Session: Understanding Policy and Practice Implications Regarding the Well-Being of Black Women (Society for Social Work and Research 30th Annual Conference Anniversary)

Social work researchers are expected to interrogate the role of research and systems in shaping the experiences of individuals affected by institutional mechanisms of care. It is important to recognize policy and programmatic impacts, highlighting the collective impact of social work science, and to center racial equity and social justice in research on the well-being of Black women and girls. This symposium offers perspectives and meaningful examinations of the needs of Black females navigating various systems of engagement. Historically, Black women have borne the physiological and psychological burdens imposed by America's fractured infrastructure and institutions' enduring centuries of physical and mental harm through enslavement, discrimination, misogyny, and marginalization. This history underscores the critical need to investigate systemic factors that disproportionately affect Black adult and young adult women. The papers presented in this symposium use a social justice and strengths-based lens to examine the enduring well-being of Black women across distinct systems, including health care, child welfare, social media, and the Protestant church. Young adult Black females have developed a wide range of strategies for navigating systemic barriers to attain personal well-being. Each paper offers research and practice implications. The first paper addresses the role of social media and the urgent need for policy interventions targeting the online sexual exploitation of Black females. Drawing on qualitative data, this paper highlights the lived experiences of Black women exposed to sexually explicit material on social media platforms. The authors emphasize the need for increased legislative action to reduce the risk of exploitation and the non-consensual sharing of explicit content involving young Black women. The second paper explores Black women's well-being through their healthcare experiences, with a focus on weight-neutral approaches to care. Decentering weight as a primary indicator of health may foster a more holistic model of care, particularly for Black women who face disproportionate health disparities. This qualitative study centers the voices of Black women and their reflections on size, diet, and exercise. Findings advocate for weight-neutral frameworks as a means to better address the intersecting challenges Black women encounter when seeking healthcare. The third paper examines the impact of the child welfare system on the well-being of young Black women aging out of care. Interview data reveal significant service gaps and highlight the urgent need for social workers to be trained in understanding the unique challenges this population faces. The findings point to clear policy implications for improving the transition process and ensuring that young Black women are adequately supported as they exit the foster care system. The fourth paper investigates the role of church tradition in the well-being of African American women clergy. Interviews with Protestant women clergy affirm prior research and reveal the compounded stressors resulting from their intersectional identities as African American women in religious leadership. The systemic challenges such as emotional suppression and the prioritization of caregiving over self-care illustrate the need for further research and practice that centers the well-being of African American and Black women navigating complex and often rigid institutional systems.