School of Social Work News

The National Institute of Mental Health is funding Lauren White, Joint PhD student in Social Psychology and Social Work, to study a new suicide prevention model, Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide. The program is a health intervention designed, supported and implemented by remote communities in Northwest Alaska to decrease youth suicide. Professor Lisa Wexler is the principal investigator.

Associate Professor Shawna Lee and members of the Michigan Child Welfare Inter-University Consortium wrote an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press,” We can’t forget Michigan's abused and neglected children during COVID-19.”

Master’s-level learners have a new innovative and flexible online MasterTrack Certificate program, offered on Coursera. The Social Work MasterTrack program is focused on research, policy and practice. Six courses address advocacy for diversity, social justice and change and emphasize practice with individuals, families, small groups and community organizations.

Students can earn a certificate or, upon successful completion of all courses, may apply for admission to the 45 credit Master of Social Work degree program, which has been offered on campus and will also be offered via a new online format, beginning spring 2021.

“Completing the MasterTrack program will allow students who want to pursue an MSW degree to waive an entire semester, which equates to significant cost savings,” said Barb Hiltz, lead faculty member for the MasterTrack and director of the MSW program.

Michigan Social Work faculty and staff have partnered with the University of Michigan Academic Innovation and Coursera to develop Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MasterTrack Certificate.

Sara Stein, Joint PhD student social work and psychology discussed MI Frontline Support a program offering mental health care to essential workers during the Coronavirus pandemic. The program makes it easier for frontline workers to connect with licensed clinicians. 

Michigan Social Work is addressing issues of stigma and discrimination against Asians and other minority groups in a series of online weekly forums.  Moderated by Assistant Professor Addie Weaver and Professors Rogério Pinto and Larry Gant, the discussion group aims to strengthen solidarity and fight racism and discrimination.

“The COVID-19 pandemic quickly exposed social (e.g., unemployment, food insecurity), medical (e.g., lack of testing, medicine), and structural (e.g., lack of hospital beds, protective gear) issues which have historically undermined the most vulnerable in our society. Our Thursday discussions have addressed issues of stigma, oppression, positionality and myriad others, which outside of the COVID-19 context might be overlooked. The weekly discussion has generated many ideas for research and updated curricula needed to understand and address this new reality,” said Pinto.

Sponsors include the School's Faculty Allies for Diversity Committee in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity.  We hope students, faculty and staff will join us via BlueJeans at 3 PM on Thursdays for these frank and essential community discussions.

Associate Professor Terri Friedline has been selected for the U-M 2020 cohort of the Public Engagement Fellowship. Mentor fellows are faculty with more extensive experience in public engagement and will work closely with Fellows to provide guidance, connections and mentorship based on their own expertise and networks. Although planning for the Public Engagement Fellowship started before COVID-19, the current situation highlights how important programs like these are in preparing scholars for engagement - both in moments of crisis and over the long-term.

Associate Professor Matthew Smith and SIMmersion LLC were awarded a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Smith is the scientific lead developing a virtual simulation, which will help autistic teens and young adults learn effective ways to talk and interact with customers, coworkers and supervisors in work settings. Joint PhD student Kari Sherwood is assisting with this project.

Associate Professor Shawna Lee discussed the stress of parenting during the coronavirus pandemic on the latest episode of the Michigan Minds podcast.  On March 24, which was shortly after much of the country began social distancing, Lee and PhD student Kaitlin Ward conducted an online survey that asked a series of questions on parenting behaviors, economic situation and well-being.