Nancy Jo Kepple

Nancy Kepple
  • Associate Professor
  • MSW Program Director
she/her

Contact Info

785-864-0147
Twente Hall, Room 113
Lawrence

Biography —

Nancy Jo Kepple, PhD, LMSW is an Associate Professor at the University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare and affiliate faculty at the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment. She earned her MSW and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kepple’s research broadly examines the social consequences of the availability, distribution, and use of psychoactive substances. Her research focuses on the interplay between parent substance use, neuropsychological functioning, and social environment and their relationship to parenting behaviors. Currently, she is exploring how parenting populations navigate recovery experiences after previously experiencing substance-related challenges.

Education —

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Research —

Social consequences of the availability, distribution, and use of psychoactive substances; substance use behaviors among parenting populations; the role of parent substance use in child welfare decision-making; and understanding the role of health and social service systems in addressing community needs.

Selected Publications —

Kepple, N. J. & Coles, D. C. (2023). Maintaining the Magic: Translating Practice Pedagogies across Course Modalities. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 43(1), 61-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2120166

Kepple, N. J., Wolf, J.P., & Freisthler, B. (2022). Substance Use Disorder & Child Maltreatment: Providing a Framework for Understanding the Relationship using Current Evidence. In Krugman, R. & Korbin, J. (Eds.), Handbook of Child Maltreatment (2nd Ed). New York: Springer.

Kepple, N. J. *Parker, A. (2021). Examining unique substance-related risk profiles for neglectful behaviors among parents with and without clinical depression. Children & Youth Services Review 125, 105987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105987

Kepple, N. J. & Freisthler, B. (2020). All drugs aren’t created equal: Exploring the general and specific effects of psychoactive substances to understand child maltreatment risk by drug type. In A.L. Begun & M.M. Murray, (Eds.), Handbook of Social Work and Addictive Behaviors. London: Routledge.

Freisthler, B., & Kepple, N. J. (2019). Types of substance use and punitive parenting: A preliminary exploration [Journal Articles]. Journal of Social Work Practice in Addictions. Published.

Wolf, J. P., Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2019). Understanding the role of parental opiate and marijuana use in child welfare substantiation decisions [Journal Articles]. Journal of Social Work Practice in Addictions. Published.

Kepple, N. J. (2018). Does parental substance use always engender risk for children? Comparing incidence rate ratios of abusive and neglectful behaviors across substance use behavior patterns [Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 44–55.

Kepple, N. J., & Parker, A. (2018). Moving Towards a More Responsive Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care: A Comprehensive Needs Assessment of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area [Reports]. University of Kansas.

Freisthler, B., Wolf, J. P., Wiegmann, W., & Kepple, N. J. (2017). Drug Use, the Drug Environment, and Child Physical Abuse and Neglect [Journal Articles]. Child Maltreatment, 22(3), 245–255.

Freisthler, B., Kepple, N. J., Wolf, J. P., Curry, S. R., & Gregoire, T. (2017). Substance use behaviors by parents and the decision to substantiate child physical abuse and neglect by caseworkers [Journal Articles]. Children & Youth Services Review. Published.

Lloyd, M., & Kepple, N. J. (2017). Unpacking the Parallel Effects of Parental Alcohol Misuse and Low Income on Risk of Supervisory Neglect [Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect, 69, 72–84.

Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2017). Place over traits? Purchasing edibles from medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles, CA [Journal Articles]. Addictive Behaviors, 73.

Kepple, N. J. (2017). The complex nature of parental substance use: Examining past year and prior use behaviors as correlates of child maltreatment frequency [Journal Articles]. Substance Use & Misuse, 52(6), 811–821.

Wolf, J. P., Ponicki, B., Kepple, N. J., & Gaidus, A. (2016). Are community level prescription drug overdoses associated with child harm? A spatial analysis of California zip codes, 2001-2011 [Journal Articles]. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 166(1), 202–208.

Kepple, N. J., Mulholland, E., Freisthler, B., & Schaper, E. (2016). Correlates of amount spent on medical marijuana during a discrete purchase: Results from a pilot study [Journal Articles]. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 48(1), 50–55.

Kepple, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Johnson-Motoyama, M. (2014). Non-response bias in child maltreatment self-reports using interactive voice response [Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect. Published.

Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2012). Exploring the ecological association between medical marijuana dispensaries and crime [Journal Articles]. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 73(4), 523–530.

Selected Presentations —

Kepple, N. J., & McGeough, B. (2023, January). Reconciling the Competing Needs and Identities for Parents Experiencing Recovery within 12-Step Programs. Poster, Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Phoenix, AZ.

Kepple, N. J., Carlson, J., & Akin, B. (2023, January). Examining the Effect of an Adult and Child Survivor Centered Approach on Increasing Provider Confidence and Competence in Working with Families Experiencing Domestic Violence Who are Involved in Child Welfare. Poster, Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Phoenix, AZ.

Kepple, N. J., Wolf, J. P., & Brown, S. (2021, January). Navigating Two Worlds: Strengths and Challenges of Integrating Parenting and Recovery Identities. Poster, 25th Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Virtual.

Kepple, N. J., *Parker, A.P., & Whitmore, S. (2019, January). Using Knowledge to Build a More Responsive System for Individuals on Medication Assisted Treatment. Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, San Francisco, CA.

Kepple, N. J., Parker, A., Whitmore, S., & Comtois, M. (11/15/2018). Nowhere to go: Examining facility tolerance levels for clients using medication assisted treatment. 2nd Annual Kansas Opioid Conference. Topeka, KS
 
Kepple, N. J. (9/11/2018). Does parental substance use always engender risk of children? Comparing incidence rate ratios of abusive and neglectful behaviors across substance use behavior patterns. Toronto, ON
 
Kepple, N. J., Nam, E., & Al-Ahdali, S. (1/31/2018). What’s at the Root of Alcohol-related Aggression? A Systematic Review of Emotion Regulation, Alcohol Use, and Aggressive Behavior. 22nd Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
 
Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (6/1/2017). Place over Traits: Edible Purchasing Behaviors from Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles, CA. Society for Prevention Research. Washington, D.C
Wolf, J. P., & Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). A Space-Time Bayesian Analysis of Non-Medical Prescription Drug Overdoses and Child Harm in California: 2001-2011. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
 
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). Does Parental Substance Use Always Engender Risk for Children? Decomposing Substance Use By Behavior Patterns. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
 
Lloyd, M., & Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). Pathways from Parental Alcohol Use to Supervisory Neglect: Understanding the Roles of Poverty, Depression and Low Social Support. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
 
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). The Complex Reality of Social Connections: Examining the Moderating Role of Social Companionship on Parent Substance Use and Neglect Frequencies. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
 
Kepple, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Price Wolf, J. (1/31/2015). Bias in Survey Completion by Alcohol and Drug Users when Using Interactive Voice Response. 19th Annual Conference for the Society for Social Work and Research. New Orleans, LA
 
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2015). Exploring the Effects of Neighborhood Economic Clustering on Child Maltreatment Rates. 19th Annual Conference for the Society for Social Work and Research. New Orleans, LA
Williams, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Johnson, M. A. (9/30/2011). Rethinking local neighborhood indicators of child maltreatment: Ethnic Heterogeneity and Economic Isolation. Poster, 16th International Conference on Violence, Abuse & Trauma. San Diego, CA
Freisthler, B., & Williams, N. J. (7/31/2011). The geography of drug market activities and child maltreatment. Poster, 19th Annual APSAC Colloquium. Philadelphia, PA
Williams, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (5/31/2011). A study of the ecological relationship between medical cannabis dispensaries and crime activities. Presentation, in B. Freisthler (Chair), Drug Market Activities and Social Problems: Emerging Topics and Avenues for Prevention, Symposium at the meeting of the Society for Prevention Research. Washington, DC

Awards & Honors —

Richard N. Spano Award for Meritorious Contribution to the School of Social Welfare
University of Kansas School of Social Welfare
2017
NDACAN Summer Research Institute (SRI)
National Data Archive of Child Abuse and Neglect
2016
Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship
Regents of University of California, Los Angeles
2009 - 2013
Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Pre-Doctoral Grant in Addiction Sciences
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
2011 - 2013

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

Evaluation for the Quality Improvement Center on Child Welfare Involved Children and Families Experiencing Domestic Violence. US Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. $405814.00. (4/6/2020 - 9/29/2021). Federal. Status: Funded. Entered during last quarter of Fiscal Year 4 as Co-Principal Investigator.
Kansas SED Waiver Assessment & Evaluation Using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale.. Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Service, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Flow-through Funding). $247607.00. (9/1/2019 - 12/31/2020). State of Kansas. Status: Funded
Parenting in the Context of Addiction Recovery. University of Kansas. $8000.00. Submitted 3/24/2017 (5/4/2017 - 5/5/2019). University (KU or KUMC). Status: Funded
First Call Needs Assessment: Assessing Capacity for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in the Greater Kansas City Area. Agreement No. 19645. First Call Alcohol/Drug Prevention & Recovery. $36187.00. Submitted 3/15/2017 (5/15/2017 - 5/14/2018). Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded