Faculty News

Lexx Brown-James, director of the School’s Sexual Health Certificate Program, spoke with SELF magazine about how to incorporate temperature play into your sex life.

Assistant Professor Fernanda Cross received a K01 Career Development grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities for her project entitled “Enlace Familiar: Combating Mental Health Stigma, Improving Mental Health Literacy, Supporting Mental Health Discussions at Home, and Access to Care among Latinx Adolescents from Mixed Status Families.”

“This funding will allow me to both learn about intervention development and then develop and test an intervention to increase access to mental health treatment among Latinx adolescents from mixed-status families,” said Cross. “I am very excited because this will be one of the few interventions that specifically focus on mixed-status families and it will respond to an important community identified need.”

Professor Terri Friedline’s research on how financial institution locations are influenced by a neighborhood’s racial composition is featured in DBusiness. Friedline’s study analyzed the placement of banks, credit unions and alternative financial services — such as payday lenders — in six Detroit area counties. Her research shows that banks and credit unions tend to withdraw from areas as Black populations grow, whereas alternative financial services target these areas. 

“Some may argue that payday lenders open storefronts in ways that respond to market demand, but this argument is rooted in a disingenuous interpretation of demand,” said Friedline.

Clinical Assistant Professor Ayesha Ghazi Edwin is the recipient of the 2024 James T. Neubacher Award. The annual U-M award is presented to a student, alumn, faculty or staff member who has exhibited leadership and service in support of the disability community.

“I am deeply honored to receive the James T. Neubacher Award. This recognition reflects the work of so many people committed to disability justice within our university and community. My journey as an advocate began with my own experiences as a student facing new health challenges, and it has grown through partnerships with incredible students, community members and colleagues at the School of Social Work. These experiences have also guided my work on the Ann Arbor City Council, where I strive to help create a more accessible and inclusive community. I am grateful to contribute to our shared work of building spaces where all of us can thrive.”

Associate Professor Anao Zhang and PhD student Rachel Brandon are part of a team that recently received a grant from the Children's Cancer Research Fund. Their project evaluates the virtual delivery of a strength-based psychological treatment to young adults with cancer.   

“We are excited to receive this grant and conduct a pilot clinical trial at Michigan Medicine's Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program,” said Zhang. “It is also very exciting to involve Rachel Brandon, a joint social work and psychological doctoral student, as a study co-investigator and project coordinator to further boost the implementation of the trial.”

ENGAGE Program Manager Fatima Salman, MSW ’15, has been appointed Vice President of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Previously, Salman was president of the NASW Michigan Chapter and chair of the NASW Council of Chapter Presidents.

“I am excited to step into the role of vice president of this very critical organization that serves all social workers in the country,” said Salman. “I look forward to bringing my diverse background and strong skill sets to this organization and hope to be an asset as we champion social justice and empower social workers. I also am happy to be able to represent the University of Michigan School of Social Work —the top social work school in the country — in this national role.”

In 2018, ENGAGE launched the Small Grants Program to encourage faculty to build partnerships with Detroit community-based organizations and to support resident-led efforts to strengthen Detroit neighborhoods. These awards are supported by the Office of the Provost and are part of the School of Social Work’s strategic effort to connect Detroit engagement efforts and increase impact in the city. ENGAGE partners with the School of Public Health’s Detroit Urban Research Center in the administration of the small grants program. Here are this year’s grant recipients:

1. “Empowering Detroit Together: Building Community Impact Partnerships”
   Faculty Member: Clinical Associate Professor Abigail Eiler
   Community Partner: Yusef Shakur, Co-Executive Director, Michigan Roundtable
    
2. “Black Ecclesiastical Intervention to Help Equip Affected Lives Enduring Mental Disorders (BE HEALED)”
   Faculty Members: Professor Rich Tolman and Associate Professor Addie Weaver
   Community Partner: Pastor Charles Williams, Community Investigator

Professor Emerita Lorraine Guitérrez received the inaugural Maria B. Cerdas Trailblazer Award at the Latino Social Workers Organization’s National Latinx Social Work Conference in Chicago last week; she was also the keynote speaker. The award is named after Cerdas who became the first Latina member of the Chicago Board of Education in the 1960s.