We are living in some of the most unique and challenging periods in history. That said, it's looking like K through 12 schools are going back to their buildings in person this fall. Trauma isn't going to stop at the school door. Today's episode features a conversation with Karen Gross, educator and author, who will talk about what schools should be concerned about as they re-open in person - and especially why trauma matters. She will discuss a blueprint for what can be done from the macro to...

In this episode, our guest Dr. Laura Johnson describes the domestic violence response team program, which is a collaborative partnership between domestic violence organizations and law enforcement. Findings from her research project examining factors that contribute to police officer support for a police-advocate partnership intervention are discussed, and the implications for social work practice and policy pertaining to the implementation of interagency collaborative interventions are...

Join us as we speak with Dr. Donna Jeffery about the challenges encountered as Social Work education attempts to develop anti-racist methods and practices of teaching. Dr. Jeffrey describes the tension between "being" and "doing" and the obstacle this tension poses for Social Work students and educators. What are Social Workers to do? What is the most practical application of anti-racist content encountered in Social Work education, especially given that content is frequently experienced as...

In this episode, our guests Dr. Stella Resko and Jennifer Ellis discuss differences in federal and state policy pertaining to marijuana use, the topic of legalization, and positive and negative attitudes towards marijuana use. They consider public health risks and safety concerns associated with marijuana use, including implications pertaining to perceived cannabis potency, health care utilization, driving ability, and employee safety. Future research and interventions needed in this area are...

In this episode, our guest Dr. Millan AbiNader discusses her research examining how mainstream media conversations pertaining to sexual violence have changed between 1991 and 2018, including shifts in language regarding how the accused and accuser have been characterized. Details and implications pertaining to findings from her qualitative thematic analysis are described, and suggestions for heightening attention to how sexual violence is conceptualized within the media are considered....

In this episode, Katrina Cherney discusses her research examining the relationship between student loan debt and subjective well-being over time, and how student loan debt is stratified across the socioeconomic spectrum and compounds inequalities and disparities. She summarizes the history of student loans and their role in financing education, describes the concept of the ‘dual quality of debt’, and considers the implications of the growing student loan debt crisis for social work practice,...

In this episode, Lindsay Armendariz and Brandi Hawk discuss Parent-Child Care (PC-Care), an adaptation of PCIT to respond to the needs of parents, foster parents and children in the child welfare system. They will tell you how they assessed the climate and needs of the foster care system in Sacramento County, CA, conducted research and responded with an adapted intervention - PC-Care. Implications for placement stability and other outcomes are described.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Bowen and Andrew Irish discuss the results of their research on mapping opioid-related public policy, published in their 2019 article "A policy mapping analysis of goals, target populations, and punitive notions in the U.S. congressional response to the opioid epidemic" in the International Journal of Drug Policy. They consider why is it important for social work practitioners and policy makers to understand issues associated with opioid-related policy, and the...

In this episode, our guest Stephanie Stodolka, LMSW discusses her (literally) street-level response to the personal, social and environmental challenges that her school's children and families - and by extension, staff- face to academic success. In order to bridge gaps related to lower socioeconomic levels, immigrant status and racial bias, she will describe how she assessed, advocated for and executed "Plunge Into Buffalo" - a day-long experiential intervention for her school's entire...

In this podcast our guest, Julia Moore, PhD, discusses why implementation science is relevant to the advancement of the Social Work profession and she addresses the research-to-practice gaps that currently exist. Dr. Moore explains what implementation science is, and how implementation science models, theories, and frameworks can be applied to increase the uptake and use of programs, services, and supports. Examples of how social workers can approach practice challenges differently by...

In this episode, our guests Drs. Patricia Logan-Greene and Mickey Sperlich describe their work exploring social work practice and our ability to decrease gun violence. With calls to "send in the Social Workers rather than the police" filling the national dialogue related to racial disparities in policing, our guests discuss why the Social Work profession might be best suited to prevent gun violence.

In this podcast, our guests Laura Lewis, PhD, and Daniel Fischer, MSW, discuss how the COVID-19 disruption not only created unprecedented challenges for social work field education, but also forced social work instructors to think creatively about how to deliver content and experiences in different ways for students. They describe new models of learning and innovative instructional paradigms that were developed, and highlight the importance of working collaboratively and creatively to meet...

Welcome back! In this episode, our guest Dr. Robin Leake - Project Director for National Child Welfare Workforce Initiative (NCWWI) discusses how social workers are navigating the impact of the Coronavirus on child welfare systems, the people they serve, and the workers who serve them. She details how workers are attending to their core mission, how they are supporting families, and how they are struggling with the impact on their own lives as they adapt to the severe disruptions the...

The University at Buffalo School of Social Work’s inSocialWork Podcast will be taking a hiatus due to COVID-19 and our need to prioritize distance education. We will keep you posted on when we will return. Be kind to one another, and stay safe and healthy.

In this episode, Dr. Felicity Northcott, an expert in international child welfare, describes her work with International Social Services - USA. ISS is a global child protection and social service network of social workers and lawyers who connect vulnerable children, adults and families separated by an international border to the support, information and services they need.

In this episode, our guests Dr. Kelly Jackson and Dr. Gina Miranda Samuels discuss the topic of multiracial cultural attunement and deliberate why the issue of multiraciality lacks prominence in social work literature and research. Given the growing multiracial population, the importance of going beyond the black-white dichotomy is emphasized in order to address the disproportionate challenges and risks multiracial individuals and families face. The episode concludes with a discussion on...

In this episode, our guest Elaine Birchall, MSW describes her work with this under-researched and under-served population. Challenging myths, she defines the disorder, reviews prevalence data, describes risk and safety concerns and the prognosis for those afflicted. Referencing human rights, Ms. Birchall discusses key assessment criteria and the treatment process.

In this episode, our guest Dr. Ashley Curry discusses her research exploring turnover within the child welfare system and the lived experiences of individuals impacted by relationship disruptions. Originating from a multi-method qualitative approach, Dr. Curry’s findings highlight the perspectives of three distinct groups experiencing turnover within a child welfare organization: specifically, agency administrators, agency workers, and youth receiving care. Key implications and...

In the second of a two-part podcast, our guest Dr. John Gallagher elaborates on the racial disparities his research is revealing related to drug court outcomes. He describes the four main themes he has identified via qualitative research with African-American drug court participants and recommendations for practice based on this work.

The inSocialWork® Podcast Series is taking a break for the holidays. This short message, recorded by our hosts, offers holiday wishes on behalf of our team.

In this episode, our guest Lakshmi Iyer discusses her work at FSG, a mission-driven consulting firm that is dedicated to advising corporate, foundation, and nonprofit leaders. She describes how philanthropy and corporations can be viewed skeptically and are often misunderstood by social work and explains how for-profit organizations can help solve social issues and create an impact through collaborative partnerships. Models of social innovation and entrepreneurship are summarized and examples...

In the first of a two-part podcast, Dr. John Gallagher discusses his teaching, practice and scholarly activity with drug courts and their outcomes. Beginning with an overview of drug courts and how they work, he introduces a conversation related to racial disparities in outcome studies that he will elaborate on in part two of this podcast.

In this episode, our guest Victoria Grinman describes the history, logistics, and aspects of post-traumatic growth, and the difference between post-traumatic growth and resilience. She discusses her research involving post-traumatic growth experiences among parents of young adult children with autism, and emphasizes the importance of training practitioners to identify the signs to post-traumatic growth as well as consider relational aspects in order to treat the family and child more...

In this episode, our guest Dr. Christina Mogro-Wilson provides us with her research insights into the "Latino paradox" and what makes Latino populations so resilient despite comparatively lower overall socioeconomic status. Specifically, she describes her research focused on Latino fathers - their role, and how their culture affects their parenting and interactions with their children.