The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an extensive cross-disciplinary research program. The school serves students with interests in social work and criminal justice and offers the only criminal justice PhD program in the state of Wisconsin.

Research conducted by faculty often involves multidisciplinary collaboration through partnerships with researchers on campus and nationwide. The Department of Social Work includes 13 faculty and eight clinical faculty members. The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology includes eight faculty and one lecturer.

Extramural funding at the school is close to $7 million annually; the school brings in the most research dollars among professional schools at UW-Milwaukee. All faculty have access to the Office of Research Administration. ORA assists faculty with applying for and managing sponsored funding. This administrative infrastructure supports faculty in their pursuit of interdisciplinary, scientifically rigorous social and behavioral research.

Active Funded Projects

InvestigatorsProject TitleFunding AgencyProject Period
Ai Bo, Co-Investigator
Trenette Clark Goings, Principal Investigator
Substance Use among Biracial Adolescents and Emerging Adults: The Double Jeopardy HypothesisNational Institute on Drug AbuseAug. 1, 2021 to July 31, 2025
Lisa Berger (Co-Principal Investigator), James Topitzes (Co-PI), Ai Bo, Linda Britz, Amy Kirby, Jeanne WagnerThe Youth-Oriented Substance Abuse and Trauma Counseling Program (YOSAT Counseling II)Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023
Tina Freiburger, Alyssa SheeranAssessment of Performance Measures for MCADTCMilwaukee County, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)May 31, 2019 to May 30, 2024
Tina Freiburger
Co-Investigator Melinda S. Kavanaugh
System of Care (SOC) Expansion and Sustainability Evaluation and Infrastructure Development: Milwaukee WraparoundMilwaukee County, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)Aug. 31, 2019 to Aug. 30, 2023
Tina FreiburgerThe Impact of Covid-19JusticePoint, Inc.July 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023
Tina Freiburger, Alyssa SheeranProcess Outcome and EvaluationMilwaukee County Courts, Department of Justice-Bureau of Justice AdministrationOct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2024
Colleen Galambos, Co-InvestigatorIntegrating Advocates Within a Healthcare Setting to Strengthen Intimate Partner Violence ScreeningAdvancing a Healthier Wisconsin EndowmentJuly 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024
Colleen GalambosEnabling Access to Support: Exploring Virtual Interventions and other Resources for African American Caregivers of Older AdultsBader Philanthropies, Inc.Aug. 1, 2021 to Aug. 31, 2023
Ke’Andra Hagans22-23 HBSSW School Social Work Training ProgramDepartment of Public Instruction/US Department of EducationAug. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023
Jane HerethExploring the acceptability, feasibility, and benefits of a mentoring program for transgender youth and adult mentorsFahs-Beck Fund for Research and ExperimentMarch 1, 2022 to Feb. 29, 2024
Melinda S. KavanaughYCare South Africa: Building community based ALS/MND caregiver interventions in South AfricaThe ALS AssociationOct. 1, 2019 to Oct. 31, 2023
Melinda S. KavanaughBuilding a Healthy Family Caregiver System Through Early Identification and Right-time SupportEras Senior NetworkNov. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2023
Melinda S. KavanaughThe Latino Dementia Health Regional ConsortiumWisconsin Partnership ProgramJan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2026
Theodore S. LentzA Landscape Analysis of MilwaukeeUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Foundation/Public Welfare FoundationSept. 1, 2022 to Aug. 31, 2023
Joshua Mersky (PI)Hope and Healing for Children Who Experience Family ViolenceU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationOct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2027
Joshua Mersky (PI)Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant ProgramU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services AdministrationSept. 30, 2021 to Sept. 29, 2025
Joshua Mersky (PI) and James Topitzes (Co-PI)Developing an Evidence-Informed Postnatal Home Visiting ProgramRacine County Public Health Division and Walworth County Department of Health and Human ServicesOct. 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025
Joshua Mersky, Co-Investigator; Baumer-Mouradian, Principal InvestigatorPromoting Equity in COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccination through Emergency Department-based programs: Identifying Informational Needs and Practical Implementation StrategiesClinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast WisconsinApr. 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024
Joshua Mersky (PI) and Colleen Janczewski (Co-PI)Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Coordinated State Evaluation of Family Engagement and Health EquityU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationSept. 30, 2021 to Sept. 29, 2023
David J. Pate Jr.Sullivan Spaights Endowment FundUWM FoundationSept. 1, 2014 to present
David J. Pate Jr.Employ MilwaukeeUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonJan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2023
Andrew Steward, Principal Investigator; Yura Lee, Co-InvestigatorA Feasibility and Quasi-Experimental Study of the “Aging Together” Peer Support ProgramBader PhilanthropiesJan. 15, 2024 to Jan. 14, 2026
James TopitzesTrauma-Informed EmploymentUW-Milwaukee Foundation / Bader FoundationJan. 1, 2019 to present
James TopitzesIntegrating Trauma ScreeningWorkforce Resource, Inc.Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2023
James Topitzes (PI) and Joshua Mersky (Co-PI)Milwaukee Equity Action PlanWisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Vocational RehabilitationMarch 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2023
James TopitzesHealing Adversity and TraumaWisconsin Community ServicesJan. 6, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023
James TopitzesAddressing Unresolved TraumaJobsWork Milwaukee, Inc.Aug. 22, 2022 to Aug. 21, 2023
James TopitzesMont County ADAMHS T-SBI #1Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug, Mental HealthOct. 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023