Researcher Leads Study on Long COVID’s Effects on Mental Health and More

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With a $49,000 Research Excellence Program grant from UConn’s Office of the Vice President for Research, Assistant Professor Kelsi Carolan will lead a qualitative study with a focus on individuals with long COVID in Connecticut. The term “long COVID” describes a clinical set of post-COVID symptoms that may include fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, among other effects.

The aims of Carolan’s research are to investigate how long COVID affects employment, family and social relationships, and mental health; what coping strategies affected individuals are utilizing to manage the psychosocial repercussions of long COVID; and what types of professional and clinical interventions are needed to best support psychosocial functioning in the context of long COVID.

“We are aiming to focus especially on the needs and experiences of Black/African American and Latine individuals experiencing long Covid symptoms given that the psychosocial impact of long COVID on these populations has so far been understudied,” says Carolan.

The novel research brings together a multidisciplinary team of faculty from UConn and UConn Health Center with complementary expertise to address significant gaps in understanding of a new and poorly understood chronic disease. Rachel Tambling, professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at UConn, is co-principal investigator. Contributors also include Ameer Rasheed, assistant professor of medicine in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at UConn Health, and Chinenye Anyanwu, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the UConn School of Pharmacy.

Read more about Carolan’s work.

NIH/NIAAA Grant Funds Research on Social Isolation and Alcohol Use During and Post-COVID

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Associate Research Professor Hsiu-Ju Lin, has joined an interdisciplinary team awarded a $1.5 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA) to investigate the relationship between social isolation, loneliness, stress and coping mechanisms with alcohol use across the United States.

There are two parts to the study. In the first phase, the research team will carry out a series of sophisticated analyses using a nationwide survey of more than 1,500 participants during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the link between coping mechanisms and alcohol consumption. An innovative aspect of this phase involves utilizing geo-coding and participants' geographic locations to assess place-based sources of stress. It aims to explore how these factors are associated with social isolation and loneliness and to understand the impact of these inter-relationships on drinking, Lin explains. The GIS analysis is overseen by Associate Professor Debarchana Ghosh from the Department of Geography at UConn.

In the second part of the study, the researchers will collect prospective data to validate their isolation, loneliness, and coping strategy conceptual model and compare pandemic and post-pandemic periods.

“The main goal is to understand how social isolation and loneliness during COVID impact alcohol consumption,” she says. “We want to understand the mechanism and impact of that unique stress.”

Lin, the co-investigator, is collaborating with PIs Michael Fendrich, Crystal Park, Beth Russell, as well as co-Investigator Ghosh. Fendrich, formerly the associate dean for research at the UConn SSW, is a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Park is a professor of Psychological Sciences; Russell is an associate professor in the Human Development and Family Sciences department.

Read more about Lin’s work.

A Message from the Dean about Black History Month 2024

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Dear Colleagues,

At the School of Social Work, we look forward to celebrating Black History Month and promoting the history, culture, and achievements of Black and African Americans communities. For social workers, commemorating Black History Month aligns with our profession’s core values, including the commitment to social justice and the dignity and worth of each person – particularly those who are underserved and historically marginalized.

Highlighting Black History Month is also an expression of our School’s mission, as described in our Strategic Plan, which advances continuing work on diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Our Black History planning committee engages in this critical work by honoring Black lives, contributions, and culture.

This February, we are promoting the achievements of Black leaders in social work and social change. All month we will have on display in our building at 38 Prospect Street in Hartford posters of four trailblazers who each made a significant and lasting impact on civil rights and social justice. They are Lester Blackwell Granger, Mildred “Mit” Joyner, Dorothy Height, and Whitney M. Young, Jr.  You can read about their work on our website.

Throughout the month, we will also share a slideshow celebrating Black history, culture, and music. Please be sure to visit and enjoy this slideshow display in our School’s rear hallway and lower level. Additionally, I encourage you to participate in events at UConn and in your community that highlight the ways in which Black and African American communities have changed and continue to shape our collective history, society, and futures.

In solidarity,

Laura Curran, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor

Celebrating Black Change Agents

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For Black History Month 2024, the School of Social Work is highlighting four inspiring Black changemakers:

Lester Blackwell Granger
1896-1976

  • First Black president of the National Conference for Social Work in 1952
  • Advocated for the desegregation of schools and played a role in the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case
  • As executive director of the National Urban League from 1941 to 1961, promoted equal opportunities for Black people in employment, housing, education, and other areas
  • As a social worker, worked with Black youth in New Jersey's vocational school system

Granger described Black Americans' goals as "the right to work, the right to vote, the right to physical safety, and the right to dignity and self-respect."

Mildred "Mit" Joyner
1949-2023

  • Held various position at West Chester University School of Social Work for 25+ years, establishing the first MSW program in Pennsylvania
  • Profound scholar and leader volunteering her time on boards, creating scholarships, serving as a mentor, and fighting for social and economic justice
  • Served as United States Representative on the board of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW)
  • Served as president of the National Association of Social Workers from July 2020 to June 2023

"My advice to all members is to please commit to reading the code of ethics yearly. Some social workers seem to forget the purpose of social work, often placing their personal values over professional values." -- Mildred "Mit" Joyner

    Dorothy Height
    1912-2010

    • Although admitted to Barnard College, was not allowed to attend because the school did not admit African Americans. Went on to graduate from New York University and completed postgraduate work at Columbia University.
    • Best known for leadership positions in the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)
    • Dubbed "the godmother of the civil rights movement," having founded activist group Wednesdays in Mississippi and helping to organize the March on Washington
    • Awarded the Citizens Medal Award from President Ronald Reagan in 1989 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

    "We have to improve life, not just for those who have the most skills and those who know how to manipulate the system, but also for those who often have so much to give but never get the opportunity." -- Dorothy Height

    Whitney M. Young Jr.
    1921-1971

    • First Dean of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University
    • One of the organizers of the March on Washington
    • Held leadership positions as president of the National Conference on Social Welfare, executive director of National Urban League, and president of the National Association of Social Workers
    • Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor

    "Every man is our brother, and every man's burden is our own. Where poverty exists, all our poorer. Where hate flourishes, all are corrupted. Where injustice reigns, all are unequal." -- Whitney M. Young Jr.

    Lester Blackwell Granger
    Mildred "Mit" Joyner
    Dorothy Height
    Whitney M. Young Jr.

    The SSW’s Diversity Seminar on Islamophobia and Antisemitism

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    This year’s Diversity Program/Practicum Seminar focused on topical issues in response to the crisis in the Middle East. On Friday, Jan. 19, more than 300 SSW students, faculty, and staff tuned into the presentation, “Understanding Islamophobia and Antisemitism.” Moderated by Carlton Jones, director of the Office of Student and Academic Services, the seminar featured two expert panelists:

    In introducing the seminar, Jones explained that the purpose of the Diversity Seminar is to bring together students, faculty and staff to discuss topics that are important for not only our SSW community but also to those we serve in and outside of the University.

    “The value of the Diversity Seminar lies in having students, faculty, and staff at the UConn School of Social Work challenge their own thoughts and beliefs on certain topics. It is a way to engage in healthy and constructive dialogue to bring about changes to our community and the world,” he said.

    Before introducing the panelists, Dean Laura Curran said that the goal of the Seminar was “to address pressing issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion. This year we’re devoting the seminar to Islamophobia and Antisemitism given the steep rise in both.” She also shared that in discussions following the presentations, the School community would consider how to best address the issues as social workers.

    Each panelist shared a presentation about their area of expertise. They provided facts about the Muslim and Jewish populations in the United States, definitions of Islamophobia and Antisemitism, as well as examples of how these forms of bigotry have been expressed since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.

    Each of their presentations was followed by a Q&A period. Members of the SSW community were encouraged to contact the panelists if they had further questions.

    Diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism (DEI-AR) is a key component of the SSW’s Five-Year Strategic Plan, and a theme that runs through all of the other focal areas, which include inclusive and impactful research and scholarship; student-centered teaching and learning; flexible and forward-looking field education; and emerging areas of excellence in social work.

    Art of Diagnosis – In-person

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    Register for CE programs nowJennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-II
    Friday, November 22, 2024 – In-person
    9:30 am – 4 pm
    5 CECs

    Registration Fee: $125
    UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors receive a 10% discount

    Classroom location, directions and parking details will be included in your email confirmation

    Although a large component of the daily work of social workers is to diagnose psychiatric illnesses, there is little education on how to do that well. There is a wealth of knowledge about each disorder, but there is a lack of training on what questions to ask a client in order to properly develop a thorough and accurate diagnosis. This seminar teaches how to differentially diagnose using specific questions and provides decision trees that clinicians can use in clinical sessions. Clinical diagnosis may seem safe from cultural, political, and social influence, but in fact, it is often guided by these forces. Whether a condition is considered a disorder is based in social and political context, and certainly, what questions we ask in the psychiatric interview is culturally influenced. If one were to examine diagnostic material across decades, the fluctuations in diagnostic material would be easy to detect and correlate with changes in cultural, social, and political climates. This seminar topic connects to diversity in allowing for individuality in diagnosis and attending to the diverse background of each client as a part of the diagnosis process.

    The goal of this in-person seminar is to help the clinician improve the diagnostic skills they use in their daily practice. Decision trees given in the DSM are updated and expanded to better serve the clinician. Participants will receive handouts of decision trees to take with them.

    Using lecture, discussion, and simulated clinical interviews, this seminar will enable you to:

    • learn the art of diagnosis
    • gather specific questions that will aid you in obtaining the most accurate diagnosis with each client
    • practice the clinical interview, asking learned questions to aid in differential diagnosis
    • obtain decision tree handouts of each disorder group to use in the clinical interview

    Exploring the Benefits of Group Work in the School Setting

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    Rachel West-Balling, MSWRegister Now for CE programs
    Saturday, March 2, 2024
    In-person
    9:30 am – 4:00 pm
    5 CECs

    Location: UConn Hartford Times Building, Room 220, 10 Prospect St, Hartford, CT – use Front St entrance
    Directions will be included in your confirmation email

    Registration Fee: $125
    10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

    Group Work in the school setting serves as a dynamic platform for students to develop essential and social emotional skills. Using a Group Work model creates a space where students can connect, share, and support one another, foster a sense of belonging, and reduce feelings of isolation. Group interventions can address various challenges students may face, including behavioral issues and academic stress. By providing targeted support, school social workers can contribute to a more positive and conducive learning environment.

    This workshop will highlight ways in which group work can enhance social and emotional well-being, foster a sense of community, and contribute to overall academic success. Through interactive activities and shared experiences, participants will explore how group interventions provide a structured yet flexible environment for fostering empathy, communication, and conflict resolution skills

    Participants in this seminar will:

    • explore the connection between group work and positive behavioral outcomes, academic improvement, and emotional resilience
    • learn how group interventions can address challenges students may face, including behavioral issues and academic stress
    • discover how to maximize your impact by efficiently addressing the needs of multiple students within a group setting and making your services more accessible to a larger student population
    • explore the role of group work in promoting cultural competence and inclusivity by fostering an environment where every student feels valued and understood

    Greetings from Dean Laura Curran

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    Dear Alumni Colleagues,

    It’s hard to believe that I completed my first semester as Dean at the UConn School of Social Work. I’ve become increasingly familiar with the work and impact of our outstanding faculty and their research as well as our students who are engaged with some of our most pressing social welfare issues, child and adolescent behavioral health, substance use disorder, juvenile justice reform, LGBTQ+ health, and supporting immigrants and refugees.

    In the short time I have been here, we’ve successfully launched our CT Health Horizons Scholarship programs that support MSW students studying to become school social workers as well as our CT Adelante program that trains bilingual social workers to meet the mental health needs of the Latine community. We also just announced the development of our fully online MSW program which is flexibly designed to meet the needs of our busy students. We’ll be enrolling our first fully online MSW class in Fall 2024!!

    The faculty and I continue to actively work on our Strategic Plan Goals. Given current events and in keeping with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Anti-Racism Strategic Focal Area, we will be hosting trainings on Islamophobia and antisemitism this spring for our students. Our faculty continue to revise our curriculum and coursework to ensure that it reflects an anti-oppressive approach to social work practice.

    Finally, it has been a great pleasure meeting alumni. I’ve met many of you when visiting local social service organizations as well as at our alumni gatherings and coffee hours. Learning about the work and influence of the UConn SSW is truly inspiring. I welcome the opportunity to get to know more of you. I encourage everyone to keep in touch with the school through attending events, joining our Alumni Board, engaging in continuing education, or simply reaching out to me or our Alumni Director.

    My best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!

     

    Warmly,

    Laura

    Headshot of Dean Laura Curran

    Alumni Spotlight: Christine L. Limone PhD, LCSW, ACC, MSW ’96

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    Name: Christine L. Limone PhD, LCSW, ACC

    Profession/Field: Social Work Education and Certified Professional Coach

    Bio and Key Accomplishments:  I am a social work educator as well as a certified professional coach. Seeing former students who excelled in the classroom and field placements - unable to pass the ASWB licensing exams, led me to add tutoring services to my coaching business. No one should have their career stunted by a test score. I tutor individuals and groups over Zoom. I also offer free exam preparation webinars that focus on proven test taking strategies to increase the likelihood of passing the ASWB exam. UConn alumni interested in my tutoring or career coaching services can email me at chris@drchristinelimone.com.

    Memorable Moment at UConn SSW: Designing the Community Organizing sequence T-shirt with other students from the CO sequence to show our pride in Macro Practice. Years later when I was adjuncting in the SSW I brought my t-shirt in (yes, I still have it) to show my class.

    Lasting Lessons from UConn SSW: Possessing dual competencies in both clinical and macro social work skills set me up powerfully for an amazing career that spanned community based clinical practice to using my clinical skills as the former Political Director of NASW/CT. Motivational Interviewing comes in handy when lobbying state legislators!

    Important Influence from UConn SSW: My academic adviser Kathy Havens taught me the importance of self care and making professional choices that resonate with my values and integrity. I apply the concept of value driven decisions to all domains of my life.

    Alumna Christine L. Limone PhD, LCSW, ACC, MSW '96

    Faculty Presented at First-Ever Reimagining Refugee Resettlement Research Conference

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    SSW Associate Professor and Director of the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute Kathryn Libal and Professor Megan Berthold presented research at the first-of-its-kind conference on refugee resettlement that brought together practitioners, researchers and public officials to explore “Reimaging Refugee Services in the United States.” The conference was cohosted by Arizona State University and Switchboard and funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an office of the Administration for Children and Families.

    Libal and Berthold were among a small number of academics engaged in refugee resettlement research, presenting their work before officials from the ORR and the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the U.S. Department of State. Their plenary panel presentation, “Assessing the Promise and Challenges of Community-Based Approaches to U.S. Refugee Resettlement through a Qualitative Study” explored the opportunities and challenges of different models of refugee resettlement, including community and private sponsorship. These models gained support during the Biden Administration’s rapid resettlement of more than 70,000 Afghan evacuees and have been further enhanced by the recent launch of the Administration’s Welcome Corps program.

    Their research is part of a broader team effort that has included Associate Professor Scott Harding and a number of doctoral students from the School of Social Work. The presentation, based on interviews with community and private sponsorship volunteers, service providers, and advocates, found that “greater resources must be devoted to local volunteers to help ensure sustainable outcomes for refugees, particularly in the arenas of accessing health care; social benefits; affordable, stable housing; and work paying an adequate wage.” The researchers also emphasized the need for training and support for community and private sponsorship group volunteers.

    “Given how new the federal government’s support of private and community sponsorship of refugees is, this research provides critical insights for practitioners and those supporting Biden’s initiative,” said Libal. She added, “We expect that this research will help community and private sponsor groups to better understand the needs and interests of newcomers as well as the challenges of establishing stable lives in a context where the social safety net is relatively limited.”

    Berthold added that it will support the “better preparation of social work students and social work and allied practitioners to understand the greatest challenges reported by refugees and asylum seekers in transitioning to the United States and how to meet their health, mental health, and social service needs.”

    Researchers who attended the conference continue to meet and have formed an interdisciplinary working group. They plan to organize a workshop next year at UConn.

    Libal, Berthold, Harding, and several Ph.D. students involved in the research are preparing to launch the next phase of the project, which will include interviews with refugees and asylum seekers to learn more about their experiences while being supported by community sponsorship groups.

    Associate Professor Kathryn Libal

    Associate Professor Kathryn Libal

    Megan Berthold

    Professor Megan Berthold