Skip to main content

School briefs

Debbie Barrett, clinical associate professor, received funding from RTI International for a feasibility study on an eight-week skills group intervention that she developed for people with chronic pain. As part of the study, Barrett will run two skill groups through UNC’s Department of Psychiatry this summer for individuals with chronic pain who are also on opioid medication management.

Betsy Bledsoe, associate professor, presented in June at the 7th biennial conference of the International Society of Interpersonal Psychotherapy in Toronto, Ontario. Bledsoe led a day long training on interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)and presented in a panel workshop on technology and psychotherapy. She also presented on a trauma adapted model of IPT for adolescent perinatal depression.

Rebecca B. Brigham, assistant dean for field education, presented in  Washington, D.C., in April as part of a panel discussion on “Policy Practice Innovations in Social Work Education: Field Initiatives, Student Engagement and Partnerships – Initiatives, Outcomes and Next Steps.” The event, “Maximizing Social Work’s Policy Impact in a Changing Political Landscape,” was sponsored by the Coalition for Policy Education and Practice in Social Work and hosted by the National Association of Social Workers.

Rebecca Macy, L. Richardson Preyer Distinguished Chair for Strengthening Families, was recently named editor for the Journal of Family Violence.

Mark Fraser, Tate Distinguished Professor, delivered the keynote address in June at the Social Work Intervention Research International Conference in Shanghai, China. Fraser’s presentation was titled, “Advances in Intervention Research: Cultural Adaptation of Existing Programs and Pilot Testing Using Bayesian Methods.”

Paul Lanier, assistant professor, presented “Preventing physical abuse and changing social norms that support corporal punishment through hospital and workplace policy,” during a May webinar for the N.C. Child Medical Evaluation program. Lanier also presented “Enhancing Parenting Skills to Promote Healthy Child Development” in late June at the Advanced Training Summit, sponsored by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Lisa Zerden, clinical associate professor and senior associate dean for MSW education, presented “ Social Determinants of Health: Health Beyond the Hospital” at a state-wide talk to the UNC Hospital System Care Management Departments in late May.

Todd Jensen, Ph.D. ’17, has joined the School of Social Work as a research associate with the Jordan Institute for Families. In his position, Jensen will help expand the School’s research program on military-connected families and youth, especially focusing on the secondary prevention of family maltreatment. He will also continue to work with Kim Strom-Gottfried, Smith P. Theimann Distinguished Professor for Ethics and Professional Practice, and with Rebecca Brigham, assistant dean of field education, on the MSW program accreditation comprehensive examinations.

Congratulations to the 33 students who have been accepted into the UNC-PrimeCare program for the 2017-18 academic year. Six students are from the Winston-Salem Distance Education Program, eight are from the Triangle Distance Education Program, and six are Advanced Standing students. All others are rising specialization students from the Chapel Hill program. Five of the students will also be pursuing their Substance Use and Addictions Specialty Certificate.

MSW student Theresa Flores recently spoke at the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture regional art workshop in Charlotte. Flores did a mini presentation that touched on the work that she did with her Pulse print fundraiser last summer, and discussed her newest art venture, which focuses on creating graduation cap prints for underrepresented communities, primarily working with first college/immigrant gen Latinx students.

Tiffany Carver, the School’s student services assistant, was recently elected secretary of the Employee Forum.

Doctoral student Andrew Williams and his wife Christine recently welcomed the birth of their daughter Lydia Elise Williams, who weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz.