In the News

Addiction is a massive problem in the United States. It can affect any family, regardless of their status or income level. Underserved groups carry most of the addiction burden due to the low availability of help and resources. Telehealth is helping to change that. Meredith “Mer” W. Francis, MSW, PhD, assistant professor at the VCU […]

While the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) is one of the largest companies operating in the autism space, its bankruptcy shouldn’t be used as a bellwether for autism therapy’s future outlook. Matt Bogenschutz, associate professor at the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University, told BHB that the growing autism rate, advances […]

Understanding the positive ways that working longer can impact your health and your bank account is key to gaining perspective on our evolving work landscape. Denise Burnette, Ph.D., Samuel S. Wurtzel Endowed Faculty Chair in Social Work, Ph.D. Program Director and Professor in the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University, says delaying retirement […]

For those in helping professions like social work in order to build sustainable habits, you need to be able to connect with your best self even when nothing is going right. Rebecca Gomez, PhD, LCSW, is the interim dean and an associate professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. Gomez discusses in […]

Experiencing hunger at any time of year is difficult and scary, but it can be especially challenging during the holiday season when on-campus dining options are limited or closed entirely. This article provides tips on how to help students this holiday season. Youngmi Kim, Ph.D., an associate professor at the VCU School of Social Work, […]

In September, the Biden administration hosted the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in 50 years with the goal to completely eliminate food insecurity by 2030. Food insecurity has been tied to poor physical health, focus, and mental well-being. Youngmi Kim, Ph.D., VCU School of Social Work associate professor, has studied and […]

Social affirmation is important, especially for children who have begun to realize that their identity does not match the gender they were assigned at birth. Although it is not technically medical care, social affirmation is an important part of providing gender-affirming care. Maurice Gattis, Ph.D., an associate professor in the School of Social Work and […]

The importance of appropriate pronouns is something that is becoming more widely acknowledged, but not everyone may realize that chosen names matter just as much. They matter, moreover, not just for the transgender and nonbinary communities but also for people in a variety of situations for whom a legal name or birth name may not […]

An uptick in coverage of mass shootings has caused some to have crippling day-to-day anxiety. Hyojin Im, Ph.D., an associate professor in the online master of social work program at Virginia Commonwealth University explains how repeated trauma impacts the body’s ability to accurately assess danger and cope with stress. Check out this article to read […]

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, and you can’t discuss mental health without discussing the LGBTQ community. That’s because mental health is an LGBTQ issue. The LGBTQ community faces disproportionate risk of negative mental health outcomes like depression, anxiety, and suicide. These risks are especially pertinent among LGBTQ children. According to a 2022 survey from […]