What Is the College of Social Work

Welcome

The Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) at the University of Houston, preparesdiverse leaders in practice and research to address complex challenges and achieve sustainable social, racial, economic, and political justice, locally and globally, through exceptional education, innovative research, and meaningful community engagement.

NEWS

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  Associate Professor Opinion Piece on Afghan Children Published in Richmond Times-Dispatch

  Associate Professor Nicole Bromfield penned a recent article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch focusing on the dangers Afghan children face now that the Taliban have regained control of the region.

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  Associate Professor Awarded Grant to Research Civic Engagement Among AAPI Youth

  Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor  Suzanne Pritzker has been awarded a grant totaling $276,000 fromHouston Endowment. This grant is being awarded as a collaboration between the GCSW, OCA-Greater Houston, and five other local AAPI-serving community organizations to better understand civic engagement amongst AAPI youth in Houston.

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  Assistant Professor Publishes Research On U.S. Citizen Migrant Children in Mexico Lacking Adequate Health Insurance

  Assistant Professor Sharon Borja lead a recently published research article in the peer-reviewed journalHealth Affairs that takes an in-depth look at U.S.-born children who lack health coverage once in Mexico with their migrant parents.

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  Assistant Professor Aims to Improve Access to Mental Health Services in Low-Income Communities

  Assistant Professor Quenette Walton, principal investigator and lead author of a study published inChild & Youth Care Forum, evaluated and identified effective strategies that can be used by health care professionals to improve mental health outcomes among low-income communities.

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  Assistant Professor Awarded $2.9 Million in New Phase of Gilead COMPASS Initiative® to Combat HIV/AIDS

  Led by Assistant Professor Samira Ali, the SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center has received $2.9 million to combat the spread of HIV in the South as part of the new phase of funding for the Gilead COMPASS Initiative®.

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  Faculty Members Collaborate with Fort Bend County To Reduce Justice System Involvement for Those with Mental Illness

  Assistant Professor Juan Barthelemy and Professor Robin Gearing are collaborating with Fort Bend County Behavior Health Services on an initiative to prevent the prevalence of individuals with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems from subsequent justice system involvement.

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  Clinical Assistant Professor Ginger Lucas Awarded UH Teaching Excellence Award

  Clinical Assistant Professor Virginia "Ginger" Lucas has been named a recipient of theUH Office of the Provost's Teaching Excellence Award in the Instructor/Clinical category. Recognition in the Instructor/Clinical Category aims to acknowledge "excellence in teaching demonstrated by faculty who do not have tenure or tenure-track positions" and comes with an $8,000 award.

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  Houston Public Media Highlights Associate Professor's Work as Director of Healthy Start Initiative

  Associate Professor and Director of Healthy Start at UH, McClain Sampson, was featured as part of Houston Public Media 's UH Moment for her work in addressing health disparities faced by those with a higher risk of death and complications brought about by pregnancy.

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  Associate Professor Sheara Williams Jennings Appointed Humana Endowed Chair

  The establishment of this endowed chair is the result of last year's historic partnership between Humana, one of the nation's premier health and wellness organizations, and the University of Houston. The establishment of the Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute at The University of Houstonis a direct result of this partnership.

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  GCSW Professors Awarded Grant from Houston Coalition Against Hate

  Clinical Professors Donna Amstberg and Aabha Brown and Assistant Professor Juan Barthelemy, were jointly awarded a grant totaling $115,000 from the Houston Coalition Against Hate. This grant provides the opportunity to expand understanding of how community-based organizations can respond to hate crimes while also supporting victims of hate crimes.

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  Associate Professor Jodi Berger Cardoso Leads Study Into Latino Students Mental Health and Deportation Enforcement

  Associate Professor Jodi Berger Cardoso, whose research focuses on how trauma and stress affect the mental health of Latinos, helped lead a study with the Migration Policy Insitute reporting the detrimental effects of strict deportation policies on Latino students.

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  GCSW and the Center of Social Policy (CSSP) Launch New Effort to Upend the Child Welfare System

  The new movement spearheaded by the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and the Center for Study of Social Policy seeks to #upEND the child welfare system and create anti-racist supports for children and families. The #upEND movement seeks to end the current child welfare system as we know it and to reimagine new, anti-racist means of keeping children safe and protected in their homes.

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  Dean Dettlaff Challenges Social Workers to Address Systemic Issues of Racism and White Supremacy

  "As social workers, we also need to continue to demand justice for those whose lives have been tragically taken. At the Graduate College of Social Work, we are committed to standing against injustice through leadership, advocacy, and action. Together we can demand change. And together, we will prevail." - Dean Alan Dettlaff

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  Spring 2020: GCSW's College-Wide Antiracist Initiative

  GCSW faculty, staff, and students are beginning the first semester of 2020 with a series of initiatives designed to help us explore what it means to be an antiracist College of Social Work. Our efforts are in keeping with our vision of achieving social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global, and in recognition that the change we want to see begins with us.

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  GCSW Moves to #22 from #24 in National Ranking

  "Our latest ranking is a testament to everything our faculty, staff, students, and alumni do every day to realize our vision of achieving social, racial, economic, and political justice," saidAlan Dettlaff dean of the Graduate College of Social Work and the inaugural Maconda Brown O'Connor Endowed Dean's Chair.

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  Associate Professor Sheara Williams Jennings Appointed to City of Houston's Health Equity Response Task Force

  Associate Professor Sheara Williams Jennings has been appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner to serve on the City of Houston's Health Equity Response ( HER ) Task Force to address the disproportionate amount of African-Americans dying from COVID-19 and provide the most impacted communities with additional information, supplies, and services.

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  Clinical Assistant Professor Donna Amtsberg Discusses Domestic Violence During COVID-19

  Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Trauma Education Program Donna Amtsberg recently spoke with Reform Austin to discuss the increase of domestic violence cases during the COVID-19 pandemic and how community agencies are responding.

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  Associate Professor Nicole Bromfield Earns Fulbright

  Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Nicole Bromfield has received a Fulbright Scholar award to teach and conduct social work research at the University of Namibia beginning January 2021.

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  Conversations on COVID-19 | Social Work and Social Justice Perspectives

  Conversations on COVID-19 | Social Work and Social Justice Perspectives is a series of interviews featuring alumni of the UH  Graduate College of Social Work who are responding to COVID-19 pandemic.

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  Sign Up: Make or Donate Masks for Social Workers

  Social workers are often overlooked members of those on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide essential services for children and families who are especially vulnerable to both the health effects and social consequences of the virus.

  We want to help and we need your help in supplying the critical and growing need for protective face masks for social workers providing face to face services and the clients they serve.

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  Dean Alan Dettlaff Calls for Release of Low-Risk Inmates and Suspension of Arrests of Non-Violent Offenders During Coronavirus Outbreak

  Dean Alan Dettlaff recently published opinion piece in the Houston Chroniclecalls for action from state and local officials to save the lives of vulnerable prison populations as the spread of coronavirus worsens.

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  GCSW Faculty Member, Jodi Berger Cardoso, Joins Panel Discussion at Harvard to Address Public Health Crisis along U.S.-Mexico Border

  Associate Professor Jodi Berger Cardoso, was a panelist at the Harvard Global Health Institute event " The Public Health Crisis on the U.S. Border: An Urgent Conversation." She offered perspective from herresearch on how trauma and stress during the migration process can significantly affect the mental health of Latinos and their children.

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  Professor Awarded $4.9 Million Grant to Address Racial Disparities in Maternal, Infant Mortality

  Led by Associate Professor McClain Sampson, the UH Healthy Start Initiative is the largest program in Houston designed to explicitly address these longstanding perinatal health disparities. "By effectively implementing this program, the staff and I can work directly toward racial justice for expectant and pregnant mothers in Houston." – Dr. McClain Sampson

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  Professor Receives $250K Grant to Address Longstanding Health Disparities

  Assistant Professor Sharon Borja is the recipient of a $250,000 federal grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to address diabetes, hypertension, obesity, comorbid depression & anxiety--longstanding disparities among Hispanics in the U.S.

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  Professor Receives Federal Funding to Study Civic Engagement in Diverse Communities

  Associate Professor Suzanne Pritzker is a recipient of a $99,651 federal grant awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service to conduct a participatory study that will lead to concrete practical strategies to build civic engagement in diverse Houston-area communities.

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  COMPASS Initiative® Funds 32 Organizations to Transform the HIV Epidemic in the South

  On World AIDS Day, the COMPASS Initiative® is proud of the selected partners' collective commitment to having a positive impact on known challenges in addressing the Southern HIV epidemic, particularly in underserved and rural communities where prevention efforts and services are limited," Director of SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center and Associate Professor Samira Ali said.

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  $15M Gift Establishes Healthcare Collaboration

  The gift establishes the Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute which unites the GCSW with the UH Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, and Pharmacy to provide healthcare access to underserved communities.

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  Professor Empowers Citizens with Voter Engagement & Political Justice Initiative

  The GCSW Voter Engagement and Political Justice Initiative is partnering with Houston-area community organizations that focus on non-partisan voter engagement with marginalized minority communities to make sure everyone's voice is heard in the November midterm elections.

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  Professor Shares Expertise for Tackling Suicide

  In response to a rapid growth in suicides, GCSW Associate Professor Robin Gearing offers his expertise as a social work researcher to social work practitioners in the Greater Houston area through a new CE course, "Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Suicidal Behavior."

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  GCSW Faculty Respond to a Conversation on Race and Privilege

  GCSW Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Narendorf, Assistant Professor Dr. Juan Barthelemy, and Assistant Clinical Professor Ginger Lucas share their insights on the 2018 Social Justice Solutions series, A Conversation on Race and Privilege with Angela Davis and Jane Elliott from a social work perspective.

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  Assistant Professor Opening

  We invite applications for a full-time tenure-track assistant professor. At the GCSW, our vision is to achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global. We invite applicants whose research, scholarship, and teaching advance the social work profession and contribute to achieving this vision. We are particularly interested in applicants whose scholarship includes a focus on critical issues of race and racial justice.

• 

  Professor Discusses HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Houston

  Dr. Samira Ali discusses HIV/AIDS in advance of a community event to announce the launch of the Gilead COMPASS Initiative in Houston. The GCSW received a $5M grant from Gilead Sciences to establish the SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center for HIV/AIDS prevention focused on the Gulf Coast region.

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  Professor's Research Details How Cancer Affects Sexual Functioning

  An article in Medical Research explores the implications of Dr. Chiara Acquati's recent study published in the American Cancer Society's journal, Cancer.

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  John Ross Palmer Gallery Selects GCSW as Nonprofit of the Year

  "I am thrilled about this year's partnership for numerous reasons. I have personally reaped the benefits of therapy and I'm an advocate for its use in self-awareness and personal growth. Also, I believe social workers can serve as a conduit in our society to help level the playing field when our culture has pervasive issues with racial, gender, socioeconomic and other inequities." – John Ross Palmer, Artist

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  Professor Leads Program to Address Shortage of Behavioral Health Workers

  Dr. McClain Sampson's has received another grantfunded by a $1.9 million workforce training grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesto expand the reach ofThe Global Leaders of Behavioral Health Education (GLOBE) Team Training Program.

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  $5M Grant Establishes New Research Center Focused on HIV/AIDS Prevention

  The GCSW has received a $5M grant from Gilead Sciences. Here, Dr. Samira Ali discusses the new SUSTAIN Wellness COMPASS Coordinating Center and how the new initiative will enhance HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in five states along the Gulf Coast.

Noteworthy

We are proud to share the many accomplishments of our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community of supporters in the third annual edition of Noteworthy, our year-end publication. Covering the 2018-2019 academic year, Noteworthy showcases the very best of the UH Graduate College of Social Work.

Events

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  Speaking of Social Justice 2021

  Join us as we host Marlon Peterson, author ofBird Uncaged: An Abolitionist's Freedom Song,his memoir, where, with vulnerability and insight, he uncovers the many cages—from the daily violence and trauma of poverty to policing, to enforced masculinity, and the brutality of incarceration—created and maintained by American society.

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  Dean's Social Justice Summer Reading Series

  Stay tuned as we prepare to announce our 2021 Dean's Summer Social Justice Read, wherewe invite our GCSW community to join our incoming MSW class in their summer reading assignment. Traditionally the first assignment for our MSW students initiates a journey of critical thinking and action related to social justice.

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  Eyes On Abolition Series 2021

  Join us this spring for a three-part series of virtual events aimed at continuing the conversation around exploring abolition as a critical framework for change. We will host scholars, activists, and organizers to lead these community conversations about challenging systems and reimagining ways to achieve justice and liberation.

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  Eyes On Abolition Series

  This fall, join us for a three-part series of virtual events exploring abolition as a critical framework for change. Scholars, activists, and organizers will lead these community conversations about challenging systems and reimagining ways to achieve justice and liberation.

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  Sign Up: Make or Donate Masks for Social Workers

  Social workers are often overlooked members of those on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide essential services for children and families who are especially vulnerable to both the health effects and social consequences of the virus.

  We want to help and we need your help in supplying the critical and growing need for protective face masks for social workers providing face to face services and the clients they serve.

• 

  A Candid Conversation About the LGBTQ Experience in the Black Community

  Saturday, February 15, 2020 |  6:00pm – 7:30pm
  University of Houston Hilton Hotel - Waldorf Astoria Ballroom

  Curated by GCSW community collaborator Harrison Guy, this year we present an intimate evening with Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney. An acclaimed writer, (Moonlight and David Makes Man), McCraney will share from his experiences as we explore the true meaning of community at the intersections of being both Black and LGBTQ.

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  Social Justice Solutions with Dr. Joycelyn Elders: A Conversation on Race and Health

  Thursday, November 14, 2019 |  6:00pm – 8:00pm
  University of Houston - Student Center Theatre

  We invite you to join us for our fourth annual Social Justice Solutions, A Community Activist Series . This year, we welcomeDr. Joycelyn Elders, the first African American Surgeon General of the United States forA Conversation on Race and Health, a discussion relevant for our community, our nation, our world, and our time. Dr. Elders, a fearless champion of social justice in healthcare, and longtime advocate for the poor and powerless will deliver a keynote followed by a moderated Q&A on The Role of Racism on Healthcare Outcomes.

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  Living the Vision: Scholarship Luncheon with Feminista Jones

  Tuesday, March 31, 2020 |  12:00pm – 1:30pm
  The Junior League Houston

  Join the GCSW as we honor two visionary Houston women whose significant impact on the ongoing pursuits of civil rights and civic engagement shines through their life's work. This year's Bobbi & Vic Samuels Spirit of Social Work Award honoree is The Honorable Jessica Farrar and the Social Work Excellence Award honoree is Cele Keeper, LCSW.

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  Speaking of Social Justice with Kiese Laymon

  Wednesday, October 2, 2019 |  6:00pm – 8:00pm
  Hilton University of Houston Hotel - Waldorf Astoria Ballroom

  The GCSW invites you to join us for our 4th annual Speaking of Social Justice, Maconda Brown O'Conner Distinguished Lecture which brings authors of books selected from the Dean's Summer Social Justice Reading Series to the University of Houston.

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  A Day of Perspective with American Artist and Activist Patrisse Cullors

  Friday, September 27, 2019 |  2:00pm – 7:00pm
  University of Houston - Student Center Theatre

  Join us as we and Houston Coalition Against Hate host Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network and Founder of grassroots L.A.-based organization Dignity and Power Now.

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  50 for 50

  Saturday, August 17, 2019

  Join us on August 17th when we will honor the GCSW 50 for 50 – 50 GCSW alumni who have dedicated their lives to pursuing our vision – to achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global.

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  2019 Amplify Your Voice

  Saturday, May 4, 2019 | 9:00am – 3:00pm
  University of Houston, Farish Hall, Kiva Room 101

  Join us on May 4th for Amplify Your Voice, when we will hear from community voices as we delve into the issues of Bringing Justice to the Criminal Justice system.

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  2019 Scholarship Luncheon

  Thursday, April 11, 2019 | 11:00am – 1:30pm
  Hilton Americas-Houston 1600 Lamar St

  Join us as we honor Barbara Mackey and Laurie Vignaud whose lives embody the College's vision of achieving social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global.

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  GCSW 50th Anniversary Celebratory Events

  This year we are commemorating 50 years of social work education. All year long we will be celebrating our accomplishments as we look ever FORWARD to achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global. Events will be added throughout the year. Stay tuned!

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  Author Jesmyn Ward to Discuss Memoir, Men We Reaped

  Wednesday, October 10, 2018 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm
  UH Hilton – Waldorf Astoria Ballroom
  

  The GCSW 50th anniversary celebration continues with the 3rd annual Speaking of Social Justice, Maconda Brown O'Connor Distinguished Lecture which  brings authors of books selected from the Dean's Summer Social Justice Reading Series to the University of Houston. Books are chosen that explore issues in keeping with the GCSW's vision of achieving social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global.

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  A Conversation on Race and Privilege with Angela Davis and Jane Elliott

  Thursday, September 6, 2018 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm
  UH Cullen Performance Hall
  
  Please join us for the kickoff event for our 50th anniversary celebration! We are honored to host two luminaries who have long been on the front lines of pushing the national conversation on race and racial justice forward. We hope to see you there and all year long as we host events to help move social justice FORWARD during our 50th year.

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  Living the Vision | 2018 Scholarship Luncheon with Laverne Cox

  Wednesday, April 11, 2018 | 11:00am – 1:30pm
  The Post Oak, 1600 West Loop South

  Join us as we honor Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner and Karen Winston, LCSW whose lives embody the College's vision of achieving social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global.

AT A GLANCE

• Diverse Students. 56% Ethnic Minorities

• 20 Languages Spoken within the College

• 42% Bilingual or Multilingual

• 5 Research Centers

• 32 Active Research Projects

BOOKSHELF

X Title IV-E Child Welfare Education

Impact on Workers, Case Outcomes and Social Work Curriculum Development, 1st Edition

TBSW/MSW education funded by Title IV-E of Social Security Act ("Title IV-E Child Welfare Education") is an important incentive to encourage social workers to stay in the child protection field. This book describes this partnership between universities and public child welfare agencies.

The book contains essential research results with a focus on the impact of Title IV-E Child Welfare Education to improve worker capacities and case outcomes, as well as on the process and results of social work education in promoting public child welfare work. There are eleven articles by renowned researchers in public child welfare who applied rigorous quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies to clearly describe measures used, data sources, outcome variables, and implications for education, practice, policy, and research. These evidence-based articles address the following child welfare topics: training partnerships and worker outcomes, effective pedagogy and online education, workplace climate and retention factors, and other topics connecting BSW/MSW education to public child welfare practice.

This collection will inform child welfare educators, administrators and legislators on the impact of Title IV-E Child Welfare Education on the development of public child welfare and make recommendations to improve the child welfare curriculum in social work education. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Public Child Welfare.

About the Editors:

Patrick Leung , PhD, is Gerson & Sabina David Endowed Professor for Global Aging and Director of the Office for International Social Work Education at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, USA. Dr. Leung is Principal Investigator and Evaluator of numerous research projects in child welfare and family services.

Monit Cheung, PhD, LCSW, is Mary R. Lewis Endowed Professor in Children & Youth at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, USA. She is Director of the Child & Family Center for Innovative Research and Principal Investigator of the Title IV-E Child Welfare Education Project in Houston, Texas.

X Political Social Work

Using Power to Create Social Change

This social work book is the first of its kind, describing practical steps that social workers can take to shape and influence both policy and politics. It prepares social workers and social work students to impact political action and subsequent policy, with a detailed real-world framework for turning ideas into concrete goals and strategies for effecting change. Tracing the roots of social work in response to systemic social inequality, it clearly relates the tenets of social work to the challenges and opportunities of modern social change. The book identifies the core domains of political social work, including engaging individuals and communities in voting, influencing policy agendas, and seeking and holding elected office. Chapters elaborate on the necessary skills for political social work, featuring discussion, examples, and critical thinking exercises in such vital areas.

About the Author:

Suzanne Pritzker, PhD is an Associate Professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, where she teaches courses in policy analysis and advocacy in the MSW and PhD programs. Her research focuses on young people's civic engagement and on strategies to increase political participation. She has authored over 20 publications on topics specifically related to policy and civic engagement. Her political social work experience includes working as a Virginia Governor's Fellow, as an appointee in the Office of the Virginia Secretary of Education, and as an analyst with the Virginia General Assembly. Suzanne earned her BA in History and M.Ed. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of Virginia, MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a PhD in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. At the University of Houston, she coordinates the College's Austin Legislative Internship Program, through which graduate social work students are competitively selected to intern full-time in the Texas Legislature, founded and leads a monthly Policy Insider Series that brings social work policy experts to campus monthly, and chairs the College's Political Social Work Specialization. She is a member of the Council on Practice Methods and Specializations with the Council on Social Work Education, an ally of the Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work, and a member of the board of Influencing Social Policy (ISP).

Shannon R. Lane, LMSW, PhD is Associate Professor at the Adelphi University School of Social Work, where she teaches policy and research in the BSW, MSW, and PhD programs. Her research includes efforts to increase the political involvement of social workers and underserved populations and her advocacy focuses on issues such as health care access and gender based violence. Her political social work experience includes eight years with Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle. Shannon earned her BA in Psychology from George Washington University, MSW from the University of Michigan, and PhD in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She is affiliated with the Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work at the University of Connecticut, where she contributes to the Annual Campaign School for Social Workers, an evaluator of the Voter Empowerment Program, and chairs the Board Committee on Research. She is also a member of the Council on the Status and Role of Women in Social Work Education with the Council on Social Work Education, an ally of the Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work, and a member of the advisory board of the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP).

X From Intercountry Adoption to Global Surrogacy

A Human Rights History and New Fertility Frontiers

Intercountry adoption has undergone a radical decline since 2004 when it reached a peak of approximately 45,000 children adopted globally. Its practice had been linked to conflict, poverty, gender inequality, and claims of human trafficking, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (HCIA). This international private law along with the Convention on the Rights of the Child affirm the best interests of the child as paramount in making decisions on behalf of children and families with obligations specifically oriented to safeguards in adoption practices. In 2004, as intercountry adoption peaked and then began a dramatic decline, commercial global surrogacy contracts began to take off in India. Global surrogacy gained in popularity owing, in part, to improved assisted reproductive technology methods, the ease with which people can make global surrogacy arrangements, and same-sex couples seeking the option to have their own genetically-related children. Yet regulation remains an issue, so much so that the Hague Conference on Private International Law has undertaken research and assessed the many dilemmas as an expert group considers drafting a new law, with some similarities to the HCIA and a strong emphasis on parentage. This ground-breaking book presents a detailed history and applies policy and human rights issues with an emphasis on the best interests of the child within intercountry adoption and the new conceptions of protection necessary in global surrogacy. To meet this end, voices of surrogate mothers in the US and India ground discourse as authors consider the human rights concerns and policy implications. For both intercountry adoption and global surrogacy, the complexity of the social context anchors the discourse inclusive of the intersections of poverty and privilege. This examination of the inevitable problems is presented at a time in which the pathways to global surrogacy appear to be shifting as the Supreme Court of India weighs in on the future of the industry there while Thailand, Cambodia and other countries have banned the practice all together. There is speculation that countries in Africa and possibly Central America appear poised to pick up the multi-million dollar industry as the demand for healthy infants continues on.

About the Author:

Nicole F. Bromfield , is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. Her research interests are on women and children's health and social wellbeing, with most projects being driven by community needs with the desired outcome being social policy change. She has a PhD in public policy with a specialization in social and health policy and holds an MSW with a community organization concentration. Bromfield's dissertation research was on the development of federal human-trafficking legislation in the USA, where she interviewed over 20 key policy players involved in its making. She has published on issues relating to human trafficking and has more recently taken an interest in global surrogacy arrangements, as well as social issues occurring in the Arabian Gulf nations.

Karen Smith Rotabi is Associate Professor of Social Work at the United Arab Emirates University. Her work combines historical, sociological, and ethical dimensions in a policy analysis framework, especially considering the human rights of vulnerable populations. She has published extensively on intercountry adoption and relevant laws, particularly focused on the USA and its powerful interface with impoverished countries such as Guatemala where she has worked in a variety of initiatives to include rural health promotion programming for children. Her research agenda is focused on global social work practice, child protection, and family support, to include families impacted by war. She has consulted on child-protection initiatives in a number of countries including Belize, India, and Malawi and co-edited the 2012 book Intercountry Adoption: Policies, Practices, and Outcomes, which was awarded a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2013. Rotabi was involved in the early stages of USA implementation of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption as she assisted in the accreditation process from 2008-2012, evaluating dozens of US-based adoption agencies to ensure that they were effectively practicing within international standards. More recently, she has turned her attention to commercial global surrogacy as a replacement for intercountry adoption. Today, Rotabi's service work in this area includes joining an expert group on child rights and global surrogacy, convening under the leadership of International Social Services in Geneva, Switzerland.

X Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families

Culturally Responsive Practice

Designed for students of social work, public policy, ethnic studies, community development, and migration studies, Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families provides the best knowledge for culturally responsive practice with immigrant children, adolescents, and families. This textbook summarizes the unique circumstances of Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, South Asian, African, and Middle Eastern immigrant and refugee populations and the challenges faced by the social service systems, including child welfare, juvenile justice, education, health, and mental health care, that attempt to serve them. Each chapter features key terms, study questions, and resource lists, and the book meets many Council on Social Work Education Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) competencies. The book addresses the policy landscape affecting immigrant and refugee children in the United States, and a final section examines current and future approaches to advocacy.

About the Author:

Alan J. Dettlaff is Dean and Maconda Brown O'Connor Endowed Dean's Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston.

Rowena Fong is the Ruby Lee Piester Centennial Professor at the University of Texas at Austin and president of the Society for Social Work and Research. With Alan J. Dettlaff, Joyce James, and Carolyne Rodriguez, she is the editor of Addressing Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in Human Services: Multisystemic Approaches (Columbia, 2014).

X Suicide Assessment and Treatment, Second Edition

Empirical and Evidence-Based Practices

The most comprehensive and current evidence-based coverage of suicide treatment and assessment for mental health students and practitioners, this book prepares readers how to react when clients reveal suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The components of suicide assessments, empirically-supported treatments, and ethical and legal issues that may arise are reviewed. Vignettes, role play exercises, quizzes, and case studies engage readers to enhance learning. Intended for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in suicide assessment and prevention, crisis intervention, crisis counseling or assessment, or advanced techniques taught in social work, counseling, psychology, public health, nursing, and medicine, this book is also appropriate for mental health and health professionals in these areas.

About the Authors:

Dana Alonzo, PhD, LCSW is an Associate Professor at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service and a Founder and Director of the Suicide Prevention Research Program. She has many years of clinical experience working with individuals with suicidality in a variety of settings. Dr. Alonzo's research focuses on examining risk and protective factors related to suicidal ideation and behavior and developing interventions aimed at facilitating the treatment engagement and adherence of individuals at risk for suicide.

Robin E. Gearing , PhD, LCSW is Professor and Director of the Center for Mental Health Research and Innovations in Treatment Engagement and Service at the University of Houston. Dr. Gearing's research and clinical expertise focuses on improving the mental health outcomes of adolescents and young adults with serious mental illnesses, and their families. His research is driven by an interest in informing and improving engagement and adherence to empirically-supported psychosocial and medication treatment, and developing evidence-based interventions.

X Program Evaluation

Pragmatic Methods for Social Work and Human Service Agencies

Be prepared for your future role in a service-oriented agency. This textbook provides practical guidance on program evaluation while avoiding replicating other course material. Drawing on over 40 years of subject knowledge, Allen Rubin describes outcome designs that are feasible for service-oriented agencies, and that match the degree of certainty needed by key users of outcome evaluations. The utility and easy calculation of within-group effect sizes are outlined, which enhances the value of evaluations that lack control groups. Instructions are also given on how to write and disseminate an evaluation report in a way that maximizes its chances of being used. Conducting focus group interviews and capitalizing on the value of non-probability samples will become second nature after following the effective and pragmatic advice mapped out chapter-by-chapter.

About the Author:

Allen Rubin, PhD, has been teaching courses on program evaluation for over 40 years. He is the Kantambu Latting College Professor of Leadership and Change at the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, past president of the Society for Social Work and Research, and a fellow in the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.

Strategic Plan

The GCSW Strategic Plan is a reflection of the talents of our dedicated faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors, community partners, and friends. It purposefully charts our course for the next five years. Together, we adopted a vision for the College that defines the work that we do: To achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global. We invite your feedback on the plan, which is designed to outline to our community who we are, where we are, and where we are going.

What Is the College of Social Work

Source: https://www.uh.edu/socialwork/

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