A new study co-authored by School of Social Work PhD Program Director and Professor, Dr. Flávia Andrade, has been published in Journal of Aging and Health.
“While our recent work examined patterns of amenable (preventable) mortality, my current research increasingly focuses on how family support and partnerships shape health outcomes,” Andrade said about the study. “Supportive family members, such as partners and children, can help individuals recognize symptoms, access health services, navigate complex health care systems, and advocate for appropriate care. These social connections are very important factors in promoting health and longer lives
Two new articles co-authored by School of Social Work Professor Dr. Lissette Piedra have been published in the National Library of Medicine and Qualitative Social Work.
Beyond close ties: how social engagement shapes care-giver burden in later life discusses the importance of social connections and their role in shaping the well-being and health of older adults. The team examined how “core social networks and social engagement are associated with caregiver burden”. The findings revealed that “larger core social networks were associated with greater odds of caregiver burden, whereas all forms of social engagement—volunteering, group meetings, and religious attendance—reduced the odds of reporting caregiver burden. Higher levels of social engagement, such as having more friends or more frequent participation in social activities, similarly reduced the odds of reporting caregiver burden. Diverse engagement across multiple activities also lowered the likelihood of experiencing caregiver burden. These results suggest that caregiver burden may be shaped not only by the size of one’s core network but also by the breadth and frequency of social participation, particularly in settings that foster casual social ties.”
A logic of discovery: Interpretive inquiry’s contribution to science argues that “[i]nterpretive inquiry has spent much of its history defending its claim to scientific legitimacy. But the intellectual challenge has changed: the more pressing question is what interpretive inquiry contributes to scientific discovery—how it generates new understandings, unsettles established explanations, and works alongside other forms of scientific inquiry to produce knowledge.”
“Objectivist approaches provide powerful tools for measurement, causal inference, and generalization. Interpretive inquiry makes a different but equally essential contribution by recognizing when prevailing concepts, assumptions, and explanations no longer adequately account for an evolving social world,” Piedra writes, and concludes that, “[b]ringing these traditions together offers a more powerful approach to science—one capable not only of evaluating our answers, but of revealing when we need to ask different questions.”
School of Social Work Director of DSW Planning and Development, Teaching Assistant Professor Dr. Melissa Iverson and Dr. Curtis Mason (College of Education) have been awarded a Provost’s Initiative on Teaching Advancement grant to develop B.R.I.D.G.E., an innovative faculty training designed to transform hybrid and HyFlex teaching.
During the first on-campus training on November 12–13, 2026, faculty will explore fresh approaches to inclusive and engaging learning, redesign course policies and assignments, and leave with practical strategies and an implementation plan they can put into action. The training also creates space for cross-campus collaboration and shared learning.
Interested in participating?
University of Illinois faculty with hybrid or HyFlex teaching experience and graduate students who are current or prospective educators are eligible to register. Graduate students do not need prior teaching or TA experience. Seats are limited. Preference may be given to those teaching or supporting a hybrid or HyFlex course in Spring 2027.
Doug Smith, Professor of Social Work and Director of the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was recently featured on the topic of working with families on the Talking to Change podcast hosted by Glenn Hinds and Sebastian Kaplan.
In the episode, Smith discusses his 2025 book, Motivational Interviewing with Families. The conversation examines how motivational interviewing shifts when it extends beyond a single client and target behavior, including working with change talk across family members, balancing client autonomy with practitioner direction, and avoiding what Smith describes as the “superfluous engagement trap”.
The School of Social Work is hosting a two-day virtual gathering designed to foster connection, collaboration, and learning across geographic and cultural boundaries. Mental health is a global issue that touches every community, workplace, and family. Join a network of passionate professionals working to advance understanding, equity, and access to mental health care around the world.
This year’s program features a series of themed panel discussions that will explore some of the most pressing issues in global mental health. It’s a chance to be inspired by new perspectives, discover meaningful solutions, and contribute to a movement that is making a real difference in people’s lives.
A registration fee of $30 for professionals and $10 for students will apply this year. (An additional fee of $15 will be charged for CEUs for Illinois licensed social workers.)
A new Practicum Toolkit for Artificial Intelligence, co-authored by School of Social Work Clinical Associate Professor Julie Muñoz-Nájar as part of the Social Work & Tech Working Group, has now been made publicly available.
Practicum Toolkit for Artificial Intelligence: Guidance for Practicum Instructors/Supervisors, Faculty Liaisons & Social Work Students is a “free educational resource designed to help social work students, practicum instructors and supervisors, faculty liaisons, and practicum programs navigate the use of artificial intelligence in social work practicum education. The toolkit provides shared AI terminology, ethical guidance, the ETHICS-AT decision-making model, role-based guidance, information about AI tools and learning simulations, prompting strategies, applied case examples, sample practicum assignments, and additional resources”.
“Think of this toolkit as a tour guide to support the unfamiliar terrain of AI in social work,” Muñoz-Nájar described. “It offers practical tools and an ethical model to help students, field instructors and educators discuss, chew on and take steps to more confidently navigate the unknowns of AI use in our profession.”
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work is proud to introduce its Doctor of Social Work (DSW) specializing in organizational administration and leadership. Designed for experienced professionals working across the nonprofit and human services sectors, this fully online, part-time program integrates social work values with advanced leadership, management, finance, and organizational strategy to prepare professionals to lead complex human services organizations and drive systems change.
The DSW is a practice-focused doctorate that emphasizes the application of research, theory, and evidence to improve real-world practice, programs, and policies. Unlike the PhD in Social Work, which centers on generating new research and scholarly theory, the DSW prepares experienced professionals to translate evidence into action—strengthening organizations, improving systems, and creating lasting community impact.
Graduates from the University of Illinois will be prepared to:
Direct nonprofit, governmental, and human services organizations.
Serve as program managers, executive directors, or senior administrators.
Lead large-scale change initiatives in complex service systems.
Consult with organizations on governance, finance, and program improvement.
“Our findings also highlight the potential of social support,” Im said. “To address the psychological trauma of older adults who have experienced abuse, we need to pay closer attention to the power of this protective resource.”
Hu added, “The deepest wound of elder abuse may be the loss of trust. By examining interpersonal and institutional trust through a social-ecological lens, this study reveals how abuse is associated with depressive symptoms and where interventions can make a difference.”
The School of Social Work was excited to participate in the 2026 Rural Health Careers Camp at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb!
The Rural Health Careers Camp is a three-day, overnight educational program for high school students interested in the healthcare field. Students participate in hands-on learning activities and labs that represent different healthcare careers and stay in a residence hall to experience living on a college campus.
Throughout the day, we met with 50 high school students (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors) from rural communities across Illinois and beyond, introducing them to the many opportunities a career in social work can offer.
In our small-group sessions, students explored:
What social workers do and the impact they make
Educational pathways into the profession
Ways to prepare while still in high school
Hands-on activities that provided a glimpse into real-world social work practice
And more
Students gathered from many communities, including: Franklin Grove, Grand Detour, Bishop Hill, Dekalb, German Valley, Forsyth, Decatur, Geneseo, Galena, Athens, Amboy, Waterman, Sycamore, Rockford, Roscoe, Genoa, Mendota, East Moline, Belvidere, Oregon, Hampshire, Ottawa, Sandwich, Rochelle, Serena, Streator, Marshall, Kingston, Mount Morris, and Burlington, IA.
The breadth of the communities illustrates the broad reach of this incredible program. Whether students are just beginning to explore careers or already planning their next steps, we are grateful for the opportunity to introduce them to the impact and possibilities of a career in social work.
Students kicked off the day with an inspiring keynote from Dr. Dora Watkins, Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program, who challenged us to think about how “Helping is the Skill. Social Work is the Path.” Throughout the day, students explored how the helping skills they already possess can grow into meaningful careers and community impact.
We were also honored to welcome Dr. Tan, who encouraged students to “Be a Butterfly”: transform, show your true colors, and spread your wings. His message reminded students that their unique brilliance, voice, experiences, and perspectives are what make them truly extraordinary.
Students heard from current social work students, staff, and faculty about their personal journeys into the profession, learned about the many pathways and career opportunities within social work, and explored how social workers create change in schools, healthcare settings, communities, government, nonprofits, and beyond.
A highlight of the day was our service-learning project in partnership with the CLU-W Hygiene Pantry of Champaign County. Students worked together to create “Busy Bags” filled with activities to help children and adults stay engaged during wait times at the pantry. They also decorated bags and created thoughtful cards of encouragement to provide a welcoming and uplifting experience for pantry visitors. Through this project, students saw firsthand how small acts of kindness and service can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
The day also included a site visit to Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC), where students learned about community advocacy, healthcare access, and the organization’s impact on the lives of individuals and families throughout our community.
Through interactive activities, discussions about rural community challenges, networking, and hands-on learning experiences, students discovered that social work is more than a career: it’s a profession dedicated to empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and creating positive change.
Thank you to our students, faculty, staff, community partners, and other volunteers for making this event such a success. We can’t wait to see the impact these future helping professionals will make in the world!
We are hoping to grow this event and make it even bigger and better next year and would love for you to join us! Mark your calendar for Friday, June 4, 2027 to join us for next year’s event.
