Social Work News

#VotingisSocialWork campaign across Mason’s campus aims to increase student voters this election

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 16:49:18 +0000

#VotingisSocialWork campaign across Mason’s campus aims to increase student voters this election Mary Cunningham Wed, 10/26/2022 - 12:49

In This Story

Emily Ihara, PhD, MSW, FGSA

Master of Social Work Student Association Members promoted #VotingisSocialWork with chalk art throughout Mason's campus. Photo by Michelle Thompson.

The national campaign, #VotingisSocialWork, has been promoted by the ��ӽ紫ý student organization Masters of Social Work Student Association (MSWSA) around social media and across campus encouraging students to register if they haven’t in order to vote in the November 2022 elections.

Emily Ihara, a professor and chair of the Department of Social Work within Mason's College of Health and Human Services, said the student group’s goals include sharing tools to raise awareness about registration and voting with both the public at large and social workers in particular.

“Social work is part of public health and public health is part of social work. They both can work together to solve the world's problems in a way that creates a healthier community worldwide,” said Katreena Blazewicz, MSWSA treasurer.

The group’s 34 members have promoted voting and answered questions about registration, translation, and transportation, sharing voter resources such as QR codes.

“We were inspired by a couple of factors: the [Oct. 8] Women’s March was coming and we had just visited the Lucy Burns Museum, where the women suffragettes for were imprisoned for protesting for women’s rights to vote,” said Laura Lento, secretary of the MSWSA.

“The Women’s March highlighted so many issues, including international issues,” Blazewicz said.

November 8 is election day. In Virginia, the in-person early voting registration deadline is Nov. 5. All absentee ballots must be turned in by Nov. 8, by 7 p.m. if submitted in-person.

“We need to not only vote, but get more social workers in government and willing to help work on policies,” said Blazewicz. “What we deal with every day as social workers is incredibly impacted by the laws and can make our jobs harder.”

Social work takes on macro societal issues and ultimately aims to defend the rights of their clients and their communities, group members said.

“We are promoting social justice and making sure that we're protecting those who are marginalized. That’s the whole purpose of social work,” said Anna Christopher.

"What is not possible now, with advocacy, hopefully we can make possible,” said Lento.

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CHHS Students in Action

Students

Forbes Ranks Mason’s Online Master of Social Work Program in the 10 Best Online MSW Programs of 2022

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 13:14:34 +0000

Forbes Ranks Mason’s Online Master of Social Work Program in the 10 Best Online MSW Programs of 2022 Mary Cunningham Tue, 08/02/2022 - 09:14

In This Story

Emily Ihara, PhD, MSW, FGSA

The College of Health and Human Services is pleased to announce that the Department of Social Work’s online Master of Social Work (MSW) program was included in Forbes’ list of the Best Online MSW Programs of 2022. The MSW program, which is one of the fastest growing degree programs at Mason, is the only Virginia program included in the top 10 list.

Forbes highlighted the program’s commitment to empowerment and social justice by preparing Mason students to serve historically underrepresented communities with a curriculum centering on social policy, human behavior, clinical practice, and research methods. In addition, Forbes noted the program’s high graduation rate and graduates’ median income for a top-value education.

“There is a growing demand for social workers as people everywhere begin realizing how the conditions of their environments affect their mental and physical health concerns. Our MSW program trains students to think at both the macro and micro level, equipping them with the tools needed to improve the social determinants of health at the individual or population level,” said Emily Ihara, chair of the Department of Social Work. “Our online students gain these skills in addition to having the flexibility to complete the program from anywhere in the U.S.”

Learn more about the fully-accredited Master of Social Work program.

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Forbes: Mentions Mason for being among the best online master’s of social work programs

eander6 — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 19:11:37 +0000

Forbes: Mentions Mason for being among the best online master’s of social work programs eander6 Thu, 07/14/2022 - 15:11

Best Online MSW Programs Of 2022.

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Social Work

Social Work News

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Social Work

Depp-Heard Trial Shines Light on Bidirectional Intimate Partner Violence

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 17:08:40 +0000

Depp-Heard Trial Shines Light on Bidirectional Intimate Partner Violence Mary Cunningham Thu, 06/02/2022 - 13:08

In This Story

Denise Hines, PhD

Intimate partner violence expert Denise Hines discusses the prevalence of bidirectional violence and other lesser known facts about intimate partner violence (IPV) in wake of a high-profile defamation trial.

Denise Hines, PhD, is one of the world’s leading experts on intimate partner violence and false allegations of abuse in under-recognized survivor groups, particularly male victims.

With the conclusion of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial in Fairfax, VA, an expert on male victims of domestic violence seeks to further educate the public about intimate partner violence (IPV), especially bidirectional violence. Bidirectional violence is when both partners in a relationship exhibit violent behaviors, though the behaviors may not be equal for both partners.

Denise Hines, associate professor of Social Work at ��ӽ紫ý, located just down the street from where the trial was held, is one of the world’s leading experts on intimate partner violence and false allegations of abuse in under-recognized survivor groups, particularly male victims.

Though Hines is not directly involved in the case nor does she have direct insight into either party’s allegations or their culpability, Hines seeks to increase public understanding of the prevalence of bidirectional violence and other lesser-known facts about IPV.

What information about IPV are people less likely to know or fully understand?

Hines: First, men can be victims. When men are victims, it is harder for them to seek help and receive it when they do ask. This is not to diminish the perspective of female survivors; I want to educate about male survivors, who are much less likely to come forward or seek help.

(Read Dr. Hines previous tip sheet, “Expert Addresses Common Misconceptions About Men Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence,” for more information about this topic.)

Second, there’s a lot more bidirectional abuse than people acknowledge. Bidirectional abuse is when both people in a relationship engage in violence. When this happens, it can take one of two forms: (1) both partners can be equally aggressive; and (2) one partner can be more aggressive than the other, but the other partner is violent, too, primarily in self-defense or retaliation. We do not know the relative prevalence of these two manifestations of bidirectional abuse.

Why is it important to understand bidirectional violence?

In the majority of violent relationships, the violence is bidirectional. That means both partners are engaging in some level of violence or abuse. Most people want to think black-and-white, victim-vs.-perpetrator, without any gray areas. However, in many cases, the relationship is very complex, with bidirectionality of violence being the norm, rather than the exception.

When both partners are violent, the abuse may or may not be equal. In some relationships, you have both partners being equally abusive, and it is difficult to pinpoint the perpetrator and the victim. Each partner is both.

In other relationships, one partner may be the primary aggressor while the other is using violence in self-defense, resistance, or retaliation. Based on misconceptions about IPV, we aren’t always accustomed to thinking about that. If someone is hitting or trying to control them, victims can find it difficult not to retaliate. Someone who is violent as a response to their victimization might not be violent or abusive in another relationship; the violence might be a product of the circumstances they find themselves in. Yet, it is also often the case that the primary aggressor is being and feeling victimized because they, too, are experiencing abuse, just not as much as they are perpetrating.

How prevalent is bidirectional abuse?

Most studies, including recent national IPV studies (i.e., National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and National Crime Victimization Survey), ask about only victimization and do not assess perpetration of IPV, so we do not have strong current nationally representative data on bidirectionality. The National Family Violence Surveys in 1975 and 1985 did ask about victimization and perpetration, and they found high rates of both partners using violence. Unfortunately, that national study has not been conducted in more than 30 years.

Nonetheless, studies that assess both victimization and perpetration consistently show that in at least half of violent relationships, the abuse is bidirectional. This includes the National Family Violence Surveys, other similar surveys, and smaller sample surveys, of which there are dozens.

A 2012 review study of about 50 studies published since 1990 found that in 57.9% of violent relationships, both partners behave violently.

Is one gender more likely to be the primary aggressor?

There are no gender differences when it comes to bidirectional violence. Men and women are equally likely to be the primary aggressor, if there is one, in a relationship. What we do see is women, much more than men, report the violence against them and seek help.

Why is it important to recognize the prevalence of bidirectional violence?

The Depp-Heard case shows the issue of why it’s important to recognize bidirectional violence. We can’t know whether either party is innocent, and it's possible both engaged in behavior that was aggressive and possibly violent.

It’s important to recognize when both parties are violent so we can have a honest discussion about what these relationships look like and so that people can receive the proper help and/or recovery resources.

If both are violent and you send one to a perpetrator program and one to a victim program, it will not solve the problem. In this situation, the person who goes to a victim program is also abusive and continues to engage in violent behaviors. Even if the person in the perpetrator program benefits from that program, their partner is still being violent, and the strongest predictor of one partner’s violent behavior is the other partner’s violent behavior. Thus, the couple is likely to fall back into the same pattern again. If you’re going to prevent the problem in the future, you have to look at both people’s behavior, what the underlying causes and issues are, and work to help them have healthier ways of behaving, interacting, and resolving conflicts in their intimate relationships.

Again, this does not diminish victims who do not engage in any violence. The intent is to raise awareness that bidirectional violence occurs in more relationships than people realize. In order to fully support people in any IPV situation, we need to understand the whole situation.

How might a high-profile trial focused on IPV be helpful to survivors?

While an unfortunate case on many levels, I hope that this high-profile trial can help bring awareness to intimate partner violence of all kinds and help people realize that abusive relationships are complicated and there is no single profile of a victim or perpetrator.

Denise Hines, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Social Work, College of Health and Human Services, at ��ӽ紫ý. She is one of the world’s leading experts on male victims of domestic violence and false allegations against them. Hines’ expertise includes the causes, consequences, and prevention of family violence and sexual assault, with a particular focus on under-recognized victims of violence. As the former director of the Massachusetts Family Impact Seminars, she also has a specialization in translating university-based research for policymakers.

Dr. Hines is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed articles and two books on issues of family violence, one of which – Family Violence in the United States – was recently released by Sage in its third edition. She and her colleagues are currently working on an international handbook entitled, Handbook of Men’s Victimisation in Intimate Relationships, currently under contract with Taylor and Francis. She has spoken about her work in front of various audiences, including state coalitions against domestic violence, the Massachusetts State legislature, the White House domestic policy staff, staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Canadian Parliament.

About ��ӽ紫ý
��ӽ紫ý, Virginia’s largest public research university, enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at www.gmu.edu.

About the College of Health and Human Services
The College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and to shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings, including 6 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 6 certificate programs. The college is transitioning to a college of public health in the near future. For more information, visit chhs.gmu.edu.

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CHHS

CHHS News

Intimate Partner Violence

College of Health and Human Services and ServiceSource Establish a Center on Aging with a Focus on Healthy Aging and Workforce Development

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 18 May 2022 20:55:33 +0000

College of Health and Human Services and ServiceSource Establish a Center on Aging with a Focus on Healthy Aging and Workforce Development Mary Cunningham Wed, 05/18/2022 - 16:55

In This Story

Dr. Cathy Tompkins

Healthy aging is more important than ever in the U.S. as everyone in the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement age.

Post-doctoral student Hyun Kang, Associate Dean of Faculty and Staff Affairs and Professor Cathy Tompkins, Assistant Professor Michelle Hand, and Chair of the Department of Social Work Emily Ihara at the opening of the Wellness Center for Older Adults.

College of Health and Human Services and ServiceSource, Inc. (SSI) have established a Northern Virginia Center on Aging, which will be recognized as a satellite center with the Virginia Center on Aging (VCoA). The center will provide services, programs, and activities for older adults and workforce development and continuing education for health care professionals who support older adults. Faculty and students will be actively involved and are excited for this new opportunity.

The Center on Aging will expand the VCoA’s mission of being an interdisciplinary study, research, information, and resource facility for the Commonwealth of Virginia utilizing the full capabilities of faculty, staff, libraries, laboratories, and clinics for the benefit of older Virginians and the expansion of knowledge pertaining to older adults and aging in general. VCoA is a statewide agency created by the Virginia General Assembly.

“Healthy aging is now more important than ever as our over-65 and over-85 populations continue to grow in the coming decades,” said Associate Dean of Faculty and Staff Affairs and Professor Cathy Tompkins. “This collaborative program will help prepare the current and future geriatric workforce to optimize opportunities to maintain and improve physical and mental health, independence, and quality of life throughout a person’s life.”

By 2030, every person in the Baby Boomer generation will be 65 or older. With this generation being larger than generations before it, more resources are necessary to support the population.

The new center will provide workforce training to students across the College’s departments through practicums, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities on how to effectively work with older adults. Additionally, the Center will partner with other community organizations to provide continuing education and training for frontline workers and licensed professionals. College faculty will have opportunities to evaluate current interventions implemented by SSI staff and community partners.

The Northern Virginia Center on Aging will be housed at the new Wellness Center for Older Adults (WCOA), which is less than four miles from Mason’s campus.

The College is home to the Department of Social Work and leads research and workforce development initiatives focused on healthy aging. Other departments actively involved in the new Northern Virginia Center on Aging include the School of Nursing and the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.

SSI’s mission is to facilitate services, resources, and partnerships to support people with disabilities and it offers a wide range of services to serve the community, including operating the WCOA.

Other WCOA community partners supporting the Center include AARP Virginia, The Alzheimer’s Association American Health Care Professionals, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, INOVA Community Health, Insight Memory Care Center, Northern Virginia Community College, Shenandoah University, the Shepherd’s Center, and the Parkinson Social Network.

About Mason

��ӽ紫ý, Virginia’s largest public research university, enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at http://www.gmu.edu.

About the College of Health and Human Services

The College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and to shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings, including 6 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 6 certificate programs. The college is transitioning to a college of public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu/.

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Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Nutrition News

Master of Social Work Student Wins Mason’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Scholarship

John Brandon Cantrell — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:44:01 +0000

Master of Social Work Student Wins Mason’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Scholarship John Brandon C… Wed, 05/04/2022 - 12:44

The OLLI Scholarship will help Francesca Keesee support students’ academic success in higher education.

Congratulations to Master of Social Work student Francesca Keesee for receiving the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Scholarship for the Department of Social Work. The merit scholarship recognizes Mason students who have shown significant academic achievement and community involvement while completing their program.

“I have always loved learning—whether through formal schooling, out-of-school activities, or furious Googling,” said Keesee. “My love of learning motivated me to become an educator when I was 19 years old, and I have been involved with informal education for youth and adults ever since.”

“Part of my love for education and learning stems from the community it creates. Classrooms, camps, clubs, and other learning groups come to life with the spirit of engaged students,” Keesee said. “OLLI is a clear example of a positive community that brings people together in the spirit of continued growth.”

The OLLI Scholarship will help Keesee have a “multidimensional career” as an educator in higher education and to create a dynamic atmosphere where students can connect with their professors while exploring their educational interests.

“I would like to facilitate a space where students feel supported and excited to engage with the material,” said Keesee. “The social work program has exposed me to the most diverse educators I have ever had, and it motivates me to be another example of a successful woman of color educating future practitioners.”

Learn more about the OLLI Scholarship at ��ӽ紫ý.

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OLLI

Scholarship Recipient

Awards

Social Work News

CHHS News

College of Health and Human Services Department of Social Work

Interdisciplinary Team Creating Guidelines for Probation Officers as Change Agents

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 19:23:28 +0000

Interdisciplinary Team Creating Guidelines for Probation Officers as Change Agents Mary Cunningham Tue, 04/19/2022 - 15:23

In This Story

Faye S. Taxman

Researchers from the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! and the College of Health and Human Services are translating research into actionable guidelines to help probation officers support their clients to achieve better outcomes.

With probation officers providing services to nearly five million people on community supervision in the United States, they play a critical role in the criminal justice system. Finding proven, effective ways to enhance probation and parole practices is important in keeping people from returning to the correctional system, which will improve lives and reduce costs. Evidenced-based research exists to help probation/parole officers improve their practice; however, the research can be difficult for probation/parole agencies to implement.

University Professor and Director of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE) Faye S. Taxman and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work JoAnn Lee are collaborating to build on evidence-based research to help make implementing the research easier to digest--after all what good is research if it sits on a shelf?

Faye S. Taxman

Taxman considered this question and got to work. Easier to use research would hopefully strengthen the relationship between officers and their clients, improve their clients' lives and support them to achieve better outcomes, and prevent further involvement in the court system. Together with an interdisciplinary team of graduate students, Taxman and Lee are writing practical guidelines for officers as positive change agents instead of disciplinarians.

Probation/parole can be given as a sentence to people convicted of certain crimes instead of jail time or ordered for a period of time after a person is released from prison. For this project, Taxman, the principal investigator, wanted to partner with Lee, the co-principal investigator, to bring an interdisciplinary approach.

Taxman thought it would be helpful to have a partner who was more grounded in social work principles and had direct service experiences helping others. Taxman knew that having an interdisciplinary team would be the best way to incorporate all angles in the guidelines so they would be as effective as possible.

JoAnn Lee

“Having an interdisciplinary team helps us combine translating the research and clinical practice into actionable items,” said Taxman. "It has improved the project to be able to work with people in many academic fields, as well as people working in various roles within the probation process.”

They are working with experienced probation officers and a team of criminologists, social workers, and psychologists with expertise in substance use treatment, mental health and probation, intimate partner violence, violence, and criminal thinking. Additionally, they have included several criminology and social work students into the project.

“We hope when we disseminate our guidelines to the field, we do it in a way that probation officers and agencies will use them and begin to talk about what do they need to improve their existing practice,” said Taxman, who is professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government. “We’ve taken existing evidence-based research and our own research from the field to create real-world guidelines.”

Creating Easy-to-Use Guidelines

Taxman and Lee began by looking at the existing research and identified where there were gaps that they needed to fill in order to provide complete guidelines. They also surveyed probation officers to get direct input from the field about what practices should be done, under what circumstances, and for whom. Researchers also turned to their interdisciplinary panel of academic experts to help provide missing guidance.

The result will be nearly 20 different actionable statements that are easy for probation/parole agencies and officers to apply in their day-to-day work. The statements include guidelines on how and when each guideline should be used and when it may be harmful. Topics include contacts and monitoring; screening for substance and mental health services and treatment services; electronic monitoring; contacting employers and family members; and fines, fees, and restitution. The project, “Developing Probation Guidelines Using Appropriateness Statements,” is funded by a $500,000 grant from the Arnold Ventures Foundation.

For example, motivational interviewing is a skill that can be used alone or integrated with other approaches that focus on preparing a client for behavior change. Evidence-based research might say “use motivational interviewing for substance misuse," but it does not tell probation officers how to use that skill or when it is most helpful. Taxman and Lee’s statements explain what motivational interviewing is, when to use it, and tips for how to use it.

“This is different because we’re clear about what are evidence-based practices and what are existing practices directly from those in the community supervision field,” says Lee. “Our statements identify when probation officers’ experiences and research agree about an effective technique. The voice of the audience is more integrated into the presentation and we believe this helps officers understand the ‘why’ behind the technique, which may make them more likely to include it into their practice.”

They have been working on this project for about three years and plan to present the guidelines this summer at the American Probation and Parole Association annual training institute. Throughout the process, the team has published several papers (or are in the process of publishing) including in the Handbook of Issues in Criminal Justice Reform in the United States, Aggression and Violent Behavior, Federal Probation, and The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Law.

The team is also sponsoring a special issue for Federal Probation about working with specific populations such as substance abusers, individuals with mental illness, individuals involved with intimate partner violence, and individuals that are considered violent or violent-prone.

“When we surveyed the field, there was very little attention to working with special populations,” said Lee. The issue will include practices, written by experts in the field, for working with specific populations such as young or violent offenders, those affected by intimate partner violence, and people with mental health challenges.

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Schar School News April 2022

Mason Momentum

Research

In the George

Center for Health Equity

Evelyn Tomaszewski Appointed to International Federation of Social Work United Nations Commission

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 14:28:27 +0000

Evelyn Tomaszewski Appointed to International Federation of Social Work United Nations Commission Mary Cunningham Mon, 04/11/2022 - 10:28

In This Story

Evelyn Tomaszewski, MSW, ACSW

Mason faculty member to provide perspectives on social justice and social work as representative for the International Federation of Social Work to the UN for North America.

Evelyn Tomaszewski, Master of Social Work program director and assistant professor, was appointed to a four-year term as a United Nations (UN) Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW). As one of five commissioners for North America, she will bring a social work perspective to the UN and the UN agencies and work towards joint action based on social work principles and highlight social solutions that can be achieved through applying the social work principles as a framework for achieving social justice, inclusive participatory democracy, sustainable peaceful societies, and social transformation for equality and rights. Tomaszewski has been asked to lead IFSW’s efforts related to the UN’s High-Level Meetings (HLM) and High-Level Political Forums (HLPF) as well.

“The appointment to represent IFSW as a United Nations Commissioner provides a unique opportunity to connect with and build partnerships and collaborations with social workers from across the globe,” said Tomaszewski. “My role as a commissioner will allow me to increase the visibility and importance of social work on an international scale and tie social work into the UN’s global public health work. As a faculty member, I am equally excited about the real-time learning opportunities for students interested in the social worker’s role and leadership in promoting global human rights.”

Tomaszewski has been involved with the IFSW as a representative to the UN for more than a decade. Through her previous positions, she attended the UN HLM on HIV/AIDS, HLM non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and HLPF sustainable development (SDGs). She has continued participation in HLMs while at Mason, and her impeccable work throughout the years led to her appointment as a commissioner.

The UN Commission is comprised of representatives from the five IFSW regions. IFSW is the global body for the social work profession.

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College of Health and Human Services

CHHS Faculty

United Nations

Risk of Homelessness or Incarceration among Foster Youth Varies by Type of Disability

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:53:37 +0000

Risk of Homelessness or Incarceration among Foster Youth Varies by Type of Disability Mary Cunningham Wed, 03/30/2022 - 09:53

Ages 17-21 are important transitional years as young adults learn to become adults with more responsibilities. Many youth have family members who provide social and financial support to help them during this critical time; however many transitioning out of foster care lack these supports. Without social supports, they face a greater risk of homelessness, incarceration, and other socially isolating outcomes.

A new study shows that the likelihood of a foster youth with disabilities experiencing homelessness or incarceration during the transition to adulthood varies by type of disability. Associate professor of Social Work JoAnn Lee and associate professor of Health Administration and Policy Gilbert Gimm found that youth with emotional disabilities are more likely to experience homelessness and incarceration than those with other disabilities. However, after digging a little deeper, they found that there are other factors that explain the association between emotional disabilities and both homelessness and incarceration: “Our findings did not find statistical significance for an emotional disability when controlling for other variables, contrary to what we expected based on prior studies,” said Lee. “This is especially notable since emotional disability is the disability type people tend to focus on, if they differentiate the type of disability diagnosis.”

Previous studies either grouped everyone with a disability together or focused only on emotional disability. This study found that intellectual or developmental disability, visual/hearing disability, and physical disabilities are associated with a lower likelihood of homelessness and incarceration. Out of the disabilities analyzed, those with a physical disability reported the lowest rates of homelessness and incarceration and those with an emotional disability reported the highest rates.

“This study brought to light the need to tailor social supports and policies to the specific needs of young adults with disabilities, which can reduce barriers to services and improve community participation. In turn, improved access to services and social engagement can ultimately reduce the risk of homelessness and incarceration," said Lee.

Additionally, the research revealed that youth connections to school, employment, and extended foster care support were associated with lower likelihood of experiencing homelessness and incarceration. The study also identified a smaller group of youth who had not yet been evaluated and requires more study because they appear to have the worst overall outcomes.

In the study, nearly half (46%) of youth aging out of foster care were diagnosed with a disability. The majority had an emotional disability (36.8%) and a small percentage of youth aging out were diagnosed with an intellectual/developmental disability (4.3%), visual or hearing disability (6.3%), and a physical disability (1.1%). Nine percent of the study cohort had not been evaluated for a disability.

“We recommend two important policy implications based on our findings. First, transition services for high-risk youth should be bolstered. Second, extending transition services up to age 25 can help to reduce the risk of homelessness and incarceration,” said Gimm.

The paper titled “Assessing Homelessness and Incarceration Among Youth Aging Out of Foster Care, by Type of Disability” was published online in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal in February 2022. Researchers did an analysis to identify associations between disability type and both homelessness and incarceration while controlling for other demographic and child welfare system characteristics.

The study merged the administrative data from the 2014 cohort of the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS). The NYTD outcomes database interviewed youth when they were 17 years old, with follow-up interviews when they reached 19 and 21 years of age, respectively, to find out how they were doing as they age out of care and transition to adulthood.

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Center for Health Equity