Faculty News

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

 

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.

Faculty News: Associate Professor Ann Marie Garran

From the Office of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share some wonderful news with you. Associate Professor Ann Marie Garran has been chosen to receive the prestigious Faculty Excellence in Graduate Teaching award. This award is given by the UConn Foundation Alumni Relations Office in recognition of excellence in instruction and for significant contributions to the intellectual life of the University through teaching. The School of Social Work has not had an awardee since 2000, so this is an important celebration for all of us.

Ann Marie is consistently evaluated highly by her students, and as importantly, she is frequently sought out as a mentor. Her scholarship focuses heavily on pedagogy and the intersection with anti-racist practices, and she has provided numerous workshops for faculty here at the School and as a consultant across the country.

Most recently, Ann Marie published the third edition of her book Racism in the United States: Implications for the Helping Professions. She has served on the School’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-racism committee. Her research interests include power, privilege, and oppression as it pertains to social work education, including field instruction and advising.

Please join me in celebrating her achievements. Ann Marie will receive a monetary award and be recognized along with other award recipients in a ceremony this fall and we will share those details when they are available.

Congratulations for well-earned recognition of your considerable talents in the classroom and beyond, Ann Marie.

 

In solidarity,

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