Monday, December 14, 2015

Alumni Update - Alicia Keen LaFrance, MSW, MPH (May '15)

Alicia Keen LaFrance, MPH, MSW
Alicia Keen LaFrance, MSW, MPH
Alicia Keen LaFrance, MSW, MPH (May '15) has accepted a position as Analyst II at the University of California-San Francisco Institute for Health Policy Studies. Ms. LaFrance will be involved in analytic, reporting, and dissemination activities on a variety of projects regarding health insurance benefits and the health care workforce. More specifically, activities will include investigating public health impacts of proposed health policy as requested from the California State Legislature, contributing to policy recommendations, participating in data collection and analysis, and contributing to the development of new projects.

Ms. LaFrance notes that "While the skills for this position primarily draw from an MPH skill set, having an MSW is an added advantage. Institute Interviewers were very interested in my ability to build rapport and interview potential study participants, as well as what I could contribute to mental health-focused studies and policies which corresponds with skills developed as a social worker. During interviews, I discussed techniques I have used in therapeutic settings in stressful situations to build rapport, create an alliance, and simultaneously gather needed agency information (read: my MSW internship in oncology unit). As a social worker, I also bring a strong knowledge of the complexity and psychosocial issues that need to be considered when developing healthcare interventions and policies."

Congratulations Ms. LaFrance on this great opportunity!

To learn more about Ms. LaFrance, visit her LinkedIn profile.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

MSW/MPH Fall 2015 graduates present their work at MPH Poster Day


Six MSW/MPH students who are slated to graduate this December 2015 presented their final capstone projects at the University of Georgia College of Public Health MPH Poster Day yesterday. Congratulations on your amazing accomplishments!
Amber Flanigan, Lauren Reed, Breanna Miller (Spr '16), Trina Salm Ward 
(Program Coordinator), Lis Cruz, Ali Fitzsimmons, Liz Franchot, Mark Flanagan
Lisbeth Cruz, Trauma Effects on Sexual Assault Victims: Impact on Public Health,
Introduction: Sexual assault has been a global issue for many years. Many refer to those who have suffered sexual assault as “victims,” however, the empowering term of “survivor” will be used throughout this paper. Although sexual assault survivors could be from any gender, for the purpose of this review, sexual assault on women will be mainly discussed.
Purpose: To explore trauma effects on sexual assault survivors and the impact on public health. Throughout this review, the problem of sexual assault trauma will be discussed in regards to the seriousness of the issue, who and how it affects, treatment and recovery, and the benefits of effective prevention interventions.   
Methods: This review was conducted by retrieving topic related journals and other relevant resources from Google Scholar and Galileo. Years searched were from 1970 – 2015.
Results: The findings indicate that individuals who suffer sexual assault in either childhood or adulthood experience major trauma effects such as physical (Ullman & Brecklin, 2003) and psychological health issues (Ullman & Brecklin, 2002; Ullman & Brecklin, 2003; Au, Dickstein, Comer, Salters-Pedneault, & Litz, 2013).
Conclusion: This review demonstrates that sexual assault has been a major public health issue, which does not only affect the survivors’ physical, mental health, and overall daily functioning, but it also affects society as a whole. Prevention programs in schools may help in reducing the incidence, impact, and cost of sexual abuse.

Alexandra Fitzsimmons, The Effects of a Yoga-Based Psychoeducational Program for Mothers Diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders
Substance related disorders pose adverse physical, psychological, and social effects, which are capable of impacting not only individuals, but families, communities, and societies.  The 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, or NSDUH, estimated that 20.2 million adults (8.4%) were diagnosed with a substance use disorder, of which 7.9 million were also diagnosed with a mental health disorder, or a co-occurring mental and substance use disorder (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015). A 6-week adjunct yoga-based psychoeducational intervention was pilot tested alongside an intensive outpatient treatment program serving mothers with substance related disorders. This study examines the impacts of the intervention on health outcomes of participants and offers anecdotal interpretations from measures of sleep quality, mood, anxiety, self-concept, and qualitative data.

Mark Flanagan, Process Evaluation of Distress Screening Procedures in an Outpatient Cancer Center
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) mandates that all CoC certified organizations phase in a psychosocial distress screening system by the end of 2015. According to the CoC, each accredited organization must develop and implement “a process to integrate and monitor on-site psychosocial distress screening and referral for the provision of psychosocial care” (CoC, 2015, p. 76). The purpose of this study is to examine the distress screening process for Piedmont Cancer Center’s medical and radiation oncology treatment centers. This study will describe the current screening system in place at Piedmont Cancer Center, present the findings of a year’s worth of screening data, interpret these findings against available literature, describe improvements that have been made in the system, and provide recommendations for future improvements. 

Amber Flanigan, Meeting the Holistic Needs of Residents of Northeast Georgia – An Integrated Wellness Approach
The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of a wellness program at The Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness in Athens, Georgia. The Samaritan Center would like to implement The Meeting Client’s Holistic Health Needs Wellness Program to further address the mental health needs of Northeast Georgia and to address the physical health needs in the region. The Samaritan Center would like the program to include yoga, tai chi, meditation, mindfulness and nutrition education consultation services. A literature review was conducted to determine the effectives of these services in addressing mental and physical health needs. A survey was also administered to affiliates of The Samaritan Center to gauge interest in wellness services being offered at The Samaritan Center. Results of the literature review and survey and recommendations based on the findings are presented.

Elizabeth Franchot, A Literature Review of Alcohol Use Disorder in America: The
Traditional Treatment Methods and the Use of Nutrition Intervention in Specialized Treatment Programs
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is defined as "medical conditions that doctors diagnose when a patient's drinking causes distress or harm" (APA, 2013, p. 490). This literature review examines the prevalence of AUD in America, its traditional treatment methods and the use of nutrition as an intervention in specialized treatment programs. Research has been gathered on the physical damage to the body as a result of excessive alcohol use and the gaps in the biological/physical aspect of AUD treatment are explored. Current findings on the benefits of nutrition intervention are discussed and a healthy lifestyle intervention is proposed for during treatment. Recommendations are also given for nutrition intervention and education within specialized treatment programs for AUD.

Lauren Reed, Firearm Home Access and Intimate Partner Violence among College Students in Florida
Background: Intimate partner violence is a major public health concern. The CDC recognizes four types of intimate partner violence (IPV): physical, sexual, threats of physical or sexual, and psychological. The most extreme form of IPV is intimate partner homicide (IPH). The presence of a firearm during an IPV incident makes death 12 times more likely.
Purpose: This study is intended to (1) identify the characteristics of college-aged students who reported in-home access to firearms, sexual and physical abuse; and (2) identify the relationship between firearm access and reported sexual and physical abuse.
Methods: In this study analyses were conducted for 670 participants who completed a questionnaire asking about in-home firearm access, sexual abuse, and physical abuse. These associations were calculated using one-way ANOVA for continuous variables and Pearson’s chi-squared tests for categorical variables.
Results: Nineteen percent of participants reported access to a firearm in or around their home, and 2% indicated they didn’t know. Regarding sexual abuse, 18% of participants reported attempted sexual abuse, 3% forced sex, and 5% both attempted and forced sex. Two percent of participants reported attempted physical abuse, 6% reported actual physical abuse, and 6% both attempted and actual physical abuse. Ten percent of participants had been threatened with physical abuse.
Discussion: Our study found that in-home firearm access had a significant overlap with experiencing physical abuse, and that physical abuse and sexual abuse also co-occurred at a significant level. These findings are valuable as they build upon the existing literature and emphasize the need for research to better understand these relationships and prevent future tragedies.

Updated reading list on literature related to dual MSW MPH programs and professionals

Want to learn more about the national trends toward MSW MPH degrees and the experiences of MSW MPH professionals? A growing body of literature explores the integration of public health and social work. We just updated our annotated bibliography describing the literature.

The bibliography was co-authored by two MSW MPH graduate students, and thus, includes their perspectives on many of the articles.

Check out the Reading List.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Amber Flanigan (Dec '15) featured as one of UGA's Fall 15 from 2015

MSW/MPH student Amber Flanigan was selected to be a part of UGA's Fall 15 from 2015 campaign, which features 15 exceptional UGA students graduating this Fall semester. Congratulations Amber on this great honor!

Read more.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Public health social work featured in cover story of Social Work Today

Public health social work was featured as a cover story in the Social Work Today November/December 2015 issue. The author, Kate Jackson, notes, "with the Affordable Care Act's emphasis on prevention, wider recognition of health disparities, and the demand for individuals and communities to connect to health resources, the need for public health social work has never been greater."

The article features quotes from several prominent public health social work faculty, including Dr. Trina Salm Ward, program coordinator of UGA MSW/MPH program and Assistant Professor in Social Work and Health Promotion and Behavior in the College of Public Health.

Read the article.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

UGA dual MSW/MPH degree adds gerontology, community empowerment concentrations

The Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health dual degree program at the University of Georgia has added two areas of concentration: community empowerment and program development within the social work degree, and a gerontology concentration within the public health degree. The options double the choices available to students, who until recently were limited to just a social work concentration in clinical practice and a public health concentration in health promotion and behavior. The concentrations were added in fall 2014 and fall 2015, respectively.

The concentration in community empowerment and program development, or CEPD, focuses on how to create effective community organizations or initiatives to address social problems that impact health. Students will learn how to create supportive environments and initiate action within a community by developing or strengthening local groups or promoting changes in legislation.

“With the CEPD concentration, students will graduate with strong skills in engaging the community in health promotion and prevention activities,” said Trina Salm Ward, program coordinator.

The concentration in gerontology, administered by the Institute of Gerontology in the College of Public Health, will give students a firm grounding in how aging affects older adults from biological, psychological, and social perspectives.

"UGA's Institute of Gerontology is delighted to help prepare students for careers combining the perspectives of social work, public health, and gerontology. Graduates will be highly sought after by the public and private sectors as they will have deep insights into how to address the needs of our growing older population at the local, state, and national levels," said Mary Ann Johnson, interim director of the Institute.

The process of developing both options was intensive, said Salm Ward. Faculty and staff in the School of Social Work and the College of Public Health conducted a careful review of courses to determine any overlap or program issues. The proposed changes were then vetted by curriculum committees in both units before being submitted to the Graduate School, which approved the new concentrations.

“The effort put forth by faculty and staff in creating these additional concentrations demonstrates the strong commitment by both units to building this interdisciplinary program,” said Salm Ward.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Dual Degree Students Present Poster at the 2015 State of Public Health Conference

Lis Cruz, Ali Fitzsimmons, Lauren Reed, Amber Flanigan.
Several members of the December 2015 graduating cohort of the UGA MSW/MPH Dual Degree Program presented at yesterday's State of Public Health Conference sponsored by the UGA College of Public Health.

The students presented a poster, "Innovative Approaches to Public Health Education: The MSW/MPH Dual Degree" with program coordinator Dr. Trina Salm Ward. Providing specific examples from integrated field practicums this past summer, they described how dually-trained professionals are uniquely equipped to address public health challenges.
Mark Flangan
Presenters included: Lisbeth Cruz, Mark Flanagan, Ali Fitzsimmons, Amber Flanigan, Liz Franchot, and Lauren Reed.

Breanna Miller
Dual degree student Breanna Miller (Spring 2016) also presented a poster, "Safety Practices and Law Knowledge among Bicyclists and Nonbicyclists: An Evaluation of Bicycle Safety in a University Town." The poster detailed results of a research project from her graduate assistantship under the supervision of Dr. Carol Cotton, Director of the Traffic Safety Research and Evaluation Group in Health Promotion and Behavior at the College of Public Health.

Poster Abstract:
In the United States, there is a growing interest in dual MSW/MPH educational programs; the number of programs almost doubled between 2006 and 2013, growing from 20 to 37. The University of Georgia launched the only MSW/MPH program in the state of Georgia in 2011. Along with current students, the program coordinator will describe the program and the knowledge, skills, and values that an MSW/MPH professional provides in the workplace. Using specific examples taken from their integrated field practicums, students will describe how they are uniquely equipped to address public health challenges.
  

























Monday, September 21, 2015

Meet Our Student – Liz Franchot (Dec ’15)


Liz Franchot (Dec '15)

Elizabeth “Liz” Franchot is a dual degree MSW and MPH student graduating in December 2015. Liz is concentrating in Clinical Social Work and Health Promotion and Behavior in Public Health. In 2011 Liz completed her Bachelor’s of Social Work at UGA. During her undergraduate studies Liz became more interested in health education and prevention. She studied with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2012 and is a Certified Health Coach. In 2012 Liz began working for the Athens Health Network as a facilitator of the community health partner program. Liz has a passion for healthy living and wanted to bring this into her Social Work practice.

In 2013 Liz enrolled for her MSW at UGA. During her first semester she took Medical Social Work with Dr. Tiffany Washington. This class inspired her to pursue her MPH in the dual degree track. Liz is currently interning at the Ridgeview Institute in Smyrna, Georgia and is working directly with addiction patients in helping them achieve recovery.

In Spring of 2014, Liz secured a graduate assistantship with the UGA Graduate School where she helps answers phone calls and does administrative work at the front desk. Liz describes this as a rewarding experience to help students from the admissions and enrollment process through their graduate school career. She is excited it will be her turn to graduate this fall. Liz is applying to hospitals and clinics to be a Medical Social Worker.

Liz has been an active member of the Athens community for many years now. She worked for a local fresh juice shop, Journey Juice, for 2 years where she shared the great taste and nutritional benefits of fresh juice through “health talks” around Athens. Liz has also enjoyed being a part of the Athens Symphony Chorus, UGA Triathlon Club, West Broad Farmers Market and member of Classic City Church.

Visit Ms. Franchot’s LinkedIn profile.

Monday, September 14, 2015

UGA Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health Program Expands to Gerontology Concentration



The UGA Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (MSW/MPH) dual program has been approved to expand to the MPH Gerontology concentration. Students can now choose an MSW concentration in either Clinical Practice or Community Empowerment and Program Development, and an MPH concentration in either Health Promotion and Behavior or Gerontology.
Gerontology is the scientific study of aging and older adults from a biological, psychological, and social perspective. This interdisciplinary field of study is extremely important to meet the needs of an increasing number of older adults in the coming years as people are living longer. In fact, the fastest growing age group are those aged 85 and over.

"UGA's Institute of Gerontology is delighted to help prepare students for careers combining the perspectives of social work, public health, and gerontology. Graduates will be highly sought after in the public and private sectors as they will have deep insights into how to address the needs of our growing older population at the local, state, and national levels," said Mary Ann Johnson, interim director of the Institute of Gerontology, College of Public Health.

The UGA MSW/MPH program is the only MSW/MPH program in the state of Georgia and one of about forty programs across the United States.

To be admitted to the UGA MSW/MPH Program, students must apply and be accepted to both the MSW program in the School of Social Work and the MPH program in the College of Public Health.  Students may either apply to both programs to begin concurrent coursework in fall semester of their first year of graduate school, or they may apply within their first semester of their graduate program to begin concurrent coursework in spring semester of their first year.

Learn more about the UGA MSW/MPH Program.