Health
The School of Social Welfare integrates micro and macro social work and builds collaborations across systems and disciplines to create multi-level change. From early life experiences of children and adolescents, through adulthood, and older adult life stages, health is essential for all populations throughout the lifespan. We work in collaboration with other disciplines to advocate for policies and practices that are empirically driven and generate positive change in the health of all individuals in the context of broader systems. Health is connected, even central, to many aspects of life and certainly many facets of social work education, practice and research.
Research Projects
Kansas Strong Children & Families
- PI: Akin, Becci; Co-PI: Zinn, A and Brook, J.
- Funder: Administration on Children & Families
- Dates: 10/1/18 to 9/1/23
Engaging Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in Healthcare Research
- PI: Holmes, Cheryl; Co-PI: Levy, Michelle
- Funder: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- PI: Levy, Michelle; Co-PI: Matejkowski, Jason
- Funder: Administration on Children & Families
Assessing the Acceptability, Feasibility, and Efficacy of a Novel Intervention to Reduce Cervical Cancer Risk Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
- PI: Bagwell-Gray, Meredith
- Funder: American Cancer Society
Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Workers and Health Research: Developing Capacity for PCOR
- PI: Holmes, Cheryl
- Funder: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
FACULTY & RESEARCHERS
Meredith Bagwell-Gray, Assistant Professor
Scholarship Focus
Reduce health disparities for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV); sexual safety planning intervention to address HIV/STI risk, substance use, and trauma.
Grand Challenge
Stop family violence.
Crystal Coles, Associate Professor
Scholarship Focus
Child welfare and the intersection of the African-American/Black diaspora through the lens of health disparities in rural and urban communities; focusing on the child and maternal well-being as a preventative method of children transitioning into the foster care system.
Grand Challenge
Ensure healthy development for all youth.
Cheryl Holmes, Research Project Director
Scholarship Focus
Frontier and rural; integrated care; behavioral health.
Grand Challenge
Closing the health gap. Eradicating social isolation.
Sarah Jen, Assistant Professor
Scholarship Focus
Intersections of social work, gerontology, and sexuality; support the sexual needs of aging populations and to improve the health and well-being of LGBTQ midlife and older adults.
Grand Challenge
Achieve equal opportunity and justice. Close the health gap. Advance long and productive lives.
Michelle Levy, Research Project Director
Scholarship Focus
Recruitment, retention and workforce issues; health and behavioral health; interprofessional education, integrated care; prevention; rural perspectives; engagement; organizational intervention; cross-systems collaboration.
Grand Challenge
Ensure healthy development for all youth. Close the health gap. Achieve equal opportunity and justice.
