At the University of Michigan School of Social Work, faculty, students, and community partners are advancing research and practice to address critical social challenges.
Trauma-Informed Programs and Practices for Schools
The Trauma-Informed Programs and Practices for Schools (TIPPS) is an innovation hub that utilizes a strength-based and equity-centered interprofessional approach to bring faculty (field, clinical, tenure, and research), students, staff, and community practitioners together to foster learning and dissemination of research on childhood trauma and system change. Educational components of TIPPS support field experiences for MSW students and professional learning for K-12 school providers.
AI Helping Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with Cancer in Schools
Assistant Professor Zhang’s study is among the first to evaluate the clinical utility of a speech-based distress monitoring tool using the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that simultaneously overcome numerous mental health barriers in young adults living with cancer.
Helping Black Girls and Caregivers with Legal System Stress
Associate Professor Quinn’s mixed-methods intervention study includes a key innovation—hair cortisol (HC) as a stress biomarker. Twenty-five Black girl-caregiver dyads will provide data on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other outcomes: stress, delinquency, racial identity, etc., over 3-time points. This pilot test assesses the preliminary effects of a single-arm healing-adapted intervention.
Partnering with Community Health Workers to Prevent Suicide
Associate Professor Bornheimer collaborated with Washtenaw County Community Mental Health to host six research dissemination events in the fall of 2023, with over 450 attendees. The events involved information sharing and hopeful art project activities to raise suicide awareness, foster dialogue, and promote community as part of a MICHR Promoting Academic and Community Engagement (PACE) Dissemination grant Bornheimer was awarded.
