Mental Health

Dr. Villodas joined the faculty of the Department of Social Work in the fall of 2022 and teaches the direct practice course. Her research interests are on understanding how the places people live impact mental health outcomes and the role of connectedness in promoting health and wellness across marginalized groups (e.g., system involved youth and young adults and young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods).

High profile sporting events like the Winter Olympics and March Madness are times to celebrate the amazing accomplishment of athletes—and to ensure that all athletes receive the mental health support they need. Emmett Gill, term assistant professor of Social Work, wants to shed more light on the mental health of athletes.

Dr. Katherine M. Keyes was the second speaker in the College of Health and Human Services Dean’s Seminar Series on January 27, 2020. Keyes is an associate professor of epidemiology and co-director of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She shared her research and the current understanding on the increase of depressive symptoms and suicide in adolescent girls.

Dr. Denise Hines, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work, College of Public Health at George Mason University.  Dr. Hines’ expertise includes the causes, consequences, and prevention of family violence and sexual assault, with a particular focus on under-recognized victims of violence.

Dr. Cuellar, professor of Health Administration and Policy, has extensive research experience in health care systems, Medicaid, mental health, and justice involved populations. A health policy researcher, her contributions include work on evaluating new organizational forms, such as hospital systems and physician alliances and their effects.