Alumni Update - Kate Binkow Boyd, MSW, MPH, CPH, LSWAIC (May '14)

Kate Binkow-Boyd, MSW, MPH, CPH, LSWAIC (May '14) recently accepted a position as a Federal Investigator with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.  In this role, Kate investigates housing discrimination cases throughout the Pacific Northwest.  These cases cover everything from an individual’s right to reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications, to equality in the provision of housing services, to fair lending practices.  Kate also mediates these cases when the parties are open to finding resolution outside of the judicial system.  Kate began federal service through the Presidential Management Fellows program in 2014.  Kate holds a master’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in public health from The University of Georgia, and a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Agnes Scott College.  She is licensed as an associate independent clinical social worker (LSWAIC) in Washington state, and is certified in public health (CPH). 

Kate says, "My social work and public health training from UGA helped prepare me for my role as a federal investigator and mediator.  The core values in our social work code of ethics – service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence – are integral to my work at HUD.  Many of the individuals with whom I work have experienced multiple forms of discrimination, not just discrimination through housing.  It is important to understand the systems and institutions that influence the way an individual may interpret and interact with the world around her.  It is also crucial to be able to understand the diagnoses and disabilities that my clients disclose.  The symptoms and side effects of these diagnoses and disabilities affect my clients’ lives in many ways, and understanding these effects helps me ask more informed questions during interviews, and provide more meaningful insight during mediations.  On a more technical note, the skills I use when interviewing clients and well as when mediating cases are the same skills that I learned, practiced, and honed through UGA’s MSW program!"

"There is ample and growing research on the link between discrimination and an individual’s mental and physical health.  My public health training from UGA helped me hone the skills to be able to understand and interpret this research.  I use this data and research to inform the way that I further the mission of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing – to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, development, and public understanding of federal fair housing policies and laws."

"Additionally, I am able to use health promotion program planning skills to encourage healthy behavior and behavior change among my colleagues in the workplace.  I am a member of several committees that design, promote, and implement public health and wellness programming in the workplace."

"The training I received through the MSW and MPH programs at UGA has been crucial to my success in the federal government.  To be frank, I believe that I’m eligible for a wider variety of jobs than my peers who only have one degree.  This is due to the overlapping and yet distinct nature of the skills and information learned in both degree programs.  No matter the job, employers are always looking for qualified and exceptional candidates who can analyze information and make insightful contributions to the workplace.  Having a dual degree gives you an edge over your competitors in the job marketplace.  A dual degree professional has myriad lenses and methods through which to analyze information and assist clients, and this gives her a unique perspective and opportunity to make meaningful changes in her workplace and in the lives of her clients."

Congratulations on this new position Kate!

MSW/MPH Spring 2016 Graduate: Breanna Miller

Breanna Miller presenting at MPH Poster Day, May 2016.

Congratulations to our newest graduate, Breanna Miller, MSW, MPH, who graduated in Spring 2016 with a MSW (Clinical concentration) and MPH (Health Promotion and Behavior concentration) and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Ms. Miller completed her integrated field placement at Mercy Health Center in Athens. While at Mercy, Ms. Miller engaged in direct service practice with patients diagnosed with Hepatitis C, as well as assisted the clinic in an overhaul of the Social Service division. In addition, Ms. Miller utilized her leadership skills to assist in recruiting and training volunteers. She also developed protocols for screening social service needs for patients and evaluation materials.

Ms. Miller's MPH capstone was entitled, "Using Survey and Observational Data to Inform Bicycle Safety Initiatives."

After graduation, Ms. Miller plans to work in Athens over the summer as an Education Specialist at The University of Georgia while publishing her capstone work in a peer reviewed journal. Ms. Miller will also be seeking employment to work with underserved youth and young adults in the community.

Visit Ms. Miller's LinkedIn profile.

Alumni Update - Lauren Reed, MSW, MPH (Dec '15)

Lauren Reed, MSW, MPH (Dec '15) recently accepted a position with the Northeast Health District as the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) District Coordinator. 

Lauren Reed (middle) with co-workers at a community outreach and education event

Ms. Reed explains, "Due to hearing loss being one of the more common birth defects, all babies have their hearing screened at birth before leaving the hospital. If a baby fails to pass their initial screen, misses their initial screen (due to emergency transfer or equipment not working), or has risk factors for hearing loss, then the hospitals sends a referral to me. From there, I contact the families to let them know the importance of having their child's hearing re-screened and educate them on the type of tests they need, and what providers in the area offer those services.

The program allows me to follow a child from birth to 5 years old. Typically I begin working with a family following their initial screen up until diagnosis where I refer them to the appropriate early intervention. Early diagnosis for children who experience hearing loss is so valuable in order for children to meet their developmental milestones. If children are not screened early on then they may not receive a diagnosis until they are in school.

This program is able to be successful through collaborations between pediatricians, hospitals, families, and the Georgia Department of Public Health. I am able to provide case management and support to families during this sometimes overwhelming process, while also capturing data in the state surveillance system to ensure that early detection and intervention is taking place in my district."

Ms. Reed continues, "When I began looking for a job I was concerned that I would have to choose between using my public health or social work skill sets, but I have been pleased to find that this position provides an opportunity to integrate both. I work very closely with the Children's First program and will also be teaching some health education classes on car seat safety. I recently became a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST), which I will use to educate individuals in our community on how to install their car seat to best protect their child(ren)."


"Additionally I have continued to do some contract work around health education and individual therapy. I hope to continue to be able to apply my skills in a variety of ways to help promote a healthy community."

Learn more about the Northeast Health District EHDI program, and about hearing loss in children.

 

Congratulations on your new position, Ms. Reed!

Visit Ms. Reed's LinkedIn Profile.

Alumni Update - Ilana Olin McCarthy, MSW, MPH, CPH (Dec '13)

Ilana Olin McCarthy, MSW, MPH, CPH (Dec ’13) has accepted a position as a Health Scientist at the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  As a Health Scientist on the Workforce Development and Capacity Building team, she will be analyzing the results of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey for the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP).  This survey is distributed annually to all federal employees in order to gauge employee satisfaction, perceived potential for professional growth, the impact of leaders, and work-life balance opportunities.  Based on the results of this survey, NCHHSTP will adjust and create programs, policies, and action plans to address low-scoring variables.

 

Prior to this position, Ilana worked as a contracted Communication Specialist, Evaluation, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she conducted program evaluation on the Ebola Communication Team in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.  This division leads CDC’s response efforts for the Ebola response in West Africa.  Ilana's team led border health communication messages, training, and evaluation which included Ebola-specific messaging and the design of and execution of enhanced entry screening at ports of entry.

 

Congratulations on your new position, Ilana! 

 

To learn more about Ilana view her LinkedIn Profile.

Current Student, Jackie Tachman (Spr '17), wins 3rd place student mentoring award

Congratulations to Jackie Tachman (Spr '17), current MSW MPH student, for winning third place in the Leonard W. and Marie A. Poon Student Mentoring Award! The award was presented at the 26^th Annual Southeastern Student Mentoring Conference in Gerontology and Geriatrics on April 16 in Pensacola, Florida. Jackie used data from a dementia caregiving project led by Dr. Tiffany Washington in the UGA School of Social Work. Dr. Washington notes, "this is a very prestigious and competitive award." Ms. Tachman's abstract is below:

Experiential Learning and the Impact of Dementia on Individuals, Family Systems, and Communities: A Case Example

In dementia-affected families, informal caregivers provide invaluable support through diverse, time intensive means (i.e., companionship, medical care, household tasks, transportation). While informal caregivers reduce the use of nursing homes and may improve the quality of life for recipients of care, informal caregivers are also at increased risk for adverse outcomes (i.e. stress, strain, isolation). A newly-designed, innovative dementia caregiving service-learning course for graduate-level students at the University of Georgia School of Social Work addresses the impact of dementia on individuals, family systems, and communities, with an emphasis on community-based engagement to reduce caregiver burden and to educate students. A description of the pilot dementia-caregiving course structure will be provided, followed by a personal student account. A total of 12, 90-minute student visits were completed, with six occurring after the course officially ended. Meaningful activities were tailored to the interests and strengths of the recipient of care, and each visit allowed for caregiver respite. Utilizing a socioecological approach, students engaged in psychosocial interventions in dementia caregiving based on experiential assessments of home environment, functional abilities, social engagement, and access to community resources.

Congratulations Ms. Tachman!

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