MSW Student Spotlight: Brittany Bates

Brittany Bates was in eighth grade when a devastating tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri. It was the deadliest tornado in the United States since 1950 and was Bates’ first experience with shared trauma.

It was also a moment that led Bates to a career in social work, with a focus on mental health.

“That was really my first exposure to people suffering from displacement and trauma,” said Bates, an online Master of Social Work student at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. "But from that, I also saw resilience, growth, and community support – what it looked like when everybody offered a helping hand.”

Bates centers her career interest around mental health. It’s been her path since the tornado in Joplin killed 161 and injured over 1,000 more. She said the event had emotional and devastating impacts, such as displaced families and emotional trauma. 

She said it felt like the community she knew and grew up with was no longer there, and people were pushed to a pivotal moment in their lives. 

Bates took on this interest in mental health with a degree in psychology from Missouri State University, but she wanted a more humanistic approach. Bates wanted something more holistic, and that led to social work. 

KU’s online Master of Social Work program made an MSW degree possible for Bates, who is a mom still living in Joplin, working, and completing her practicum at Spring River Mental Health and Wellness in Riverton, Kansas.

In her practicum at a rural mental health clinic, Bates observes and shadows mental health professionals across individual, group, and family therapy and mobile crisis services. She leads a psychoeducation group on communication while continuing to refine her interpersonal skills as she progresses into her clinical year. She is passionate about supporting underserved populations and improving access to mental health care.

Bates credits the KU School of Social Welfare for its welcoming atmosphere, including flexible scheduling and a learning environment that encourages curiosity.

With her degree, Bates hopes to engage with mental health issues in her community because she understands how dire it can feel.

“Natural disasters don't happen to everybody, but other types of disasters do,” Bates said. “I think it's important to know that everybody has their own story.”