The UAA School of Social Work is dedicated to advancing social work practice in Alaska
through baccalaureate and master’s education, research, and service. Social work is
a profession committed to ethical and research-informed practice that assists individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and communities, advances social, economic, and environmental
justice, and engages in policy practice. The School of Social Work offers the following
degrees and certificates:
The UAA MSW program is an advanced generalist MSW program—the ideal curriculum model
to meet the significant and complex needs spanning across the community needs of Alaska.
Prepares for a career in tribal and state child welfare services and gain skills essential
to becoming effective members of interprofessional child welfare teams.
On June 30, the Alaska Black Caucus held the Covid & Beyond: Black Health & Wellness Town Hall at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Amana Mbise, Ph.D., an assistant professor with the School of Social Work under the College of Health, presented eye-opening findings from the first-ever Black Alaskans Health Status report.
School of Social Work assistant professor Dr. Jessica Ullrich and Dept. of Human Services associate professor Dr. Yvonne Chase were guests on Talk of Alaska on March 8 to talk about breaking the cycle of removing for Black and Indigenous children.
Social Work Assistant Professor Dr. Jessica Ullrich and Human Services Professor Dr. Yvonne Chase were featured in an Alaska Public Media article about a study they co-authored in the International Journal on Child Maltreatment, titled "A Connectedness Framework: Breaking the Cycle of Child Removal for Black and Indigenous Children." The study explores alternative child welfare strategies to limit family separation.
Vanessa Salmon, a 2019 MSW program graduate, published an article in the Journal of Rural Mental Health, titled "When delivery means departure: Describing the practice and impacts of mandated maternal transport in Alaska," which was her capstone project for the program.
This research is about the challenges rural women experience delivering babies and the demands of having to move into hub communities to await delivery. Salmon was the lead author, alongside UAA School of Social Work professor Dr. Heidi Brocious and UAF Dept. of Social Work associate professor Dr. Laverne Demientieff.
UAA School of Social Work's Dr. Jessica Ullrich will be a presenter on March 29 for Brazelton Touchpoints Center's virtual National Forum, which will take place March 29-31.
Project BLENDS is a training program designed to prepare graduates to work collaboratively
to support infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with high intensity social-emotional
needs and their families.
AK-IDLC is a program that trains graduate students in the delivery of culturally responsive
behavioral health care using face-to-face and telehealth methods.
OML is an state-wide women veterans project to connect women veterans with resources
in Alaska, to build the Alaska women veteran community, and to acknowledge the achievements
of women veterans.