Society for Social Work and Research 30th Annual Conference Anniversary: Symposia

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | top

1:30 PM-3:00 PM

Adolescent and Youth Development

[Symposia] From Evidence to Impact: Applying Positive Youth Development Frameworks to Strengthen Youth Programming in Ghana, Burundi, and the United States (Independence BR G, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Gina Chowa, PhD
Discussant: Hsun-Ta Hsu, PhD

Adolescent and Youth Development

[Symposia] The Innovative and Strategic Prevention in Racial and Ethnic Disparities (INSPIRED) Lab Presents: Combatting Health Inequities (Capitol, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Trenette Clark Goings, PhD

Child Welfare

[Symposia] Infants, Risk, and Well-Being: Prevention Science at Work (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Fred Wulczyn, PhD

Child Welfare

[Symposia] The Impact of Family Relationship Characteristics on Long-Term Child Wellbeing after Adoption from Foster Care (Independence BR A, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Kevin White, PhD

International Social Work and Global Issues

[Symposia] Unconditional Cash Transfers and Homelessness: Findings and Implications for Research and Policy (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Deborah Padgett
Discussant: Benjamin Henwood, PhD

Race and Ethnicity

[Symposia] Interrogating Whiteness across Contexts (Marquis BR 10, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Alizé Hill, AM
Discussant: Sophia P. Sarantakos, PhD, MSW

Race and Ethnicity

[Symposia] Restorative Resistance: Using Qualitative Research to Advance Civil Rights and Social Justice for Historically Marginalized Communities (Independence BR F, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Antoine Lovell, PhD
Discussant: Jerome Schiele, PhD

Research on Social Work Education

[Symposia] Using Empirical Evidence to Navigate the Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence in Human-Centered Fields: Implications for Social Work Research, Education, Practice, and Policy (Marquis BR 13, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Hee Yun Lee, PhD
Discussants: Daniel Gibbs and Leon Banks

Substance Misuse and Addictive Behaviors

[Symposia] Exploring Harm Reduction Perceptions Among Persons Who Use Drugs and Service Providers: Reimagining Harm Reduction Practice and Implications for Care Systems (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Theresa Anasti, PhD
Discussant: Emily Claypool, PhD

3:15 PM-4:45 PM

Aging Services and Gerontology

[Symposia] Transforming Social Work for Kinship Families: The Power of Community-Engaged Qualitative Research (Marquis BR 9, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Nancy Mendoza, Ph.D.
Discussant: Laura Bronstein, PhD

Child Welfare

[Symposia] Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce: Title IV-E Stipends, Policy Reform, and Child Welfare Outcomes (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Lacey Jenkins, MSW

Communities and Neighborhoods

[Symposia] At the Frontlines, Yet Sidelined: Repositioning Social Work's Place in Housing Discourse (Independence BR C, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Alexa Cinque, AM
Discussant: Keenan Leary

Communities and Neighborhoods

[Symposia] Gendered Lives and Urban Margins: Mental Health, Violence, and Collective Care in Informal Settlements (Marquis BR 10, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Susan Witte, PhD, LCSW

Health

[Symposia] Understanding Financial Hardship As a Multi-Factorial Social Determinant of Health: Implications for Research and Interventions (Independence BR F, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Meredith Doherty, PhD
Discussant: Bridgette Thom, PhD

Organizations and Management

[Symposia] The Changing Landscape of Human Service Organizations: Practice at the Frontlines of Structural Strain (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Cheryl Hyde, PhD
Discussant: Kess Ballentine, PhD

Sustainable Development, Environmental and Climate Justice

[Symposia] Disaster Risk Reduction across the Lifecourse: Social Work Insights and Interventions (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Smitha Rao, PhD
Discussant: John Mathias, PhD

Friday, January 16, 2026

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | top

8:00 AM-9:30 AM

Adolescent and Youth Development

[Symposia] One Size Doesn't Fit All: Documenting the Heterogeneous Needs and Outcomes of Transition-Age Youth in Higher Education (Capitol, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Anthony Gómez, PhD

Black and African Diaspora Focused-Research

[Symposia] Understanding Policy and Practice Implications Regarding the Well-Being of Black Women (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Marquitta Dorsey, Ph.D.
Discussant: Abigail Williams-Butler, PhD, MSW, MS

Child Welfare

[Symposia] Mapping Excluded Fatherhoods: A Historical Synthesis of Fathering Theories and Conceptualizing Child Involvement (Independence BR A, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Joyce Lee, PhD
Discussant: Otima Doyle, PhD

Communities and Neighborhoods

[Symposia] Politics As Praxis: Moving from What Is to What Could be (Independence BR F, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Melanie Sonsteng-Person, PhD
Discussant: Cheryl Hyde, PhD

Race and Ethnicity

[Symposia] Exploring Efforts to Balance Child Protection and Family Integrity in Child Welfare Policy and Practice with Black Families in Canada (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Travonne Edwards, PhD

Work and Work-Life Policies and Programs

[Symposia] Early Care and Education Programs and Child and Family Wellbeing (Independence BR G, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Youngjin Stephanie Hong, PhD
Discussants: Julia Henly, PhD and William Schneider

9:45 AM-11:15 AM

Child Welfare

[Symposia] Family Composition & Child Welfare: Assessing the Roles of Caregiver Characteristics and Family Context (Independence BR F, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Rebecca Rebbe, PhD

Gender-Based Violence

[Symposia] Restorative Justice and Domestic Violence: Reimagining Theory, Process, Structures and Connections to Community (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Krushika Patankar, MSW
Discussant: Rei Shimizu, PhD

History

[Symposia] Diverse Identities, Experiences, and Historical Trajectories: U.S. Jews and Social Work (Marquis BR 14, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Corey Shdaimah, PhD
Discussant: Maayan Lawental, PhD

Immigrants and Refugees

[Symposia] Borders within, Bridges Beyond: Community Healing and Empowerment across Youth, Family, and Organizations in the Contemporary Immigration Climate (Independence BR C, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Kristina Lovato, PhD
Discussant: Maryam Rafieifar, PhD

Race and Ethnicity

[Symposia] "the Greatest Humanistic and Historical Task of the Oppressed: To Liberate Themselves": Integrating Critical Consciousness in Research to Achieve Equity and Justice (Marquis BR 9, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Dale Dagar Maglalang, PhD, MA, MSW, MPH

2:00 PM-3:30 PM

Aging Services and Gerontology

117

[Symposia] Examining Risk and Protective Factors That Influence the Health and Wellbeing of Older Adults and Caregivers to Advance Health Equity (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Katrina Ellis, PhD, MPH, MSW

Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander Focused-Research

118

[Symposia] Transforming Mental Health through Cultural Praxis and Communal Healing in Pilipinx American and API Communities (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Lalaine Sevillano, PhD, MSW
Discussant: Cindy Sangalang

Child Welfare

119

[Symposia] Economic Insecurity and CPS Involvement: Bidirectional Risks and Policy Levers (Independence BR A, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Anna Ko, MPP
Discussant: Liwei Zhang, PhD

Crime and Criminal Justice

120

[Symposia] Social Work Science and Transformative Change in Criminal Justice and Community Mental Health (Marquis BR 14, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Matthew Smith, PhD
Discussant: Camille Quinn, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

121

[Symposia] Advancing Financial Capability: Community Strategies, Structural Barriers, and Measurement Innovations (Independence BR C, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Yunju Nam, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

122

[Symposia] Regional Policies and Trends in Addressing Homelessness (Marquis BR 12, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Kyah Bridges

Mental Health

123

[Symposia] Transforming Psychosis Services: Social Work Science at the Nexus of Culture, Recovery, and Policy (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Samuel M. Murphy, MSW
Discussants: Nev Jones, PhD and Shaun Eack, PhD

Research on Social Work Education

124

[Symposia] Training Social Work Students to Fill Healthcare Workforce Shortages in Medically Underserved Communities (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Whitney Key, PhD

Social Work Practice

125

[Symposia] Standing at the Intersection of Social Work and Generative AI: Perspectives, Possibilities and Practices (Liberty BR I, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Lauri Goldkind, PhD
Discussant: Bryan Victor, PhD

Sustainable Development, Environmental and Climate Justice

126

[Symposia] Ecosocial Work Practice from the Ground up: Exploring Social Worker Engagement with Climate, Disaster, and Environmental Justice (Liberty BR J, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Joonmo Kang, PhD
Discussant: Shanondora Billiot, PhD

3:45 PM-5:15 PM

Child Welfare

145

[Symposia] Toward Balancing the Educational Scale: A Multi-Faceted Viewpoint Towards Understanding and Supporting the Educational Stability of Students in Foster Care (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Jamie Cage, PhD
Discussant: Jamie Cage, PhD

Gender

146

[Symposia] Navigating Access: Community, Care, and Attitudes in the Changing Landscape of Abortion (Archives, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Jessica Liddell, PhD, MPH/MSW

School Social Work

147

[Symposia] Ecological Approaches to School-Focused Social Work Research and Practice: Exploring the Intersection between School, Family, and Community Contexts (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Jenna Strauss, MSW

Work and Work-Life Policies and Programs

148

[Symposia] Precarity and Work in the Margins: Labor, Identity, and Mental Health in a Shifting Economy (Liberty BR I, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Hyeri Choi, PhD
Discussant: Kess Ballentine, PhD, MSW, MA

5:30 PM-7:00 PM

Child Welfare

170

[Symposia] Fathers on the Margins: Advancing Policy and Practice through Research on Systemic Barriers and Strengths-Based Solutions (Marquis BR 10, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Garrett Pace, PhD
Discussant: Mark Trahan, PhD

Crime and Criminal Justice

171

[Symposia] How Criminal Justice Policy Pits Agencies Against Individuals on Supervision (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Mariah Cowell Mercier, MSW
Discussant: Emily Salisbury, PhD

Gender-Based Violence

172

[Symposia] The Intersection of Sex Trafficking and Substance Use: Treatment and Interventions to Address Survivor Needs (Independence BR C, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Theresa Anasti, PhD
Discussant: Kathleen Preble, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

173

[Symposia] Aligning Financial Services and Socialization with Equity: Barriers, Tools, and Structural Exclusions (Marquis BR 14, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Julie Birkenmaier

Research Design and Measurement

174

[Symposia] AI for Health & Social Equity: Student Innovations in Social Work Research (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Ruopeng An, PhD
Discussant: Michael Lindsey, PhD, MSW, MPH

Research Design and Measurement

175

[Symposia] Technological Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Informatics That Drive Policy and Practice Innovations in Social Work (Capitol, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Lia Nower, JD, PhD
Discussant: George Leibowitz, PhD

Saturday, January 17, 2026

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | top

8:00 AM-9:30 AM

Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander Focused-Research

193

[Symposia] From Pandemic to Present: Addressing Discrimination and Mental Health in Asian American Communities (Archives, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Jihee Woo, PhD, MSW
Discussant: Hee Yun Lee, PhD

Health

194

[Symposia] Transdisciplinary Science in Oncology Social Work (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Anao Zhang, Ph.D.
Discussant: Bradley Zebrack, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

195

[Symposia] Social and Institutional Determination of Asset Building over a Life Course (Marquis BR 14, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Jin Huang, PhD
Discussant: Michael Sherraden, PhD

Mental Health

196

[Symposia] The Role of Mental Health in Fatherhood: Exploring Diverse Experiences and Impacts (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Rachel Speer, PhD
Discussant: Brandyn McKinley, Ph.D.

9:45 AM-11:15 AM

Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander Focused-Research

224

[Symposia] Asian American/Canadian Feminisms: Centering Transformative Praxis (Archives, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Sheila Shankar, MSW
Discussant: Soo Young Lee, MA

Child Welfare

225

[Symposia] Poverty, Social Disadvantage, and Child Welfare Involvement: Interconnections Among Communities, Families, and Service Providers (Capitol, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Bridgette Lery, PhD

Crime and Criminal Justice

226

[Symposia] Leveraging State and National Research Partnerships to Affect Change in Youth Sentencing Policies (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Daphne Brydon, PhD, LMSW
Discussant: Sukhmani Singh, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

227

[Symposia] Structured Inequality: When Do Policies Monitor, Manage, and Marginalize? (Marquis BR 10, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Anna Ko, MPP

Organizations and Management

228

[Symposia] Experiences Integrating Values of Diversity and Social Justice in Field Education, Findings from Two Localized and National Qualitative Studies (Independence BR C, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Warren Graham, MSW

Organizations and Management

229

[Symposia] Situated within: An Exploration of Frontline Workers Embedded Agency in Human Service Organizations (Marquis BR 14, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Samantha Guz, PhD
Discussant: Odessa Gonzalez Benson, PhD

Research Design and Measurement

230

[Symposia] Arts-Based Research Methods As Tools for Healing and Resistance (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Meg Paceley, PhD

4:00 PM-5:30 PM

Child Welfare

256

[Symposia] Developing and Learning from a National Survey of Kinship Caregivers (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Amanda Klein-Cox, Ed.D.

Gender

257

[Symposia] Stories for Transformative Change: Feminist Narrative Methods As Epistemological Resistance (Independence BR A, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Soo Young Lee, MA
Discussant: Ramona Beltran, PhD

Health

258

[Symposia] Rooted in Culture, Sustained By Community: Centering Cultural Values and Social Support in Psychosocial Oncology for Underserved Populations (Archives, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Qi Chen, PhD, MSW
Discussant: Tamara Cadet, PhD

Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy

259

[Symposia] Intersectional Experiences of Debt and Risk (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Julie Birkenmaier

Social Work Practice

260

[Symposia] Macro-Level Synergies: AI Interventions for Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Amanda Ritchie
Discussant: Ruopeng An, PhD

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | top

8:00 AM-9:30 AM

Black and African Diaspora Focused-Research

281

[Symposia] The Congregational Healers United to Restore Community Health (CHURCH) Project: A Community-Partnered Participatory Research with Black Faith Leaders to Improve African American Mental Health (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Deborah Moon, PhD
Discussant: John Wallace, PhD

Child Welfare

282

[Symposia] Child Violence, Injuries, and Maltreatment: Patterns, Risks, and Systemic Responses (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Rebecca Rebbe, PhD

Work and Work-Life Policies and Programs

283

[Symposia] Understanding and Improving Working Conditions in Racialized and Gendered Jobs (Liberty BR K, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Rong Zhao, PhD
Discussant: Jennifer Zelnick, ScD

9:45 AM-11:15 AM

Aging Services and Gerontology

307

[Symposia] Expanding Opportunities and Reducing Inequities to Advance Long, Healthy, and Productive Lives in Later Life (Marquis BR 12, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Barbara Mendez Campos, MSW, LCSW
Discussant: Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD

Black and African Diaspora Focused-Research

308

[Symposia] Intersecting Injustices: Structural Barriers to Care for Black Immigrants and Refugees in the U.S (Capitol, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Hyojin Im, PhD
Discussant: Asli Yalim, PhD

Child Welfare

309

[Symposia] Supporting Families and Preventing Future Child Welfare Involvement: The Promise of the Screened-out Landscape (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Maria Gandarilla Ocampo, PhD
Discussant: James Simon, PhD, LCSW

Communities and Neighborhoods

310

[Symposia] Unleashing the Power of Collective Efficacy through Community Organizing: Results from Three Community Studies (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MSW, MPIA
Discussant: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MSW, MPIA

Crime and Criminal Justice

311

[Symposia] At the Crossroads: Bridging Social Work Science, Policy, and Practice for Survivors of Violence (Treasury, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Kathryn Bocanegra, PhD
Discussant: Kathryn Bocanegra, PhD

International Social Work and Global Issues

312

[Symposia] Reimagining Global Health Partnerships: Equity-Centered Collaboration across the Global South and North (Marquis BR 13, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Samantha Winter, PhD

11:30 AM-1:00 PM

Adolescent and Youth Development

334

[Symposia] Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation: Understanding the Transition to Adulthood for Young People in Foster Care (Liberty BR K, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Andrea Eastman, PhD
Discussant: Mark Courtney, PhD

Child Welfare

335

[Symposia] The Empowering Parents with Resources (EmPwR) Study: Implications for Policy and Practice (Independence BR B, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Yan Zhu, MSW
Discussant: Melanie Nadon, PhD

Child Welfare

336

[Symposia] Worker Effects on Child Protection Outcomes: Three Case Studies (Independence BR A, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Fred Wulczyn, PhD
Discussant: Max Gross, PhD

International Social Work and Global Issues

337

[Symposia] Family Diversity, Family Policy, and Well-Being in Separated Families Around the World (Marquis BR 9, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Daniel Meyer, PhD
Discussants: David Pate, PhD and Irwin Garfinkel, PhD

International Social Work and Global Issues

338

[Symposia] Health and Resilience: Community-Driven Strategies to Address Violence and Climate Stressors in Informal Settlements (Marquis BR 8, ML 2)
Symposium Organizer: Susan Witte, PhD, LCSW

LatinX Focused-Research

339

[Symposia] Uplifting Central American Parents' Narratives: Strengthening Practice and Responding to Policy (Congress, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Morgan Pardue-Kim
Discussant: Tatiana Londono, MSSW, PhD

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

340

[Symposia] Mobilizing Evidence to Advance Lgbtiq Inclusion in Asia (META-LGBTIQ Asia): Community-Engaged Mixed Methods Approaches for Transformative Change (Independence BR H, ML 4)
Symposium Organizer: Peter A. Newman, PhD
Discussants: Holning Lau, JD and Toorjo Ghose, PhD