June 2019 Newsletter

Spotlight: Justin “Jay” Miller Named University of Kentucky’s Dean of the College of Social Work

Justin “Jay” Miller, Cohort Two fellow, has been selected as the next Dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky starting July 1, 2019. Jay has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to improving the lives of children and families. Jay’s selection for this prestigious leadership role highlights the importance of rigorous scholarship, advocacy, and leadership development.

Reflecting on his path to his new role as Dean, Jay expressed that he “wholeheartedly believes” that the Doris Duke Fellowships has played an “integral role” in his career. He continues by explaining that the Fellowships allowed him “to connect with like-minded researchers with which to collaborate… and have led to a host of scholarly products.”

Jay also recognizes that the Fellowships help create a “circle of competent, critical friends with which to share ideas, seek counsel, and receive feedback.” In sum, Jay states, “without participation in the Doris Duke Fellowships, I wouldn’t be in this position today!”

Jay’s focus on using research to inform policy and systems change will be incredibly beneficial to the future of the College of Social Work. We are all so proud of Jay and the impact he will have in his next role!

Dissertation Research Presentation at the California State Capitol by Cohort Six Fellow

Andi Lane Eastman, Cohort Six fellow and postdoctoral scholar at the USC School of Social Work's Children’s Data Network, presented findings from her dissertation as part of the Children Now’s Child Welfare Policy Roundtable at the California State Capitol.

Children Now invites legislative offices, state agencies, and advocates to discuss policy ideas and legislation related to children who come in contact with child protective services (CPS). Andi presented her research about mothers in foster care and risk of CPS involvement for the next generation. The implications of her research were discussed as they apply to the state’s expansion of home visiting services and the Federal Family First Prevention Services Act.

The Children’s Trust of South Carolina Highlights Cohort Seven Fellow’s Dissertation

Aditi Srivastav Bussells, Cohort Seven fellow, and Research and Community Impact Manager at the Children’s Trust of South Carolina, recently reported on her dissertation findings in a report sponsored by the Children’s Trust of South Carolina. Aditi’s dissertation research was conducted with state legislators in South Carolina exploring public policy-level prevention pathways for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Her interviews with 24 lawmakers led to the publication of the booklet, “Legislator Perspectives on Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences in South Carolina.” This booklet highlights legislator outlooks on the promotion of child health and well-being. These findings are crucial for ACEs prevention advocates and researchers as they think about how state policy can play a key role in mitigating the impact of adverse experiences. Click here to learn more about her work and read the report.

Fellows Updates:

Alysse Loomis, Cohort Seven fellow, has two exciting updates:

She recently published a report on developing a trauma-informed early childhood system in the state of Connecticut in collaboration with her policy mentors’ agency, Child Health and Development Institute.
She will start her position as Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Utah starting July 2019. Congratulations!

Judith Scott, Cohort Five fellow, recently published two pieces:

An article discussing the risk factors of physical discipline in early childhood among Black families, in Child Abuse and Neglect, the first article published from her dissertation.
A book chapter about the varying identities and vulnerabilities of youth of color in care in the Handbook of children and prejudice: Integrating research, practice, and policy.

Julia Hernández, Cohort Eight fellow, started her postdoc at Arizona State University Center for Child Well-being under the supervision of Dr. Judy Krysik (our host of the 2019 Mid-Year Meeting). She is working on a number of projects, including the evaluation of the Arizona Department of Child Safety Title IV-E waiver program and the National Youth in Transition Database.

Lindsey Bullinger, Cohort Six fellow, recently published an article about the Effect of Paid Family Leave on Infant and Parental Health in the Journal of Health Economics.

Sarah Prendergast, Cohort Seven fellow, and Maria Schweer-Colllins, Cohort Eight fellow, competed with their university teams in the Society for Prevention Research Sloboda and Bukoski Cup. The theme was big data in a prevention science world. Teams analyzed Medicare data and presented findings at the conference.

Upcoming Dates:

Prevent Child Abuse America National Conference: September 16 - September 18, 2019: Milwaukee, WI