2020 HEALS Scholars Co-Author Paper

An article, recently featured in the School Social Work Journal, was co-authored by the 2020 MSW & BSW scholars of the HEALS program. The paper, “Changing cannabis policies and social work: Implications for students, families, and schools,” served as an alternative way to disseminate knowledge about cannabis in Illinois after the cancellation of a HEALS policy-practice conference on cannabis, which was scheduled for March of 2020.

The article explored topics relevant to legalization of cannabis including medical versus recreational use, racial overtones in marijuana policy, effects on student cognitive development and mental health, child welfare involvement, disparities in school discipline, criminal record expungement, and school-based cannabis prevention programs.

The HEALS 2020 scholar co-authors on this paper were: Mary Adams, Kayla Janssen, Stefanie Kim, and Tessa (Reed) Cochrane. Additional co-authors were Janet Liechty, Sandra Kopels, Andrea Harris and PhD students, Vanessa Parker and Allison Salisbury.