School of Social Work News

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.

Henry J. Meyer Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Social Work John Tropman is the author of a new book, “Supervision, Management, and Leadership: An Introduction to Building Community Benefit Organizations.” Tropman’s handbook serves as a guide for managers and leaders in the human services field. “In response to the increasing needs of managers and leaders, John Tropman provides a comprehensive framework and sensible strategies for improving the craft of management. His text provides a wealth of insights for management practitioners ranging from students to supervisors and agency executives." -- Bowen McBeath, Professor of Social Work and Public Administration Portland State University and Beijing Normal University

Each year the Michigan Men’s Health Foundation holds a Men’s Health Event in Metro Detroit, which offers low-income men free health and mental health screenings.  Research consistently demonstrates that these groups of men are more likely to experience undiagnosed or sub-optimally managed chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

Assistant Professor Jaclynn Hawkins has received a grant to both evaluate the impact of this event on health behaviors, and to assess health behaviors and outcomes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Funded by the Michigan Institute for Clinical Health Research, this study will help health care professionals better meet the needs of this at-risk group, while taking into account the specific health needs during the pandemic. 

“Low-income men in metro Detroit are one of the most at-risk and vulnerable groups during the pandemic, this research will ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met during this critical time,” Hawkins said.

Clinical Associate Professor Julie Ribaudo, Joint PhD Student Sara Stein and the team from Zero to Thrive have created a trauma-informed coloring book for young children and their caregivers. Children may struggle to understand COVID-19. In the absence of concrete explanations, children can often imagine the worst and blame themselves for the changes they are experiencing.  Georgie and the Giant Germ was developed to support caregivers in holding difficult conversations and to give children a way to express and manage their worries.

Paula Allen-Meares Collegiate Professor of Social Work Linda Chatters and colleagues from the U-M School of Public Health recently wrote an op-ed for Bridge. "We urge the State of Michigan to recognize the role economic disinvestment and institutional racism have played in heightening the risk of COVID-19 infection."

“We recognized the increased need for social workers to deliver online teletherapy and telehealth services in the current pandemic,” says Alia Wesala, Assistant Director of Continuing Education. “Many social workers have been forced to work with clients online or by phone for the first time, and they were not prepared for it. It is stressful to suddenly have to figure out how to serve clients remotely. There are many ethical considerations to understand and navigate around system security, privacy, informed consent and HIPAA compliance.”

To meet this training need, Wesala had a teletherapy ethics continuing education webinar ready to go on a short timeline, and it was free. She reached out to Lecturer Elizabeth González who said she could be ready to teach within one week.  When ”Teletherapy: Start It Up!” was announced, word got out fast. More than 1,200 social workers and other health professionals from around the country signed up in 24 hours, forcing Wesala to close enrollment out of a concern that participants could exceed the capacity of the webinar platform. In addition, more than 800 have requested copies of the recording. Those wishing to obtain a recording may contact [email protected].