Announcements

Professor Cristina Wilson Elected to GADE Board of Directors

The UConn School of Social Work (SSW) is proud to announce that Professor Cristina Mogro-Wilson was elected to the board of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE). Wilson, an at-large board member, will join the current board in supporting GADE’s mission to promote excellence and equity in social work doctoral education.

As the administrative body of GADE, the board of directors provides strategic leadership to its members and its constituencies. It comprises 10 doctoral program directors, who serve three-year rotating terms and are elected by GADE membership.

New and re-elected board members, who begin their terms June 1, 2024, also include: Krystal Hays, associate professor and DSW program director, California Baptist University; Poco Kernsmith, professor and Ph.D. program director, University of Texas at Arlington; and Anne Williford, associate professor and Ph.D. program director, Colorado State University.

“These scholars bring a wealth of experience and expertise to our work as an organization,” said GADE President Denise Burnette in an announcement. "Each has held key leadership roles in their respective universities and professional communities, and they bring years of deep knowledge about social work doctoral education.”

Wilson, a professor and co-director of the SSW’s P.D. Program, was recently appointed to the Zachs Chair in Social Work, an endowed chair that provides leadership of the SSW’s doctoral program. In 2022, Wilson was named editor-in-chief of Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, a core journal in social work research for over 100 years.

Read more about her work.

Ph.D. Leadership Transition – Thank You Scott Harding

Dear Colleagues,

As you may be aware, Scott Harding, Ph.D., is stepping down as co-director of our Ph.D. program in summer 2024. Harding assumed this role in 2016. During his tenure, he led multiple initiatives that strengthened our doctoral program. These include the expansion of guaranteed student funding to four years of Graduate Assistantship (GA), including two years as a research GA and one year of teaching independently. During his tenure, the doctoral committee implemented curriculum reform, including a revised Comprehensive Examination process, expansion of dissertation options, and creation of a new course on pedagogy. The program also transformed its model of student advising and increased professional development opportunities for doctoral students. These changes resulted in increased publication opportunities for our students. Harding also mentored doctoral students and has served as a major and associate dissertation advisor for 12 Ph.D. candidates. He also taught four courses in the doctoral program.

In addition to his leadership in the doctoral program. Harding is an accomplished scholar in the areas of Forced Migration and Refugee Resettlement and War, Militarism, and Peace Activism. Along with multiple peer-reviewed articles, Harding is the co-author of Breaking the War Habit: The Debate over Militarism in American Education (University of Georgia Press, 2022), Counter-Recruitment and the Campaign to Demilitarize Public Schools (Palgrave McMillan, 2017), and Human-Rights Based Approaches to Community Practice in the United States (Springer, 2015).

Harding is a highly experienced academic administrator and leader, having served the School of Social Work not only as Ph.D. Co-Director but also as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Harding will continue his role as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the 2024-25 AY.

Please join me in thanking Harding for his outstanding leadership.

Laura Curran, MSW, Ph.D. (she/her)
Dean and Professor

Supervising in 2024: A Field and Continuing Ed Collaboration

Supervising in 2024: Who are our Supervisees and How Can We Use a Social Justice, Anti-Racist, Whole-Person Approach to Facilitate their Growth?

Patricia Wilcox, LCSW and Aminah Ali, LMSW
3 CECs

Registration Fee: $75  –  10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni
Free for Current SSW Field Instructors

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Multicultural workforces are the norm in social service and educational agencies. Though such diversity is positive in many ways, it can also create challenges for staff. Differences in culture and language may cause tension among employees, discomfort among groups or strained relations between employees, interns, and supervisors. Managers and supervisors must be aware of their own biases and assumptions and develop the skills to conduct difficult conversations with their supervisees. Together the two can create meaningful organizational change. In addition, our clients’ lives may be highly impacted by racism and inter-generational trauma. Supervisors can facilitate more effective programs by supporting supervisees to bring these issues into the discussions they have with clients.

This webinar focuses on trauma-informed supervision through a social justice and anti-racist lens, an approach to supervision that begins with the personal and extends to the professional. Personal histories, identities, characteristics, and psychological experiences of supervisors, as well as structural and environmental conditions of the organization, are aspects of supervision. This perspective promotes the role of the supervisor as a leader in establishing a culture within their team that is responsive to and inclusive of the cultures and unique experiences of clients and colleagues. Supervisors are encouraged to remain vigilant in their commitment to social justice and an anti-racist approach by leading their teams and organizations in achieving truly inclusive diversity.

Participants will be able to:

  • Find how to improve their interactions with supervisees by identifying the positionalities and unique experiences of supervisor and supervisee.
  • Appraise and discuss implicit bias and how it impacts the supervisory relationship and work with clients.
  • Implement 3 strategies for addressing power differentials and improve trust between supervisor and supervisee.
  • Explore dilemmas in supervising the whole person while maintaining agency mandates.
  • Develop a plan to increase their team’s ability to have difficult conversations around social justice.
  • Discuss with supervisees the applications of racism and inter-generational trauma-informed perspectives and prepare a plan to utilize this knowledge within their practice.

SSW Faculty and Students Present at 2024 SSWR Annual Conference

Twenty-five School of Social Work faculty, Ph.D. students, and MSW students will share their collective research through 27 oral and ePoster presentations and two symposia at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 28th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. from January 10 to 14. The theme of the Conference is “Recentering & Democratizing Knowledge: The Next 30 Years of Social Work Science.” The research presented by the SSW community comprises a variety of topics, including foster care, LGBTQIA+ youth, substance abuse treatment, mindfulness-based intervention, and gender-affirming care, among many others.
 

Thursday, January 11

Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM
Symposium: Integrating Participatory Methods with Intervention Science: Unlocking Community Power to Co-Create Health Solutions
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 14, ML 2
Organizer and Author(s): Caitlin Elsaesser, PhD

  • Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Co-Designing a Mindfulness Based Intervention with Street Outreach Workers and Youth: The Power of Participatory Action Research to Drive Solutions
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 14, ML 2
    Author(s): Caitlin Elsaesser, PhD; Jolaade Kalinowski, Ed.D; Jeffrey Proulx, PhD; Kim Gans, PhD, MPH; Jacquelyn Santiago Nazario.
  • Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Building Political Power with "Third Citizens:" A Participatory Pilot Project to Co-Transform and Implement the Voter Engagement Model with Formerly Incarcerated Peoples
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 14, ML 2
    Author(s): Sukhmani Singh, PhD; Joshua Adler; Tanya Rhodes Smith, MSW; James Jeter; Urania Petit*; Fernando Valenzuela*.
  • Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Community-Based Participatory Action Research with LGBTQIA+ Youth in the Time of COVID-19: Findings from a Collaborative Autoethnography
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 14, ML 2
    Author(s): Gio Iacono, PhD; Leah Holle, MAR, LCSW, CEDS; Emily Loveland, MSW; Breana Bietsch, MSW; Jamie Smith, MSW, LCSW-C; Shelley Craig, PhD; Evan Horton*.

Time: 3:15– 4:45 PM
Symposium: From Calyouth to Tay-Hub: Advancing Research and Support for Transition-Age Youth in Foster Care
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 13, ML 2
Organizer and Author(s): Andrea Eastman, PhD; Mark Courtney, PhD.

  • Time: 3:15– 4:45 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Does Transition Planning Increase Service Use Among Older Adolescents in Foster Care?
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 13, ML 2
    Author(s): Nathanael Okpych, PhD; Justin Harty, PhD; Mark Courtney, PhD; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD.
  • Time: 3:15– 4:45 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Distinct Subgroups of Care-Experienced Youth and Their Outcomes in Early Adulthood: Results from a Latent Class Analysis
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 13, ML 2
    Author(s): Nathanael Okpych, PhD; Mark Courtney, PhD; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD; Justin Harty, PhD; Keunhye Park, PhD.
  • Time: 3:15– 4:45 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Risks of Incarceration: Impact of Social Support Networks in the Transition to Adulthood
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 13, ML 2
    Author(s): Keunhye Park, PhD; Mark Courtney, PhD; Andrea Eastman, PhD; Nathanael Okpych, PhD.
  • Time: 3:15– 4:45 PM
    Symposium Presentation: Examining Parenting Foster Youth Status and Outcomes at Different Ages: Implications for Tailored Interventions and Support for Parents in State Care
    Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 13, ML 2
    Author(s): Justin Harty, PhD; Nathanael Okpych, PhD; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD; Mark Courtney, PhD.

 

Friday, January 12

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
ePoster Presentation: Collective Trauma, Resilience, and Healing: Violence Street Outreach Workers and Black and Brown Youth Moving through a Healing Justice Framework
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Maritza Vasquez Reyes, MA, LCSW, CCM; Caitlin Elsaesser, PhD; Emory Fairchild, MSW*.

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: Creating Institutional Infrastructure to Advance Health Equity through Community Engagement
Location: Independence Ballroom RM: H, ML 4
Author(s): Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD; Rebecca Lobb, ScD, MPH; Jennifer Pamphile, MPH; Deborah Chassler, MSW; Melanie Rocco, MSW, MPH.

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: Assessing the Impact of a Blended Payment Model on Client Termination from Substance Use Treatment
Location: Liberty Ballroom RM: I, ML 4
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, MSW, PhD; Yuanyuan Hu, MSW; Patrick del Giudice-Walsh; Jennifer Manuel, PhD.

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: Relationships between Disordered Eating and Family, School, and Community Contexts Among LGBTQ+ Youth in Kansas
Location: Liberty Ballroom RM: O, ML 4
Author(s): Meg Paceley, PhD; Briana McGeough, PhD, MSW; Jennifer Ananda, JD, MSW; Michael Riquino, PhD, MSW; Jennifer Pearson, PhD; Liz Hamor.

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
ePoster Presentation: The Negotiation and Resistance of Stigma Among Online Male Sex Workers
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Alberto Cifuentes, Jr., MSW

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
ePoster Presentation: Using Mobile Phone Technology to Assess Substance Use Outcomes and Promote Recovery
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Jennifer Manuel, PhD

Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Presentation: Writing and Reviewing for Refereed Journals: Discussion with Editorial Advisory Board Members
Location: Independence BR RM: H, ML 4
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD; Kristina Lovato, PhD; Kess Ballentine, PhD; Jeremiah Jaggers, PhD.

Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Presentation: Promoting Mental Health and Coping Among LGBTQIA+ Youth during COVID-19: A Pilot Study of an Affirmative Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: Monument, ML 4
Author(s): Gio Iacono, PhD

Time: 3:45 – 5:15 PM
Presentation: Invited Journal Editors Workshop II: Forum on Publishing Qualitative Research
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 12, ML 2
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD; Robert Hawkins, PhD; Lissette Piedra, PhD; Susan Robbins, PhD; Jennifer Zelnick, ScD; Sara Goodkind, PhD; Mimi Kim, PhD.

Time: 3:45 – 5:15 PM
Presentation: Critical Analyzing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): An Analysis of State Policy Options and State Participation Rates
Location: Liberty Ballroom RM: N, ML 4
Author(s): Emily Loveland, MSW

Time: 3:45 – 5:15 PM
ePoster Presentation: Psychosocial Interventions for Individuals Living with the Psychosocial Effects of Long-COVID: A Qualitative Interpretative Meta-Synthesis
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Laura Moynihan, LICSW, OSW-C, APHSW-C; Doreek Charles, MSW; Kelsi Carolan, PhD, LICSW.

Time: 3:45 – 5:15 PM
ePoster Presentation: Gender Transportation-Related Differences Among Older Vietnamese Immigrants
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Rebecca Mauldin, PhD; Jill Theresa Messing, PhD; Rupal Parekh, PhD; Priyanjali Chakraborty, MA.
 

Saturday, January 13

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
ePoster Presentation: Unpacking Neutrality Discourse in Social Work: Exploring Twitter Responses to Anti-Trans Legislation
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Gio Iacono, PhD; Jemel Aguilar, PhD, LCSW, MPH; Leah Holle, MAR, LCSW, CEDS.

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: Community-Driven Research and Action
Location: Independence BR RM: A, ML 4
Author(s): Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD

Time: 12:30 – 1:30 PM
Presentation: Creating Safe Spaces in Academic Environments
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: A, ML 4
Author(s): Flor Avellaneda, MSW; Gabriela Mohr-Avita, MSW; Danielle Parrish, PhD; Leila Wood, PhD; Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD.
 

Sunday, January 14

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: The Personal Is Professional Is Political: A Roundtable of Transgender and Gender Expansive Scholars on Integrating Research, Organizing, and Advocacy to Promote Trans Justice
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 8, ML 2
Author(s): Meg Paceley, PhD; Trey Jenkins, MSW; Leo Kattari, PhD, MSW; LB Klein, PhD, MSW; Shanna Kattari, PhD; Candace Christensen, PhD, MSW.

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
ePoster Presentation: Understanding Overeating Patterns Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: An Exploratory Analysis of Factors
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 6, ML 2
Author(s): Gio Iacono, PhD; Ryan Watson, PhD; Hsiu-Ju Lin, PhD; Breana Bietsch, MSW; Jamie Smith, MSW, LCSW-C; Leah Holle, MAR, LCSW, CEDS.

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: “I Had to Fight for This!” Implications for Youth, Caregivers, and Providers amidst Attacks on Gender-Affirming Care
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 9, ML 2
Author(s): Sarah Gzesh, MSW; Meg Paceley, PhD; Jama Shelton, PhD; Dana Prince, PhD; Shanna Kattari, PhD; Amy Hillier, PhD.

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Substance Use Treatment
Location: Marquis BR Salon RM: 7, ML 2
Author(s): Jennifer Manuel, PhD

*Current SSW student or alum

Former Faculty Member Ivor Echols Recognized as NASW Pioneer

Retired faculty member and founding director of the Center for International Social Work Studies at UConn School of Social Work, Lynne Healy, Ph.D., recently nominated former faculty member Ivor Echols for posthumous recognition as a NASW Pioneer. Along with her nomination letter below, Dr. Healy added, "In addition to Dr. Echols' deep commitment to fight poverty and racism, her greatest gifts to the University of Connecticut were the countless students who were inspired by her to become better social workers and better people." A supporting letter was also written by Ken Green, '79 (MSW), SSW alum and former State Representative.

The Nomination of Ivor J. Echols (1919-2000) for Pioneer Recognition

Late faculty member Ivor EcholsIvor J. Echols, MSW, PhD, made pioneering contributions as an educator, an activist for civil rights and social justice, and an avid promoter of the social work profession. She inspired hundreds of students and as a leader, strengthened numerous community and national organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers. Throughout her life, she worked tirelessly to combat racism and injustice, especially toward the African-American community and those living in poverty. She was a leader in national, state, and local organizations.

Dr. Echols used her personal experiences with racism, her keen love of social work, and her firm but warm approach to reach students and steer them toward work for social justice. Among her many activities, she led efforts to promote professional civility and unity though her leadership in both the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers, during the most turbulent years of the 1970s.

Read the full nomination at the NASW Foundation website.

SSW Faculty and Students Present at SSWR Conference 2023

Several UConn School of Social Work faculty and students are presenting their research at the 27th annual Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) conference in Phoenix, Arizona, from January 11 to 15. The theme of the conference is "Social Work Science and Complex Problems: Battling Inequities and Building Solutions." The research presented by SSW covers a wide range of areas and our expertise, including child welfare, foster care, sexual and gender minority youth mental health, and substance use, among others.

 

Thursday, January 12

Time: 3:15 – 4:45 PM
Presentation: Factors Associated with Child Welfare Diversion for Substance-Exposed Infants
Location: Hospitality 2 – Room 444
Author(s): Margaret Lloyd Sieger, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Cynthia Nichols, LCSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Melissa Sienna, UConn Health; Marilyn Sanders, MD, UConn School of Medicine

 

Friday, January 13

Time: 7:00 – 8:30 AM
Presentation: Acamamas: Academic Mothers
Location: Paradise Valley
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Nalini Negi, PhD, University of Maryland Baltimore; Danielle Parrish, PhD, Baylor University

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: Changes in Social Support over Time and Attention to Congregate Care Placement Among Older Youth Transitioning from Foster Care: Ages 17-24
Location: Hospitality 3 – Room 432
Author(s): Keunhye Park, PhD, Michigan State University; Nathanael Okpych, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Mark Courtney, PhD, University of Chicago

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: Emerging into Parenthood While in Foster Care: Correlates of Active Parenting Behaviors at Ages 21 and 23
Location: Hospitality 3 – Room 432
Author(s): Justin Harty, PhD, Arizona State University; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Nathanael Okpych, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Mark Courtney, PhD, University of Chicago

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: Examining Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity for Transition-Age Foster Youth
Location: Hospitality 3 – Room 432
Author(s): Melanie Nadon, University of Chicago; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Nathanael Okpych, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Justin Harty, PhD, Arizona State University; Mark Courtney, PhD, University of Chicago

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: The Role of Enduring Relationships in Early-Adult Outcomes Among Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care
Location: Hospitality 3 – Room 432
Author(s): Nathanael Okpych, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Jenna Powers, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Justin Harty, PhD, Arizona State University; Mark Courtney, PhD, University of Chicago

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Presentation: The Impact of a Teaching Peer Support Group on Doctoral Student Instructors: A Collaborative Autoethnography
Location: Hospitality 1 – Room 443
Author(s): Madri Hall-Faul, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work;
Cindy Dubuque-Gallo, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Grace Felten, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Maritza Vasquez Reyes, MA, LCSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
ePoster Presentation IV: Fear and Stigma with Home Visiting: Barriers to Participation
Location: Phoenix C
Author(s): Megan Feely, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Grace Felten, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Kathryn E. Parr, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: A Whole Health Model of Care to Promote Health Equity and Social Justice
Location: Camelback B
Author(s): Anna Faul, PhD, University of Louisville; Pamela Yankeelov, PhD, University of Louisville;
Madri Hall-Faul, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Samantha G. Cotton, PhD, University of Louisville Trager Institute; Joseph D'Ambrosio, PhD, University of Louisville Trager Institute; Barbara Gordon, MA, University of Louisville Trager Institute

 

Saturday, January 14

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
ePoster Presentations IX: Affirmative CBT: Longitudinal Change Processes for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth
Location:
Author(s): Shelley L. Craig, PhD, LCSW, University of Toronto; Vivian Leung, MA, University of Toronto; Jenny Hui, MA, University of Toronto; Frank Dillon, PhD, Arizona State University; Ashley Austin, PhD, Barry University; Rachael Pascoe, MSW, RSW, University of Toronto; Gio Iacono, PhD, MSW, RSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Nelson Pang, MSW, University of Toronto

Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Presentation: Annual Social Policy Forum: Democracy?!?!
Location: Phoenix D/E
Author(s): Darcey Merritt, PhD, University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work; Maria Blunt-Carter, MSW, Rutgers School of Social Work; Justin Hodge, MSW, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; and Tanya Rhodes Smith, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Time: 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Presentation: Direct Scribing as a Rigor-Promoting Technique: Centering Youth Voice throughout Data Collection and Analysis
Location: Encanto A
Author(s): Jenna Powers, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Time: 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Presentation: The Relationship between Legal Permanency Among Older Foster Youth and Their Outcomes
Location: Ahwatukee A
Author(s): Mark Courtney, PhD, University of Chicago; Sunggeun (Ethan) Park, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Nathanael Okpych, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Justin Harty, PhD, Arizona State University

 

Sunday, January 15

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
ePoster Presentations XI: Risk, Race/Ethnicity and Subsequent Reports in a State’s Differential Response System
Location: Marquis BR Salon 6
Author(s): Megan Feely, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Brenda Kurz, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Patricia Carlson, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Melissa Ives, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Joshua Pierce, BA, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Kimberly Nilson, State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families

Time: 8:00 – 9:30 AM
ePoster Presentations XI: Doulas: A Possible Solution to Birth Inequities Among Families of Color
Location: Phoenix C
Author(s): Mollie Lazar Charter, PhD, MSW, Fordham University; Kathryn E. Parr, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work, Jane Lee, University of Connecticut School of Social Work, Juliany Polar, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: State-Level Predictors of Core Priorities Spending in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program: Implications for Human Rights and Equity
Location: Laveen B
Author(s): Madri Hall-Faul, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Anna Faul, PhD, University of Louisville

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: Critical Time Intervention for People Leaving Residential Substance Use Treatment: The Feasibility and Preliminary Impact of a Pilot Randomized Trial
Location: Hospitality 1 – Room 443
Author(s): Jennifer Manuel, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Khadija Israel, MSW, New York University; Yeqing Yuan, PhD, LCSW, New York University; Laura Esquivel, MSW, New York University; Laura Curran, MA, New York University; Daniel Herman, Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work

Time: 9:45 – 11:15 AM
Presentation: Writing and Reviewing for Refereed Journals: Discussion with Editorial Advisory Board Members
Location: Valley of the Sun E
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Sondra Fogel, PhD, University of South Florida; and Kirstin Anderson, Social Current

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Presentation: Rates of Infants Reported to CPS at Birth for Prenatal Substance Exposure: A Panel Data Analysis
Location: Estrella
Author(s): Rebecca Rebbe, PhD, University of Southern California; Margaret Lloyd Sieger, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; John Prindle, PhD, University of Southern California

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Presentation: Connect: Plans of Safe Care for Substance-Exposed Infants
Location: Estrella
Author(s): Margaret Lloyd Sieger, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Cynthia Nichols, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Ira J. Chasnoff, MD, NTI Upstream

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Presentation: A Primer on Conducting Scoping Reviews: Purpose, Guidelines, and Resources
Location: Camelback A
Author(s): Jon Phillips, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Social Work; Daniel Gibbs, MSW, JD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Kalah M. Villagrana, MSW, MPA, Arizona State University; and Elizabeth Jurczak, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Social Work Faculty Presentations at CSWE Annual Program Meeting

CSWE APM 2022

We are proud to announce the presentations that UConn School of Social Work faculty will lead at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2022 Annual Program Meeting (APM), from November 10 through 13.  The following list of presentations and sessions represents the wide range of scholarship that School of Social Work researchers are engaged in, including human rights, child welfare, COVID-19, political social work, refugee and immigrant rights, and more.

Thursday, November 10

Time: 3:00 – 3:30 PM
Presentation: “Academic Mothers: A Discussion on More Equitable Structural Policies in the Academy”
Session: The Social Work Gaze and Academy
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, Ph.D. and Nalini Negi, Ph.D.

Friday, November 11

Time: 7:45 – 8:15 AM
Presentation: “A Human Rights-Based Policy Analysis of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families”
Session: SNAP and Temporary Assistance Reviews
Author(s): Madri Hall-Faul, MSW

Time: 8:15 – 8:45 AM
Presentation: “Fulfilling the Right to Adequate Food: Examining SNAP through a Qualitative Lens”
Session: SNAP and Temporary Assistance Reviews
Author(s): Emily Loveland, MSW

Time: 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Presentation: “Writing and Reviewing for Refereed Journals: Strategies for Successful Publishing and Ethical Peer Review”
Session: Writing and Reviewing for Refereed Journals: Strategies for Successful Publishing and Ethical Peer Review
Author(s): Cristina Mogro-Wilson, Ph.D., Danielle Parrish, Ph.D., Elissa Madden, Ph.D., and Jeremiah Jaggers, Ph.D.

Time: 11:15 – 11:45 AM
Presentation: “Building Pedagogical Identities Across Cohorts: A Collaborative Autoethnography of a Doctoral Peer Support Group”
Session: American Higher Education and Pedagogical Identities
Author(s): Lukas Champagne, MSW, Elizabeth Jurczak, MSW, and Breana Bietsch, MSW

Time: 11:15 – 11:45 AM
Presentation: “The Importance of Critical Relational Teaching in Social Work Education During the COVID-19 Era”
Session: Teaching and COVID-19
Author(s): Gio Iacono, Ph.D. and Emily Loveland, MSW

Time: 1:15 - 1:45 PM
Presentation: “Increasing Early Childhood Disability Content in Social Work Education: Traumatic Brain Injury and how to Create Interdisciplinary Teams and Family Partnerships”
Session: TBD
Presented by: Emily Longo, LMFT

Time: 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Presentation: “Resurgence of Radical Extremism: Critical Conversations on Human and Global Rights by Social Workers”
Session: Connect
Author(s): Rebecca Thomas, Ph.D., Golam Mathbor, MSS, MSW, Ph.D., RSW, Connie Gunderson, Ph.D., LISW, Sister Angela Kim, IHM, Ph.D., and Johny Augustine, MSW, M.Phil, Ph.D.

Saturday, November 12

Time: 12:00 – 12:30 PM
Presentation: “At the Table or on the Menu: Political Social Work Since 2016”
Session: TBD
Author(s): Shannon Lane, LMSW, Ph.D., Tanya Rhodes Smith, MSW, Kathryn Krase, JD, MSW, Ph.D., and Katherine Hill, MSW, Ph.D., MPP, LISE

Time: 3:45 – 4:15 PM
Presentation: “Providing Students and Professionals with a Conceptual Foundation and Empirical Justification for Cross-Systems Collaboration”
Session: Cross-Systems Collaboration and Global Conflict Resolution
Author(s): Jon Phillips, Ph.D., Daniel Gibbs, JD, MSW, Elizabeth Jurczak, MSW, and Kalah Villagrana, Ph.D.

Sunday, November 13

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Panel Presentation: “Deservingness, Differential Treatment, and Dehumanization of Refugees, Asylees, and Asylum-Seekers”
Session: Deservingness, Differential Treatment, and Dehumanization of Refugees, Asylees, and Asylum-Seekers
Author(s): Kathryn Libal, Ph.D., S. Megan Berthold, Ph.D., David Androff, Ph.D., Scott Harding, Ph.D., and Cherra Mathis, MSW

Time: 10:45 – 11:45 AM
Panel Presentation: “Fulfilling U.S. Children’s Human Rights through the UN Children’s Rights Convention”
Session: Fulfilling U.S. Children’s Human Rights through the UN Children’s Rights Convention
Author(s): Kathryn Libal, Ph.D., S. Megan Berthold, Ph.D., and Madri Hall-Faul, MSW

 

Celebrating Freedom on Juneteenth

From the Office of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

Sunday is Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Also known as America’s Second Independence Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. Last year, it was made a federal holiday by President Biden, and this year the Connecticut legislature also designated Juneteenth an official holiday.Juneteenth graphic

Recognition of Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when Union troops enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in the last slave-owning community in the U.S., is welcome but long overdue. At the School of Social Work, we honor Juneteenth as part of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism (DEI/AR). We join with the University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office in celebrating the history and culture of Black and African American communities. We also acknowledge the ongoing struggle for freedom and fight to end anti-Black racism and oppression in all its forms.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, our faculty and staff met regularly to discuss how we would implement DEI/AR as part of our Strategic Plan. We are finalizing a definition of anti-racism for our School and developing concrete steps that we will take to support the aspirations and empowerment of our Black and African American students, staff, faculty and communities. This commitment is not only in keeping with the ethics of our profession, but it’s an imperative in this era of resurgent white supremacy.

To respect and highlight Juneteenth, I encourage everyone to explore the resources that the UConn Library has compiled in honor of the holiday, and to explore educational and cultural events in your community.

 

In solidarity,

Nina Rovinelli Heller, PhD
Dean and Professor
Zachs Chair in Social Work

Dr. Cristina Mogro-Wilson Named Editor-in-Chief of Families in Society Journal

SOCIAL CURRENT® ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DR. CRISTINA MOGRO-WILSON OF UCONN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FOR FAMILIES IN SOCIETY JOURNAL

Dr. Mogro-Wilson to Succeed Dr. Sondra Fogel, Who Helmed FIS For the Past Seven Years

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Social Current, formerly the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and the Council onFaculty member Cristina Wilson Accreditation, today announced the selection of Dr. Cristina Mogro-Wilson to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Families in Society (FIS) journal, which was previously led by Dr. Sondra Fogel, who served as Editor-In-Chief for the past seven years.

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services has been a core journal in social work research for over 100 years. Launched in 1920 by Mary E. Richmond, a pioneer in the field and the founder of social casework, the journal built a knowledge base for the first systematized approaches to the practice of social work and has been stewarded over the years by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities. Families in Society is published in partnership with SAGE Publishing.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Mogro-Wilson, whose work as a recognized Latina scholar and expert in health disparities and culturally-responsive practice and education in racial minority populations will greatly inform the future direction of FIS,” noted Dr. Jody Levison-Johnson, president and CEO of Social Current. “Addressing the challenges that families face today, including socio-economic disparities, racism, substance misuse and behavioral health disorders, requires an evidence-informed approach that is grounded in social change through the lens of advancing equity. Dr. Mogro-Wilson’s body of work is uniquely attuned to addressing these vital issues and aligns closely with Social Current’s commitment to advancing equitable solutions to society’s toughest challenges through collaboration, innovation, policy and practice excellence.”

“As a Latina social worker, I value social justice and am committed to advancing equity,” noted Dr. Mogro-Wilson. “I look forward to working with the FIS team of scholars to increase the vitality and relevance of FIS though diverse representation in advisory board members, peer reviewers, manuscript authors, and – importantly - the readership. The art, science, and practice of social work are such important elements of the discipline because they can strengthen families and communities and help all people achieve their full potential. That’s why inclusiveness, transparency, and authenticity in FIS scholarship will help advance transformational research and practice, which in turn supports efforts to ensure everyone experiences well-being and opportunity.”

Dr. Mogro-Wilson received her MSW from the University of Michigan, with a focus on practice with children, youth, and families in 2003, followed by her PhD from the University at Albany, School of Social Welfare in 2007. Most recently, she has served as Assistant Professor in Residence at the UCONN Health Center in the School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics from 2007-2009, transitioning to the School of Social Work (SSW) tenure-related tracks, achieving tenure in 2015 as an Associate Professor in SSW. As of August 2022, Dr. Mogro-Wilson will be a full Professor at SSW.

She served as the director for the Puerto Rican and Latin@ Studies Project (PRLSP) from 2015-2017, leading them to sustainable achievements in the acquisition of research grants and the development of a bilingual/bicultural MSW program. The PRLSP has been referenced and used as a model in various arenas such as the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and different social work programs throughout the nation.

From 2019-2022, she served as research director for the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) with a focus on supporting design and implementation of applied qualitative and quantitative research projects; the development of research proposals to secure private, state, and federal funding to sustain and grow the UCEDD's research and evaluation agenda; and the development of policy analysis related to programs demonstrating the full inclusion of people with disabilities in education, work, and community life.

Dr. Mogro-Wilson’s publishing experience includes serving as an editorial advisory board member and more recently as an associate editor for Families and Society and Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE), which is the flagship journal for CSWE. She co-edited a special issue of JSWE on Teaching, Field Instruction and Administration in the Time of Pandemic or Natural Disaster, with Danielle Parrish and Nalini Negi during the COVID pandemic, co-authoring an editorial on the hidden cost of caregiving during the pandemic. As a Graduate Faulty Representative and member of the National Nominating Committee and Council on Publications for CSWE from 2018-2021, she also worked to ensure anti-racist and diverse representative content in CSWE publications.

“We are confident that Dr. Mogro-Wilson will build on the legacy launched by FIS founder Mary E. Richmond and the many who have helmed the journal since,” added Dr. Levison-Johnson. “A special thank you goes out to Dr. Sondra Fogel who has stewarded FIS for the past seven years, mentoring Dr. Mogro-Wilson and other scholars in the pursuit of academic excellence in the field of social work practice, policy, and research.”

For more information on a subscription to Families in Society, please contact Kirstin Anderson at kanderson@social-current.org.