School of Social Work

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Howard V. Brabson Collegiate Professor Joseph Himle and Marion Elizabeth Blue Professor of Children and Families Todd Herrenkohl were named fellows of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. They will be inducted into the academy during a ceremony at the Society for Social Work and Research’s annual conference in January.  Fellow status is among the highest professional accolades bestowed to social work scholars; Michigan Social Work now has 11 academy members.

Professor William Elliott III weighs in on the student debt debate with Morning Consult. The ballooning U.S. student debt is more than two times what Americans owed a decade ago, and borrowers are delaying life milestones like home buying. “It’s not just about getting a degree; it’s also about what position you’re in when you get that degree,” said Elliott.

October 24–27, 2019
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
Denver, CO

• Map & Directions
• Event Details & Program
• U-M School of Social Work Presenters
• Michigan Graduate Programs in Social Work Joint Reception

Associate Professor Terri Friedline was appointed by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Kathleen L. Kraninger to the Academic Research Council. Friedline’s important research on fair banking and financial practices will impact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the nation.

Professor Emerita Edie Kieffer’s latest research “Diagnosis and Care of Chronic Health Conditions Among Medicaid Expansion Enrollees: A Mixed-Methods Observational Study, was included in a front page Washington Post story. The study finds people with chronic conditions are significantly more likely to report improved physical and mental health since enrolling in the Healthy Michigan Plan, the state’s expanded Medicaid program.

Associate Professor Emerita Diane Kaplan Vinokur’s new book “Shared Space and the New Nonprofit Workplace” has won the 2019 Terry McAdam Book Award from The Alliance for Nonprofit Management.  “Particularly at this moment when many nonprofits face significant fiscal challenges, we found it to be a hopeful and practical template for collaboration and strengthening the nonprofit sector,” noted the award committee. 

Preventing all forms of sexual and gender-based misconduct is a top priority for the University of Michigan. Associate Professor and U-M Ombudsman Robert Ortega, "We all have an important role in creating a culture and climate of respect at U-M, and there is help available." Watch the video to learn more.

Associate Research Scientist Roland Zullo comments on GM strike with Time Magazine. GM union members have joined a national uptick in strikes, with Americans increasingly turning to collective action in the face of unstable employment practices. “In a healthy labor relations context, there’s that understanding that when times are tough, everybody sacrifices. But when times improve, everybody shares, right?” Zullo says.

Garrett Pace, Joint PhD student, discusses the harmful effects of spanking with American University Radio. “Our findings suggest that spanking seems to be harmful on a global scale,” says lead author Pace.