School of Social Work Archives | �鶹ԭ�� News

�鶹ԭ�� Research to Help Inform Statewide Efforts to Stop Domestic Violence and Improve Care for Survivors

Eddy Duryea ’13 — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:08:58 +0000

Florida is turning to �鶹ԭ�� experts to find better ways to prevent domestic violence and give survivors a stronger voice in the services they need.

Through a $257,384 two-year grant from the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, faculty from �鶹ԭ��’s Violence Against Women research cluster are conducting a statewide domestic violence needs assessment. Their findings will help policymakers and local agencies develop better strategies to fund and support domestic violence prevention programs that empower survivors.

“The collective goal of our work is to give people working in these programs and people using these services a voice,” says Bethany Backes, associate professor of social work at , who leads the Violence Against Women cluster and is the project’s principal investigator. “Having research that practitioners can understand and interpret in a way that’s helpful is important to us. “What we’re creating now is hopefully something that can be used for years to come.”

The World’s Women

Violence against women is a global issue. According to UN Women, nearly one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. In 2024, around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members.

“We’re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.” — Kim Anderson, Professor of Social Work

�鶹ԭ��’s faculty cluster — working across the disciplines of education, social work, criminal justice, sociology and medicine — was created a decade ago to change these outcomes. “We know how complex this social problem is,” says Kim Anderson, a professor of social work and cluster member. “We’re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.”

Informing Florida’s Strategy

The researchers have already identified some key needs for the state to examine.

“For example, we’re seeing people facing abuse who are having to spend more on food or other necessities as they navigate shifts in funding for certain assistance programs,” Backes says. “What we’re also seeing is the effect of population booms, and how rapid growth and rapid decline in some areas affects the need for services.”

Several of the members of �鶹ԭ��’s interdisciplinary Violence Against Women Faculty Cluster: Karina Villalba (top left), Bethany Backes, Alison Cares (bottom left) and Kim Anderson (bottom right)

The researchers are analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Florida’s Departments of Law Enforcement and Children and Families and are surveying organizations that provide domestic violence services. They are interviewing survivors who sought services and those who didn’t to understand access to care and risk factors.

Creating opportunities where more people feel comfortable sharing their domestic violence experiences is cluster member Karina Villalba’s expertise.

“My focus is on intimate partner violence, specifically within the Hispanic community,” says Villalba, an assistant professor in the ’s Population Health Sciences Division. “There are certain beliefs, like the concept of ‘machismo’, that may give an avenue for some men to pursue this kind of violence. Because it can be part of the cultural acceptance, it might not even be seen as violence by the survivors.”

She hopes efforts to prevent domestic violence in the U.S. will have impact globally.

“You’re seeing a ripple effect in countries in Latin America where people are becoming more aware,” Villalba says. “It helps us keep pushing forward with our work so we cannot just be a beacon here in Florida and the United States, but to show the world what we can do.”

Keys to Preventing Violence

Preventing domestic violence means identifying early warning signs and behaviors and providing services to lower the risk of continuing violence, Backes says.

Domestic violence is “not always physical and it’s not just seeing someone with a black eye,” she says. “Physical violence can happen after there’s been psychological abuse such as coercion, controlling, isolation or stalking.”

Cluster member Alison Cares, associate professor of sociology at , says preventing domestic abuse involves changing misconceptions.

“There’s this expectation of how abusers or survivors look. It’s easy to think the people doing this abuse look like monsters,” she says. “But the reality is these are people we know. They can be friends or family members or people we work with.”

The researchers say they are encouraged by the resilience of the survivors and service providers they have met.

“We see incredible bravery of people who talk to a support person,” Anderson says. “We’re hoping that information we get from this assessment can elevate the voices of staff and survivors.”

Orlando’s New Poet Laureate, �鶹ԭ�� Alumna Finds Healing Through Words

Camille Dolan ’98 — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:02:44 +0000

When Orlando poet laureate Camara Gaither ’23MSW steps up to a microphone, her presence is both grounded and electric. She doesn’t just perform poetry — she opens a space for healing.

“Poetry gives us permission to feel without judgment,” she says. “And when we share those feelings out loud, we remember that we’re not alone.”

As a mental health therapist at Heart Bonds Counseling, working toward becoming a licensed social worker, Gaither has built her life around helping people find their voice. Whether she’s guiding veterans through trauma, leading poetry workshops for youth or performing for packed audiences, her message is the same: words can transform pain into power.

“Poetry gives us a place to put pain,” says Gaither, who earned a master’s in social work from �鶹ԭ��. “It’s an accessible way to approach emotions that feel too threatening to face directly.”

A Call for Change

Before she ever found the courage to share her poetry publicly, Gaither was navigating a season of change. Seven years ago, she and her husband moved to Orlando with their infant daughter, drawn by opportunity and the promise of new beginnings. Gaither had worked in the nonprofit sector for several years but felt called to something deeper — something that could merge advocacy, creativity and care.

When the pandemic arrived, that call grew louder.

“I realized I couldn’t keep waiting for the perfect time to go back to school,” she says. “The world was changing — and so was I.”

She applied to �鶹ԭ��’s social work program in the College of Health Professions and Sciences, drawn by its emphasis on evidence-based practice and serving others. The program offered her flexibility to balance graduate studies with motherhood and work, and it challenged her to explore the intersections between mental health, identity and storytelling.

A Transformative Journey

During her field placement at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gaither worked closely with veterans processing trauma and loss. There, she saw the power of creative expression in action.

“When we create a metaphor for something painful, we give ourselves a little space from it — enough to begin understanding,” she says. “A veteran once described grief as ‘my neighbor.’ That line stuck with me. It gave him language for something that felt impossible to name.”

Camara Gaither ’23MSW now uses her training to lead workshops that help trauma survivors, caregivers and young people reclaim their narratives.

That moment became a turning point. Gaither began studying poetry therapy, a clinical practice that uses creative writing to foster emotional healing. She later trained through the International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy and now facilitates workshops that help trauma survivors, caregivers and young people reclaim their narratives.

“People who have been silenced in different ways often rediscover their agency through language,” Gaither says. “Poetry becomes a form of resistance and restoration.”

Her dual background in art and social work allows her to see poetry as both medicine and a mirror. In her therapeutic work, she encourages clients to explore their experiences through metaphor and rhythm. In her performances, she models that same courage, voicing joy, grief and transformation in equal measure.

“The holes in our lives — the losses, the wounds — they can be filled with good things,” she says. “That’s what poetry has done for me.”

Gaither’s own journey with spoken word began as an undergraduate student in Tampa, where she first encountered the art form that would later shape her identity. She had been writing poetry since childhood, but the first time she experienced the spoken word genre was pivotal to her journey as a poet.

“It was the first time I saw poetry embodied,” she says. “The way performers used not only words, but also vocal cadence and physicality to tell a story — it all expanded what I believed poetry could be. I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that.’”

After graduation, she continued writing and performing, eventually becoming a fixture in Orlando’s poetry community. Her work, known for its emotional depth and precise rhythm, explores themes of identity, mental health and faith. She has performed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and at events across Central Florida, earning recognition as one of the region’s most resonant and thoughtful voices.

Strengthening Orlando’s Community

In 2025, the City of Orlando named Gaither its third poet laureate — and the third consecutive �鶹ԭ�� alumni to hold the title ( and Shawn Welcome ’17 ’25MA in 2021. In this role, Gaither will use poetry to connect communities, celebrate culture and promote literacy across the city. She plans to create youth workshops, write commissioned works for civic events, and lead Orlando’s Words and Wonders poetry contest, where winning poems are displayed at the Orlando International Airport.

“Being poet laureate isn’t just about performing, it’s about service — showing people that poetry belongs to everyone.”

Despite the growing spotlight, Gaither remains grounded in her purpose as both a clinician and an artist. She continues to work in mental health, blending her clinical training with creative approaches to trauma recovery. She says she believes that healing often begins with expression — with finding a way to say what has long gone unsaid.

“When someone writes, I’m angry, that’s a start,” she says. “But when they write, my anger is a storm that doesn’t know where to land, suddenly, we have something to hold and understand. That’s the power of poetry.”

For Gaither, every poem is an act of courage and an invitation to connection. It’s a truth she carries from her �鶹ԭ�� days to every stage she stands on: that the human voice, when used with honesty and empathy, can help others heal.

Social Work Researchers to Study How Animal Robots Can Help Older Adults

Grayson Keglovic — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 13:30:39 +0000

Can a cuddly robot modeled after a baby harp seal help ease anxiety, stress and loneliness in older adults with dementia? Associate Professor Susanny Beltran and Professor Kim Gryglewicz, co-directors of the School of Social Work’s , have been awarded seed funding from the College of Health Professions and Sciences (CHPS) to find out.

The funding will be used in a study to advance the evidence base for non-pharmacological interventions in memory care settings, with the goal of finding effective ways to support mental health and wellness in older adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment.

Robots for Connection

Beltran and Gryglewicz are evaluating the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of the PARO therapeutic robot — in this case, a soft, fluffy baby harp seal — to improve mood, behavior and social interactions. While studies have shown that non-pharmacological interventions, like pet therapy, have positive effects, access to animals in healthcare settings is limited due to allergies, hygiene and cost. Therapeutic robots could replicate the benefits of pet therapy without those limitations.

Sully the Seal is equipped with voice and tone recognition, heart rate monitoring, and light and touch sensors. Its behaviors are designed to spark nurturing responses that can boost well-being. (Photo by Grayson Keglovic)

CHPS obtained its first PARO robot, nicknamed Sully the Seal, in 2023.

Social work faculty have already used Sully to support domestic violence victims during debriefing sessions and to provide companionship and interactive stimulation for neurodiverse adults. Beltran, a former nursing home social worker specializing in end-of-life care, saw an opportunity to bring Sully to older adults in long-term care settings to improve social engagement, foster connection and reduce loneliness.

The PARO robot is already in use in over 30 countries, including in hospitals, long-term care and behavioral health settings. The FDA recognizes it as a Class II medical device. Clinical studies have shown that the robot reduces cortisol levels and improves mood. Equipped with voice and vocal tone recognition, heart rate monitoring, and light and touch sensors, its behaviors are designed to elicit nurturing responses from users, which have been associated with physiological and psychological benefits.

CHPS will acquire a second PARO robotic seal for use in the study.

“Many older adults in long-term care have few opportunities for consistent, meaningful connections,” Beltran says. “Social engagement robots like PARO offer a simple way to create moments of interaction in settings where social connection doesn’t always happen naturally.”

An Alternative Method of Care

Memory care settings often heavily rely on medication to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Still, these approaches can have limited effectiveness, carry side effects and may not be appropriate for all residents. Beltran and Gryglewicz’s research will address critical gaps in research by developing and testing a structured intervention that combines guided group sessions and one-on-one interactions using PARO robots.

“Our intervention is not only innovative but also offers therapeutic benefits for enhancing the quality of life for residents,” Gryglewicz says.

Human-animal bonds are linked to healthy aging and an improved quality of life, including decreased blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, feelings of loneliness, anxiety and symptoms of PTSD, according to the American Humane Society. Yet many older adults in memory care are unable to manage the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Robotic companions like PARO may be an alternative to a “living” house pet, with the ability to “sense” its environment and provide comfort to human companions.

How the Study Will Be Conducted

The �鶹ԭ�� study will take place at two Central Florida memory care facilities, where 50 older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia will participate in both group and individual sessions with the robotic seals.

Master’s in social work students will lead group sessions, guiding participants through nurturing interactions, such as petting and talking to PARO. Nursing staff at the memory care facilities will help track behavioral and emotional responses before, during and after the sessions.

“For residents who may struggle with verbal communication, Sully can become a shared point of engagement, triggering smiles, memories or moments of interaction that might not otherwise occur,” Beltran says.

A Surprising Showcase

This past summer, Beltran showcased Sully at Orlando Health’s Second Annual Mental Health Conference, where she shared her experience using the robotic seal to enhance clinical impact. Social work professionals from around the state were able to experience Sully’s nurturing mannerisms in real time.

As Beltran presented, conference attendees heard soft squeals and subtle movements from a table in the back corner of the room. It was Sully, ready for attention before the seal was even introduced to the stage.

Sully purred as he was passed around from attendee to attendee, whining when he wasn’t petted.

“When I first introduce Sully, many social work practitioners expect that clients won’t connect with it or are skeptical that a robotic animal could be meaningful,” Beltran says. “The feedback I hear most often is surprise at how quickly Sully sparks real warmth, comfort and engagement.”

Future Efforts

Looking ahead, Beltran and Gryglewicz plan to expand the college’s robotic “zoo” within the next year to include other robotic animals like cats, dogs and birds.

“The goal of our research is to facilitate meaningful connections with these robotic companions, enhancing socialization and emotional well-being for individuals with limited social interactions and capabilities,” Gryglewicz says. “We plan to scale this intervention for widespread dissemination in healthcare settings in the future.”

7 �鶹ԭ�� Health Professions Faculty Inducted to National Academies of Practice

Grayson Keglovic — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:31:33 +0000

Seven accomplished leaders, educators and researchers in the College of Health Professions and Sciences (CHPS) have been inducted as Distinguished Fellows in the National Academies of Practice (NAP). The prestigious distinction is awarded to scholars who have excelled in their field while demonstrating dedication to the advancement of interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice and policy in support of interprofessional care.

The inductees and their respective academies are: Interim Dean Matthew Theriot (Social Work), Associate Dean of Research Jennifer Kent-Walsh (Speech-Language Pathology), Department of Health Sciences Chair Gail Kauwell (Nutrition and Dietetics), Director for the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders Ann Eddins (Audiology), Associate Professor Nicole Dawson (Physical Therapy), Clinical Associate Professor Carey Rothschild (Physical Therapy) and Assistant Professor Susanny Beltran (Social Work). The honors were bestowed at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 15.

Prior to his appointment as interim dean, Theriot served as the director of the School of Social Work where he implemented a professional and community education program, grew interprofessional research opportunities, and elevated the school’s graduate rankings. As the interim dean, he provides leadership to the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Health Sciences, the School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the School of Social Work. Theriot’s career includes more than two decades of higher education teaching and research coupled with years of executive leadership roles centered around implementing strategic initiatives. He previously worked as a school social worker, mobile crisis counselor and child welfare worker. Theriot is active in professional service on a national level, chairing the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Membership and Professional Development.

Kent-Walsh is a Pegasus Professor and the associate dean of research and faculty excellence within CHPS, the director of the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology Center and leads the Assistive Technology Center Lab. Kent-Walsh has earned more than two dozen awards and accolades for excellence in teaching, service, research and innovation during her more than 20-year career in higher education and has worked extensively in interdisciplinary teaching and clinical roles. A highly accomplished researcher, she has secured millions in funding to further her research which focuses on aided language development and augmentative and alternative communication, has presented her work extensively nationally and internationally, and has led a variety of initiatives in the college to advance interdisciplinary research and practice.

An experienced educator, researcher and registered dietician nutritionist with more than four decades of experience in academia focused on nutrition and dietetics education and practice, Kauwell has served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Sciences for the last six years. Her mentoring skills and passion for educating future healthcare professionals have been recognized with multiple awards for teaching and mentoring excellence. Her research record, which focuses on folate and vitamin B12, has been published in top-ranked journals with findings translated into materials for healthcare professionals and consumers. Kauwell most recently spearheaded the development of the department’s first graduate program, the master’s in health promotion and behavioral sciences.

Eddins, a professor and the director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, has more than 30 years of academic and leadership experience in the field. She is a clinical audiologist and classically trained neuroscientist who has centered her clinical and research interests on neural encoding, neural plasticity aging and rehabilitative intervention — working to better understand the neural bases of auditory perception in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired individuals. Her research has been continuously funded by the NIH, NSF, private industry and foundations. Eddins is also a leader on a national level, serving as past President of the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences & Disorders and on the Board of Directors and journal editor for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Dawson has been involved with interprofessional education, practice and research throughout her 22-year career. An associate professor in the Division of Physical Therapy and director of the Aging and Longevity Initiatives for Vitality & Enrichment Lab, Dawson’s clinical work and research has centered around healthy aging and improving the quality of life for seniors. She is a Board Certified Geriatric Physical Therapist Emeritus who has been recognized by both the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy and the American Physical Therapy Association for her outstanding work as an educator. She holds an appointment with �鶹ԭ��’s Faculty Cluster Initiative in Disability, Aging and Technology, an interdisciplinary collaboration that explores innovations to better support aging populations.

A clinical associate professor in the Division of Physical Therapy, Rothschild is a board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a Menopause Society certified practitioner. Her areas of interest are determining best practices for the assessment and treatment of persistent pain to improve the health of patients. Rothschild has more than 25 years of clinical practice experience, collaborating with interprofessional and intraprofessional teams to deliver cost-effective, collaborative and patient-centered care to those with chronic pain. She has been recognized nationally for her teaching excellence, and recently helped lead the implementation of a new Women’s Health Physical Therapy Residency program in conjunction with Orlando Health. She also serves as editor in chief of the prominent publication Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Practice.

Beltran, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work and a co-director of the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training is committed to fostering interdisciplinary education and research in social change and development. Her expertise is in gerontological social work and her research concentrates on end-of-life care, advance care planning and challenges that may come with working in hospice and nursing home settings. Beltran aims to enhance collaborative practice in the care of older adults and improve access and navigation of end-of-life care for older adults while preparing social workers for effective practice in interdisciplinary settings.

The NAP Academies also include dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, psychology, respiratory care and veterinary medicine.

These faculty members join four CHPS faculty previously inducted into the NAP. In 2023, ��Ի��, and in 2024, Clinical Associate Professors Laurie Neely and Jennifer Tucker ’23 were inducted in physical therapy.

Forging a Path for New Generations

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:08:20 +0000

Elizabeth Grauer ’24 is an amalgamation of many things based on her various life experiences. She’s a first-generation graduate, who earned a bachelor’s in social work and will complete a master’s in social work in the spring of next year. She’s also an alum of �鶹ԭ��’s TRiO Project Building Exemplary Scholars for Tomorrow (BEST) Program, which is a federally funded program that aims to bolster college retention and graduation rates.

Elizabeth Grauer ’24, earned a bachelor’s in social work and is now working on her master’s, with the goal of a doctorate in the future.

Most importantly, however, is Grauer becoming the person she says she felt she needed growing up in a household of domestic violence and with parents who were incarcerated. Through education — which she says has always been a haven — and her future career as a school social worker, she’s looking to give back to her family and others in similar situations.

“Having a household where there was so much violence and all those things that we as children endured, it made it really hard to say, ‘I wish there was something who could come and help us, who would protect me, my brother and my older sisters,’ ” she says.

Throughout her childhood, Grauer, her two older sisters and younger brother moved around, living with her grandmother for a time as her father was incarcerated and her mother wasn’t around. For a period, Grauer and her family were even homeless, with food insecurity being an issue. She says school allowed her to work toward financial freedom from her father and turn a negative situation positive. It also helped her discover her career path of social work.

In high school, Grauer maintained good grades, leading to multiple scholarships and grants, such as the George Snow Scholarship, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and Florida Pell Grant. When deciding where to attend college, she chose �鶹ԭ�� because of the proximity to her family — namely, her little brother — in West Palm Beach, Florida.

“I wanted to give myself the freedom to be far away enough where I could learn to take care of myself, but close enough that if he ever needed anything, I’d be able to go back and help him,” Grauer says.

Two undergraduate classes at �鶹ԭ�� have impacted Grauer personally and professionally, she says. A Student Success class helped her throughout her college experience, teaching things such as better study techniques as a person diagnosed with ADHD. Grauer’s Culture Competence course taught her about different cultural backgrounds, which is critical in the social work field.

Grauer has also been impacted through her field experience through internships. Last year, she interned at Aloma Charter High School (ACHS), an institution that helps students at risk of not graduating earn a high school diploma. At ACHS, Grauer was able to promote the importance of various education options, such as college or trade school, to 300 students. With a diverse group of students who spoke different languages, she converted class documents in Japanese, Spanish and Creole to ensure they and their parents understood the curriculum. Grauer also conducted an art therapy class, which allowed her to connect with students in a different way.

As a graduate student, Grauer currently interns at Park Maitland School, which has students from preschool to sixth grade. During her internship, Grauer works with teachers, principals and other mental health staff to discuss how to help children succeed to the best of their ability. Through her work, she has learned about the restoration process of social work and the importance of the child’s environment. Grauer says studies have shown that children kept in their homes — as long as they aren’t in danger — are less likely to develop mental health concerns such as anxiety.

During her undergraduate studies, Grauer’s time in �鶹ԭ��’s TRiO program allowed her to continue to make a difference in the community. She worked with the program to promote three to four workshops every semester about budgets, personal spending and scholarships to help students develop financial literacy. One of the workshops was a savings meeting on applying the 50/30/20 rule, with 50% of income being for bills and needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings.

Grauer has also contributed to the campus and local community through her work with Black student organizations. As Miss 1969, the community service director for �鶹ԭ��’s Black Student Union for 2022-23 school year, food insecurity was part of her platform, so Grauer worked with TRIO also gave out free Chick-fil-A gift cards as part of the workshops. As a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Grauer collaborated with cosmetic company Mary Kay to create 30 “So Strong” bags, which contain new skincare and makeup for women in homeless shelters. The sorority raise $300 to create the bags.

“The purpose of the [Mary Kay] project was to make sure that women and children were feeling beautiful inside and out,” Grauer says. “When my siblings and I were in the shelter, you just don’t feel nice and you don’t really feel like supported, so I really wanted to make sure that I brought that to the Orlando community.”

After getting her master’s, Grauer plans to pursue a doctorate in social work, allowing her to supervise others and support staff in learning. She also plans to put her efforts into workshops to teach more about domestic violence as a survivor and open a nonprofit for people who have suffered abuse like her.

While Grauer is focused on the next goal on her list, she often looks at a tattoo she has that says, “One step at a time,” as a reminder of the process emerging from a difficult childhood and into the academic and career accomplishments she has enjoyed. The phrase is also Grauer’s advice for anyone trying to emerge from a similar life she grew up in.

“It only takes one application for you to get into a school or it only takes one essay for you to get that grade that makes the difference between an A or B,” she says. “It’s really those first couple things that you have to do to set yourself up for success.”

Two Sisters, One Journey

Stella Canfield — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:00:04 +0000

Physical therapy doctoral student Gabrielle “Gabie” Owens ’23 and junior social work student Zoe Owens are often spotted together on the �鶹ԭ�� campus where they take classes in the same building, work out at the Recreation and Wellness Center, and are both enrolled in the College of Health Professions and Sciences. The sisters, just two years apart in age, are close friends. But they’re also bonded by an unexpected and traumatic medical event that has shaped their aspirations for careers helping others with their physical and mental well-being.

Growing up, Gabie and Zoe were typical sisters – riding bikes, baking and going on picnics together. They shared everything with each other, including their dreams for the future. Gabie saw herself becoming a marine biologist, and Zoe saw herself following in her parents’ footsteps and becoming a nurse.

Young Zoe (left) and Gabby ’23 Owens (right)

But their paths began to change when Zoe was 14 years old and started to experience severe headaches and nausea. With no known cause, her symptoms persisted for a little over a year until April 2017, when she had a minutelong, unexpected seizure.

“I called 911, and the ambulance came right away to pick Zoe up with my mom to go to Seattle’s Children’s Hospital,” said Gabie. “Everyone was very frazzled. We didn’t know what was going on.”

Zoe had another seizure the next day at the hospital. This one, considerably longer than the first, was 10 minutes long. She received an MRI shortly after the seizure ended, and doctors found a benign brain tumor the size of a golf ball at the base of Zoe’s brain stem. It was pilocytic astrocytoma, a low-grade, central nervous system tumor that occurs most commonly in children and young adults.

Following the discovery, Zoe went straight into surgery to remove the mass. Post-surgery, she entered a monthlong coma.

“She was just in the hospital bed, not able to move a finger or her toes,” said Gabie. “She couldn’t stick out her tongue or even blink.”

Waking Up

When Zoe woke up, she began to experience the onset of posterior fossa syndrome – a condition that causes speech impediments, difficulties in muscle control and coordination, and mood changes. The condition impaired Zoe’s everyday functions.

Gabby ’23 (left) and Zoe Owens (right)

Following the surgery, Zoe was unable to speak for six months.

She began a multitude of rehabilitative therapies, including speech, physical, occupational and vestibular therapy, to help restore her functions to their previous capabilities.

“She had to learn how to do everything again,” said Gabie. “She had to learn how to eat, how to talk, how to walk, how to balance – all over again.”

“I don’t remember much after the surgery,” says Zoe. “But I remember how much my family was supportive of me during that time.”

Almost every day after school, Gabie began accompanying Zoe to her therapy appointments, something she would continue to do in the years that followed.

“I really had to narrow down what was most important in my life, and it was a no-brainer,” says Gabie. “I wanted to be right by her side, holding her hand through it all.”

After years of accompanying her sister to therapies, Gabie began to realize her increasing interest and fascination for one – physical therapy.

“I was able to see Zoe take her first steps again and that sparked some interest in me,” says Gabie. “I loved how they not only were patient with Zoe, but they also reminded her that she could do it with the right mindset and determination. I knew right then that’s what I wanted to do.”

Looking Forward

Zoe would miss a year of high school following her surgery, but with the aid of her parents and a paraprofessional, she returned to complete her classes. She was active in student government, serving as the secretary. Never far away, Gabie served as their high school’s executive president.

After graduation, Gabie enrolled at �鶹ԭ��, completing her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in Spring 2023 and enrolling in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program that summer. Zoe obtained her associate degree at Valencia College and then transferred through DirectConnect to �鶹ԭ��, where she now studies social work.

Zoe, who still experiences challenges with speech and balance, served as a guest speaker in Gabie’s Patient Care Skills class, sharing more about her recovery and demonstrating the assistive devices she uses to maintain her independence. She uses a wheelchair for mobility and a quad cane to assist with her balance. Zoe has chosen a new path to help fulfill her dreams of helping others; she has decided to become a pediatric social worker to help children who have had similar experiences.

“I feel as though I still have the opportunity to help people,” says Zoe. “My dream job is to work in a pediatric department, specifically in pediatric neurology, to help children emotionally with what they’re going through.”

“In social work, you’re helping people with the emotional aspect, instead of the physical, and that sometimes is most important because without a good mindset or perspective then we probably won’t get anything done,” says Zoe. “You can have the best OT, PT or doctor, but if your mind isn’t willing then you won’t really get through.”

Defying Limits

Beyond serving as professional inspirations to one another, Gabie and Zoe have encouraged each other’s personal growth as well. The two are finding ways to push their limits and test themselves physically. They’re looking to conquer Spartan races – competitions in which athletes run long distances as well as take on obstacles that require them to scale walls, crawl under barbed wire, and traverse monkey bars.

The Owens family during a Spartan Race.

In December, Gabie and Zoe spent their winter break completing a Spartan, which consisted of 20 obstacles over a 5K course through terrain covered in heavy mud. After completing a Spartan before with her father, Gabie wanted to do one again. This time though, the race would include the entire family.

“Almost a whole year ago, Zoe was like, ‘I want to do one,’” said Gabie. “I was like, ‘Okay, let’s do it. Let’s train for it.’”

Zoe, who was a track and field athlete before the brain tumor, had begun weightlifting to help with her physical recovery. When the family signed up for the Spartan, the sisters began training regularly together.

Although Zoe was making strides in her physical and fitness goals, her balance was still a concern.

“I told her, ‘We’re going to focus on your balance and on getting you stronger,’” says Gabie.

Zoe didn’t use a wheelchair once during the race.

The only support she had was a gait belt around her waist while she held her father’s and Gabie’s hands. It took the Owens family five hours to complete the race.

More than just a race to test both sisters’ physical abilities, the Spartan allowed Zoe to showcase her progress after years of rehabilitative therapy.

The Owens family during a Spartan Race.

“The race was just another thing that I could do to show the improvement I’ve made,” said Zoe. “I was proud of myself because walking is not really in the cards for me.”

Their next goal is to gradually increase their race distances to complete a 10K and then a 21K.

Beyond the trials and tribulations, Gabie and Zoe have become an inspiration for one another. Not only have they inspired each other to pursue a career in which they can share their stories and help others, but they have also shown what it means to be sisters and best friends through faith, grace and strength.

“We’ve truly grown to push each other to be the best versions of ourselves,” said Gabie.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Julie Harper ’01 — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:39:28 +0000

Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the U.S. But it doesn’t have to be. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable.

However, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to prevention. According to the CDC, healthcare disparities, including geography, race and ethnicity and other social determinants of health, can limit some people’s chances to be healthy.

To improve the heart health for people living in low-income or rural communities where there is a higher prevalence of heart disease and higher death rates compared to people living in urban settings, healthcare workers need to “meet patients where they are at,” says , a global simulation expert and associate professor at the .

“For example, if I tell someone that they need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, but they are unable to go to the market and are eating in a soup kitchen, I’m not helping them improve their health,” she says.

That’s why she is part of a team of �鶹ԭ�� researchers leading a new two-year, nearly $500,000 project funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health, to do just that. They aim to educate the next generation of nurses, nurse practitioners and social workers to ultimately improve the heart health of individuals living in medically underserved communities.

“It’s getting back to the heart of the nursing profession,” Díaz says. “Nursing was founded on this concept of promoting human health for the individual in the setting they live in. For providers to do that, they need to practice health advocacy.”

And it’s not just nursing, says project member , an associate professor in the in the .

“Social work students are also taught the importance of meeting their clients and patients where they are,” says . “This ‘person in the environment perspective’ is important to help with better outcomes and build connection to the community.”

The team has developed and is implementing four “cases” using high-fidelity, or extremely realistic, simulation scenarios to foster inter- and intradisciplinary care within public health nursing to medically underserved communities with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Students work together in their respective healthcare roles to care for and promote public health to the patients in these cases, which range from a community blood pressure clinic to an acute care setting in an emergency room to a mental health assessment at a chronic health visit. The patients will vary, including all types of races and ethnicities depending upon risk factors and disparities.

To make these scenarios as realistic as possible, Díaz isn’t relying on the manikins typically associated with simulation learning. She’s using “standardized patients” — real people who are trained to portray the role of patients or family members in a consistent, standardized manner.

“This allows the learners to communicate with humans, and that human emotion and experience is really important,” she says.

Technology, though, still plays a role. There are blood pressure cuffs that can be simulated to alter the blood pressure and telehealth robots for undergraduate nursing students to consult with nurse practitioner students — a practice that is common in rural communities.

Collaboration across teams is key, Díaz says.

“Everyone on the healthcare team plays a part in promoting better health and reducing disparities,” she says.

Chapple agrees.

“When social workers, nurses and other healthcare professionals work together, they can combine their knowledge to focus on the patient care from various perspectives,” Chapple says.

Nursing students will learn and practice techniques in assessing a patient’s health literacy, and in communicating with patients from a different background or culture to best educate each individual patient and promote better health. The students will also demonstrate skills in acute recognition of a stroke, where a rapid response is critical to better outcomes.

Social work students will work with nursing students on resource utilization and how to best access resources in the community to improve public health. The social work graduate students will conduct a biopsychosocial assessment on the patient and gain an understanding of various social worker roles and skills needed in a healthcare setting.

The research seeks to establish and validate simulation scenarios to promote public health nursing with inter- and intradisciplinary education and expose students to public health nursing — a field where more nurses and providers are needed.

Whether the students pursue a career path in public health nursing or not, Díaz says that the education gained from the scenarios will apply in any field.

“Our goal is to create well-rounded healthcare providers,” Díaz says. “We all have to promote human health on all levels, no matter where we are.”

Volunteers Needed

�鶹ԭ��’s College of Nursing is always looking for more volunteers in the community to be standardized patients or embedded participants — role players in simulated scenarios like the ones listed here. If you’re interested in helping our students learn, please contact or .

Funding Details

Health Resources and Services Administration funding proposal #6 U4EHP46217‐01‐01. Total amount awarded: $495,679.

�鶹ԭ�� Class Spotlight: Macro Level Roles and Interventions in Social Work

�鶹ԭ�� School of Social Work — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:55:27 +0000

Class name

SOW4343: Macro Level Roles and Interventions in Social Work

Faculty
Susanny Beltran, an assistant professor in �鶹ԭ��’s

When is it offered?
Summer and fall

Prerequisites
SOW 3300 Practice I: Generalist Practice��Ի��SOW 3352 Practice II: Interpersonal Skills

From the Professor

There are 27.6 million victims worldwide at any given time. — U.S. Department of State

Why should a student take this class?
This class is all about action. The entire course centers around creating change at the macro level, whether it be at the organizational, community, or policy level. Students are often eager to get out in the “real world” and have an impact, especially after several semesters of learning to assess problems and apply theories to inform their practice. They get an opportunity to partner with a community group or organization and apply all the skills they’ve learned. This includes interpersonal skills, assessment skills and planning and implementing of interventions. They find it rewarding to see the impact their projects have.

What does the coursework entail?
This course has a service-learning designation and as such, a main component involves partnering with an agency to develop and implement a macro-level intervention to support their needs. Students have worked with mental health organizations, high school sports teams, and support groups, where they help to develop training programs, write grants, fundraise, and more.

“Students are often eager to get out in the ‘real world’ and have an impact, especially after several semesters of learning to assess problems and apply theories to inform their practice.” — Susanny Beltran, �鶹ԭ�� faculty

What role do social workers play in helping survivors of human trafficking?
Social workers are involved in supporting survivors of human trafficking in a variety of ways. They are often in the frontlines providing support for survivors interacting with systems such as healthcare and law enforcement. They are also involved in providing trauma-informed care, coordinating medical services, and helping survivors access resources to rebuild their lives. At a macro level, social workers work with populations to provide education, raise awareness and develop programming to both prevent human trafficking as well as build capacity for supporting survivors. More broadly, social workers are involved in policy help to impact the systems that contribute to human trafficking.

What do you hope students will learn?
I hope students learn the importance of engaging in the sanctioning process, regardless of the nature of their social work practice (micro, mezzo, macro). All social workers are called to engage in supporting and there are many big and small ways to make a difference.

From the Student

Daniel Tiongco, a senior studying social work

Why did you take this course?
We usually look at the micro side of social work — how does this impact the person? But in Dr. Beltran’s class we were able to study the macro part of social work, where we understand that the community and society have a lasting impact on the individual’s life. I was interested in seeing how social workers can impact an individual’s life on a broader scale.

What did you like most about the course?
Our service project where we donated backpacks with supplies to survivors of human trafficking helped me see how we can make a difference firsthand. When they receive a backpack and our support they have hope to start school again and start their life toward the person they want to be: a survivor.

“It’s surprising to learn how human trafficking doesn’t happen on a micro level, but it’s a community issue. I learned that Waterford Lakes is a prime location for human trafficking.” — Daniel Tiongco, �鶹ԭ�� student

What is the most interesting thing you learned?
It’s surprising to learn how human trafficking doesn’t happen on a micro level, but it’s a community issue. I learned that Waterford Lakes, (which is located near main campus) is a prime location for human trafficking. For example, there’s a residual effect of what we post on social media — our geotags specifically, can unknowingly make us vulnerable to traffickers. It’s closer to home than we think.

What was the most challenging aspect?
Our service project was completed as a group so coordinating everyone’s schedule may have been the most challenging aspect. Beyond that, understanding that as we learn, each social work student has their own application of the methods, so collaborating with everyone to meet the client’s needs was the most important.

How NFL Player Damar Hamlin Tackled the Odds: Health Experts Weigh In

Heather Lovett — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 15:33:14 +0000

When Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this month, his teammates, fans, and millions of supporters watched and waited anxiously as he was cared for on the field and spent several uncertain days in intensive care.

According to the CDC, approximately 2,000 people under the age of 25 die each year due to sudden cardiac arrest. Hamlin’s injury has renewed conversations across the country about the importance of having certified athletic trainers and defibrillators on hand as young athletes practice and compete.

A panel of medical and rehabilitation experts from the College of Health Professions and Sciences weigh in on what happened, what his physical and mental recovery could look like, and protecting the heart health of athletes.

It seems probable that Hamlin experienced what’s known as commotio cordis. What is this?
“Commotio cordis is a life-threatening medical event mostly occurring when young athletes (typically between the ages of 8 and 18) are struck in chest with a hard ball like a baseball or a hockey puck or receive a hard hit to the chest while playing a contact sport like football or soccer,” says Latifa Abdelli, a pathophysiology lecturer in the . “The sudden impact occurring at just the right time during a heartbeat triggers a sudden change in the electrical signals generated by heart cells causing the heart to suddenly stop beating.”

Are there ways athletes can minimize their risk?
It’s difficult to protect against this event occurring, experts say.

“Chest protectors and vests may reduce trauma from blunt bodily injury, but they will not provide protection from commotio cordis,” says Abdelli. “Athletes can be trained in techniques to avoid direct hits to the rib cage area. Using softer, more pliable balls for sports like baseball or lacrosse may reduce the seriousness of the impact.”

The bottom line: “Automated external defibrillator (AED) systems need to be present at any field where contact sports or sports that use pucks or hard balls are played. If possible, an athletic trainer should be present, but regardless, coaches and athletes must be taught how to recognize commotio cordis and how to perform CPR and use an AED when someone has a cardiac event,” says Abdelli.

What is the athletic trainer’s role on a professional football team, and how critical were the early actions of the medical professionals there that day?
The athletic trainer is the primary healthcare provider and coordinator of care for a professional football team and takes primary role in designing, practicing and initiating the emergency action plan, says Carlos Gual, associate lecturer in the . In an incident like this, “initiating CPR and using an AED within minutes is absolutely imperative for the cardiac chain of survival,” says Gual. “It’s the role of the athletic trainer to do the primary assessment, recognize the condition and its severity, and initiate the appropriate plan of care.”

What does physical fitness recovery look like for a professional athlete like Hamlin for this type of incident? Does an elite level of fitness contribute to a reduced recovery period?
“For elite professional athletes, their timeline for return will be most influenced by how long they have been held out,” says Kristen Schellhase, director of the athletic training program and assistant director of the . “Any athlete experiencing a medical condition like a cardiac arrest must progress through activities that increase cardiovascular exertion as part of a systematic and gradual plan.”

Even though an athlete like Hamlin would be “higher conditioned” before the incident, deconditioning happens very fast — in a matter of days — says Schellhase. And elite athletes are also expected to return to a higher performance level than a non-elite athlete.

“Hamlin will have a specific recovery protocol with rules or stage timelines that he’ll follow as part of his plan of care. He’ll have to be medically cleared before he can return to the field, but with the season nearly over, there’s no pressure for him to return quickly,” says Schellhase.

What are some of the priorities or specific regimens could his healthcare providers have in mind as they help him recover?
There’s no “one size fits all” for a recovery regimen, says Schellhase.

“You would not train a cross country runner the same way you would train a weightlifter — they emphasize different muscles, perform different sport skills and use different energy systems,” she says. “Even if you look at one specific sport like football, the activities emphasized for a receiver are very different than the activities emphasized for a lineman.”

Schellhase says a team of athletic trainers, physical therapists, and strength coaches will prescribe tailored activities for Hamlin that focus on the muscle groups, sport skills and his cardiovascular needs for his role as professional football safety.

Hamlin was placed in a medically induced coma and intubated for several days. What are some of the side effects a patient can experience from intubation?
Intubation effects and their severity can vary from patient to patient, say speech pathologists.

“With a tube in place, the patient is not able to speak, and the muscles used for swallowing are immobilized,” says Vicki Lewis, a speech-language pathologist and instructor in the . “Once the tube is removed, a patient can experience weakness, discomfort, hoarseness or coughing while swallowing saliva, food or liquids.”

Speech pathologists work with the medical team to examine a patient’s vocal folds and trachea for any resulting trauma.

“Some patients may experience edema (swelling of the throat), growths or ulcerations, reduced sensation, or muscle disuse atrophy following intubation,” says Lewis.

What are the most important factors for voice and swallowing recovery?
After intubation, a speech pathologist will evaluate a patient and can make a recommendation regarding the need for additional rehabilitative treatment, such as swallowing or speech therapy.

“These recommendations can be crucial to prevent aspiration pneumonia and the potential for the patient to be re-intubated and return to the ventilator,” says Todd Fix, an instructor and speech-language pathologist in communication sciences disorders.

“Recovery will vary and depends on the length of intubation as well as the patient’s age, overall general and respiratory health and other medical conditions,” says Fix. “Patient access to follow up care and patient motivation can also play into the recovery process.”

Why are mental health supports in situations like this so important for athletes and the sports community?
Robin Kohn, a senior instructor and bachelor’s of social work program director for the says providing services is crucial to the sports community because it demystifies the stigma about mental health by providing a safe environment for members of a team to voice their concerns and feelings and support their sense of emotional and physical safety.

“In an aggressive sport like football, asking for help and showing vulnerabilities is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness,” says Kohn. “There are overwhelming fears of being vulnerable and a fear of the unknown — that what happened to Hamlin, could happen to any athlete.”

“Hamlin actively communicating a sense of resilience, like when he asked if his team won after regaining consciousness or using Twitter to let his teammates know he was watching, helped with their emotional healing enough to return to play the following week,” she says.

After a traumatic experience like Hamlin’s, what role do social workers play in the recovery process for him and his teammates?
Licensed clinical social workers can assist players recognize their own emotions; realize the impact of the trauma; encourage stability and predictability; validate feelings; restore resilience and regain control of the situation.

“Hamlin and his teammates witnessed a traumatic, horrific event that can have a lasting effect on his and his team’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional and spiritual well-being,” says Kohn. “There are overwhelming fears of being vulnerable, a fear of the unknown and they could experience grief associated with what happened.”

“There will be a need for restoring or rebuilding,” says Kohn. “Seeing other football players injured in the future could be a trigger that reignites intrusive thoughts and emotions. A licensed clinical social worker can help with healing from this post-traumatic stress and by reinforcing the importance of having a positive support system (which they have), changing overwhelming thought patterns, encouraging open discussions of emotions and providing effective coping skills to handle any symptoms related to the traumatic event.”

�鶹ԭ�� Opens New Huntington’s Disease Multispecialty Clinic

Megan Pabian — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:20:16 +0000

A new clinic has opened at �鶹ԭ�� to best support Huntington’s disease (HD) patients and their families. The �鶹ԭ�� clinic and its sister site at the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute is designated as a partner site to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence at the University of South Florida. �鶹ԭ��’s clinic offers multidisciplinary care from �鶹ԭ�� College of Medicine neurologists, the �鶹ԭ�� School of Social Work, and rehabilitation professions from the �鶹ԭ�� College of Health Professions and Sciences. The �鶹ԭ�� clinic is now open and seeing patients in Research Park at 3280 Progress Drive, suite 500.

“Our clinic integrates clinical care with research opportunities and support groups that enhances how we best support patients and families affected by HD,” says Amber Southwell, a researcher from the College of Medicine who focuses on Huntington disease and is the clinic co-director. “This offers a more comprehensive approach to caring for those impacted by this disease and best connects patients to the rapidly changing field of science that is informing how to best target the root cause of the disease.”

To celebrate the launch of the new partnership clinic, a special educational event was hosted May 7 at the �鶹ԭ�� clinic site, which is inside the College of Health Professions and Sciences . The event brought together healthcare professionals, HD patients and their families to learn about the latest research, emerging therapies, care for individuals with HD in long-term care facilities and services for people with HD. A special hologram appearance was made by actress Kate Miner from Showtime’s Shameless to talk about her family’s experience with HD.

Southwell says having an involved patient and family community helps providers and researchers to better meet patients’ needs and offers a much-needed support network.

To date, research has shown the benefits of integration of things like neurologic physical therapy and assistive technology, such as speech generating devices and adaptive equipment for mobility and activities of daily living. The new clinic integrates neurologists, psychologists, speech language pathologists, physical therapists, social workers, and researchers to provide comprehensive care to patients and their caregivers, and to help answer important questions that will advance the field of care.

To learn more about the clinic, or to make an appointment, visit the .