Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research

September 2008Throughout the past 15 years, the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR) has representedthe social work profession within the national scientific community, strengthened linkages with federal researchfunding agencies, advanced interdisciplinary research alliances, and worked within the social work profession tostrengthen research infrastructures and research capacity. IASWR is a catalyst, information resource, facilitator,technical advisor, trainer, advocate, and knowledge broker that fosters research excellence and knowledge utilization.IASWR represents a long-term, unified, collaborative commitment among six social work organizations * to advancethe scientific knowledge base for social work practice at all levels by building the research capacity of the profession,by increasing support and opportunities for social work research, and by promoting linkages among the social workpractice, research and education communities.As IASWR Celebrates its 15th Anniversary, its accomplishments are obvious to those familiar with its work:more social work faculty and doctoral students are awarded prestigious research grants; social work researchers areincreasingly recognized for their contributions to the evidence-base within the profession and beyond; more socialwork programs are pursuing significant research agendas; and more initiatives are being undertaken to enhance thequality of the research conducted within the professions. Despite these accomplishments, there is still much work todo. Federal research resources are shrinking just as the expectation in many social work programs to garner externalresearch funding increases, and there is an increased emphasis on accountability and outcomes based on rigorouslyresearchedinterventions in practice settings. In addition, there is a demand from the field to develop research studiesthat are informed and guided by practice questions.As we look to the future and our continued work on behalf of the profession, we thank the supporting organizationsthat provide our core funding, the many social work education programs and individuals who support our work, andthe federal entities, foundations, and corporations that contract with us to address mutual priorities.IASWR is pleased to provide you with this annual report that highlights our efforts regarding DevelopingResearchers and Research Capacity, Strengthening Research/Practice Connections and Bridging Researchand Policy. We hope that it provides a meaningful snapshot of our work and its impact, and indicates ways that abroad range of stakeholders benefit from our efforts.MESSAGEFROM THEPRESIDENT &EXECUTIVEDIRECTORWilliam MeezanJoan ZlotnikWilliam MeezanPresident, IASWRDean, College of Social Work, Ohio State UniversityJoan Levy ZlotnikExecutive Director, IASWR*Supporting Organizations: Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD), Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education(GADE), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD) and Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research1

DEVELOPINGRESEARCHERS ANDRESEARCH CAPACITYNIH Continues to Chart Coursefor Social Work ResearchResponding to a Congressional request, inJuly 2007 NIH reported to Congress on thesteps it took to more fully engage with thesocial work community and to encouragesocial work grant submissions to NIH.The NIH Plan for Social Work Research:Progress Report, states that:“Social work researchers havecontributed significantly to the NIHmission to fund and conduct researchthat will result in improvement inhealth. NIH has recognized theimportance of social work research.This is evidenced in the funding historyof social work research across NIH ICs.”(NIH, 2007, p. 2-3).One NIH step is a contract awarded toIASWR to undertake Strategies for PromotingExcellent Research and Knowledge DevelopmentRelated to Social Work Practice and Concepts inHealth. IASWR plans workshops andtechnical assistance sessions at the CSWE,SSWR, NADD and BPD conferences andencourages social work researchers to pursueNIH funding. This includes promotion of thesocial work-focused Program Announcements,Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts inHealth, issued in December 2005. IASWRhas gathered information from social workresearchers regarding their submission ofapplications under these mechanisms. Theprogram announcements take advantage ofthree types of mechanisms: developmental,exploratory and pilot studies (R03[http://grants1.nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-082.html] and R21[http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pafiles/PA-06-083.html]),and large samplequalitative and/or quantitative studies (R01[http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-081.html]).Building Child Welfare ResearchPartnershipsWith support from Casey Family Programs,and in collaboration with IASWR’ssupporting organizations, IASWR launchedan information gathering effort related toEnhancing Applied Research Collaborationsbetween Child Welfare Agencies and UniversityPartners (Research Partners). This effortemerged from dual directions: The strategicvalue that such research partnerships have inenhancing child welfare service delivery andoutcomes for children and families; andconcern about the lack of a focused strategy2 2007 – 2008 Annual Report

Intensive Training of Researchers throughIASWR Summer Research MethodsWorkshopsOver 50 doctoral students, research staff andearly career and seasoned researchers attendedresearch methods training workshops offeredby IASWR in Washington, DC. In August2007, Jim Drisko of Smith College was themaster teacher for Qualitative Data Analysis:It’s Not Just Anything Goes! In June 2008Jerry Floersch and Lisa Townsend of CaseWestern Reserve University presented Howto Use and Conduct Qualitative Research inMixed-Method Research.NIDA/IASWR Early Career ResearchMentoring AwardsFor the third year, IASWR worked withNIDA to recruit applicants and then toselect five early career researchers who wouldreceive NIDA travel awards to attend theNIDA Blending Conference in Cincinnati,Ohio on June 2-3, 2008. NIDA stafforganized special targeted mentoring sessionsat that meeting to help advance the earlycareer researchers’ success as NIDA-fundedaddictions researcher.IASWR Listserv Announcementsand WebsiteReaders of IASWR’s weekly e-alert service,IASWR Listserv Announcements, providedfeedback via an on-line survey on thereadability and usefulness of this resource.Subscribers include both those with academicand agency affiliations. Over 90% of therespondents found the Listserv useful or veryuseful, over 65% send the ListservAnnouncements on to others, and more than40% use resources from the Listserv inteaching. According to the survey, over 25%of respondents had presentations orpublications accepted; close to 40% attendedconferences, and about 10% received grantfunding due to announcements found on theListserv. To enhance readability theAnnouncements were reformatted in spring2008 and information can now also be moreeasily found on the IASWR Web site.In the past year IASWR ListservAnnouncements subscribership increased by650, to over 3,000 and has risen 600% sinceit was started in 1995.Updating the Directory of NIHFunded ResearchersWith no readily available source ofinformation that identifies who funds socialwork researchers, IASWR continues to workto keep the Directory of Social Work ResearchGrants Awarded by the National Institutes ofHealth updated. Thus far, 641 grants havebeen awarded to 311 social work researchers4 2007 – 2008 Annual Report

from 60 social work education programs aswell as from numerous research institutes,organizations, and other academic settingsbetween 1993 and 2008. To help keep thedirectory current NIH grantees shouldsubmit information to IASWR when theyreceive funding through a link on IASWR’sWeb site. Between 2005 and 2007 IASWRhas identified 90 grants awarded to socialwork researchers.Building Gerontological ResearchCapacity and NetworksLong Term Care ResearchAs follow up from the 2004 IASWR-hostedsymposium on research on psychosocial careand social work services in nursing homes(http://charityadvantage.com/iaswr/IASWRNursingHome.pdf), IASWR facilitatedconnections between staff at the Centers forMedicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and agrowing network of social work long termcare researchers. Identifying mutual interestsat an IASWR- hosted meeting in conjunctionwith the SSWR Conference in Washington,DC, CMS began hosting bi-monthlyconference calls with the social work longterm care research network and a call forpapers was issued for a specialty-themededition of CMS’s journal Health CareFinancing Review on psychosocial servicesin long term care. This nascent networkincludes long-time nursing home experts andjunior scholars just beginning their researchcareers, with many supported through theHartford Doctoral Fellows and FacultyScholars Programs.Hartford/RAND Geriatric Research ProgramInterdisciplinary involvement of social workresearchers in the field of aging was promotedthrough serving as a member of the nationaladvisory panel for the Hartford RANDInterdisciplinary Geriatric Research CentersProject. Involvement in the initiative alsoincluded participation in the project’sCareer Development Institutes(www.rand.org/health/projects/geriatric/).STRENGTHENINGRESEARCH/ PRACTICECONNECTIONSEvidence-Based Practice (EBP)Partnerships to Integrate Evidence-Based Practicesinto Social Work Education and ResearchThe report from the 2007 NIMH sponsoredsymposium was finalized and disseminated.It covers definitions of evidence-basedpractice (EBP), examples of EBP-focusededucation and field endeavors and resources.Available on IASWR’s Web site, the reporthas been provided to social work educatorsand mental health organizations, andInstitute for the Advancement of Social Work Research5

highlighted through presentations at theSSWR, NADD and BPD conferences andat Hood College. Phase 2 of a contract withNIMH will include further disseminationefforts including a webpage on EBP resourcesavailable on IASWR’s Website.REACH-SWServing as a key Content DevelopmentPartner, IASWR worked with DanyaInternational on the finalization, pilottestingand promotion of Research andEmpirical Applications for Social Work(REACH-SW), a curriculum developmenttool for faculty to use in teaching socialwork students how to apply EBP approachesto social work practice(www.danya.com/reach/index.asp).Evidence-Based Behavioral PracticeServe as a liaison to the Evidence-BasedBehavioral Practice initiative(www.ebbp.org), commenting on the draftof the Definition and Competencies for Evidence-Based Behavioral Practice and providing socialwork-focused information for the EBBPnewsletter.The SHIFT Project: Suicide Prevention forAdolescent GirlsCollaborated with NASW on a project,supported by the Leon LowensteinFoundation, to develop and implement astrategy within the social work communityto transport research into practice. TheSHIFT project is developing a tool-kit thatincludes both resources on evidence-basedpractices in adolescent suicide preventionand on strategies for adopting and adaptingevidence-based practices into real worldsettings. The tool-kit will be piloted throughresearch to practice teams in two NASWchapters prior to its availability on theNASW Web site.Documenting EBP Perspectives“Evidence-based practice and social workeducation: A view from Washington” byJoan Levy Zlotnik was published in theSeptember 2007 special issue of the journalResearch on Social Work Practice. Zlotnik alsoparticipated in roundtable presentations onEBP, emerging from the 2006 Symposium onImproving the Teaching of EBP, at the 2007CSWE and 2008 SSWR conferences.IASWR helped organize an EBP workgroupthrough BPD and planned and participatedin two sessions at the 2008 BPD conference.Addressing the Evidence to Reduce HealthDisparities in Family-Centered Pediatric CareWayne State University School of Nursingand Children’s Hospital of Michiganorganized an interdisciplinary summit on6 2007 – 2008 Annual Report

Patient- and Family-Centered Care in PediatricSettings: Finding the Evidence: Highlighting theDisparities in Detroit in April 2008. IASWR,the National Association of Black SocialWorkers and the Society for Social WorkLeadership in Health Care helped representthe social work profession at the meeting(http://summit.childrensdmc.org/).DisseminatingInformation andSupportingResearch onAlcohol Abuseand AlcoholismIn collaboration withthe National Institute on Alcohol Abuseand Alcoholism (NIAAA) IASWR planned,coordinated, promoted and chairedpresentations at the SSWR, CSWE andBPD conferences. The sessions providedinformation from the Clinician’s Guide forHelping Patients who Drink Too Much.Feedback was provided to NIAAA regardinghow NIAAA could broaden the Guide’sperspective to encompass a social workaudience. Alcohol-related researchdevelopment strategies for doctoral studentsand faculty were also enhanced throughexpanded NIAAA contacts.NASW Research WebpageConnecting research to practice, IASWRcontinued to develop content for the NASWResearch web page, www.socialworkers.org/research/default.asp. Topics covered include:Keeping up with Research; UnderstandingEvidence-Based Practice; DevelopmentalDisabilities; Military Post-Traumatic StressDisorder; Children with Incarcerated Parents;Homelessness; Child Trauma; andSupervision.Enhancing the Child WelfareWorkforceFacilitated planning with the eight Children’sBureau-funded Recruitment and Retentiongrantees (University at Albany, Universityof Denver, University of Iowa, University ofMichigan, University of North Carolina,Fordham University, University of SouthernMaine and Michigan State University) toorganize strategic actions to disseminate thefindings from these five year grants, as partof an IASWR contract with the Children’sBureau on evaluation of training grants.Dissemination plans also include a specialissue of Child Welfare co-edited by GaryAnderson and Joan Zlotnik for 2009.Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research7

Joan Zlotnik, Dorothy I. Heightand NASW Executive DirectorBetsy Clark at the press briefingheld by Congressman EdolphusTowns (D-NY) and ChristopherShays (R-CT) on the Dorothy I.Height/Whitney M. Young, Jr.Social Work Reinvestment Act(HR. 3447), February 27, 2008in Cannon Office Building.Bridging Research andPolicyPromoting Social WorkReinvestmentFollowing up on the 2005 Social Work CongressImperatives, the Social Work ReinvestmentInitiative, led by NASW, with IASWR asa key consultant, is a multi-year effort tofocus on legislative and other policy actionsat the federal, state and local levels to addressworkforce issues including recruitment,retention and safety of social workers acrossfields of practice. The goal of the SocialWork Reinvestment Initiative (SWRI) isto “Secure federal and state investments inprofessional social work to enhance societalwell-being.” Support for social work researchand knowledge development and the trainingof social work researchers are key aspects ofthese reinvestment efforts. IASWR providedconsultation to state chapters on SWRIplanning and worked closely at the nationallevel on shaping a national agenda.In early 2008, the Dorothy I. Height/Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social WorkReinvestment Act (H.R. 3447, S. 2858)was introduced in both houses of Congress.For more information, visitwww.socialworkreinvestment.org/.As an active participant in the NationalChild Welfare Workforce Policy Workgroup,convened by the Children’s Defense Fundand Children’s Rights, IASWR’s experience,resources, linkages and expertise helpedinform the development of policy proposals(http://www.cornerstones4kids.org/images/promoting_0207.pdf). Serving as a broker,IASWR facilitated involvement of theWorkforce Policy Workgroup leaders inpresentations to NADD and to the ChildWelfare Symposium Participants inconjunction with the CSWE APM in SanFrancisco in October 2007, linked theworkgroup with experts in the field, andresponded to requests for information fromCongressional staff.Raising the Visibility of SocialWork ResearchConnecting with New LeadersAs a transition took place in the Office ofBehavioral and Social Sciences Research(OBSSR) at NIH, IASWR met with ActingOBSSR Director Christine Bachrach andStephane Philogene, chair of the NIH SocialWork Research Working Group to discussthe accomplishments included in the NIHPlan for Social Work Research: Progress Report,issued in July 2007, and to chart next stepsrelated to showcasing social work research’scontributions to the nation’s health.8 2007 – 2008 Annual Report

Participating in Behavioral and Social SciencesCoalitions and Advisory MeetingsSeveral key coalitions and advocacy groupswork actively in Washington to advancesupport for behavioral and social sciencesresearch, including social work research.These include the Consortium of SocialSciences Associations, the Coalition for theAdvancement of Health through Behavioraland Social Science Research (CAHT-BSSR)and several groups that support specificinstitutes including the Friends of NIDA, theFriends of NIA, and Friends of NIAAA. Thiswork includes meeting with executive andlegislative branch officials, collaborating withother disciplines, and co-sponsoring briefingsand events showcasing research outcomes.In addition, IASWR participates in advisoryand workgroups convened by NIH and otheragencies and provides input from a socialwork research perspective. For example,IASWR commented on the draft NIMHand NIA strategic plans, joined otherscientific disciplines in meeting with NIMHDirector Insel regarding research training,attended the NIMH Professional Coalitionfor Research Progress and participated in ascientific discussion convened by the NIMHOffice of Special Populations.Promoting SocialWork’s Contributionto Psychosocial Careand CancerIn response to the Instituteof Medicine’s report, CancerCare for the Whole Patient(www.iom.edu/CMS/3809/34252/47228.aspx),IASWR organized a meeting with NationalCancer Institute (NCI) officials to highlightthe social work response to the report andto discuss efforts to implement therecommendations. As one step in raisingvisibility for the report, IASWR assisted inplanning a CAHT-BSSR briefing on CapitolHill on March 31, 2008 that included NASWExecutive Director and IASWR Boardmember Betsy Clark as one of the speakers.Collaborative for EnhancingDiversity in ScienceConcerned that fewer underrepresentedminorities arepursuing sciencecareers, coupledwith concernsabout thelimitations ofboth fundingopportunitiesand policies that encourage diversity inscience, the Consortium of Social SciencesGRAFTON HULL (BPD President1991-1993) cites BPD’sinvolvement in establishingIASWR as one of the top threeaccomplishments of hispresidential term.Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research9

Ann Nichols-CaseboltThank you to the IASWR Boardmembers who contributed timeand energy to fulfilling IASWR’smission on behalf of the socialwork profession and thatcompleted terms in 2008:Ann Nichols-Casebolt, President(2002-2008); Dawn Hall Apgar,NASW Representative; PaulStuart, GADE Representative;Katharine Briar-Lawson, NADDRepresentative; and WaldoJohnson, SSWR Representative.10 2007 – 2008 Annual ReportAssociations (COSSA) spearheaded an effortto further explore and address these issues.IASWR is one of nine professionalassociations and scientific societies thatworked closely with COSSA to sponsor aleadership retreat for representatives ofdiverse disciplines (from social work,medicine and nursing to biology andmathematics) and federal and foundationfunders of research and researcher training.The retreat took place in Washington, DC onFebruary 28, 2008. With support from NIHand NSF and the planning organizations, the93 participants developed an action plan thataddresses the importance of early careertraining, mentorship, evaluation of researchtraining programs, and greater collaborationamong disciplines to ensure the furtherdevelopment and maintenance of a diversescientific workforce. For more informationvisit: www.cossa.org/communication/diversity_workshop/diversity.html.MILESTONESExecutive Director Joan Levy Zlotnik:• Received several Presidential Medals ofHonor for her work on behalf ofbaccalaureate social work education andresearch at the BPD 25th ConferenceGala celebration in March 2008 inDestin, FL, including special recognitionfrom BPD’s immediate Past President,Linda Moore.• Elected as an NASW Social Work Pioneer ®in October 2007• Authored the entry on the History ofSocial Work Research in the 20thEdition of the Encyclopedia of Social Work,published in 2008 by NASW & OxfordPressSenior Program AssociateBarbara E. Solt retired fromIASWR in March 2008 after8 years of service, withrecognition for her manycontributions to IASWR,especially the editorship ofthe IASWR Listserv Announcements.Rebecca Toni Hjelm, an MSW studentplaced at IASWR in 2004-2005 returnedto IASWR as Program Associate inFebruary 2008.

IASWR FUNDERS: 2007–2008SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONSAssociation of Baccalaureate Social Work Program DirectorsCouncil on Social Work EducationGroup for the Advancement of Doctoral EducationNational Association of Deans and Directors of Schools ofSocial WorkNational Association of Social WorkersSociety for Social Work and ResearchIASWR FUNDERS 2007–2008Casey Family ProgramsDanya, InternationalNational Association of Social WorkersNational Institutes of HealthOffice of Behavioral and Social Sciences ResearchNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNational Institute of Mental HealthU.S. Children’s BureauINDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORSLeslie AlexanderJeane AnastasDawn Hall ApgarBarbara BerkmanMercedes Bern-KlugEllen BogolubKatharine Briar-LawsonKatherine ByersBetsy ClarkPaul ClarkSarah CraunDanya InternationalRene’ DrummMalitta EngstromJoy ErnstTrudy FestingerJerry FlanzerLeon GinsbergKaren HopkinsShirley JonesKatherine KendallWynne Korr & Donald BrielandJudy LeeWilliam MeezanRichard MillsteinAnn Nichols-CaseboltKristen NyropRino PattiWilma Peebles-WilkinsAaron and Lee Ann RobbSteven RoseSharon SametJ. Linda SamuelMona C.S. SchatzCudore SnellPhyllis SolomonJoni Esser-Stuart and Paul StuartPeter VaughanLynn VidekaDale C. WeaverJoan Levy ZlotnikInstitute for the Advancement of Social Work Research11

IASWR Board of Directors 2007–2008OfficersPresident - Ann Nichols-Casebolt, Virginia CommonwealthUniversityVice President - Bill Meezan, Ohio State UniversitySecretary/Treasurer - Jeane Anastas, New York UniversityAt-LargeLorraine Gutierrez, University of MichiganLinda Moore, Texas Christian UniversityPeter Vaughan, Fordham UniversityOrganizational RepresentativesBPD - Freddie Avant, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityCSWE - Julia Watkins, CSWE Executive DirectorGADE - Paul Stuart, Florida International UniversityNADD - Katharine Briar-Lawson, University at AlbanyNASW - Betsy Clark, NASW Executive Director &Dawn Hall Apgar, Marywood UniversitySSWR - Waldo Johnson, University of Chicago(ending February 2008); Flavio Marsiglia, ArizonaState University (beginning February 2008)StaffJoan Levy Zlotnik, PhD, ACSWExecutive Directorjlziaswr@naswdc.org202.336.8393Barbara E. Solt, PhD, LICSW (through March 2008)Senior Program AssociateRebecca Toni Hjelm, MSW (beginning February 2008)Program Associaterhjelm@naswdc.org202.336.8306Brenda BustosAdministrative Coordinatoriaswr@naswdc.org202.336.8385InternsSummer 2007Chasity Wells-Armstrong, BSW, Governors State University,BPD Summer Policy FellowAlexandra Federer, Texas Christian UniversitySpring 2008Tracy Connor, JD, George Mason University, MSW Intern12 2007 – 2008 Annual Report

IASWR SUPPORTINGSCHOOLS: 2007–2008EMERALD - $2,500-$4,999Fordham UniversityOhio State UniversityRutgers, The State University ofNew JerseyUniversity of Maryland, BaltimoreUniversity of MichiganUniversity at Buffalo, State Universityof New YorkPLATINUM - $1,500-$2,499Columbia UniversityUniversity at Albany, State Universityof New YorkUniversity of DenverUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Southern CaliforniaWashington University in St. LouisWayne State UniversityGOLD - $1,000-$1,499Boston UniversitySyracuse UniversityUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of Illinois,Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of TennesseeUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeYeshiva UniversitySILVER - $500-$999Adelphi UniversityBaylor UniversityBoston CollegeCase Western Reserve UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorgia State UniversityHunter CollegeNew York UniversitySmith CollegeSouthern Connecticut State UniversitySouthern Illinois University, CarbondaleUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of HoustonUniversity of KansasUniversity of LouisvilleUniversity of Minnesota, Twin CitiesUniversity of North Carolina atChapel HillUniversity of South CarolinaUniversity of TorontoUniversity of UtahUniversity of WashingtonCOPPER - $250-$499Arizona State UniversityHood CollegeMichigan State UniversityPortland State UniversitySaint Louis UniversityUniversity of IowaUniversity of Missouri, ColumbiaUniversity of Missouri, St. LouisUniversity of Texas at AustinBRONZE - $100-$249Boise State UniversityCalifornia State University, FresnoCalifornia State University, NorthridgeCalifornia State University,San BernardinoDominican UniversityEdinboro University of PennsylvaniaFlorida Atlantic UniversityMonmouth UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversitySalem State CollegeSpringfield CollegeBinghamton University, StateUniversity of NYStephen F. Austin State UniversityTexas Christian UniversityUniversity of VermontUniversity of Wisconsin, MadisonVirginia Commonwealth UniversityWartburg CollegeWest Chester University ofPennsylvaniaWidener University

ABOUT IASWRIASWR is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization based inWashington, DC, founded in 1993. IASWR’s mission is toenhance the knowledge development of the social workprofession by developing research capacity, enhancing thetranslation of research to practice and policy, and representingthe interests of the profession in the national scientificcommunity.For more information, contact:Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research750 First Street, NE, Suite 700Washington, DC 20002-4241202.336.8385 (main telephone)202.336.8351 (Fax)iaswr@naswdc.orgwww.iaswresearch.orgInstitute for the Advancement of Social Work Research13

RESEARCHPRACTICEIASWREDUCATIONPOLICYInstitute for the Advancement ofSocial Work Research750 First Street NE, Suite 700Washington, DC 20002-4241202.336.8385202.336.8351 (FAX)iaswr@naswdc.orgwww.iaswresearch.org