School of Social Work News

Professor Robert Joseph Taylor spoke with WEMU about how unmarried African Americans form family-like relationships with their close friends to fulfill each other’s needs. “In general, women are closer to their friends than men and there are some differences in terms of friendship contact.”

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 Research Scientist Roland Zullo spoke with The American Prospect on the historical impact of unions on presidential elections.   

Unions “help working-class people get out the vote,” he said, because unions “underscore the importance of voting and educate members on why it’s important. One of the big effects unions have on politics and our society in general is they help make democracy work.”

Beginning in January 2025, the MasterTrack Certificate (MTC) program, currently available on Coursera, will change its name and platform. The same great content and curriculum will be available as the Social Work Essentials Certificate (SWEC) and will replace the MTC as our School’s certificate program. It will be hosted on Canvas and maintained by our own social work program. All existing course content will be maintained in the transition, with only minor changes to accommodate the Canvas platform. The transition will be finalized in April 2025 when Coursera will no longer offer the MTC Certificate.

The SWEC will continue to be a way for students with a social service work history to significantly reduce the cost of an MSW education at U-M. The certificate offers these students the ability to complete the MSW program in 45 credits (rather than 60). For more information, visit our website or email: [email protected].

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.”