The Direct Practice in Mental Health & Substance Misuse specialty provides advanced social work students the opportunity to focus on assessment and intervention with those evidencing acute and chronic mental health problems and substance misuse disorders. Students are trained to diagnose, treat, collaborate on recovery, and advocate for social justice for persons across the life span who have mental health and substance misuse disorders. In addition, students are trained to deliver services in a variety of mental health and substance misuse treatment environments, and to support policies for prevention, intervention, and postvention. The Direct Practice in Mental Health & Substance Misuse specialty is offered 100% online, and in-person at the Arlington campus and at the downtown Fort Worth campus.
Students graduating from the Direct Practice in Mental Health & Substance Misuse specialty facilitate change for individuals and families within a clinical setting. They partner with individuals, families, and communities to improve lives by:
If you are interested in joining the Direct Practice in Mental Health & Substance Misuse specialty, here are a few quick things to keep in mind:
Have questions about signing up for Direct Practice in Mental Health & Substance Misuse courses? Schedule an appointment with your Academic Advisor today!
The MHSM specialty has thoroughly prepared me for direct practice. From expanding my knowledge on theories and frameworks to practice in diagnostics and treatment plans, I feel equipped to apply these skills to real-life clinical use.
By graduation, students specializing in Mental Health & Substance Misuse will achieve the foundation objectives and the following advanced specialization objectives:
Mental Health & Substance Misuse students successfully find a variety of field placement and post-graduation jobs. Often students placed in leading organizations for their internship find job opportunities at the same organization after graduation. These organizations run from local to national, government to nonprofit, and much more.
Associate Professor of Practice
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
IPVE Taskforce Chair
Research Interests: Social Work Education, online, interprofessional and experiential learning, school social work, student success and support services, education access, community outreach, interpersonal violence, trauma, mental health, social work direct practice, and issues of gender, family, race, and ethnicity.
Research Interests: Suicide Prevention Research; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); Adolescent Substance Use Behaviors; Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health; Barriers to Health Service Utilization; International Social Work Research
Research Interests: Social work in traditional and charter schools, cultural competence of school social workers, colorism and social work practice.
Research Interests: Children's Mental Health Policy and Service Systems; Evidence-Based Practice in Community Settings; Implementation Science and Knowledge Translation in Social Work; Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service Policies; Medicaid and disparities in access to care
Associate Professor of Practice
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Military Social Work, Trauma Therapy (PTSD, Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault), Traumatic Grief
Research Interests: Aging, mental health, health promotion, long-term care, hospice, dementia, sustainability, environmental justice
Associate Dean of Academic & Student Affairs
Associate Professor
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Health and Mental Health of Vulnerable Populations; Refugee and Immigrant Health and wellness
Assistant Professor
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Child and adolescent mental health, Mental health service utilization, School of social work practice, Interprofessional mental health practice in schools, and Adverse Childhood Experiences
Research Interests: Problem-Solving Courts, Forensic Social Work, Populations At-Risk for Criminal Justice Involvement, Structural Violence, Qualitative Methodologies, Innovative Approaches to Reduce Recidivism
Assistant Professor of Practice
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Sexual and gender minority health disparities, the intersection of behavior change and technology, health risk behaviors, substance abuse, mental health and criminal justice.
Director of Graduate Programs
Professor
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Trauma, Suicide, Maternal Well-being, Suicide Bereavement, Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS), and Social Work Education
Assistant Professor of Practice
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Sexual subjectivity, Latinas, and Women of Color and Pleasure after Violence
Director of Undergraduate Programs
Assistant Professor of Practice
Research Interests: Maternal incarceration, stress theory and non-normative family stress, couple and marriage dynamics in African American families, and mental health.
Associate Professor
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
IPVE Taskforce Development Subcommittee Chair
Research Interests: Violence Against Women, Trauma and Mental Health, Convergence of Poverty and Interpersonal Trauma, Violence Against Women in Diverse Educational Settings; Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Intervention
Assistant Professor
Personal Pronouns: She/Her
Research Interests: Health disparities related to mental health and substance misuse in historically underserved communities, applications of technology in behavioral health assessment and treatment, mindfulness based clinical interventions for women with co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns, social policy related to SOGIE for child welfare involved youth and families.
Assistant Professor of Practice
Personal Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Research Interests: Social Welfare Policy; Educational Policy and Decision-Making in Education; Co-Occurring Disorders of Mental Health and Substance Use in Communities of Poverty
Director, Center for Addiction and Recovery Studies (CARS) and Associate Professor
Brianna Gibbs
Academic Recruiter
Primarily Graduate Admissions
Email: brianna.gibbs@uta.edu
Phone:817-272-2551
Office: SWSH 203O
Dolores Bevins
Admissions Counselor II
Email: doloresbevins@uta.edu
Phone: 817-272-1044
Office: SWSH 203Q
Darlene Santee
Manager for Recruiting and Admissions
Email: santeed@uta.edu
Office: SWSH 203U
Antwan C. Williams, J.D.
Asst. Director of Communications, Marketing, Recruiting, Admissions,
and Community Outreach
Email: antwan.williams@uta.edu
Office: SWSH 203S
