Social Work | Penn Today

Jennifer Punt stands with three students in a lab setting discussing a paper.

Penn Vet expands timely dual degree during COVID-19 pandemic

The interdisciplinary “One Health in Practice” curriculum positions veterinarians for new career pathways in human, environmental health.

woman holding smartphone in her hand while seated

A data-driven approach to understanding domestic violence during the pandemic

Four takeaways from Penn researchers show there’s more to learn to protect those at risk for intimate partner violence.

Linya (Leah) Liu standing outside wearing a coat, hat and scarf.

SP2 student launches remote health care Kickstarter project during COVID-19

Liu is working with the startup Nexusera to respond to the surging need for remote care caused by the pandemic by connecting patients with their families and caretakers through a medication adherence management system.

Masked young woman staring out of window

Amid COVID-19, young adults aging out of foster care are especially vulnerable

With limited resources, youth who are aging out of foster care are bearing a heavy social and economic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing under or unemployment, education disruption, homelessness, and food insecurity.

Facade of School of Social Policy & Practice building in the sunshine.

Philanthropy class provides $55K in grants to local nonprofits amid the pandemic

As the COVID-19 epidemic began to affect all aspects of daily life in Philadelphia communities, SP2 students saw their lessons collide with the ways local philanthropic funders and nonprofit organizations address unprecedented challenges in real time.

Black and white image of a person standing in front of an open blind, a hand held to the forehead in consternation.

Q&A

Domestic violence and gun sales in the time of COVID-19

In a Q&A, School of Social Policy & Practice researcher Susan B. Sorenson describes new challenges surrounding intimate partner violence and the uptick in gun purchases since this crisis began.

A room full of people seated with others standing in the back of the room

COVID-19 and the housing crisis

Amy Castro Baker of the School of Social Policy & Practice advocates for a multiprong approach to public assistance during the global pandemic

Bedding and blankets belonging to homeless people on the ground underneath an underpass

Impact of COVID-19 on homelessness

A new report coauthored by researchers at SP2 finds that COVID-19 could hospitalize some 21,295 people who don’t have housing, or about 4.3% of the nationwide homeless population.

woman with clasped hands stands in a stairwell with colorful art in the background

Working on ‘the human side’ of heritable cancers

How do you talk about cancer risk? How do you make major life decisions knowing you are likely to develop cancer? Allison Werner-Lin looks at these questions, studying the intersection of genetics and family life.

Reports from the humanitarian crisis on the Colombian border

Master of Social Work Program student Patrick Ammerman, a 2019 Pulitzer Center fellow, spent more than two months reporting from the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

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