Category: Research

Beth Shelton, a PhD student at the University of Illinois School of Social Work and the first certified perinatal mental health specialist in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Mid-South region, recognized early on the profound impact that a lack of trauma-focused care can have on the mental well-being of families who have experienced the loss of a baby.

Several years into her practice in Memphis, she met the program coordinator for the Butterfly’s Embrace program: a perinatal bereavement program based in Tennessee that supports families who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss.

“Their program was so unique and special,” she recalls. “Tucked away in this small rural hospital an hour from Memphis was this magical place that loved on families and supported them in this most vulnerable, tragic time.”

What began as a professional relationship between the two in sharing referrals, information and support has continued for almost a decade. “I have watched this program grow and develop into what, in my opinion, is the gold standard of Perinatal Bereavement care globally,” Beth continues.

Her recently published paper, Butterfly’s Embrace: A Work Systems Analysis of a Hospital-Based Perinatal Bereavement Program, discusses how “perinatal bereavement programs (PBP) in obstetrical and emergency departments can offer the potential of more supportive workflow and work environments for patients and health care professionals” by conducting a work system analysis.

Her hope is that by adding to this emerging research field, she can help in starting the conversation on a greater scale. “There are cavernous gaps in the literature about Perinatal Bereavement Programs across the world,” Beth explains. “Small geographical pockets are showing promising evidence, specifically Australia, Ireland, Spain, a region in China, and Korea. Internationally, there are very few countries that have national guidelines for perinatal bereavement care.”

The guidelines that do exist have been created within the last 5-10 years and are continuing to undergo empirical testing. At present, the United States has no existing guidelines for this care.

“Considering that across the globe 1 in 5 pregnancies will end in miscarriage prior to 24 weeks gestation and approximately 2 million pregnancies will end in in stillbirth after 24 weeks gestation,” Beth says, “the lack of care guidelines results in adverse outcomes not only for the families experiencing the perinatal deaths, but also the healthcare providers that support them.”

As a third year PhD student, Beth is busy with completing both coursework and qualifying papers. “I plan to focus my dissertation on a mixed-methods approach to evaluating the effectiveness of the training program Butterfly’s Embrace requires of its staff,” she says. “Research shows that feeling ill-prepared to provide appropriate care to families experiencing perinatal death leads to compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and burnout in nurses. I want to explore the lived experience of the nurses that work with Butterfly’s Embrace and discover the impact this training program has on the confidence levels of nurses providing perinatal bereavement care.”

She hopes that this study will continue to expand and inform future researchers and policy makers on the importance of a Supportive Bereavement Environment. As an emerging field of study, there are currently limitations, such as a paucity of empirical evidence. But, as time and research both go on, Beth hopes that empirical evidence as to the scope of effectiveness, cost benefits and improvements to long term outcomes for both family and staff from established programs like this will demonstrate the impact similar programs can provide to communities.

“I’ll own how cheesy and idealistic this might sound,” she goes on to say, “but I truly do believe that we make the world a better place by making the world a better place for moms. Highlighting a program that supports families in their darkest hours in a way that honors their grief, their baby, their family, their needs, and their culture is my “Why”.”

When University of Illinois School of Social Work PhD student Erika La Frano began her career as a clinician, she witnessed firsthand the struggles immigrant women face when seeking help after intimate partner violence (IPV). Her clients encountered barriers that extended far beyond the violence itself, including language differences, cultural stigma, lack of legal knowledge, isolation from community, and financial stress.

“These stories of hardship and resilience opened my eyes,” Erika recalls. “They inspired my desire to raise awareness about the challenges women face and the opportunities to improve the lives of immigrant women, as well as the communities in which they live.”

Those early experiences became the foundation of Erika’s doctoral research. Her recent publication in JMIR Publications Advancing Digital Health and Open Science lays out a systematic review protocol to study how IPV interventions work for Latina immigrants in the United States. The project, titled Domains of Access for Interventions Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Latina Immigrants, asks a critical question: do current interventions truly remove barriers and make services accessible to those who need them most?

At the heart of her study is something called the Access to Care Framework. This framework looks at whether people can realistically use services based on factors like cost, transportation, language, and cultural fit. For Latina immigrants, these barriers can mean the difference between getting support or remaining in unsafe situations. “When services are not culturally or linguistically responsive, survivors may feel unsafe or misunderstood,” Erika explains. “This reduces their trust and willingness to engage.”

To answer these questions, Erika and her research team are reviewing nearly 1,000 studies and interventions. The work is challenging, not only because of the sheer volume of information but also because of the cultural nuance required. “Managing the scope and variability of the literature has been the most challenging part,” she says. “But it has also encouraged me to think more critically about the unique barriers faced by Latina immigrants and the opportunities for positive change.”

Erika hopes her findings will have a ripple effect in both practice and policy. By identifying the strategies that make interventions more accessible, her research can guide programs to address specific needs such as transportation, childcare, or immigration concerns. “Together, these changes can help Latina immigrant survivors feel safer and more supported, facilitating the healing process,” she says.

Now in her third year of the PhD program, Erika sees this research as more than just an academic milestone. It is the beginning of a career dedicated to advancing immigrant health equity and shaping community-based, evidence-informed policies. “This project strengthens my focus on immigrant health equity and equips me with the skills to evaluate interventions,” she reflects. “Ultimately, I hope to inform policies that increase access to care for immigrant survivors.”

At the University of Illinois School of Social Work, our PhD candidates are advancing knowledge and practice in the field. Their innovative research addresses urgent social issues such as health disparities, child welfare, community engagement, and digital equity, helping to shape solutions that create meaningful change in Illinois and around the world.

They are also trained in advanced teaching methodologies that prepare them to educate, mentor, and inspire the next generation of social work professionals. Their work reflects a deep commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and equity.

With a wide range of professional and lived experiences, our PhD candidates enrich academic dialogue and contribute diverse perspectives that strengthen the School’s mission of discovery, learning, and service.

Learn more about each candidate and their contributions by exploring our PhD Candidate CV Booklet.

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