School of Social Work News

Kristin Seefeldt, associate professor of social work was quoted in The Bridge about recent changes to Michigan’s emergency heating assistance program that advocates fear and will leave needy residents without the help they need to keep the heat on this winter.  

The SSW DEI Office established a new award to recognize individuals and groups in the School of Social Work who have made significant contributions to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the School or in the community. Congratulations to the following individuals and groups selected as the 2018 recipients of the Impact Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Staff Member, Randall Bilby; Student, Cuauhtemoc Salinas Martell; Faculty Member, Shanna Kattari and Organization, Association of Black Social Work Students. Awardees were recognized at an awards ceremony at the School on December 10. Lauren Davis, Assistant Director of SSW DEI Program, said about the awards: “While there is still much work to be done to advance the efforts of the DEI strategic plan, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the incredible work that members of the SSW community have made to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, and to acknowledge the commitment and progress we have made as a School.”

The University of Michigan School of Social Work celebrated World AIDS Day with talks on science and policy, personal testimonials--including words from Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of Ryan White--awards to prominent local AIDS activists, including members of the Michigan HIV/AIDS Council, a social justice exhibit drawn from the School's fine art collection, and an impromptu AIDS "quilt," created by attendees (out of paper, not cloth).

The event, sponsored by the office of the Associate Dean for Research, also featured Dawn Lukomski of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, telling a generally optimistic story of the state of HIV/AIDS in southeast Michigan, but stressing the need for, among other things, wider acceptance and understanding of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to limit the spread of the disease. Associate Dean for Research Rogerio M. Pinto followed Ms. Lukomski and outlined an ambitious new research agenda around PrEP.

The day also featured words from Dean Lynn Videka and a performance by Unified Field Theory, a jazz combo from Ann Arbor's Community High School.

Joint PhD student Yun Chen and Kathleen Pottick, visiting scholar and professor of social work at Rutgers University, are both recipients of an honorable mention for the 2019 Society for Social Work and Research Excellence in Research Award. The award recognizes the article “Conceptualizing Culturally Infused Engagement and Its Measurement for Ethnic Minority and Immigrant Children and Families, Clinical Children and Family Psychology.” In conferring the honorable mention, the Society recognized outstanding social work research that represents the highest of scientific standards and advances social work knowledge.

Lindsey Crandle, Jill Schaefer and Ariel Kennedy (left to right), ‘18 MSW graduates were selected as 2019 Presidential Management Fellows Finalists. The Presidential Management Fellows Program is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The Presidential Management Fellows Program attracts to Federal service outstanding graduate students who have a commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. The U-M School of Social Work had more finalists than any other school of social work.

Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work Karla Goldman discusses with Forward how sisterhoods have been a “launching pad for women’s public identities both inside Judaism and in the wider society.”

Michelle Woods, MSW Student Career Services Director, will receive a University of Michigan Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award as a member of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility  (I.D.E.A.) Committee Team. The Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award was established to shine a light on U-M staff members who work toward achieving a welcoming, supportive and inclusive working environment.

Professor Joe Ryan says many Indiana families struggle with the root causes of addiction. He recently spoke at a meeting hosted by The Center for Families at Purdue University. The meeting highlighted what policies and programs are working in other states.  "It’s not like substance abuse is their only problem, these are families that have high rates of domestic violence, parental incarceration, employment problems, housing problems," says Ryan.