SSW To Be Well-Represented at 138th APHA Meeting & Exposition

This November, the nation’s experts in public health will meet at the 138th Annual American Public Health Association (APHA) Meeting & Exposition in Denver. Among them, over 20 faculty members, students and alumni will represent the School of Social Work.

According to the APHA website, the APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition is the oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, researchers, epidemiologists and related health specialists. APHA’s meeting program addresses current and emerging health science, policy and practice issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health.

From November 6 to 10, participants will discuss practices, research and trends in public health with other leaders in the field. Topics this year include domestic violence and child abuse prevention, substance abuse treatment, youth mentoring, HIV and disparities in health care.

School of Social Work faculty will have a chance to share their recent work and research findings in roundtable discussions, workshops, poster sessions and oral presentations.

• Associate Professor Betty J. Ruth, the director of the School’s dual degree program in social work and public health, will present on prevention in social work. With its focus on public health and prevention, the meeting closely parallels the School’s dual degree program in social work and public health.

• Professors Maryann Amodeo and Lena Lundgren, along with Adjunct Professor Deborah Chassler, will present on community-based addiction treatment organizations.

• Associate Professor Ellen DeVoe is slated to speak about her work with military families.

• Associate Professor Renée Spencer’s presentation will cover youth mentoring relationships.

• Assistant Professor Hyeouk Chris Hahm will share preliminary results from the “Healthy Women, Healthy Communities” study.

Dual degree candidates and alumni attending the conference include Elizabeth Spurrell, Jamie Wyatt Marshall, Eshter Hill, Laura Ann Taranto, Alexander Cohen, Amanda Horowitz, Rachel Wasserman, Janine Anzalota, Ivy Krull, Rebekah Gowler, Rebecca Lawrence, Catherine Taylor, Margie Skeer, Abigail Ross, David Prouty, Rendelle Bolton,  Rachel Weidenfeld and Jennifer Valenzuela.