March 20, 2023

Pitt Social Work projects awarded Momentum Funds

Unpacking racial disparities in the involuntary psychiatric commitment of youth and young adults in Allegheny County: Catherine Greeno, School of Social Work, with colleague Nev Jones, School of Social Work

Linking university-community initiatives to promote a children’s thriving pipeline across early developmental stages: Shannon Wanless, School of Education, with Daniel Shaw and Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and James Huguley, School of Social Work

Dr. Nev Jones interviewed by Washington Post

In Florida, showing mental health struggles could get a child detained

Nev Jones, Pitt Social Work Assistant Professor, who interviewed dozens of affected teenagers and young adults in Florida, said a substantial number reported feeling worse after their psychiatric stay than before it - more despondent, depressed and hopeless.

Circle Up conversations empower students to discuss agency and intimacy

Undergraduates are talking with one another about personal experiences — including sexual agency, consent, relationships and identity — through the help of a new dialogue series. Circle Up aims to prevent sexual violence by encouraging students to think about their own sexual agency and to respect their peers. Involved in the project are Assistant Professor Rachel Gartner, PhD student Adrian Ballard, and MSW student and discussion facilitator Dev Hayostek. Read more.

Dr. Durham to present on community enagagement

The Equity in Teaching Community of Practice and Connecting Curriculum to Community projects invite you to a conversation with Dr. Aliya Durham, Assistant Professor and Director of Community Engagement, Center on Race and Social Problems Faculty Affiliate, and Liz Monk, Community Engagement and Special Projects at the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center. They will be discussing strategies for considerations of equity when we are working with students in a community-engaged curriculum. This conversation will be held over Zoom only; we hope you can join!

Alumni

Student & Alumni Networking Lunch Featuring Tierra Thorne, MSW ‘19

March 27, 2023

12:30-2pm

Featuring Tierra Thorne, MSW ‘19

Founder & CEO of Blanket & Board

Food from Budd’s Kitchen

2017 Cathedral of Learning

Alumnus inducted into Academy

The American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare has inducted SUNY New Paltz President and doctoral alumnus Darrell P. Wheeler as a fellow for their Class of 2023. Read more.

Richard Garland’s prison to personal responsibility pipeline

Tony Norman writes about MSW alumnus and assistant professor in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh Richard Garland, who currently oversees the Violence Prevention Initiative at the Center for Health Equity. Read here.

Anette Nance profiled by CanvasRebel

MSW alumna Anette Nance talks about her work, education, and experiences in this personal interview. Read more.

Publications

Several authors with Pitt Social Work connections were published in the recent Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Research Associate Professor Mary Beth Rauktis and two doctoral alumnae: Hyunji Lee and Lisa Schelbe wrote: Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Exclusionary Discipline Practices in Middle Childhood.” and Doctoral alumna Terri Friedline is the lead author on Dismantling White Supremacy and Promoting Antiracism in Social Work: Tensions, Paradoxes, and a Collective Response

Co-edited by PhD alumna Lisa Schelbe, the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal also features an article written by doctoral alumna Hyunji Lee and Research Associate Professor Mary Beth Rauktis: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring the Educational Experiences of Foster Youth and Foster Parents During COVID-19

PhD Candidate Cortney VanHook co-writes article in Archives of Sexual Behavior. The study finds that everyday affirmative interactions between teachers and non-heterosexual African American students are protective for vulnerable youth. Would Caring Teachers Buffer the Link Between Violence Victimization and Early Sexual Initiation? Comparing Heterosexual and Non-Heterosexual African American Youth

Doctoral student Amanda Cruce contributed to two recent publications on parental incarceration and best practices for child welfare agencies to keep children connected to their parents. For children who experience time in child welfare, there are limited policies around contact with parents who are incarcerated and these relationships often go unnurtured. The Knowledge Management Lived Experience Advisory Group involved in the two briefs consisted of birth parents, foster parents, kinship caregivers, and young adults that spent time in foster care: How can child protection agencies support children spending time with their parents who are incarcerated? and What should child protection agencies consider when working with children whose parent or primary caregiver is incarcerated?

Upcoming Events

March 20, 2023: "Role of Older Adults in Transmitting Knowledge in Parts of Uganda." 12pm. Virtual. Zoom link. Password: spring23

March 21, 2023: Conversations on Europe: "The Climate Crisis and Migration—What Can the U.S. Learn from Europe?" 12-1:30pm. Register here.

March 22, 2023: Virtual MSW Program Overview. 5pm. Register here

March 22, 2023: Salary Negotiation: What You Need to Know in 2023! 5-6pm. 2017 Cathedral of Learning

March 25, 2023: University of Pittsburgh MSW Program In-Person Open House. 9am start. RSVP here.

March 27, 2023: Student & Alumni Networking Lunch Featuring Tierra Thorne, MSW ‘19. 12:30-2pm. 2017 Cathedral of Learning. Register here.

March 27, 2023: Challenges and Opportunities of Multigenerational Workplaces. 4-5pm. 2017 Cathedral of Learning or Zoom. Register here.

For a complete listing of upcoming events please visit the

Pitt School of Social Work website

Please share our e-blast with your contacts and send any story ideas to shm87@pitt.edu.