School of Social Work

Associate Professor Terri Friedline and Professor William Elliott spoke with the Guardian about the benefits of children’s savings accounts, which extend beyond saving money for college.  Research shows that these accounts positively affect the social emotional development of kids and encourages families to build other assets. “It’s not because they’re getting money in their hands, it’s more about understanding their kids have a better future,” said Elliott. “What assets give you is tangible hope.”

Dear Michigan Social Work Community,

March is social work month and this year’s theme is The Time is Right for Social Work.

The time has always been right for social work. For decades, social workers have been providing essential services, support for individuals, families and communities, and advocating for policies that create a better society. But today — as we face the ramifications of the pandemic, systemic racism, economic inequality and uncertainty, and climate crisis — the time is especially right for social work.

Social workers have been at the forefront of these challenges, and

Charles Williams' editorial, “The Real Lesson That We Learned from the Juwan Howard Incident: A Black Man Still Has No Rights That Require Respect” is included in the latest issue of Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. “Watching Coach Howard try to negotiate anger the best way he could when walking down the handshake line, makes me flashback to every single moment in my life when I got to my car, or made it to my office or left the conflict and literally thanked God that I got away without having an emotional to physical blackout,” wrote Williams.

On February 17, 2022, the U-M Regents appointed Kathryn Elizabeth (Beth) Angell as the School of Social Work's next dean. She will begin her appointment on July 1.

Angell is an experienced administrator and is currently the dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Work. She previously served in a number of leadership roles at Rutgers University. During her tenure, VCU has seen record student enrollment, launched a fully online MSW program, and navigated the many challenges in teaching and serving students during the pandemic. She has also supported numerous efforts

MSW/MPH student Brandon Bond is one of just two students named to the U-M Presidential search committee. Throughout his time at U-M, Bond has served in various leadership roles to advocate for student interests including the VP of Student Life Advisory Board, Dean of Students Advisory Board, Office of Enrollment Management Advisory Board, Advancing Public Safety at U-M Task Force, and President of the Public Health Student Assembly. He is dedicated to ensuring that the diversity of student needs is reflected in the selection of the next U-M President.

"Considering that this is such a huge

PhD student Charles Williams II was featured on the CBS Evening News in a story on voting rights. “They aren’t securing the vote, they are suppressing the vote,” said Williams in regards to a petition backed by republicans to tighten voter ID requirements in the state of Michigan. Williams is leading local efforts to protect voting rights. “The fight must continue, and I think many people on the ground understand and are very clear that they will not stop until justice comes.”

Assistant Professor Shanna Kattari and Lecturer Leonardo Kattari have won the 2022 SSWR Book Award Honorable Mention for the book they co-edited, “Social Work and Health Care Practice with Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals and Communities: Voices for Equity, Inclusion, and Resilience.” The book includes chapters co-authored by Assistant Professor Ashley Lacombe-Duncan, PhD student Mattthew Bakko, alex kime, MSW ‘18, and Jennifer Schwartz, MSW ‘13. The award was presented on Saturday, January 15, as part of the Society of Social Work and Research Annual Conference.

The conventional mortgage market is not working in Detroit, writes Professor Trina Shanks in a Detroit Free Press editorial. Shanks and her co-authors recommend new programs to support homebuyer education programs and establish a single-family residential rehabilitation fund. “We know the private mortgage market does not serve Detroit in the same way as it does adjacent communities. The evidence is indisputable,” writes Shanks. The article cites data reviewed by the Center for Equitable Family and Community Well-Being that shows that vast swath of Detroit, identified by neighborhood, see very

Seven U-M SSW faculty are included on Stanford University’s 2021 World's Top 2% Scientists list. The database provides standardized information on citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator.

• Linda Chatters
• Lorraine Gutiérrez
• Todd Herrenkohl
• Joseph Ryan
• Robert Taylor
• Richard Tolman
• Bradley Zebrack

MSW students Deena Etter, Madeline Loss, Courtney Marsden and Nevo Polonsky have been selected to the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Program. Administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the program attracts outstanding graduate students who have a commitment to excellence in leadership and management of public policies and programs.