope of practice expanded during the pandemic, with some performing outside their practice scope,” Washington said. “This work was important because their roles were already not well understood by their interdisciplinary colleagues, which can hinder effective interdisciplinary teamwork.”

HUMAN TRAFFICKING & HUMAN RIGHTS

This area of interest has a global focus, and it includes faculty members in the school’s Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach (CenHTRO).

Directed by David Okech, CenHTRO uses research to inform, design, monitor, and evaluate programs and policies that address and prevent human trafficking. CenHTRO also helps researchers understand which survey methods work best in different contexts to accurately estimate the prevalence of human trafficking.

“The research undertaken by CenHTRO isn’t just about illuminating the extent of the problem of human trafficking around the world; it’s about empowering change, fostering international collaboration, and providing communities with tools to provide effective interventions,” said Lydia Aletraris, associate research scientist and CenHTRO associate director. “By conducting large-scale innovative studies, we are providing invaluable insights into the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of human trafficking around the world.”

The center has conducted several groundbreaking projects funded by the U.S. Department of State, including prevalence studies of sex and child trafficking in West Africa and labor trafficking in Southern Africa. Their researchers have developed innovative methodological approaches and standardized the statistical definitions and core indicators used to measure trafficking.

“We work with partners ranging from grassroots community groups to shelters to the highest levels of

governments. Each of these sectors is equally important as we push for critically needed interventions to prevent the exploitation and abuse suffered by trafficking survivors,” said Claire Bolton, CenHTRO associate director of programs.

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC POLICY & DEVELOPMENT

This macro-focused area looks at financial capabilities, improving the financial experiences of families, clients, and systems. Many faculty and nonprofit organizations interact with this area, allowing for organizational development.

Recently, Professor Lee Cornelius and several of his colleagues finished an entry published in the Journal of Poverty on structural discrimination against the poor, which used nine different studies to focus on issues including housing discrimination, the court system, migrant farmers, food assistance, and regentrification of housing.

Due to the nature of our government, policy has a long timeline, argued Cornelius, and the importance of research in the area can be traced back to a 1915 claim by Abraham Flexer that social work was not a profession.

“The justification of policy research really goes back to the profession countering the claim that the profession was not systemic and systematically based,” Cornelius said. “Hence, all of the publications and schools that have developed, including ours, have been grounded on that premise – that we should look if things are effective and policies improve the lives of people we serve.”

CHANGING TOPICS FOR A CHANGING WORLD

TRAUMA & VIOLENCE

Faculty researching this broad topic focus on the experiences and consequences of those who face trauma, including violence. Many projects work to identify, prevent, and treat trauma, violence, and abuse. Elkins shares an interest in this area, which includes her earlier work centering around historical trauma and the intergenerational impact of massive group trauma.

Elkins brings a bevy of experience in interpersonal trauma, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and child abuse. Her recent scholarship has focused more broadly on systemic and structural violence. These interests have led to work implementing traumainformed systems of care that incorporate an antioppressive, gender-affirming, and culturally-informed lens.

“Trauma is a common pathway to behavioral health, relational, social, and other challenges that can have a cascading impact on someone’s life course, “ Elkins said. “One of the goals of my scholarship is to develop approaches that facilitate better outcomes by decreasing risk factors and increasing protective factors.”

Innovation and impact are central to the School’s research. Across these eight themes, UGA School of Social Work faculty significantly contribute to addressing social problems and promoting social justice locally and globally.

“Because of our social work foundations, we are interested in producing the highest quality, accurate, and reliable research that we can,” Assistant Research Scientist Anna Cody said. “And [we] are also interested in making sure that the research we conduct is purposeful and useful for the communities who we engage with, to understand the complex problem of human trafficking and develop community-based interventions to address the problem.”

While the School holds these eight themes currently, they won’t represent the School forever.

As the School evolves, its research interests will change. Those interests will also morph with the profession and as new research areas are founded. However, the School’s process for choosing themes opens the door for future change, creating a method to identify and promote the School’s research hereafter.

“The research that we consider to be within each theme today may look very different in two or three years,” Mowbray said. “This is a dynamic process. It’s something we’ll continually evaluate and update, and we have a participatory process in place to do that.”

•

SOCIAL JUSTICE CHAMPION

Cornelius inducted as Fellow into the Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare

On January 13, 2024, Llewellyn J. Cornelius was one of eight new Fellows inducted into the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (the Academy), the nation’s leading honorific society of distinguished scholars and practitioners dedicated to high-impact work that advances social good.

Cornelius is the Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies and Director of Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights in the School of Social Work. Cornelius’ research focuses on developing community-responsive, culturally-appropriate educational, attitudinal and behavioral change interventions, as well as examining barriers to the adoption of successful interventions by individuals, practitioners and communities. He has been involved in the design and implementation of numerous studies, including a statewide survey examining the cultural competency of mental health providers, the

evaluation of global community-based HIV prevention and treatment efforts, and surveys assessing technology usage in social work. A prolific publisher, Cornelius has been recognized as the fifth most-cited African American scholar in social work.

“As the nation’s preeminent social work scholars, practitioners and educators, our Fellows are answering the call to address society’s most pressing concerns,” said newly-inducted Academy President Michael A Lindsey, the Dean and Paulette Goddard Professor of Social Work at NYU Silver School of Social Work. “Each of our eight new members is continuing this tradition, through rigorous research and evidence-based practices, transformative thought leadership and policy advocacy, a passion to educate the next generation and continual collaboration with the communities we serve.”

Read the full story online: https://t.uga.edu/9Of

•

Llewellyn Cornelius is joined by Dean Philip Hong and University of Chicago Vice Provost Waldo Johnson at the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare Fellows inductee ceremony on January 13, 2024. Submitted

BIG DATA

DATA

For many individuals, glancing at rows upon rows of numbers is enough to give them a headache.

But for several members of the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work faculty and staff, that kind of “Big Data” is their specialty.

UGA’s Task Force on Academic Excellence announced plans for a cluster of hires in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) in 2021, and today, the School of Social Work is one of many colleges experiencing growth in these research areas thanks to the hiring initiative.

“It’s an exciting area that represents a new direction for social work research at UGA,” said Orion Mowbray, professor and associate dean for research. “It’s a new and emerging area for the entire profession of social work. When we think of fields at their forefront, such as computer sciences, engineering, population studies, information management systems – all of these areas represent new avenues for social work scholars to pursue and contribute to our profession’s knowledge.

These opportunities lead to new and important avenues for social work research along with innovative ways to use these data sets. Large data is an area of new research for the School, and so is its emphasis on improving methods to examine large data sets and share research findings.

“No matter the method we choose, the impact of our research tends to rely on how effectively we communicate our findings to others, including the public and stakeholders,” Mowbray said. “When we think about big data, it represents new challenges in this area, especially when you are talking about data with samples in the millions or more. A lot of the faculty here that have experience in data science and big data have stellar training and experience in how to effectively present this information, particularly through data visualization and other condensed ways of presenting data to the public so it is usable.”

A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EFFORT

Sizable data sets bring their fair share of challenges to research projects, but an ocean between data and researchers often enhances those problems. The School’s Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach (CenHTRO) feels these effects daily.

Hui Yi, an assistant research scientist for CenHTRO, works with data from three West African nations and two South African nations to implement prevention, prosecution, and protection strategies against strategy. Utilizing strategic partnerships with top universities in these countries, their team works with data from more than 4,000 households in Sierra Leone. As ongoing research in other countries continues, ensuring these partners use proper methods is paramount.

“Data collection is a fundamental element of data analysis,” Yi said. “We select the best research partners in those countries, specifically in the hotspot districts that we identified in the initial stages of the projects. We’ve developed many research protocols and training manuals so they can utilize that and guide their research procedures.”

Assistant Professor Liwei Zhang works primarily with secondary data sets concerning child welfare from local, state, and national entities. In her research in determining risk factors for child maltreatment, she’s looked specifically at financial assistance programs. She noted that one of the challenges of big data research stems from the different avenues researchers pull data sets from and the task of linking these sets together.

“We have different kinds of data from different systems,” Zhang said. “If we don’t bring them together, we don’t have the whole picture.”

Zhang has found that a hands-in-the-dirt approach can better paint this picture, as the individuals who directly collect and are part of the data can give valuable insights into the real-world problems she researches.

“One way for me to better understand the data is to work with the communities,” Zhang said. “I see myself not only as a big data researcher but also as a communitybased worker. Once I pull out the data and find out the results, I share those with the community, the service providers, the parents who have the experience with the child welfare system. They can help me interpret the data because without talking to them, we don’t know what is going on.”

“There are many things we can do to devise new methodologies, new tools so researchers can use them to get more accurate and precise estimates as possible.”

– Hui Yi

BIG VERSUS LARGE

Assistant Professor Allison Dunnigan is quick to mention that she only works with data points in the millions, not billions, which is the range of points that “Big Data” is assumed to represent. That doesn’t change the nearly 70 million data points she works with daily.

Currently, the Title IV-E program director works with large administrative data sets to understand better how children and families experience the child welfare system in the United States. Dunnigan collaborates with a team of instructors from three other institutions, exploring datasets to which they received early access. This particular dataset is being used in a variety of ways, including research into whether and how states comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Through this research project, Dunnigan has learned the many barriers to research that come with using large amounts of data, such as inclusion into computer clusters, specialized training, and obtaining access to data. Her current project plays into her research focus – the impact of macro and mezzo-level child welfare structural factors of youth and family outcomes – and has also led to a question of “so what?”

The sheer volume of data often leads to differences in findings no matter what focus you have, Dunnigan explained, but it is the examination of those findings and statistical differences that leads to real deliverables.

“You have so much power in your analysis,” Dunnigan said. “One of the nuances of large data is trying to understand and put into perspective that just because there is a difference: Is it meaningful? Should it impact or shift how we practice for policy or guide future research? We really have to understand the difference between a statistical difference and a practical difference or significance.”

Through Dunnigan’s work, she realized the disparity that can arise in large data research, particularly the lack of access that some researchers at smaller institutions or entities face regarding technology. She hopes to alleviate some of the impacts to allow researchers of all levels and types to ask questions and work with complex data to solve problems.

“Large data, because of its size and the computer requirements and hardware you need to do it, actually limits who is able to engage with the data,” Dunnigan said. “Some don’t have access to a high-performance

The sheer volume of data often leads to differences in findings no matter what focus you have, Dunnigan explained...

“As social workers, there is a lot of opportunity for us to include our values and ethics in the way that big data is being collected, analyzed and used,” said Gibbs. computing cluster, but they have really important, interesting questions, and we need to figure out a way to give them the capacity to do that.”

OPENING OPPORTUNITIES

Though barriers to access might exist for some researchers, big data brings new opportunities to reach new populations.

Assistant Professor Daniel Gibbs is entering the publishing stages of a project tracking how different types of youth used mental health services before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, relying on state Medicaid and foster care data to find answers. He’s also using national child welfare data to explore decision-making and the ways in which families are funneled through complex systems. Through large data processing, he’s been able to see opportunities for more comprehensive research on these hard-to-reach populations.

This emphasis on inclusivity is one of the many ways in which social work can impact the field of big data research. As the profession begins to take on a more active role in using these types of data for research and practice, it presents new opportunities for social workers to both capitalize on big data’s benefits and ensure that its use has positive effects on society.

“Larger data sets, with all of this data bouncing around, does allow us to have a more complete picture, if it is done correctly,” Gibbs said. “You can imagine that for a long time we toiled and worked to get fairly small samples of people that weren’t entirely inclusive of everyone in the world, and some of these datasets are now capturing routine data about people in all sorts of situations. Big data does present an opportunity for us to include people that would otherwise be hard to recruit for a study, or to identify, or who may be traditionally left out of our datasets.”

“As social workers, there is a lot of opportunity for us to include our values and ethics in the way that big data is being collected, analyzed, and used,” Gibbs said. “A lot of us may think that we don’t have the toolkit to interrogate if things are being used well, fairly, or justly because of how technical it can be, but I think social work’s insights about fairness and justice can really be crucial, particularly in determining what metrics are used to evaluate whether these things are ‘working’ for society and specifically for vulnerable populations.”

For Yi, social work’s connection to big data is a chance to understand trafficking in Africa better – as well as impact future research and policy.

“There are many things we can do to devise new methodologies and new tools that researchers can use to get the most accurate and precise estimates possible,” Yi said. “This is quite new, and we are in a good position to improve.” •

NEW FACULTY

The University of Georgia School of Social Work welcomed six new faculty members to its roster for the Fall 2023 Semester, several of whom bring expertise in data science and other niche research areas.

These six professors have excelled in their new roles, balancing courses, students, projects, and life, and they have completed some important research in the process.

Leon Banks

Assistant Professor Leon Banks taught courses at the intersection of sport and social work in his first semester, and his research not only aligns with but also extends from this niche interest.

In the current period of growing name, image and likeness (NIL) deals for collegiate athletes, Banks and colleague Anna Scheyett saw their paper on equity in the NIL space accepted to a conference in Spain. The paper analyzed which athletes are receiving money from company coffers, the impact of social media, NIL in mid-major schools, the premise of equity of NIL, and the importance of influence on increasing NIL evaluations.

“We’ve been looking at some data to see who is actually getting the money and seeing if the original premise of name, image, and likeness is living up to the original premise of equity,” Banks said.

This targeted research led to a collaborative project with other SSW faculty who are developing a financial

capabilities workshop for high school athletes that will focus on topics including online fraud, social media, and predatory lending. The multi-modular workshop would ideally work as an in-person or virtual event to inform youth who could be susceptible to some of the poor dealings that NIL opportunities can create.

Additionally, Banks is working with Professor Harold Briggs and Gerry White from Clark Atlanta University on a project that critically analyzes the origin and roots of legitimation laws in Georgia, which allow the biological father to be recognized by law as the legal father when a child is born out of wedlock.

These research projects and a project with Assistant Professor Daniel Gibbs to create a survey for social work students and how they use artificial intelligence have led to a spirit of innovation in Banks’ classroom. As he constantly improves his courses’ technical and other aspects, he also views them as a place to intertwine ongoing research.

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“I do get a chance to integrate more of my research in my lectures,” Banks said. “It gives me the opportunity to test out some theory pieces. If I have an idea about something, I can integrate it into my lecture and see the feedback from it.”

Daniel Gibbs

Assistant Professor Daniel Gibbs’ projects are so numerous that he’s created an Excel spreadsheet to keep everything in order.

A large project Gibbs has overseen is a dive into Medicare and foster care data to track how different types of youth used mental health services before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and determine the patterns of usage over time. Gibbs and several of his colleagues have explored child welfare data and traditional statistical analysis to look into decision-making. Gibbs aims to use advanced datadriven methods, like predictive analytics and AI, instead of complex data analysis. (A deeper dive into his large data projects is available in “Big Data.”)

Still, one thing that stands out from Gibbs’ first semester with the School of Social Work was his ability to make connections with organizations with which he can work in the future.

“One of my goals was to develop partnerships with folks in the community, and I think one thing that blew me away was how far UGA’s reputation will carry,” Gibbs said. “It has encouraged me that this is the way to go, and it’s affirming to see what doors for collaboration it has created.”

As both a former social worker and practicing attorney, Gibbs was surprised to see the numerous organizations and individuals in the Athens area who work in the intersection of social work and court systems. He considers this intersection to be an area of growth for his future work and students’ future work.

“In practice, it’s a very big field, and in research, it can be a bit tricky to jump into,” Gibbs said. “It is something that I was not anticipating, but there have been a lot of

projects on examining social work in the court system and how we might evaluate court and legal intervention through a social work lens, as well as how we can help students have experiences and learning opportunities in a field that often intersects with the court system.”

Donnetta Washington

Field faculty member and Title IV-E Program Praticum Education Coordinator Donnetta Washington spent much of her first semester in front of others – both students and social work professionals.

Washington taught several practicum education courses, as well as sections of professional practice in foster care and adoption. Through those courses, she’s learned the importance of preparation, not just for classroom management but also for the success of her students.

“They are the ones out there, doing their own inquiries in the field and finding out why things are done the way they are done,” Washington said. “It does take us, as instructors, to be equipped and actually working in the field to speak to how things are done.”

Along with time in a classroom, Washington presented findings from her previous research in firearm safety for youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies to doctors and specialists with the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. She also spent time on the road at several conferences on social work education, where she learned better practices from her peers.

Those speaking engagements are ongoing, as Washington is slated to speak at the UGA Title IV-E program graduation and a national conference in the spring.

“We’re going to talk a little bit about the mentorship model that we have at the School of Social Work and how we’ve been able to engage students in the Title IV-E program so that they feel not only connected to the university but also supported,” Washington said.

The nature of Washington’s role means she completes

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fewer research projects than her colleagues. Still, it allows her to continue to work in her interest areas of decreasing access to lethal means for suicide and improving the public perception of social work as a profession.

As the first individual to hold her position, Washington noted the support and mentorship the faculty–in particular Zoe Johnson, director of curriculum innovation, and Assistant Professor Allison Dunnigan–had shown her in her first months with the school.

“The support of the faculty has really made my role,” Washington said. “They’ve really been able to support me and my growth.”

Christopher Weatherly

Assistant Professor Christopher Weatherly has had a lot thrown at him his first semester – new courses, research projects, and his first child – but he’s weathered the storm.

The assistant professor’s current research focuses on climate change and its impact on rural mental health. He entered the School of Social Work ranks with experience researching farmer populations, and the connections and expertise that the University holds have allowed him to expand his work.

Through the support of Professor Anna Scheyett – who holds similar research interests in rural mental health – Weatherly received a small research grant to explore local farmers in rural areas and see the impacts of climate change on stress levels. In his first semester, he built connections with several partners, including the UGA Extension Office and the School of Engineering, and aligned himself with them for future work.

Those connections have expanded opportunities for different research topics with other units, including how green infrastructure helps farmers, a project he’s working on with UGA’s College of Agriculture. In his short time with the School of Social Work, he’s experienced a push and pull regarding research interests.

“I’m both honing in on what I know but also expanding on areas that I wasn’t planning to expand on,” Weatherly said. “The cool thing about this job is that you can go in multiple directions. I feel like I’m growing both very specifically and very broadly.”

Weatherly taught two courses during his first semester – an Advanced Clinical Skills section and a PrOSEAD section, a course focusing on Power, Oppression, Social Justice, Evidence-Informed Practice, Advocacy, and Diversity on individual and global levels. He’s been able to succeed in the classroom and the other aspects of his life thanks to the support of his colleagues.

“I think they’ve recognized that work is important, family is important, and the two are intermingled,” Weatherly said. “They’ve been so lovely and supportive in this new chapter of my life.”

Yingying Zeng

Assistant Professor Yingying Zeng saw her first semester as a project, a rewarding challenge of balancing teaching and research while navigating the demands of academic life.

Zeng taught one section of “Human Behaviors in the Social Environment,” an experience she describes as both enlightening and instructive. She blended numerous teaching methods, including case studies, guest speakers, movie discussions, and group activities to improve student outcomes.

“I discovered the importance of being an engaging instructor,” Zeng said. “I realized that creating an interactive and participatory learning environment significantly enhances students’ understanding and retention of course material.”

Zeng’s growth as an instructor parallels her growth as a researcher. In November, she received an honorable mention for “A Scoping Review of Needs and Barriers to Achieving ALivable Life Among Refugees with Disabilities: Implications for Future Research, Practice, and Policy,” by the Council on Social Work Education. In her short time with SSW, she has seen

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her interests in economic well-being, inequality, and socioeconomic mobility among marginalized populations take a more localized approach.

“I’ve witnessed a notable evolution in my research interests and have developed a deeper passion for exploring various facets of social work and community engagement,” Zeng said. “One significant shift has been my growing interest in researching immigrant populations, particularly those residing in rural areas of the United States.”

That shift is translated into a current project studying immigrant farmworkers’ access to financial aid resources. Zeng is awaiting results for a grant application and growth in connection with the UGA Cooperative Extension. Along with these new experiences, she is still completing ongoing projects from her time before the School of Social Work, and she plans to dedicate significant time in the next several months to complete an in-depth literature review to thoroughly understand existing research and its gaps.

Liwei Zhang

Assistant Professor Liwei Zhang’s research focuses on how financial assistance programs can prevent child maltreatment. She works with national data sets with data points in the millions, and a closer look is available in “Big Data.” The piece of data that keeps her up at night, however, is the number of children who face maltreatment in the U.S.

“We have about 3 million children in this country who are involved in the child welfare system,” Zhang said. “This is a huge number, which is not a good thing. I want to work out a better system that could support families and prevent child maltreatment.”

Zhang received a five-year research career development grant from the National Institute of Health to train for work with large data sets. She plans to use this grant to understand how financial assistance programs could help prevent child maltreatment risk during COVID-19, a time when policy shifts affected service implementation.

“So many economic policies changed or were adjusted to help provide resources to families experiencing economic difficulties during COVID-19, but many of those policies have been withdrawn or canceled post-COVID-19,” Zhang said. “We want to understand whether those policies have been effective, and if they are effective, that would allow us to improve current policies and prepare for future disasters.”

As Zhang cleans and accumulates secondary data for various projects, she’s also been hard at work building connections with the local community. She sees the importance of having a greater impact than simply collecting numbers.

“As researchers, you need to find the best way to work with them,” Zhang said. “You don’t want to just collect data from them; you want to work with them as collaborators, as a team, to better the system.” •

collaborative research

Ph.D. Cohort Tackles LCSW Exam Disparities

Passing the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam is the final step in the journey for students seeking to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). However, in many cases, those who sit in these exams face a number of disparities before they make it that far. A quartet of students at the University of Georgia School of Social Work is researching some of the barriers and obstacles to pave the way to a more equitable testing system.

The ASWB exam has been a hot topic among industry professionals, and the second year Ph.D. cohort –comprised of Autumn Collier, Shannon Power, Zach Cooper, and Cameron Bics – wanted to look closer to understand what impacts who passes and who doesn’t.

“There has been a lot of chatter in the last two years about disparities in passing the LCSW exam, especially in the Southeast, for individuals of color,” Collier said. “Research on that is out, however, so we wanted to take another angle and just look at obtaining licensure. We wanted to investigate two specific factors that may contribute to passing the exam.”

To prepare for the project, the team compiled existing ASWB information, conducted literature searches and coordinated with various stakeholders to best determine their area of focus. Given that multiple factors could have been studied, Collier noted that the group focused on those influencing pass/fail rates.

A Q&A with LCSWs

The team prepared a questionnaire with approximately 30 write-in and multiple-choice questions crafted to be user-friendly, well-understood, and concise. Questions were drafted with the help of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the UGA Office of Research’s oversight committee.

The first portion of the questionnaire focused on demographic questions, including age, income, and race. In contrast, other portions delved into factors of the participant’s MSW program, such as whether their educational experience was online or in-person.

More importantly, the survey explored the quality of the respondent’s supervision and the characteristics of their supervising clinician, the number of times it took them to pass the ASWB, their employment during supervision, and other factors of their LCSW journey. Determining proper phrasing and ensuring the questions related to employment and supervision were some of the challenges the team encountered in the planning phase.

“It’s very easy to go down a rabbit hole because we want so much information,” Collier said. “As researchers, the more info we can get, we love it, and sometimes that can take us further from the research question until it becomes a different study.”

Cohort members are still integrating feedback from the IRB into a finalized questionnaire, which they hope to test on School of Social Work faculty for another round of review and revision in the coming months.

The team spent time researching listservs and boards to recruit LCSWs in the state to take the study and reached out to several organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers Georgia Chapter and the alum organizations of the six state schools with MSW programs.

The study’s target population consists of LCSWs who have held licenses in the state of Georgia since 2008. The group hopes 150-200 LCSWs will complete the questionnaire, which goes live in the coming

months and contains qualifying questions that ensure participants hold a Georgia license.

A Special Bond

The four Ph.D. students aren’t strangers — their time together began in the fall of 2022 in Room 300 of the School of Social Work Building.

“We are a well-meshed group,” Collier said. “We enjoy each other, we have really good laughs. Because we spent so much time together during the first year, we were able to get to know each other’s personalities, strengths in areas, and preferences for things. It’s a really nice advantage to have when doing this research project — we have awareness of each other.”

That awareness played into the group’s eventual choice for the research project. Group members each brought diverse research interests, but they discussed project components to blend commonalities and ensure everyone benefited from the idea and its goal.

“We separated portions of the research project based on the research knowledge we wanted to gain,” Power said. “I wanted to practice submitting to UGA’s Institutional Review Board, so my cohort let me lead that portion of the project.”

The group found the project to be a rewarding experience for their education, as well as a practical exercise for their future professional pursuits.

“It is important for SSW Ph.D. students to develop research skills, from crafting a hypothesis to publishing an academic paper,” Power said. “The research practicum sets us up for success in our future careers by allowing us a space to do that as a cohort with ample mentorship and peer support.”

Working Toward A Goal

Three of the four cohort members hold LCSW credentials, and Collier said her 15 years of clinical experience also play into her curiosity on the topic.

“The aim is to fill some gaps in our knowledge about factors contributing to folks who can pass the ASWB

“The research practicum sets us up for success in our future careers by allowing us a space to do that as a cohort with ample mentorship and peer support.”

exam,”

Collier said.

“I know that pass rates are the outcome of interest, but I also wonder about the quality of supervision individuals are getting and if people are working in a field that is conducive to learning clinical knowledge.”

The project fills not only a need for information but also serves as an opportunity for cohort members to complete published work for their curriculum vitae. While there are still months before their research and work are complete, Collier and her colleagues look fondly toward the future and what their project might find.

“It is exciting on many levels,” Collier said. “It is really cool for us to come in together, work really hard in our program together, and have a product that the four of us have completed together,” Collier said. “I also think I’d be extremely grateful to be able to contribute to knowledge and know that something that my cohort has done – our time, our effort, our research, and our curiosity – has led to or influenced the way policy is developed in the future.” •

Sam Cook

BEYOND NUMBERS

Ph.D. candidate analyzes strategies for treatment of human trafficking survivors

There is no “perfect treatment” for survivors of human trafficking, but Elyssa Schroeder’s systematic review and meta-analysis paper provides findings to help perfect treatment and outcomes in these populations.

Trauma, Violence & Abuse, a journal by SAGE, published Schroeder’s 16-page paper in October 2023, capping a multi-year journey for the fifth-year Ph.D. candidate. The meta-analysis filled some gaps in knowledge of the effectiveness of existing programs, opening new doors to future research, policies, and practice.

A Look Back

Schroeder conducted a systematic review of literature published between 2010 and June 2022 to identify studies that matched her criteria for post-trafficking service evaluations. This process brought over 2,300 different studies and papers across her computer screen, each part of a database, gray literature report, or nongovernmental report. Ultimately, she narrowed the items to 15 studies of 16 populations aligned with her research.

With these studies in mind, Shroeder built a framework to place the outcomes of the studies into order. Each study focused on different aspects of mental health, physical health, social support and behavior, personal development, and other factors.

Schroeder formatted and worked with the statistics of all 15 studies. She found that 51% of these outcomes were statistically significant and helpful to survivors, along with the efficiencies and shortcomings of other studies.

One of the more interesting findings of Schroeder’s work centered around the use of occupational therapy. In her review, she found at least three studies that used this form of therapy for survivors, each providing a different outlook on treatment opportunity and success.

“The studies with occupational therapy came from more physical health interventions rather than mental health or

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psychological interventions, and those demonstrated the biggest change in survivor outcomes,” Schroeder said. “That was an interesting finding and a potential area that can be expanded for survivor benefit.”

Additionally, the review found that non-U.S.-based services often had better outcomes than Americanbased ones. This could be due to a variety of factors, Shroeder explained, including the social structures in the U.S. versus those globally, as well as basic needs vulnerability, a factor that can be greater in other countries.

Another important finding came as a link in mental and economic health, which serves as a possible avenue for combined services for multiple positive outcomes in the future.

“We saw that the effort put into economic capability services was good, but it increased in effectiveness when combined with mental health services,” Schroeder said. “It’s a good example of how statistics can lead to actual change; it’s through little observations like that.”

This economic link resonates with Schroeder’s holistic approach to social work. She noted the importance of not breaking down a person into particular aspects but treating a survivor for who they are.

“Only through full well-being will you be successful,” Schroeder said. “Really focusing on the whole person and not just their mental health score or how much money they can make in the future is important. Focusing on things like social connectedness and hope, which were some of the outcomes measured, we can make more of a difference.”

To Move Forward

One of the paper’s more important elements can be found in a table towards its end, where Schroeder formulated a list of implications for research, policy, and practice. Before Schroeder embarked on her journey towards a Ph.D., she worked as a practitioner for a number of years, where she saw the effects that policies can have on client services, particularly in how funds are spent. She carefully formatted the meta-analysis

to ensure that future work in the field isn’t siloed into a particular type of treatment or way of thought.

“If data alone starts dictating the services, it can be dangerous and threaten the inherent creativity that is at the heart of advocacy,” Schroeder said. “It made me hesitant to do this paper. To balance my researcher and practitioner values, I grounded the paper with background information about practice-based evidence and how it differs from evidence-based practice.”

“I think you can see that the person writing this isn’t someone who just ran the numbers but someone who knows what it is like to work with survivors on the ground.”

The publishing of Schroeder’s paper served as the end of an era in her professional and academic life. The paper is four years in the making. Schroeder submitted the meta-analysis three times before being accepted for publication in Trauma, Violence & Abuse, regarded as one of the field’s top journals. With each submission, the paper grew stronger, said Schroeder, who offered thanks to David Okech and CenHTRO, who sent her to a training seminar early in her Ph.D. study to prepare for the endeavor.

Schroeder noted that the paper found a need for more research in the field to fill gaps in understanding and make necessary changes to future practice.

“It really points out that we need more evidence in trafficking services and social services in general because there is a lot of funding that is being pushed in that direction, but we only have 15 studies to show what works over 12 years,” Schroeder said. “We need more research to really show what works and why it works –not just the what, but the why and how it works to build services that truly help trafficking survivors.” •

FACULTY

2023–2024 REFEREED PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Click on the faculty member’s name to view their online profile.

MARY AGER

Associate Professor Director, BSW Program

Research interests: Social policy and consumer debt, predatory lending, informal economy, poverty policy, community economic development.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Ager, M. (Guest Ed.). (2023). Does the field of social work have debts to pay [Guest editorial]? Social Work, 68(3), 181–182. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swad020

PRESENTATIONS

Cody, A., Okech, D., & Ager, M. (2024, January 10–14). Rapid qualitative analysis: Addressing the research to practice implementation gap [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14435.html

LYDIA ALETRARIS

Associate Research Scientist

Associate Director, Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach

PRIF Project Coordinator

Research interests: Health services research and implementation science, substance use disorder treatment, labor trafficking and sex trafficking, work and occupations, cannabis legalization/substance use policy, psychedelicassisted therapy & novel treatment modalities.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Okech, D., & Aletraris, L. (Guest Eds.). (in press). Validation of prevalence estimation research methods in human trafficking [Special issue]. Journal of Human Trafficking

Okech, D., & Aletraris, L. (Guest Eds.). (in press). Introduction and editorial: Validation of prevalence estimation research methods in human trafficking [Special issue]. Journal of Human Trafficking

Okech, D., Yi, H., Vincent, K. & Aletraris, L. (in press). Future directions in human trafficking prevalence research: Methodological and statistical considerations. Journal of Human Trafficking

Chou, J., Patton, R., Aletraris, L., Zaarur, A., Grella, C., Roman, P. M., & Feeney, E. (2024). Examining utilization of family-based treatment in substance use treatment centers. Contemporary Family Therapy https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-024-09700-4

Okech, D., Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., Afroz, F., Balch, A., Bolton, C., Fofanah, U., & Aletraris, L. (2024). Stakeholder perceptions of gaps and solutions in addressing child trafficking. Children and Youth Services Review, 158, Article 107475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107475

Aletraris, L., Graves, B. D., & Ndung’u, J. J. (2023). Assessing the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on cannabis use disorder and admission to treatment in the United States. Current Addiction Reports, 10, 198–209. https://doi. org/10.1007/s40429-023-00470-x

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use among adults in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age and variation across statewide judicial circuits. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 62(1), 174190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2023.2182866

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., Aletraris, L., Paseda, O., & Dias, C. (2023). Examining correlates of substance use treatment needs for adults under community supervision. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X231198804

Cody, A. M., Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., Clay-Warner, J., & Callands, T. (2023). When child trafficking and informal fostering intersect: A mixed methods study. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(2). https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr. v24i2.2026

Schroeder, E., Yi, H., Okech, D., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Cody, A. (2023). Do social service interventions for human trafficking survivors work? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse https://doi. org/10.1177/15248380231204885

Yi, H., Vincent, K., Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Li, J., Kawashima, T., Edgemon, T. G., Aletraris, L., & Konteh, F. H. (2023). An empirical comparison of a traditional strategy and network scale-up method for prevalence estimation of child trafficking in Sierra Leone. Crime & Delinquency https://doi. org/10.1177/00111287231170122

PRESENTATIONS

Aletraris, L., Ramaglia, R., Villalba, C., & Myers, L. (2024, January 10–14). What cannabis legalization means for the treatment of cannabis use disorder [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54927.html

Aletraris, L., Myers, L., Villalba, C., & Ramaglia, R. (2024, January 10–14). Substance use treatment providers’ perceptions of research fund allocations toward development of medications for cannabis use disorder [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54932.html

Aletraris, L., Villalba, C., Ramaglia, R., & Myers, L. (2024, January 10–4). Assessing current demand and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cannabis use disorder [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54935.html

Okech, D., Yi, Hui, Goulart, P., Aletraris, L., Clay-Warner, J., & Waswa, A. (2023, November 12–15). Vulnerability of children with disabilities in trafficking: A low-resourced country study [Paper presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex. com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/539777

Aletraris, L., Ramaglia, R., Villalba, C., Myers, L., & Roman, P. M. (2023, November 7–9). The implications of cannabis legalization on addressing cannabis use disorder [Paper presentation abstract]. Virtual 2023 Symposium on Substance Use Research. https://rdar.unl.edu/2023-symposiumsubstance-use-research

Villalba, C., Aletraris, L., & Roman, P. M. (2023, November 7–9). Tailoring evidence-based approaches for patients with cannabis use disorder in the age of cannabis legalization [Poster presentation abstract]. Virtual 2023 Symposium on Substance Use Research. https://rdar.unl.edu/2023symposium-substance-use-research

Villalba, C., Aletraris, L., & Roman, P. M. (2023, October 18–20). Adaptations of evidence-based practices in the treatment of cannabis use disorder patients [Poster presentation]. Addiction Health Services Research Conference, New York, NY.

Aletraris, L., Zhang, S., & Kysia, K. (2023, May 22–24). Reflection: PRIF core indicators–Findings and next steps [Session presentation]. Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum, Athens, GA.

Aletraris, L., Doran, E., & Roman, P. M. (2023, January 11–15). The challenge of substance use treatment centers in addressing cannabis use in the age of cannabis legalization [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51404.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper49620.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, M., Aletraris, L., & O’Shields, J. D. (2023, January 11–15). Sixteen-year trends in cannabis use disorder treatment utilization [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50994.html

Okech, D., Yi, H., Clay-Warner, J., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). Prevalence estimation for hard-to- reach populations: Using the Network Scale-up Method for estimating child trafficking prevalence in a low-resourced country [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13473.html

Okech, D., Balch, A., Hansen, N., Callands, T., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Konteh, F. (2023, January 11–15). International implementation research: Community-based research on hardto-reach populations during a global pandemic [Roundtable presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13472.html

LEON BANKS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Banks, L., White, G. L., Allen, J. L., Huggins-Hoyt, K. Y., Briggs, H. E., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Pre- and post-conception relationship duration and parental involvement satisfaction among noncustodial African American fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 479-490. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221093542

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., & Banks, L. (2023). Smaller system predictors of satisfaction with low-income paternal involvement of noncustodial African American fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 469-478. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221128590

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., Banks, L., Allen, J. L., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Custodial and noncustodial parent predictors of noncustodial father involvement. Research

on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 491-505. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221089686

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., Miller, R., Banks, L., & Allen, J. L. (2023). Individual, relationship, and family structure predictors of African American noncustodial father involvement satisfaction. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 460–468. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315221128774

JENAY M. BEER

Assistant Professor, Institute Of Gerontology, Joint Appointment–School of Social Work & College of Public Health

Research interests: Aging, aging-in-place, assistive technology, educational robotics, caregiving, dementia, geron-technology, gerontology, human factors, human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction,psychology, smart homes, telehealth.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Reina, A. M., Beer, J. M., Renzi-Hammond, L. M., Zhang, D., & Padilla, H. M. (2024). Mind your heart: A mindful eating and diet education eHealth program. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 56(1), 54–65. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jneb.2023.10.017

Baldwin-White, A., Read, G., Beer, J., & Danville, G. (2023). Harnessing technology to prevent sexual assault on college campuses. Journal of American College Health, 71(4), 988–991. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1920605

Emerson, K., Mois, G., Kim, D., & Beer, J. (2023). Gender differences in coping with long-term COVID-19 impacts among older adults. Journal of Women & Aging, 35(3), 259267. https://doi.org/10.1080/08952841.2022.2036570

Emerson, K. G., Kim, D., Mois, G., & Beer, J. M. (2023). “At first it wasn’t so bad”: How adults aged 60 and older feel about social distancing during COVID-19. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 66(3), 339–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163437 2.2022.2111741

Power, S., Smith, K. Burton, L., Abedine, R., Beer, J., & Adams, A. (2023). Exploring perceptions of a socially assistive robot in assisted living: Recommendations from family care partners. Innovation in Aging, 7(Suppl. 1), 1165. https://doi.org/10.1093/ geroni/igad104.3735

Mois, G., Leathers, T. A., Murphy, A., Emerson, K. G., Washington, T. R., & Beer, J. M. (2023). Understand the role of technology embodiment in facilitating social connectivity to address loneliness across the lifespan: A systematic review. Gerontechnology, 22(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.4017/ gt.2023.22.1.819.06

PRESENTATIONS

Power, S., Smith, K., Abedine, R., Burton, L., Adams, A., & Beer, J. (2023, November 12–15). Assisted living with a social robot: Benefits and concerns of family care partners Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/526591

Suker, A., Douglas, F., Reina, A., Hamilton, K., Emerson, K., Renzi-Hammond, L., & Beer, J. (2023, November 12–15). Designing and implementing online learning methods to address self-care and career sustainability among certified nursing assistants (CAN) in Georgia. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https:// apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/531039

Douglas, F., Reina, A., Suker, A., Hamilton, K., Emerson, K., Renzi-Hammond, L., & Beer, J. (2023, November 12–15). Assessing certified nursing assistants’ interest in self-care built into continuing education to improve job sustainability and progression. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/530951

Burton, L., Keber, C., Huff, H., Wysocky, C., Hasty, B., Rogers, A., Page, C., Renzi-Hammond, L., Cruse-Sanders, J., & Beer, J. (2023, November 12–15). Meet me at the gardens: Lessons learned from a public health-botanical garden collaboration designed for caregiver-patient dyads living with dementias. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/529707

Rogers, A., Scott, D., Himilton, S. S., Lavender, D., Reina, A., Beer, J., Renzi-Hammond, L., & Correia, S. (2023, November 12–15). Lessons learned: Development of a memory education and assessment clinic in an academic public health. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/536479

Suker, A., Chaing, K., Adams, G. B., Liggett, S., Adelmeyer, E., Corriea, S., Beer, J., Reina, A., Snead, C., Huff, H., Berg, A., Everson, D., & Renzi-Hammond, L. (2024, November 12–15). The impact of community education programs on dementia knowledge and confidence in behavior change in rural Georgia. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/530941

Kaguturu, A., Huff, H., Grasso, G., Correia, S., Scott, D. W., Renzi-Hammond, L. M., & Beer, J. M. (2024, November 12–15). Development of physician focus group questions to understand barriers to dementia diagnosis in various rural counties in Georgia. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/539561

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HAROLD E. BRIGGS

Pauline M. Berger Professor in family & Child Welfare

Research interests: Confirmatory factor analysis of cultural specific measures, intervention and model development.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Briggs, H. E., & Teasley, M. (2023). Eliminating racism: A critical perspective. In M. Teasley, M. S. Spencer, & M. Bartholomew (Eds.). Social work and the grand challenge to eliminate racism (pp. 95–126). Oxford University Press.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., & Banks, L. (2023). Smaller system predictors of satisfaction with low-income paternal involvement of noncustodial African American fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 469-478. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221128590

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., Banks, L., Allen, J. L., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Custodial and noncustodial parent predictors of noncustodial father involvement. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 491-505. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221089686

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., Miller, R., Banks, L., & Allen, J. L. (2023). Individual, relationship, and family structure predictors of African American noncustodial father involvement satisfaction. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 460–468. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315221128774

Banks, L., White, G. L., Allen, J. L., Huggins-Hoyt, K. Y., Briggs, H. E., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Pre- and post-conception relationship duration and parental involvement satisfaction among noncustodial African American fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 479-490. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221093542

VIVIAN D. BURRELL

ANNA CODY

Assistant Research Scientist Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach

Research interests: Children’s rights, children’s well-being, children’s experiences of trauma and violence.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Okech, D., Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., Afroz, F., Balch, A., Bolton, C., Fofanah, U., & Aletraris, L. (2024). Stakeholder perceptions of gaps and solutions in addressing child trafficking. Children and Youth Services Review, 158, Article 107475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107475

Balch, A., Cody, A. M., Okech, D., Callands, T., Fofanah, U., & Wurie, H. R. (2024). Unveiling child trafficking: Local perspectives and context in addressing sustainable development goals in Sierra Leone. Global Policy. https://doi. org/10.1111/1758-5899.13322

Cody, A. M., Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., Clay-Warner, J., & Callands, T. (2023). When child trafficking and informal fostering intersect: A mixed methods study. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(2). https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr. v24i2.2026

Schroeder, E., Yi, H., Okech, D., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Cody, A. (2023). Do social service interventions for human trafficking survivors work? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse https://doi. org/10.1177/15248380231204885

REPORTS

Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Balch, A., Callands, T., Yi, H., Cody, A., Bryant, H., Bolton, C., Konteh, F., & Jalloh, A. (2023). Child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor in Kambia, Sierra Leone: A mixed methods study. Center for Human Trafficking Research & Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

PRESENTATIONS

Cody, A., Okech, D., & Ager, M. (2024, January 10–14). Rapid qualitative analysis: Addressing the research to practice implementation gap [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14435.html

PRESENTATIONS

Burrell, V. (2023, October 20). From hurt to healing: Unraveling ethics & trauma for a compassionate world [Workshop presentation]. 15th Annual Northeast Georgia Trauma Conference, Gainesville, GA.

Okech, D., Cody, A., Fofanah, U., & Onyioha-Clayton, N. (2024, January 10–14). Lessons learned and recommendations for long-term research partnerships in low and middle-income countries [Roundtable presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Session14474.html

Callands, T., Cody, A., & Okech, D. (2024, January 10–14). Child trafficking vulnerabilities in Sierra Leone: A qualitative thematic analysis [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52923.html

Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., Okech, D., Warnock, C. A., May, A. C. & Driver, A. (2024, February 29–March 1). Vicarious trauma and student training in qualitative research: An issue of access [Conference presentation]. The Qualitative Report Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Cody, A.M., Callands, T. A., & Okech, D. (2023, May 17–20). Using an ecological lens to explore child trafficking vulnerabilities in Sierra Leone: A qualitative thematic analysis [Conference presentation]. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), Urbana, IL.

LLEWELLYN J. CORNELIUS

Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies, Director, the Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights

Research interests: Racial/ethnic health disparities, research methods, social determinants of health, development of change interventions, examination of barriers to the adoption of interventions.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Haymes, S. H., Camacho, V. N., & Cornelius, L. J. (2023). Land, cultural dispossession and resistance: Afro-descendent and indigenous peoples in the Americas. Journal of Poverty, 27(6–7), 427–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2023.22 17807

Azugbene, E. A., Cornelius, L. J., & Johnson-Agbakwu, C. E. (2023). African immigrant women’s maternal health experiences in Clarkston, Georgia: A qualitative study. Women’s Health Reports, 4(1). 603–616. https://doi. org/10.1089/whr.2023.0062

CONFERENCE

ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Jasper, T., Olasunkanmi, Y., Owolabi, I., Soje-Amadosi, E., Ibrahim A., Eniade, O., Torbunde, N., Ezekwe, L., Adirieje, C., Kruger Howard, A., Leydorf Rodrigo, M., Cornelius, L., Sam-Agudu, N. (2023). Health-related quality of life among children living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria. Abstract Book – International Workshop on HIV & Pediatrics, p. 82–83. https://academicmedicaleducation.com/node/16316

PRESENTATIONS

Jasper, T. L., Olasunkanmi, Y. A., Soje-Amadosi, E. E., Adebisi, I. G., Ibrahim, A., Eniade, O. D., Torbunde, N., Adirieje, C., Howard, A. K., Rodrigo, M. L., Cornelius, L. J., & Sam-Agudu, N. A. (2023). Prevalence of depression among adult caregivers of children living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria. NIA 2023 Conference, Abuja, Nigeria.

ALLISON DUNNIGAN

Assistant Professor Director, Title IV-E Program

Research interests: Impact of macro- and mezzo- level child welfare structural factors of youth and family outcomes.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Yeo, H., Dunnigan, A. E., Fusco, R. A., & Watson, M. (in press). Trajectories of foster-care entry for prenatal substance exposure in the United States. Children & Youth Services Review.

Kohl, P., Dunnigan, A., Markovitz, L., Feely, M., Lewis, E. M., Seay, K. D., Lanier, P., Fedoravicius, N., Auslander, W., Guo, S., Jonson-Reid, M. (2023). Improving child behavior through parent training in child welfare services: A mixed-methods study of families receiving in-home services. Children and Youth Services Review, 155, Article 107269. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107269

Baldwin-White, A., Dunnigan, A., Jones, A. & Fusco, R. A. (2023). War on families: Limiting access to reproductive health. Children and Youth Services Review, 149(1), Article 106919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106919

Davis, C. G., Dunnigan, A., & Stevens, B. (2023). Indigenouscentered racial disproportionality in American foster care: A national population study. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 17(2), 280-304. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2 021.2022565

PRESENTATIONS

Dunnigan, A. (2023, January 11–15). Human trafficking domestically and globally: Improving practice and research to aid survivors [Conference presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Session13689.html

Stevens, B., Dunnigan, A., & Grinnell-Davis, C. (2023, January 11–15). A descriptive policy scan of state Indian child welfare statutes [Conference presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51240.html

Click on the faculty member’s name to view their online profile.

Dunnigan, A., Grinnell-Davis, C. L., Harty, J., & Dodd, K. (2023, January 11–15). An intersectional analysis of disproportionality among American Indian/Alaskan native children in American foster care [Conference presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51243.html

JENNIFER ELKINS

Associate Professor Director, MSW Program

Research interests: Identifying, preventing, and treating trauma, violence, and abuse PTSD; complex trauma, historical trauma, and trauma-related disorders; ecological/transactional and risk/resilience processes across the lifespan; culturally sustaining, trauma-informed, and transdisciplinary teaching, research and practice.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Sharkey, C. N., Elkins, J., & Johnson, Z. (2023). Field note–Creating trauma-informed library spaces: Lessons learned from a pilot program. Journal of Social Work Education, 59(2), 583–590. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.1978913

BOOK CHAPTERS

Yellowhair, D., Brave Heart, M. Y. H., Chase, J., & Elkins, J. (in press). Historical trauma and unresolved grief. In J. Gone (Ed.). American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander mental health. American Psychiatric Association Press.

Brave Heart, M. Y. H., Chase, J., Elkins, J., & Martin, J. (2024). Wiping the tears: A culturally grounded approach to intervention with American Indians/Alaska Natives. In M. Weissman & J. Mootz (Eds.). Interpersonal psychotherapy: A global reach. Oxford. University Press.

Sharkey, C., Strickland, C. & Elkins, J. (2023). Resisting curriculum violence and developing anti-oppressive, trauma informed and culturally sustaining approaches for social work education and practice. In L. Abrams, S. E. Crewe, A. Dettlaff, & J. Herbert Williams (Eds.), Social work, white supremacy, and racial justice. Oxford.

PRESENTATIONS

Murphy-Nugen, A., Elkins, J., Lambert, K. & Cummings, S. (2023, October). Walking the talk: Callingto action social work education and leadership amidst socio-political threat [Interactive workshop] Interactive Workshop at 69th Annual Program Meeting, Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, GA.

RACHEL A. FUSCO

Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, Georgia Athletic Association Professor on Health and Well-Being

Research interests: Interventions focused on improving sleep and reducing both substance use and experiences of violence, especially in pregnant and parenting women.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Fusco, R. A. (2023). Introduction to the special issue: Sleep and substance use. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 23(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1080/153325 6X.2022.2159640

Fusco, R., & Kulkarni, S. (2023). Gender differences in the relationship between sleep and childhood traumas. European Psychiatry, 66(Suppl. 1), S269–S269. https://doi.org/10.1192/j. eurpsy.2023.611

Gibbs, J. J., & Fusco, R. A. (2023). Minority stress and sleep: How do stress perception and anxiety symptoms act as mediators for sexual minority men? Sleep Health, 9(2), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2023.01.002

Morrison, P. K., Pallatino-Trevelline, C., Fusco, R., Fitzpatrick, E., Chang, J. C., Kotha, A., Folb, B., Rustic, A. E., & Krans, E. (2023). Co-occurring substance use and intimate partner violence in pregnant and postpartum women: A systematic literature review. Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-023-00609-4

Baldwin-White, A., Dunnigan, A., Jones, A. & Fusco, R. A. (2023). War on families: Limiting access to reproductive health. Children and Youth Services Review, 149(1), Article 106919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106919

Kulkami, S. J., Marcus, C. C., Escalante, C., Wood, L., & Fusco, R. (2023). Improving safe housing access for domestic violence survivors through systems change. Housing Policy Debate, 33(2), 414–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.20 21.1947865

Yuan, Y., Lee, H., Newhill, C. E., Eack, S. M., Fusco, R., & Scott, L. N. (2023) Differential associations between childhood maltreatment types and borderline personality disorder from the perspective of emotion dysregulation. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 10, Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-023-00210-7

PRESENTATIONS

Yoon, Y., Gibbs, J.J., & Fusco, R.A. (2024, January 10–14). Discrimination’s relationship with sleep: What are the roles of self-esteem and depression for sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54813.html

Click on the faculty member’s name to view their online profile.

Fusco, R.A. & Kulkarni, S.J. (2023, March 25–28). Gender differences in the relationship between sleep and childhood trauma [Poster presentation]. 31st European Conference of Psychiatry, Paris, France.

Fusco, R.A. (2023, January 11–15). Gender differences in sleep among young adults who experienced childhood violence [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50479.html

Gibbs, J.J., & Fusco, R.A. (2023, January 11–15). How does anxiety and perception of stress mediate the relationship between minority stress and sleep for a sample of sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50398.html

Fusco, R.A. (2023, January 11–15). Human trafficking domestically and globally: Improving practice and research to aid survivors [ Symposium organizer]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13689.html

DANIEL J. GIBBS

Assistant Professor

Research interests: Child welfare, child mental health, professional decision-making, data science and social work practice, interprofessional collaboration, social work and the law.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Gibbs, D. J., Lanier, P., McNellan, C., & Bryant, K. (in press). Identifying children at risk of maltreatment: Assessing the current landscape of Birth Match policies in the United States. Journal of Public Child Welfare.

Gibbs, D. J., Phillips, J. D., & Villagrana, K. (in press). Stress, satisfaction, and turnover among child welfare workers: Examining associations with quality of interprofessional collaboration. Journal of the Society of Social Work and Research.

Lanier, P., Rose, R., Gibbs, D., Hyman, J., Kamdar, N., Konstanzer, J., & Hassmiller Lich, K. (in press). Psychiatric residential treatment facilities for child behavioral health services in North Carolina Medicaid. North Carolina Medical Journal.

PRESENTATIONS

Gibbs, D. J., Konstanzer, J., Hassmiller Lich, K., Lanier, P., Ansong, D., Chapman, M. V., & Jensen, T. M. (2024, January

10–14). System decisions and dynamics contributing to mental health services access for youth in foster care [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54117.html

Gibbs, D. J., Lanier, P., Rose, R., Hassmiller Lich, K., Ansong, D., Chapman, M. V., & Jensen, T. M. (2024, January 10–14). Assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on foster youth mental health services utilization [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53276.html

JEREMY R. GIBBS

Assistant Professor

Research interests: Sexual minority youth, behavioral health outcomes, technology and health research, religious identity dissonance, spatial analysis, social network analysis.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Green. J., & Gibbs, J. J. (in press). LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement: Examining the role of house/ball community involvement and LGBTQ+ community connection. Social Work

Pless, J., & Gibbs, J. J. (in press). Intimate partner violence increases minority stressors for men who have sex with men. Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Gibbs, J. J., O’Shields, J., DeVane, R., & Purcell, A. (2024). Religious identity dissonance: Examining the path of religious factors to depression in sexual minority men in the USA. Journal of Religion and Health https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10943-024-02025-4

Gibbs, J. J. (2023). Discrimination and sleep disturbance: How is substance use a mediator for sexual minority men? Journal of Social Work Practice in Addictions, 23(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533256X.2022.2159644

Gibbs, J. J. (2023). What does social work do for the LGBTQ people in the U. S.? A Collection of Papers Presented at the Society of Social Welfare Conference for Criticism and Alternatives, 97–118. https://www.dbpia.co.kr/journal/ articleDetail?nodeId=NODE11467193

Gibbs, J. J., & Baldwin-White, A. (2023). Sexual assault and behavioral health: What can we learn from a probability sample of young sexual minority men? Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(3-4), 2614–2629. https://doi. org/10.1177/08862605221101198

Gibbs, J. J., & Fusco, R. A. (2023). Minority stress and sleep: How do stress perception and anxiety symptoms act as mediators for sexual minority men? Sleep Health, 9(2), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2023.01.002

Gibbs, J. J., Schrager, S., & Goldbach, J. (2023). Young men who have sex with men and substance use: A comparison of venue-based sampling and geosocial networking application sampling. Journal of Homosexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/0 0918369.2022.2161086

Villarreal-Otálora, T., Gibbs, J. J., & Boyas, J. F. (2023). Examining Latino immigrant caregiver’s self-efficacy to support the prevention of adolescent suicide. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32, 3263–3274. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10826-023-02583-3

PRESENTATIONS

Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). Connection to the gay community and social relationships: Which social factors are associated with alcohol and marijuana use for sexual minority men? [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper52974.html

Collier, A. & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). How does self-esteem act as a mediator in the relationship between minority stress and depression for sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53831.html

Green, J. & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement: Examining the role of house-ball community involvement and LGBTQ+ community connection. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54723.html

Yoon, Y., & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). The relationship between intimate partner violence, psychological distress, and marijuana use among sexual minority men [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53835.html

Yoon, Y., Gibbs, J. J., & Fusco, R. A. (2024, January 10–14). Discrimination’s relationship with sleep: What are the roles of self-esteem and depression for sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54813.html

Gibbs, J., Haider, M. R., Brown, M., & Hansen, N. (2023, November 12–15). Role of depression as a mediator between homelessness and sex under the influence of drug and alcohol among men who have sex with men in a southern state [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual

Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/534225

Collier, A., & Gibbs, J. (2023, November 12–15). The mediating effect of self-esteem on microaggressions, perceived stress, and depression with sexual minority men [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/531978

Haider, M. R., Gibbs, J., Brown, M., & Hansen, N. (2023, November 12–15). Gay community connectedness and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) attitudes and use among men who have sex with men in Georgia: A mediation analysis [Paper presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapi. cgi/Paper/534024?filename=2023_Abstract534024. html&template=Word

Haider, M. R., Gibbs, J., Brown, M., Olatosi, B., Hansen, N., & Li, X. (2023, November 12–15). Gender disparities in association between sexual trauma, depressive symptoms, and sex under the influence of drugs and alcohol among people with HIV. [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/533938

Yoon, Y., & Gibbs, J. J. (2023, November 12–15). Relationship between intimate partner violence, psychological distress, and marijuana use among sexual minority men [Poster presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/536829

Gibbs, J. J., & Fusco, R. A. (2023, January 11–15). How does anxiety and perception of stress mediate the relationship between minority stress and sleep for a sample of sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50398.html

Gibbs, J. J., Devane, R., & Purcell, A. (2023, January 11–15). Religious identity conflict: Examining the path of religious factors to depression in sexual minority men [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper51106.html

Green, J. & Gibbs, J. J. (2023, January 11–15). The Black Lives Matter Movement: Which factors contribute to civic engagement for sexual minority men [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50413.html

PHILIP HONG

Dean and Professor

Research interests: Poverty, workforce development, and social exclusion; evidence-informed/empowermentbased community practice; practice-based, bottom-up system change; evaluation of social safety net/social policy and non-profit programs; international social development and comparative social welfare.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Hong, P. Y. P. (2023). Transforming Opportunities into Productivity (TOP): A new social development model for social transformation. Social Development Issues, 46(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.3998/sdi.5297

Hong, P. Y. P., Shin, A., Wathen, M. V., & Gibbons, T. (2023). Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) for financial capability: Application of practice-based program theory and measures in intervention design. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(6), 695–710.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315231179643

JUNE GARY HOPPS

Thomas M. “Jim” Parham Professor of Family and Children Studies

Research interests: Clinical practice effectiveness and group work with clients and families overwhelmed by personal and environmental stressors; identification of success factors for long-term married, civically engaged, and high-achieving Afro-American couples; program evaluation and effectiveness; human rights, civil rights and social justice; contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the profession.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Hopps. J. G., Gourdine, R. M., Strickland, C., Rollins, L., & Linder, K. (2023). Population health in rural and urban communities. In F. A. Gary, & M. J. Lotas (Eds.), A population health approach to health disparities for nurses: Care of vulnerable populations (pp. 325–348). Springer http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/9780826185044.0017

Clayton, Jr., O., Hopps, J. G., Strickland, C., & Brown, S. (2023). Legacies of Jane Addams and W. E. B. Du Bois: Lessons for scholarship on diversity and inclusion in organizations. In P. Shields, M. Hamington, & J. Soeters (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of Jane Addams. Oxford University Press.

PRESENTATIONS

Hassan, M., Hopps, J. G., & Gary, F. (2023, October 12–13). Examining health disparities in the context of the social determinants of health [Virtual presentation]. International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing (INDEN) 2023 Virtual Annual Conference.

Hassan, M., Gary, F., & Hopps, J. G. (2023, October 12–13). Mirror, mirror on the wall, will the social determinants of health help us all? [Virtual Presentation]. International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing (INDEN) 2023 Virtual Annual Conference.

Hopps, J. G., Gary, F. & Hassan, M. (2023, August 1–6). In the eye of the storm: Triple stigma of mental illness and despair among minority youth in the United States [Podium presentation]. National Black Nurses Association 51st Research Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Gary, F., Brooks, L., Hassan, M., Johnson-Mallard, V., & Hopps, J. G. (2023, July 1–5). Tampering with health inequities and searching for hope for children in poor communities in the United States. [Poster Presentation]. International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress 2023. Montreal, QC, CA.

Gary, F., Brooks, L., Johnson-Mallard, V., Johnson, S., & Hopps, J. G. (2023, July 1–5). Grappling with wicked problems in mental health systems and population wellness: A global priority. International Conference of Nursing, Montreal, Canada. #: 8461

Gary, F., Brooks, L., & Hopps, J. G. (2023, April 22–23). Social determinants of health, health disparities, and equity: A wicked problem? [Podium presentation]. Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Annual Conference, Columbus, OH.

KRISTINA JASKYTE

Research interests: Innovation in nonprofit organizations, employee creativity, assessing the effectiveness of Design Thinking, B-Corporations, interdisciplinary teamwork, rural nonprofit organizational capacity building.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Jaskyte, K. (2024). The power of design thinking: Exploring creative confidence and creative efficacy in college students. Journal of Nonprofit Education & Leadership, 14(1), 71–85.

Jaskyte, K., Hunter, A., & Mell, A. C. (2024). Predictors of interdisciplinary team innovation in higher education institutions. Innovative Higher Education, 49, 113–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-023-09676-3

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ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRIES

Jaskyte, K. (2023). Innovation in nonprofit organizations. In K. Kearns & W. Wang (Eds.), Elgar encyclopedia of nonprofit management, leadership and governance (pp. 334–338). Edward Elgar Publishing.

ZOE MINOR JOHNSON

Senior Academic Professional Director of Curriculum Innovation

Research interests: Social work education, Black students in predominantly white institutional settings, college student affairs administration, Black joy and well-being.

PRESENTATIONS

Johnson, Z. M., & Colquitt, E. (2023, October 26–29).

P4P: A collaboration approach to addressing the call for paid placement in field education [Conference presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

NAYNETTE KENNETT

Clinical Assistant Professor

Research interests: Cultural competence and clinical practice, trauma and mental health, racial trauma and clinical practice, chronic illness and the impact on mental health, infant mental health, perinatal mental health.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Kennett, N., & Robinson-Dooley, V. (2023). Field education: What field internship experiences influence perceived level of cultural competence among graduating MSW students. Field Educator, 13(2). https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2023/10/22-309-Field-Education-WhatField-Internship-Experiences-Influence-Perceived-Level-ofCultural-Competence-Among-Graduating-MSW-Students. pdf

Wade-Berg, J. A., Robinson-Dooley, V., Kennett, N., & Collard, C. (2023). Reflections on the climb to promotion and well-being: Confronting the discipline, the department, and drama. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 29(2) [Issue 1: A call for social work educators to confront and dismantle systemic racism within social work programs]. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13013/3157

TONY B. LOWE

Associate Professor

Research interests: International social work, barriers to service, mental health service.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Banks, L., White, G. L., Allen, J. L., Huggins-Hoyt, K. Y., Briggs, H. E., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Pre- and post-conception relationship duration and parental involvement satisfaction among noncustodial African American fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 479-490. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221093542

White, G. L., Briggs, H. E., Banks, L., Allen, J. L., & Lowe, T. B. (2023). Custodial and noncustodial parent predictors of noncustodial father involvement. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(4), 491-505. https://doi. org/10.1177/10497315221089686

ANTHONY J. MALLON

Clinical Associate Professor Director, Institute for Nonprofit Organizations, Director, MA in Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program

Research interests: Social services policy, contemporary social systems, poverty reduction.

PRESENTATIONS

Mallon, A. J. ( 2024, April 4-7). Engaging graduate students in social work and nonprofit leadership in delivering Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services for low-resourced communities [Conference presentation]. Joint Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development, Panama City, Panama.

Mallon, A. J. (2023, May 17–19). Inclusive stakeholder engagement [Summit presentation]. Africa Civic Engagement Academy (ACEA) Summit, Nairobi, Kenya.

Mallon, A. J. (2023, May 11). The nonprofit sector in Athens, GA: A microcosm of the United States [Oral presentation]. Neubrandenberg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany.

REBECCA MATTHEW

Associate Professor

Josiah

Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor

Research interests: Community health and well-being, cooperatives and the solidarity economy, community-based participatory research and practice, environmental justice, housing, youth development.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Matthew, R. A. (in press). Living in a time of social and climate crisis: Musings on the importance of transdisciplinarity. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping

Yates, H. T., Matthew, R. A, & Lee, S. E. (2023). Engaging women living with HIV in counseling and research: Qualitative findings from the Solution Focused Wellness for HIV (SFWH) Intervention for Women. Families in Society, 104(3), 321–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894231154630

Lee, C., Matthew, R., & Orpinas, P. (2023). Design, implementation, and evaluation of community health worker training programs in Latinx communities: A scoping review. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1), 382–405. http://doi. org/10.1002/jcop.22910

PRESENTATIONS

Hyde, C., Ohmer, M., Thurber, A., & Matthew, R. (2024, January 10–14). A continuum of community-engaged research: Democratizing processes and products [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14358.html

Matthew, R. (2023). Building the world anew: The power and promise of alternative economies [Poster presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Hyde, C., Ohmer, M., Thurber, A., & Matthew, R. (2023). Community-based is not necessarily community-engaged: A workshop linking concepts, methods, and strategies along a participatory continuum [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13267.html

JANE MCPHERSON

Associate Professor Director, Global Engagement

Research interests: Human rights & social work, global social work, social work history, immigrants and refugees, maternal-child health, social work education.

BOOK CHAPTERS

McPherson, J. (in press). Interwoven histories: The Athens Manufacturing Company, Slavery, and the University of Georgia. In V. Babb & S. Nesbit (Eds.), Reconciling legacies: Histories of slavery at the University of Georgia. University of Georgia Press.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Lee, M., & McPherson, J. (2024). The Korean “Human Rights Lens in Social Work” scale equips social workers to promote human rights in social service settings. Journal of Social Service Research, 50(1), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1080 /01488376.2023.2276135

McPherson, J. (2023). Social work’s complex cloth: Teaching hard history in an antebellum cotton mill. Critical and Radical Social Work, 11(3), 374–392. https://doi.org/10.1332/2049860 21X16731232086522

Villarreal-Otálora, T., Breathnach, M., & McPherson, J. (2023). How can school-based helping professionals work more effectively with Latinx high schoolers? Journal of Latinos and Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.202 3.2243635

McPherson, J. (2023). Social work’s complex cloth: Teaching hard history in an antebellum cotton mill. Critical and Radical Social Work, 11, 374-392. https://doi.org/10.1332/20498602 1X16731232086522

McPherson, J. (2023). The view from Easley’s Mill, present and past. Athens Historian, 22-23, 10–16. http:// athenshistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023Athens-Historian-vol-23-final-10-27-23-r.pdf

Hyacinth, C., Sylvester-Gill, J., Sperr, E., McPherson, J. & Baldwin, A. (2023). Using focus groups to plan culturally acceptable primary cervical cancer screening in Grenada, West Indies. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública (Pan American Journal of Public Heath), 47(e32). https://doi. org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.32

PRESENTATIONS

McPherson, J. (2024, January 10–14). Exploring local legacies of segregation and exclusion in women’s reform work in Athens, Georgia: Using narratives of racial inequity to expand

social work’s self-understanding [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53771.html

McPherson, J., Villarreal-Otálora, T., & Breathnach, M. (2024, January). Finding solutions in student voices: How can school-based helping professionals support Latinx youth [Poster presentation abstract]? Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper51900.html

McPherson, J. (2023, October 26–29). Teaching local professional histories of racism and oppression is anti-racist pedagogy [Oral paper presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

McPherson, J., Moss, T., & Alleman, Ali-Sha (2023, October 26–29). Visioning anti-racist global learning and practice in social work education [Connect session]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

McPherson, J. (2023, June 20–23). Teaching local social work history to promote reckoning with past wrongs and to engage students in the process of repair [Oral presentation]. European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW) annual conference, Porto, PORTUGAL.

Kaszynski, H., Klepackova, O., McPherson, J. & Ron, P. (2023, June 20–23). Is historical trauma only a history? The lasting lessons of difficult legacy about humanity, solidarity, and resilience as a source for social work education [Workshop presentation]. European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW) annual conference. Porto, PORTUGAL.

Lopez, S., & McPherson, J. (2023, February 17). Solo Éramos Niños: Podcast tells the stories of families and communities impacted by immigration raids [Oral presentation]. 26th Annual Conference on the Americas. University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

McPherson, J. (2023, January 11–15). Teaching local professional histories of racism and oppression prepares students to recognize and confront inequity [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48107.html

Villarreal-Otálora, T., McPherson, J., & Garcia-Magaña, L. (2023, January 11–15). Missing pieces: Latino immigrant families and adolescent suicide prevention [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48838.html

KATE MORRISSEY STAHL

Clinical Associate Professor Coordinator, Behavioral Health Internship Program

Research interests: Intersection of aging and sexual expression, issues around human sexuality, including sex trafficking.

PRESENTATIONS

Jarchow, M., & Morrissey Stahl, K. (2023, October 29–31). Grounding sustainability education in self-compassion and radical hope [Conference presentation]. Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference, Boston, MA.

April 14, 2023. Morrissey Stahl, K., and Bower, K. (2023, April 11–15). Considerations for practitioners working with gender and sexual minority elders at the end of life from an ecological perspective [Symposium presentation abstract]. Southern Gerontological Society 44th Annual Meeting & Conference, Norfolk, VA. https:// southerngerontologicalsociety.org/docs/2023/SGS_2023Book-of-Abstracts.pdf

ORION MOWBRAY

Professor Associate Dean for Research

Research interests: Access to mental health services, criminal justice, child welfare involved caregivers, older adults.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Cooper, Z., Mowbray, O., & Johnson, L. (2024). Social determinants of health and diabetes: using a nationally representative sample to determine which social determinant of health model best predicts diabetes risk. BMC Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology, 10, Article 4 . https://doi. org/10.1186/s40842-023-00162-5

O’Shields, J., Mowbray, O., & Cooper, Z. (2024). The effects of childhood maltreatment on social support, inflammation, and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Social Science and Medicine, 340, Article 116481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. socscimed.2023.116481

Lee, M., Yeo, H., & Mowbray, O. (2024). Low-income Asians living in the United States: A scoping review on challenges, factors, strengths, and social work implication. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 33(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2022.2154880

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E., & Dias, C. (2023). An assessment of program eligibility among participants in day reporting centers. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 67(8), 822–834. https://doi. org/10.1177/0306624X221086564

Alvarez-Hernandez, L. R., & Mowbray, O. (2023). Trends in suicide among lesbian, gay and bisexual Hispanic individuals: National Violent Death Reporting System Data From 20122016. Journal of Homosexuality, 70(7), 1225–1239. https:// doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2021.2018878

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use among adults in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age and variation across statewide judicial circuits. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 62(1), 174-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2023.2182866

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., Aletraris, L., Paseda, O., & Dias, C. (2023). Examining correlates of substance use treatment needs for adults under community supervision. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X231198804

Fatehi, M., Fatehi, L., & Mowbray, O. (2023). Autism spectrum disorder parent coping, and parent concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and Youth Services Review, 149, 106923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. childyouth.2023.106923

O’Shields, J., Graves, B. D., & Mowbray, O. (2023). Sex differences in childhood maltreatment, inflammation, and adulthood depression: A network analysis. Brain, Behavior & Immunity – Health, 29, Article 100611. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100611

REPORTS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Risler, E., Skinner, J., Graves, B., & Scheyett, A. (2024). State of Georgia DRC Program Assessment Tool II (DRC-PAT II): Instrument update and assessment of outcomes. University of Georgia: Athens.

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E. & Fatehi, M. (2023). Evaluation of family treatment courts in the state of Georgia: Year 5. University of Georgia: Athens.

PRESENTATIONS

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Graves, B., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Service use outcomes among peer support, wellness, and respite center users [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52988.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2024, January 10–14). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric

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hospitalization [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52980. html

O’Shields, J., Graves, B., & Mowbray, O. (2024, January 10–14). The hidden toll of incarceration: The longitudinal association between a history of incarceration and inflammation [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53456.html

Cooper, Z., Mowbray, O. & Johnson, L. (2024, March 13–16). Addressing depression and comorbid health conditions through solution-focused brief therapy in an integrated care setting [Oral presentation]. Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 45th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions, Philadelphia, PA.

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2023, November 12–15). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp. cgi/Paper/524662

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M., Tenant, E., Graves, B., O’Shields, J. D., & Purser, G. (2023, January 11–15). Shortterm outcomes among substance using participants in a rapid rehousing program: The H.O.P.E. Project [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper49137.html

Fatehi, M., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Examining the role of gender in the association between medication assisted treatment and treatment completion among emerging adults [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49851.html

Fatehi, M., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Examining treatment length of stay and medication assisted treatment among emerging adults with opioid use disorder [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49837.html

O’Shields, J. D., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). From the inside-out: Using latent biomarker profiles to identify distinct depressive symptom networks in people with major depression [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49378.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper49620.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, O., Aletraris, L., & O’Shields, J. D. (2023, January 11–15). Sixteen-year trends in cannabis use disorder treatment utilization [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50994.html

O’Shields, J. D., Graves, B., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Exploring the relationship between major depression, childhood maltreatment, and the immune system: A psychometric network analysis approach [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49394.html

Sinha, G., Larrison, C. R., Chen, Z., Mowbray, O., & Mullen, S. (2023, January 11–15). Associations among anxiety, student loan repayment, and financial knowledge [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49167.html

Yeo, H., Paseda, O., Miklosik, C., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). College student community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic: An interpretative content analysis [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48196.html

DAVID OKECH

Georgia Athletics Association Endowed Professor of Human Trafficking Implementation Research, Director, Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach

Research interests: Evidence-informed programs and policies for victims and survivors of sex and labor, trafficking, community development, mechanisms for building household and community assets that have long-term benefits to vulnerable children, cross-national development and validation of instruments to identify and assist suspected trafficking survivors, the long-term impacts of the trafficking experience among survivors of trafficking.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Okech, D., Wurie, H., Schroeder, E., & Lewis, R. (in press). Cross-sectoral models to inform policy and promote sustainability in global social work. In G. Chowa (Ed.), Global social work: Preparing globally competent social workers for a diverse and interconnected world. Springer Publishers.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Okech, D., & Aletraris, L. (Guest Eds.). (in press). Validation of prevalence estimation research methods in human trafficking [Special issue]. Journal of Human Trafficking.

Okech, D., & Aletraris, L. (Guest Eds.). (in press). Introduction and editorial: Validation of prevalence estimation research methods in human trafficking [Special issue]. Journal of Human Trafficking.

Okech, D., Yi, H., Vincent, K. & Aletraris, L. (in press). Future directions in human trafficking prevalence research: Methodological and statistical considerations. Journal of Human Trafficking.

Okech, D., Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., Afroz, F., Balch, A., Bolton, C., Fofanah, U., & Aletraris, L. (2024). Stakeholder perceptions of gaps and solutions in addressing child trafficking. Children and Youth Services Review, 158, Article 107475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107475

Balch, A., Cody, A., Okech, D., Callands, T., Fofanah, U., & Wurie, H.R. (2024). Unveiling child trafficking: local perspectives and context in addressing sustainable development goals in Sierra Leone. Global Policy. https://doi. org/10.1111/1758-5899.13322

Edgemon, T. G., Clay-Warner, J., Kawashima, T., Anarfi, J. K., & Okech, D. (2024). Violence increases psychological distress among women trafficking survivors in Ghana. Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012241231780

Cody, A. M., Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., Clay-Warner, J., & Callands, T. (2023). When child trafficking and informal fostering intersect: A mixed methods study. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(2). https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr. v24i2.2026

Schroeder, E., Yi, H., Okech, D., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Cody, A. (2023). Do social service interventions for human trafficking survivors work? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi. org/10.1177/15248380231204885

Yi, H., Vincent, K., Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Li, J., Kawashima, T., Edgemon, T. G., Aletraris, L., & Konteh, F. H. (2023). An empirical comparison of a traditional strategy and network scale-up method for prevalence estimation of child trafficking in Sierra Leone. Crime & Delinquency https://doi. org/10.1177/00111287231170122

REPORTS

Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Balch, A., Callands, T., Yi, H., Cody, A., Bryant, H., Bolton, C., Konteh, F., & Jalloh, A. (2023). Child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor in Kambia, Sierra Leone: A mixed methods study. Center for Human Trafficking Research & Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

PRESENTATIONS

Okech, D., Anna Cody, A., Fofanah, U., & Onyioha-Clayton, N. (2024, January 10–14). Lessons learned and recommendations for long-term research partnerships in low and middle-income countries [Roundtable presentation abstract]. Society

for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Session14474.html

Cody, A., Okech, D., & Ager, M. (2024, January 10–14). Rapid qualitative analysis: Addressing the research to practice implementation gap [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14435.html

Callands, T., Cody, A., & Okech, D. (2024, January 10–14).

Child trafficking vulnerabilities in Sierra Leone: A qualitative thematic analysis [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52923.html

Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., & Clay-Warner, J. (2023, November 12–15). Vulnerability of children with disabilities in trafficking: A low-resourced country study [Paper presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/539777

Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., & Okech, D. (2023, May 17–20). Using an ecological lens to explore child trafficking vulnerabilities in Sierra Leone: A qualitative thematic analysis. Presentation at the 19th International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), Urbana, IL.

Okech, D., Laursen, S., Galez-Davis, C., Lane, E., Cook, H., Todorova, I., & Jasi, P. (2023, January 24–26). New standards and frameworks for measurement of trafficking in person [PowerPoint presentation abstract]. 3rd International Forum on Migration Statistics Conference, Santiago, Chile. https:// unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/migrationstatforum-2023/presentations/A.2/4.David-Okech.pdf

Okech, D., Yi, H., Clay-Warner, J., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). Prevalence estimation for hard-to-reach populations: Using the Network Scale-up Method for estimating child trafficking prevalence in a low-resourced country [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13473.html

Okech, D., Balch, A., Hansen, N., Callands, T., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Konteh, F. (2023, January 11–15). International implementation research: Community-based research on hardto-reach populations during a global pandemic [Roundtable presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13472.html

Callands, T., Okech, D., Cody, A., & Schroeder, E. (2023, January 11–15. Enhancing rigor, transparency and impact of multi-source, multi-methods qualitative analysis: A workshop exploring the use of framework matrices as a practical, organizational and analytical tool supporting comparative thematic analysis [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference,

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Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Session13476.html

MICHAEL A. ROBINSON

Professor

Research interests: African American health and well-being, health disparities in underserved populations, social work education.

BOOKS

Lee, M. Y., Cheung, M., Robinson, M. A., Rountree, M., Spencer, M., & Teasley, M. L. (Eds.) (2024). Dual pandemics: Creating racially-just responses to a changing environment through research, practice and education. Routledge.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Robinson, M. A. (2023). Intersectionality: A framework for supporting an integrated social work practice. In B. CrossDenny (Ed.), Integrated social work practice: Building micro, mezzo, and macro level practice (First edition) (pp. 359–368). Cognella.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Robinson, M. A., Graves, B. D., McCoy, L. A., & McIntosh, T. (2023). Black bodies on the ground II: Examining impactful policing policies and analysis of policing disparities affecting unarmed African American men (2015-2020). Victims & Offenders https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2023.2175094

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E., & Dias, C. (2023). An assessment of program eligibility among participants in day reporting centers. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 67(8), 822–834. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221086564

REPORTS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Risler, E., Skinner, J., Graves, B., & Scheyett, A. (2024). State of Georgia DRC Program Assessment Tool II (DRC-PAT II): Instrument update and assessment of outcomes. University of Georgia: Athens.

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E. & Fatehi, M. (2023). Evaluation of family treatment courts in the state of Georgia: Year 5. University of Georgia: Athens.

PRESENTATIONS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M., Tenant, E., Graves, B., O’Shields, J. D., & Purser, G. (2023, January 11–15). Short-term outcomes among substance using participants in a rapid

Coordinator, MSW/MDiv Program Coordinator, Graduate Certificate in MFT

rehousing program: The H.O.P.E. Project [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49137.html

Cross-Denny, B., Starks, S. H., Rhodes, M., Robinson, M. A., McTighe, J. P. & Gunther, C. B. (2023, October 26–29). Developing anti-racist practitioners using an integrated practice approach [Panel discussion]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

ANNA M. SCHEYETT

Professor

Joint Appointment–School of Social Work/ College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES)

Research interests: Farmer stress and suicide, rural community strengths and supports for farmers and farm families.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Scheyett, A., & Leonard, M. (2023). Mental health policies. In D. McLeod, A. Natale, & K. W. Mapson (Eds.), Handbook of forensic social work: Theory, policy, and fields of practice (pp. 289–307). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/ oso/9780197694732.003.0018

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Scheyett, A., Marburger, I. L., Scarrow, A., Hollifield S. M., & Dunn, J. W. (2024). What do farmers need for suicide prevention: Considerations for a hard-to-reach population. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 20, 341352. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S452561

Croom, D. B., Scheyett, A. M., & Yoo, K. B. (2024). Factors that contribute to extraordinary stress in farmers. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 5(1), 5–15. https:// doi.org/10.37433/aad.v5i1.401

Brown, V., Golson, A., Goldstein, E., Bowie, M., Bales, D., & Scheyett, A. (2024). Community perspectives on the use of extension offices for behavioral health. Discover Health Systems, 3, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44250-02300059-1

Scheyett, A. (Ed.). (2023). Final thoughts: Hope, kindness, and gratitude [Editorial]. Social Work, 68(4), 265–266. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1093/sw/swad033

Scheyett, A. (Ed.). (2023). A liminal moment in social work [Editorial]. Social Work, 68(2), 101–102. https://doi. org/10.1093/sw/swad010

Scheyett, A. (Ed.). (2023). Quiet quitting [Editorial]. Social Work, 68(1), 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swac051

Scheyett, A., Shonkwiler, V. P., & Kane, S. P. (2023). Pandemic distress on the farm: Farmers concerned about emotional impacts of COVID-19. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 47(1), 1–9. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/rmh0000225

Scheyett, A., Johnson L. P., Bowie, M., & Garcia, A. (2023). Who do farmers trust? Identifying farmer support systems during times of stress and suicide risk. Journal of Extension, 61(3), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.61.03.08

Brown, V., Bowie, M., Bales, D., Scheyett, A., Thomas, R., & Cook, G. (2023). Cooperative extension offices as mental health hubs: A social ecological case study in rural Georgia, United States. SSM – Mental Health, 3, Article 100191. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100191

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Rubenstein, E., Scheyett, A., Martin, R., Bird, T., Marburger, I. (2024, February 4–6). Mental health awareness: SBAE teachers’ perspectives [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of the Southern Regional AAAE Research Conference, 405–413. https://bit.ly/4anE0XY

Scheyett, A., Johnson, L.P., Bowie, M. & Scarrow, A. (2023). Rural Georgia Growing Stronger: A Cooperative Extension initiative to address stress in growers and their families. HortScience, 58, 9S, SR25. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.58.9S.S1

PRESENTATIONS

Ramanathan, C., Juvva, S., Stephens, N., Dutta, S., & Scheyett, A. (2023, June 22–24). The role of spirituality in advancing sustainable development [Conference presentation]. 10th Annual Canadian Society for Spirituality and Social Work International Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Brown, V., Bowie, M., Bales, D., & Scheyett A. (2023, March 30–31). Coorperative extension offices as mental health hubs: A social ecological case study in rural Georgia, United States [Conference presentation]. International Conference on the Future of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain.

Scheyett, A., Perry Johnson, L., Bowie, M. & Scarrow, A. (2023, February 2–5). Rural Georgia growing stronger: A cooperative extension initiative to address stress among growers and their families [Conference presentation].2023 American Society for Horticultural Science Southern Regional Annual Meeting, Oklahoma City, OK.

Scheyett, A., Liebowitz, G., & Das, S. (2023, January 11–15). Utilizing complexity theory to deconstruct global vulnerabilities to farmers: Where are the social work solutions [Conference presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13659.html

Scheyett, A., Shonkwiler, V., & Kane, S. (2023, January 11–15). Pandemic stress on the farm: Farmers concerned about the meotional impact of COVID-19 [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48082.html

GAURAV R. SINHA

Assistant Professor

Research interests: Financial and mental health equity, data science for social impact, addressing algorithmic inequality, strength-based and digital interventions.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Sinha, G. R., Viswanathan, M., & Larrison, C. R. (2024). Student loan debt and mental health: A comprehensive review of scholarly literature from 1900 to 2019. Journal of Evidenced-Based Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1080/264080 66.2023.2299019

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C. R., & Brooks, I. (2023). Twitter sentiments and mental health services in the United States. Social Work in Mental Health, 22(1), 91–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2023.2267712

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C.R., Brooks, I., & Kursuncu, U. (2023). Comparing naturalistic mental health expressions on student loan debts using Reddit and Twitter. Journal of EvidenceBased Social Work, 20(5), 727–742.

https://doi.org/10.1080/26408066.2023.2202668

Larrison, C. R., Davis, J. P., Okunoren, O., Sinha, G. R., & Hack, S. M. (2023). Medicaid, race, utilization of crisis services at community mental health agencies. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(7), 782–789.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315221128770

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C. R., Brooks, I., Graaf, G., & Lacasse, J. (2023). Mental illness status and gender differences in the naturalistic expressions on student loan debts on Twitter. Consumer Interests Annual, 69. https://www.consumerinterests.org/assets/docs/CIA/ CIA2023/SinhaGauravCIA2023.pdf

PRESENTATIONS

Sinha, G., & Larrison, C. (2024, January 10–14). Mental bandwidth, financial anxiety, and student loan repayment [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper52643.html

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Sun, S., & Sinha, G. (2024, January 10–14). Who did not receive U.S. pandemic stimulus payments? Implications for financial inclusion and universal basic income [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52773.html

Chen, Z., Sinha, G. R., Fedina, L., DeVylder, J., & Mason, M. (2024, January 10–14). Financial hardships and mental health crisis: An examination of young adults’ Covid-19 pandemic experience [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper51684.html

Sinha, G. R. (2024, January 10–14). Examining the effects of student loans in online communities on common mental health disorders [Symposium organizer]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14491.html

Dahl, L., & Sinha, G. R. (2024, January 10–14). Depression and student loan debts: A qualitative study of user posts in on online community [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper53631.html

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C., Neel, L., & Andres, M. (2023, November 12–15). Financial exploitation of older adults: Mental health implications [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/538184

Sinha, G. R., Power, S., Kursuncu, U., & Rampuria, M. (2023, November 12–15). Darker effects of COVID-19: Exploring the impact of pandemic on social quality of people on Reddit [Poster presentation]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/535846

Larrison, C., Birchmeir, C., Augustine, E., Ahmed, F., Schneider, W. Sinha, G., Nix, K., Kaufman, D., & Roberts, B. (2023, November 12–15). Impact of stigma and discrimination on mental health of vulnerable populations [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/538942

Sinha, G. R., & Mehta, R. C. (2023, May 16–18). Mobile banking and mobile financial services use in the United States: Factors and patterns [Oral presentation description]. American Council on Consumer Interests Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV. https://mtgsked.com/p/35406/ s?ps-d=complete

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C. R., Chen, Z., Mowbray, O., & Mullen, S. (2023, January 11–15). Associations among anxiety, student loan repayment and financial knowledge [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research

27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49167.html

Sinha, G. R., Larrison, C. R., Brisson, D., Schneider, W., Calhoun, K. H., & Augustine, E. (2023, January 11–15). Implementing and researching guaranteed basic income: Successes, issues and challenges [Roundtable presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13577.html

DONNETTA S. WASHINGTON

Field Faculty Coordinator, Field Education, Title IV-E Program

Research interests: suicide prevention, lethal means counseling with families during unexpected visits to the emergency department.

PRESENTATIONS

Chaudhary, S., Morris, E., Chivily, C., Gillepsie, S., Washington, D., Artis, A., Fraser, K., Lazarus, S., Costa, A., Call, N., Rupp, J., & Simon, H. (2023, April 27–May 1). Reducing firearm access for youth at-risk for suicide in a pediatric emergency department [Poster presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Washington, DC.

Chaudhary, S., Morris, E., Chivily, C., Gillepsie, S., Washington, D., Artis, A., Fraser, K., Lazarus, S., Costa, A., Call, N., Rupp, J., & Simon, H. (2023, December 1–3). Reducing firearm access for youth at-risk for suicide in a pediatric emergency department [Oral presentation]. Injury Free Coalition For Kids National Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

TIFFANY R. WASHINGTON

Associate Professor Director, Ph.D. Program

Research interests: Dementia caregiving, disease selfmanagement in older adults, health disparities in chronic kidney disease, implementation science and intervention research.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Power, S. R., Washington, T. R., & Lewinson, T. D. (in press). Talk to the tablet: Technology’s impact on medical social work practice during COVID-19. Journal of Technology in Human Services

Washington, T. R., & Lewinson, T. D. (2024). Healthcare social workers’ scope of practice during COVID-19. Healthcare, 12(2), 174. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare12020174

Kew, C. L., Washington, T. R., Bergeron, C. D., Merianos, A. L., Sherman, L. D., Goidel, K., & Smith, M. L. (2023). Caregiver strain among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic male caregivers with self-reported chronic health conditions. Ethnicity & Health, 28(8), 1161–1177. https://doi.org/10.1080/1 3557858.2023.2222341

Lewinson, T. D., Washington, T. R., Allen, S. E., Murphey, J. M., & Onsando, W. M. (2023). “We’re kind of on the back burner”: Psychological distress and coping among medical social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Work in Health Care, 62(6–7), 243-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981 389.2023.2221718

Mois, G., Leathers, T. A., Murphy, A., Emerson, K. G., Washington, T. R., & Beer, J. M. (2023). Understand the role of technology embodiment in facilitating social connectivity to address loneliness across the lifespan: A systematic review. Gerontechnology, 22(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.4017/ gt.2023.22.1.819.06

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Washington, T., & Rapowitz, J. (2023). Virtual respite for family caregivers. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 533–534. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.1752

Baker, T., & Washington, T. (2023), Contribution of HBCUS to the gerontology field: Discussion of religion, health determinants, and Black aging. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 154–155. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/ igad104.0507

Washington, T. R., & Rapowitz, J. (2023). Virtual respite for family caregivers. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 19, S11. https://doi. org/10.1002/alz.082165

PRESENTATIONS

Washington, T. R., Lewinson, T., Power, S., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Healthcare social workers’ scope of practice during COVID-19 [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52675.html

Cooper, Z., Washington, T., Power, S., & Lewinson, T. (2024, January 10–14). Medical social workers and interprofessional care teams: Examining roles, team-based interactions and interventions [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper51739.html

Cooper, Z., & Washington, T. (2023, March 1–3). Analyzing dynamics of interprofessional care teams: How social work identity and context influence their function [Poster Presentation]. Southeast Regional Clinical & Translational Science Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Cooper, Z., Washington, T., & Johnson, L. (2023, November 12–15). Addressing social determinants: Examining roles of social workers on healthcare teams [Presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https:// apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/532496

Power, S., Washington, T., & Lewinson, T. (2023, November 12–15). Medical social workers harness technology for social good during COVID-19 pandemic [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/538144

REBECCA WELLS

Clinical Assistant Professor Coordinator, MSW/MPH Dual Program

Research interests: Health disparities, access to care, interprofessional education, patient and family-centered approaches for children with special health care needs and adults with disabilities.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Robertson, K., & Wells, R. (2023). Black with ‘Baby Blues’: A systematic scoping review of programs to address postpartum depression in African American women. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 27,(3), 413–425. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10995-023-03589-5

PRESENTATIONS

Wells, R., Atanda, F., Behler, A., Bunton, A., Crewse, A., Cruz, D., Land, D., & Marburger, I. (2023, November 12–15). Lessons learned from a service learning partnership between a public health social work class and a rural community [Conference presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/532032

Cooper, Z., & Wells., R. (2023, October 26–29). A systematic scoping review of interprofessional health education for social workers [Poster presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Ndung’u, J., & Wells, R. (2023, June 5–7). Disability policy & employment: A case study comparison of three countries [Poster presentation]. American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 147th Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.

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HUI YI

Assistant Research Scientist Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Okech, D., Yi, H., Vincent, K. & Aletraris, L. (in press). Future directions in human trafficking prevalence research: Methodological and statistical considerations. Journal of Human Trafficking

Cody, A. M., Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., Clay-Warner, J., & Callands, T. (2023). When child trafficking and informal fostering intersect: A mixed methods study. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(2). https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr. v24i2.2026

Yi, H., Vincent, K., Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Li, J., Kawashima, T., Edgemon, T. G., Aletraris, L., & Konteh, F. H. (2023). An empirical comparison of a traditional strategy and network scale-up method for prevalence estimation of child trafficking in Sierra Leone. Crime & Delinquency. https://doi. org/10.1177/00111287231170122

Schroeder, E., Yi, H., Okech, D., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Cody, A. (2023). Do social service interventions for human trafficking survivors work? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi. org/10.1177/15248380231204885

REPORTS

Okech, D., Clay-Warner, J., Balch, A., Callands, T., Yi, H., Cody, A., Bryant, H., Bolton, C., Konteh, F., & Jalloh, A. (2023). Child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor in Kambia, Sierra Leone: A mixed methods study. Center for Human Trafficking Research & Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

PRESENTATIONS

Okech, D., Yi, H., Aletraris, L., & Clay-Warner, J. (2023, November 12–15). Vulnerability of children with disabilities in trafficking: A low-resourced country study [Paper presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/539777

Okech, D., Yi, H., Clay-Warner, J., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). Prevalence estimation for hard-to-reach populations: Using the Network Scale-up Method for estimating child trafficking prevalence in a low-resourced country [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Session13473.html

YINGYING ZENG

Assistant Professor

Research interests: Wealth disparity, financial capability, immigration, social policy.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Fu, L., Zeng, Y., & Kang, X. (2024). Bridging the urban-rural gap: A qualitative examination of perceived access, barriers, risks, and opportunities of children’s digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child & Family Social Work, 29(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13045

PRESENTATIONS

Zeng, Y. (2024, January 10–14). Does $20 per student make a difference? An analysis on financial education, gender, and use of alternative financial services among U.S. young adults [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53041.html

Rfat, M., Yang, Y., Zeng, Y., & Cohen, F. (2024, January 10–14). Benefits and drawbacks of using community-based and participatory approaches with refugees with disabilities: A scoping review [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52668.html

LIWEI ZHANG

Assistant Professor

Research interests: Child maltreatment prevention, social welfare policy evaluation, community-based research.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Zhang, L., Liu, Y., & Jonson-Reid, M. (2024). Income instability and mental health of young adolescents: The role of child maltreatment and parental stress. Child Maltreatment. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595241236389

PRESENTATIONS

Zhang, L., & Wang, Y. (2024, January 10–14). The impact of state-based eviction moratoria on child maltreatment report rates during the COVID-19 pandemic [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual

Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52384.html

EMERITI FACULTY

EDWIN A. RISLER

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E., & Dias, C. (2023). An assessment of program eligibility among participants in day reporting centers. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 67(8), 822–834. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221086564

REPORTS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Risler, E., Skinner, J., Graves, B., & Scheyett, A. (2024). State of Georgia DRC Program Assessment Tool II (DRC-PAT II): Instrument update and assessment of outcomes. University of Georgia: Athens.

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E. & Fatehi, M. (2023). Evaluation of family treatment courts in the state of Georgia: Year 5. University of Georgia: Athens.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

HYESU YEO

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Yeo, H., Dunnigan, A. E., Fusco, R. A., & Watson, M. (in press). Trajectories of foster-care entry for prenatal substance exposure in the United States. Children & Youth Services Review.

Professor Emeritus

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Yeo, H. (2024). The effect of workforce development program participation on older workers aged 50 or older in Georgia. Journal of Policy Practice and Research, 5, 9–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42972-023-00090-9

Lee, M., Yeo, H., & Mowbray, O. (2024). Low-income Asians living in the United States: A scoping review on challenges, factors, strength, and social work implication. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 33(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2022.2154880

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Yeo, H. (November 2023). Job availability for older workers in a community: Analysis on job postings. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 740.

https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.2394

Kim, E., Yeo, H., & Choi, Y. J. (2023). The effect of resilience on using community organizations among Korean American older adults during COVID-19. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 722–723. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/ igad104.2341

Power, S., & Yeo, H. (2023). Rural-urban differences in digital health use of Medicare beneficiaries. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 1015–1016. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.3264

PRESENTATIONS

Power, S. R., & Yeo, H. (2024, January 10–14). Predictors of digital health use for rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries [Poster presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54288.html

Yeo, H., Paseda, O., Miklosik, C., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). College student community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic: An interpretative content analysis [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48196.html

Moon, S., Yeo, H., & Ager, M. (2023, January 11–15). Expansion of gig economy & the state of research on platform workers’ welfare needs in social welfare field [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50985.html

PH.D. STUDENTS

FAHMIDA AFROZ

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Okech, D., Cody, A. M., Callands, T. A., Afroz, F., Balch, A., Bolton, C., Fofanah, U., & Aletraris, L. (2024). Stakeholder perceptions of gaps and solutions in addressing child trafficking. Children and Youth Services Review, 158, Article 107475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107475

Woodiwiss, J. L., Graves, B. D., Pless, J., Afroz, F., & Dodd, K. (2023). Conquering chaos: Critical reflections of beginning doctoral education in 2020. Reflections: Narratives of professional helping, 29(3), 97–110. https:// reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/ Reflections/article/view/2010

PRESENTATIONS

Afroz, F., Pless, J., Dodd, K., Woodiwiss, J., & Graves, B. D. (2023, January 11–15). “I just be chillin”: CBD use and anxiety among college students. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50173.html

AUTUMN COLLIER

PRESENTATIONS

Collier, A. (2024, January 10–14). How does hope influence the impact of student loan debt on adults living with bipolar disorder? [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper53625.html

Collier, A., & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). How does self-esteem act as a mediator in the relationship between minority stress and depression for sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53831.html

Collier, A., & Gibbs, J. (2023, November 12–15). The mediating effect of self-esteem on microaggressions, perceived stress, and depression with sexual minority men. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/531978

Collier, A. D., Power, S. R., Terry, J. B., & Ingram, C. (2023, October 26–29). Towards empowerment in social work education-2.0: Co-creating, co-implementing, and co-evaluating

a course [Panel presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

ZACH COOPER BOOK CHAPTERS

Cooper, Z., & Wolfer, T. (in press). Offenders need congregations, too. In T. A. Wolfer & M. C. Reitmeier, M. C., Dilemmas in social work field education: Decision cases. New York: Columbia University Press.

Cooper, Z., & Wolfer, T. (in press). It’s not Black Lives Matter, it’s all lives matter. In T. A. Wolfer & M. C. Reitmeier, M. C., Dilemmas in social work field education: Decision cases. New York: Columbia University Press.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Cooper, Z., Mowbray, O., & Johnson, L. (in press). Analyzing relationships between attitudes of what shapes health and behaviors supporting social determinants of health. Journal of Public Health.

Cooper, Z., & Wells, R. (in press). A systematic scoping review of interprofessional education in social work. Journal of Social Work Education.

Cooper, Z., Mowbray, O., & Johnson, L. (2024). Social determinants of health and diabetes: Using a nationally representative sample to determine which social determinant of health model best predicts diabetes risk. BMC Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology, 10, Article 4. https://doi. org/10.1186/s40842-023-00162-5

O’Shields, J., Mowbray, O., & Cooper, Z. (2024). The effects of childhood maltreatment on social support, inflammation, and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Social Science and Medicine, 340, Article 116481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. socscimed.2023.116481

Cooper, Z. W., & Wolfer, T. A. (2023). Conceptualizing the biopsychosocial-spiritual health influences of adverse childhood experiences and the application of primary care behavioral health for their treatment. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01928-y

PRESENTATIONS

Cooper, Z., Washington., T., & Johnson, L. (2024, March 13–16). Analyzing fidelity for a solution-focused intervention in an integrated care setting [Poster presentation]. Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 45th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions, Philadelphia, PA.

Cooper, Z., Mowbray, O., & Johnson, L. (2024, March 13–16). Addressing depression and comorbid health conditions through solution-focused brief therapy in an integrated care setting [Oral presentation]. Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 45th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions, Philadelphia, PA.

Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Social determinants of health and diabetes [Poster presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52484.html

Cooper, Z., Washington, T., Power, S., & Lewinson, T. (2024, January 10–14). Medical social workers and interprofessional care teams: Examining roles, team-based interactions and interventions [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper51739.html

Pitner, R., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Racial discrimination and racial identity: Examining predictors of perceived stress among Black patients [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference. Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54609.html

Power, S., Cooper, Z., Washington, T., & Lewinson, T. (2024, January 10–14). Talk to the tablet: Medical social workers’ interactions with technology during Covid-19 [Conference presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52672.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2024, January 10–14). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper52980.html

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Graves, B., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Service use outcomes among peer support, wellness, and respite center users [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52988.html

Washington, T. R., Lewinson, T., Power, S., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Healthcare social workers’ scope of practice during COVID-19 [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52675.html

Cooper, Z., & Johnson, L. (2023, November 12–15). Social determinants of health and diabetes: Using a nationally representative sample to determine which social determinant of health model best predicts diabetes [Presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https:// apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/525209

Cooper, Z., Washington, T., & Johnson, L. (2023, November 12–15). Addressing social determinants: Examining roles of social workers on healthcare teams [Presentation abstract].

APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https:// apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/532496

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2023, November 12–15). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/524662

Cooper, Z., & Wells., R. (2023, October 26–29). A systematic scoping review of interprofessional health education for social workers [Poster presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Cooper, Z., & Washington, T. W. (2023, March 1–3). Analyzing dynamics of interprofessional care teams: How social work identity and context influence their function [Poster Presentation]. Southeast Regional Clinical & Translational Science Conference, Atlanta, GA.

O’Shields, J., Mowbray, O., & Cooper, Z. (2023, March 1–3). Exploring the role of social support and systemic chronic inflammation in the association between maltreatment and depression in adulthood [Conference presentation]. Southeast Regional Clinical & Translational Science Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Cooper, Z., & Pitner, R. (2023, January 11–15. Assessing correlations between racial discrimination and anxiety within integrated care [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper48138.html

Cooper, Z., Reitmeir, M., & Bethel, S. (2023, January 11–15). Healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward social workers as integrated care providers [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48328.html

KASANDRA DODD

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Flint, M., Adams, J., Dodd, K., Simmons, T., Johnson, M., Mitchell, N., & Grinnage, D. (in press). Dear theory and other stories: Dis/uncovering our relationship to theory through reading. International Review of Qualitative Research on Scholarly Reading Practices: Special Issue: Scholarly Reading Practices.

Woodiwiss, J. L., Graves, B. D., Pless, J., Afroz, F., & Dodd, K. (2023). Conquering chaos: Critical reflections of beginning doctoral education in 2020. Reflections: Narratives of professional helping, 29(3), 97–10. https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index. php/Reflections/article/view/2010

PRESENTATIONS

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Harper, M., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2024, March 11–13). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Re-imagining academic survival in doctoral education [Symposium presentation]. Oxford Symposium on Women’s Studies, Oxford, England.

Dodd, K. (2024, February 23). Embracing feminist theories to decolonize social work: Utilizing black feminist thought within social work research, education, and theory [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Woodiwiss, J., & Harper, M. (2024, February 23). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Reimagining academic survival in doctoral education [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

Flint, M., Dolezal, G., Dodd, K. Clark., K. & Mclelland, L. (2024, February 2–3). Implications of teaching dialogue to build civic skills for a democracy in conflict [Conference presentation]. Southeast Philosophy of Education Society 76th Annual Meeting. Greenville, SC.

Johnson, M., Simmons, T., Mitchell, N., Grinnage, D., Adams, J., Flint, M., & Dodd, K. (2023, May 17–20). Dear theory and other stories: Dis/uncovering our relationship to theory [Roundtable presentation]. 19th International Review of Qualitative Inquiry Research Conference, Urbana, IL.

Dodd, K. (2023, March 17). Understanding the sexual exploitation of Black women and girls within human sex trafficking through a Black feminist lens [Conference presentation]. 11th Annual Wake Forest University Student Research Symposium on Gender and Sexuality, Winston Salem, NC.

Dodd, K. (2023, February 3–4). Critical discourse analysis of human trafficking policy (Inspired by Sara Carrigan Wooten) [Conference presentation]. Southeast Philosophy of Education Society 75th Annual Meeting, Chattanooga, TN.

Dodd, K. (2023, January 11–14). Examination of therapeutic jurisprudence and trauma-informed practice within an exploitation legal clinic [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference. Phoenix, AZ.

https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50575.html

Afroz, F., Pless, J., Dodd, K., Woodiwiss, J., & Graves, B. D. (2023, January 11–15). “I just be chillin”: CBD use and anxiety among college students. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ.

https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50173.html

Click on the student’s name to view their online profile.

Dunnigan, A., Grinnell-Davis, C. L., Harty, J., & Dodd, K. (2023, January 11–15). An intersectional analysis of disproportionality among American Indian/Alaskan native children in American foster care [Conference presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51243.html

MARIAM FATEHI

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Fatehi, M., Fatehi, L., & Mowbray, O. (2023). Autism spectrum disorder, parent coping, and parent concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and Youth Services Review, 149, 106923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. childyouth.2023.106923

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E., & Dias, C. (2023). An assessment of program eligibility among participants in day reporting centers. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 67(8), 822–834. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221086564

REPORTS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M. A., Skinner, J., Risler, E. & Fatehi, M. (2023). Evaluation of family treatment courts in the state of Georgia: Year 5. University of Georgia: Athens.

PRESENTATIONS

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Graves, B., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Service use outcomes among peer support, wellness, and respite center users [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52988.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2024, January 10–14). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52980.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2023, November 12–15). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/524662

Fatehi, M., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Examining the role of gender in the association between medication assisted treatment and treatment completion among emerging adults [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49851.html

Fatehi, M., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Examining treatment length of stay and medication assisted treatment among emerging adults with opioid use disorder [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49837.html

BRIAN GRAVES

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Robinson, M. A., Graves, B. D., McCoy, L. A., & McIntosh, T. (2023). Black bodies on the ground II: Examining impactful policing policies and analysis of policing disparities affecting unarmed African American men (2015-2020). Victims & Offenders. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2023.2175094

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use among adults in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age and variation across statewide judicial circuits. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 62(1), 174–190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2023.2182866

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., Aletraris, L., Paseda, O., & Dias, C. (2023). Examining correlates of substance use treatment needs for adults under community supervision. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X231198804

Aletraris, L., Graves, B. D., & Ndung’u, J. J. (2023). Assessing the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on cannabis use disorder and admission to treatment in the United States. Current Addiction Reports, 10, 198–209. https://doi. org/10.1007/s40429-023-00470-x

O’Shields, J. D., Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O. (2023). Sex differences in childhood maltreatment, inflammation, and adulthood depression: A network analysis. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. bbih.2023.100611

Woodiwiss, J. L., Graves, B. D., Pless, J., Afroz, F., & Dodd, K. (2023). Conquering chaos: Critical reflections of beginning doctoral education in 2020. Reflections: Narratives of professional helping, 29(3), 97–110. https:// reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/ Reflections/article/view/2010

REPORTS

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M., Risler, E., Skinner, J., Graves, B. D., & Scheyett, A. (2023). State of Georgia DRC Program Assessment Tool II (DRC-PAT II): Instrument update and assessment of outcomes. Athens, University of Georgia.

BOOK REVIEWS

Graves, B. D. (2023). [Review of the book Psychiatric casualties: How and why the military ignores the

full cost of war by M. C. Russell & C. Figley]. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 50 (3), Article 7. https://doi. org/10.15453/0191-5096.4765

PRESENTATIONS

O’Shields, J., Graves, B. D., & Mowbray, O. (2024, January 10–14). The hidden toll of incarceration: The longitudinal association between a history of incarceration and inflammation [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper53456.html

Mowbray, O., Fatehi, M., Graves B. D., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Service use outcomes among peer support, wellness, and respite center users [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52988.html

Fendrich, M., & Graves, B. D. (2023, October 18-20). Community-based substance use treatment programs for reentering justice-involved adults: A scoping review [Poster presentation]. Addiction Health Services Research Conference, New York City, NY.

O’Shields, J. D., Graves, B. D., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Exploring the relationship between major depression, childhood maltreatment, and the immune system: A psychometric network analysis approach [Oral paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49394.html

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M., Tenant, E., Graves, B. D., O’Shields, J. D., & Purser, G. (2023, January 11–15). Shortterm outcomes among substance using participants in a rapid rehousing program: The H.O.P.E. project. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49137.html

Afroz, F., Pless, J., Dodd, K., Woodiwiss, J., & Graves, B. D. (2023, January 11–15). “I just be chillin”: CBD use and anxiety among college students. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50173.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, M., Aletraris, L., & O’Shields, J. D. (2023, January 11–15). Sixteen-year trends in cannabis use disorder treatment utilization [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50994.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, O., & Aletraris, L. (2023, January 11–15). The impact of mental health risks and needs on substance use in community supervision: A multilevel model examining moderation by age [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for

Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49620. html

JOY GREEN JOURNAL ARTICLES

Green. J., & Gibbs, J. J. (in press). LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement: Examining the role of house/ball community involvement and LGBTQ+ community connection. Social Work.

Flint, M., Willis, K., Copelan, L., Gemar, C., Green, J., Isome, B., Pless, J., Silveria, V., & Williams, A. (in press). Collaging awakening and resistance with/in artful inquiry [Special issue] . Qualitative Inquiry

PRESENTATIONS

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Harper, M., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2024, March 11–13). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Re-imagining academic survival in doctoral education [Symposium presentation]. Oxford Symposium on Women’s Studies, Oxford, England.

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Woodiwiss, J., & Harper, M. (2024, February 23). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Reimagining academic survival in doctoral education [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

Green, J., & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement: Examining the role of house-ball community involvement and LGBTQ+ community connection [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54723.html

Green, J. (2023, November 6–7). Reclamations of self: Black femmes and women making meaning through New Orleans bounce music [Paper presentation]. Hip Hop’s Golden Anniversary Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Green, J., & Gibbs, J. J. (2023, January 11–15). The Black Lives Matter Movement: Which factors contribute to civic engagement for sexual minority men [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50413.html

MAMIE HARPER

PRESENTATIONS

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Harper, M., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2024, March 11–13). Meeting at the intersections of

Click on the student’s name to view their online profile.

connectedness: Re-imagining academic survival in doctoral education [Symposium presentation]. Oxford Symposium on Women’s Studies, Oxford, England.

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Woodiwiss, J., & Harper, M. (2024, February 23). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Reimagining academic survival in doctoral education [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

SEUNGHYUN MOON PRESENTATIONS

Moon, S. (2024, January 10–14). From workers to taskers?: Philosophical consideration on what they have lost [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54942.html

Moon, S., Yeo, H., & Ager, M. (2023, January 11–15). Expansion of gig economy & the state of research on platform workers’ welfare needs in social welfare field [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50985.html

JAY O’SHIELDS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Gibbs, J. J., O’Shields, J., DeVane, R., & Purcell, A. (2024). Religious identity dissonance: Examining the path of religious factors to depression in sexual minority men in the USA. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10943-024-02025-4

O’Shields, J., Mowbray, O., & Cooper, Z. (2024). The effects of childhood maltreatment on social support, inflammation, and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Social Science and Medicine, 340, Article 116481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. socscimed.2023.116481

O’Shields, J., Graves, B. D., & Mowbray, O. (2023). Sex differences in childhood maltreatment, inflammation, and adulthood depression: A network analysis. Brain, Behavior & Immunity – Health, 29, Article 100611. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100611

PRESENTATIONS

O’Shields, J., Graves, B., & Mowbray, O. (2024, January 10–14). The hidden toll of incarceration: The longitudinal association between a history of incarceration and inflammation [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper53456.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2024, January 10–14). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper52980.html

O’Shields, J., Mowbray, O., & Cooper, Z. (2023, March 1–3). Exploring the role of social support and systemic chronic inflammation in the association between maltreatment and depression in adulthood [Conference presentation]. Southeast Regional Clinical & Translational Science Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2023, November 12–15). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Conference presentation]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex. com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/524662

O’Shields, J. D., Graves, B., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). Exploring the relationship between major depression, childhood maltreatment, and the immune system: A psychometric network analysis approach [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49394.html

O’Shields, J. D., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). From the inside-out: Using latent biomarker profiles to identify distinct depressive symptom networks in people with major depression [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper49378.html

Graves, B., Mowbray, M., Aletraris, L., & O’Shields, J. D. (2023, January 11–15). Sixteen-year trends in cannabis use disorder treatment utilization [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50994.html

Mowbray, O., Robinson, M., Tenant, E., Graves, B., O’Shields, J. D., & Purser, G. (2023, January 11–15). Short-term outcomes among substance using participants in a rapid rehousing program: The H.O.P.E. Project [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49137.html

OLUWAYOMI PASEDA

BOOK CHAPTERS

Pettus, C., Tripodi, S., & Paseda, O. K. (2023). Promoting smart decarceration as a Grand Challenge. In E. J. Mullen (Ed.), Oxford bibliographies - social work. Oxford University

Press. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/ document/obo-9780195389678/obo-9780195389678-0104. xml

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Graves, B. D., Mowbray, O., Aletraris, L., Paseda, O., & Dias, C. (2023). Examining correlates of substance use treatment needs for adults under community supervision. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X231198804

Toledo, W., Flint, M., Sharkey, C. N., McCollum, S., Ferrari, B., Paseda, O. K., Cottrell-Yongye, A., & Mitchell, N. (2023). Building community through feminist collectivity: Being and becoming women in academia. Gender and Education, 35(4), 365–383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2023.2193208

PRESENTATIONS

Paseda, O. (2024, January). A qualitative study of Black women’s experiences with community reentry following incarceration [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper53093.html

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2024, January 10–14). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper52980.html

Paseda, O. (2023, November 15–18). A qualitative study of black women’s experiences with community reentry following incarceration [Roundtable presentation]. American Society of Criminology 78th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/asc/asc23/ index.Online+Program+View+Paper&selected_paper_ PHPSESSID=a88bf4sa9t4l0ik5a4rtju1f0q

Mowbray, O., Cooper, Z., Fatehi, M., Paseda, O., & O’Shields, J. (2023, November 12–15). Firearms and suicide completion among persons recently released from psychiatric hospitalization [Presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/ apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/524662

Yeo, H., Paseda, O., Miklosik, C., & Mowbray, O. (2023, January 11–15). College student community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic: An interpretative content analysis [Oral presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper48196.html

JENNIE PLESS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Pless, J., & Gibbs, J. J. (in press). Intimate partner violence increases minority stressors for men who have sex with men. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.

Pless, J., Schroeder, E., Blackburn, J., & Choi, Y. J. (2023). “They knew they were still safe with us”: Experiences of domestic violence shelter staff on survivors’ experiences in shelter in the early COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896023-00545-3

Woodiwiss, J. L., Graves, B. D., Pless, J., Afroz, F., & Dodd, K. (2023). Conquering chaos: Critical reflections of beginning doctoral education in 2020. Reflections: Narratives of professional helping, 29(3), 97–110. https:// reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/ Reflections/article/view/2010

PRESENTATIONS

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Harper, M., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2024, March 11–13). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Re-imagining academic survival in doctoral education [Symposium presentation]. Oxford Symposium on Women’s Studies, Oxford, England.

Pless, J. (2023, February 24). More abuse & less help: Intimate partner violence and barriers to help-seeking for LGBTQ survivors [Symposium presentation]. University of Georgia 28th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium: Feminist Research Across the Disciplines, Athens, GA.

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Woodiwiss, J., & Harper, M. (2024, February 23). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Reimagining academic survival in doctoral education [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

Pless, J., Choi, Y. J., & Yoon, Y. (2023, January 11–15). More abuse & less help: Intimate partner violence and barriers to help-seeking for LGBTQ survivors [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49761.html

Afroz, F., Pless, J., Dodd, K., Woodiwiss, J., & Graves, B. D. (2023, January 11–15). “I just be chillin”: CBD use and anxiety among college students. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50173.html

SHANNON POWER

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Power, S. R., Washington, T. R., & Lewinson, T. D. (in press). Talk to the tablet: Technology’s impact on medical social work practice during COVID-19. Journal of Technology in Human Services

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Power, S., & Yeo, H. Rural-urban differences in digital health use of Medicare beneficiaries. Innovation in Aging: Program Abstracts from The GSA 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, 7, Suppl_1, 1015–1016.

https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.3264

PRESENTATIONS

Power, S., Cooper, Z., Washington, T., & Lewinson, T. (2024, January 10–14). Talk to the tablet: Medical social workers’ interactions with technology during Covid-19 [Conference presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52672.html

Power, S. R., & Yeo, H. (2024, January 10–14). Predictors of digital health use for rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries. [Poster presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54288.html

Cooper, Z., Washington, T., Power, S., & Lewinson, T. ((2024, January 10–14). Medical social workers and interprofessional care teams: Examining roles, team-based interactions and interventions [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Paper51739.html

Washington, T. R., Lewinson, T., Power, S., & Cooper, Z. (2024, January 10–14). Healthcare social workers’ scope of practice during COVID-19 [Paper presentation abstract]. Society of Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52675.html

Power, S., Smith, K., Abedine, R., Burton, L., Adams, A., & Beer, J. (2023, November 12–15). Assisted living with a social robot: Benefits and concerns of family care partners. Presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/526591

Power, S., Washington, T., & Lewinson, T. (2023, November 12–15). Medical social workers harness technology for social good during COVID-19 pandemic [Paper presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/meetingapp.cgi/ Paper/538144

Sinha, G. R., Power, S., Kursuncu, U., & Rampuria, M. (2023, November 12–15). Darker effects of COVID-19: Exploring the impact of pandemic on social quality of people on Reddit. Poster presentation at the APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/535846

Collier, A. D., Power, S. R., Terry, J. B., De Neil Ingram, C. (2023, October 26–29). Towards empowerment in social work education-2.0: Co-creating, co-implementing, and coevaluating a course [Panel presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 69th Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

ELYSSA SCHROEDER

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Schroeder, E., Yi, H., Okech, D., Bolton, C., Aletraris, L., & Cody, A. (2023). Do social service interventions for human trafficking survivors work? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi. org/10.1177/15248380231204885

Pless, J., Schroeder, E., Blackburn, J., & Choi, Y. J. (2023). “They knew they were still safe with us”: Experiences of domestic violence shelter staff on survivors’ experiences in shelter in the early COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-023-00545-3

PRESENTATIONS

Schroeder, E. (2024, January 10–14). Lessons learned and recommendations for long-term research partnerships in low and middle-income countries [Organizer - roundtable presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Session14474.html

Schroeder, E. (2023, January 10–14). Using community-based participatory methods to create and implement assessment tools. [Symposium presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper50568.html

Callands, T. A., Okech, D., Cody, A.M., Schroeder, E. (2023, January 10–14). Enhancing rigor, transparency and impact of multi-source, multi-methods qualitative analysis: A workshop exploring the use of framework matrices as a practical, organizational and analytical tool supporting comparative thematic analysis. [Workshop presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ.

https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Session13476.html

CHRISTOPHER STRICKLAND

PRESENTATIONS

Strickland, C. (2023, January 10–14). The effects of social repression on protest activity [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50702.html

Strickland, C. (2023, January 10–14). The impact of race and gender on U.S. voting participation [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper50713.html

JANA WOODIWISS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Boyas, J., Valera, P., McCoy, L., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2023). Residential instability and suicidal ideation among persons on parole. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 67(15), 1526–1546. https://doi. org/10.1177/0306624X231159894

Woodiwiss, J. L., Graves, B. D., Pless, J., Afroz, F., & Dodd, K. (2023). Conquering chaos: Critical reflections of beginning doctoral education in 2020. Reflections: Narratives of professional helping, 29(3), 97–110. https:// reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/ Reflections/article/view/2010

PRESENTATIONS

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Harper, M., & Woodiwiss, J. L. (2024, March 11–13). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Re-imagining academic survival in doctoral education [Symposium presentation]. Oxford Symposium on Women’s Studies, Oxford, England.

Green, J., Dodd, K., Pless, J., Woodiwiss, J., & Harper, M. (2024, February 23). Meeting at the intersections of connectedness: Reimagining academic survival in doctoral education [Conference presentation]. University of Georgia 29th Annual Women’s Studies Student Research Symposium, Athens, GA.

Woodiwiss, J. (2024, January 10–14). Strengthening the action in community based participatory research methods [Organizer - roundtable presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/ Session14328.html

Woodiwiss, J. (2023, January 11–15). The impacts of family separation on Latin American immigrant children: A scoping review [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work

and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https:// sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51293.html

Afroz, F., Pless, J., Dodd, K., Woodiwiss, J., & Graves, B. D. (2023, January 11–15). “I just be chillin”: CBD use and anxiety among college students [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/ webprogram/Paper50173.html

YEIN YOON PRESENTATIONS

Yoon, Y., & Gibbs, J. J. (2024, January 10–14). The relationship between intimate partner violence, psychological distress, and marijuana use among sexual minority men [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper53835.html

Yoon, Y., Gibbs, J. J., & Fusco, R. A. (2024, January 10–14). Discrimination’s relationship with sleep: What are the roles of self-esteem and depression for sexual minority men? [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr. confex.com/sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54813.html

Chen, Y., Yoon, Y., Ko, Y., Choi, Y. J., Han, J. Y., & Orpinas, P. (2024, January 10–14). Attitudes toward domestic violence and intention to intervene in domestic violence situations among Asian Americans [Paper presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2024/ webprogram/Paper52983.html

Choi, Y. J., Yoon, Y., Chen, Y., Ko, Y., Han, J. Y., & Orpinas, P. (2024, January 10–14). Perceived community support and acceptance of domestic violence among Asian immigrants: Moderating effect of nativity status [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper54490.html

Yoon, S., An, S., Yoon, Y., Choi, Y. J., Yun, S. H., & Cho, H. (2024, January 10–14). Community violence and sexual violence victimization among U.S. college students: Exploring racial/ethnic disparities [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2024/webprogram/Paper52163.html

Yoon, Y., & Gibbs, J. (2023, November 12–15). Relationship between intimate partner violence, psychological distress, and marijuana use among sexual minority men [Poster presentation abstract]. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo., Atlanta, GA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2023/ meetingapp.cgi/Paper/536829

Yoon, Y., & Choi, J. Y. (2023, January 11–15). The effect of community environment on childhood family violence experience and intimate partner violence experience among college students [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2023/webprogram/ Paper51204.html

Lee, Y., & Yoon, Y. (2023, January 11–15). The effect of traditional bullying and cyberbullying on suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents: Mediating effect of depression [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex. com/sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper51350.html

Pless, J., Choi, Y J., & Yoon, Y. (2023, January 11–15). More abuse & less help: Intimate partner violence and barriers to help-seeking for LGBTQ survivors [Poster presentation abstract]. Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual conference, Phoenix, AZ. https://sswr.confex.com/ sswr/2023/webprogram/Paper49761.html •

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The University of Georgia School of Social Work’s primary focus on social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership, research, and teaching serve as the organizing principles for all aspects of our programs to train social workers for the 21st Century. Our mission is to prepare “culturally responsive practitioners and scholars to be leaders in addressing social problems and promoting social justice, locally and globally, through teaching, research, and service.” And our work is guided by the NASW Code of Ethics to advance knowledge, skills, and values of future social workers.

– Dean Philip Hong

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