A research publication of the Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services at the USC School of Social Work

Hamovitch PI

The review crew

4New project explores use of tablet computers to help older adults in

Taiwan access health care resources

Dean Marilyn Flynn joins other leading innovators in California Social Work Hall of Distinction

5 PhD students receive funding to examine neighborhood factors that

influence child welfare 6

RevieweRs | continued on page 10

A perfect example is Suzanne Wenzel (left), a professor and current chair of the school’s Research Council.

Since 2001, she has served as a reviewer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on multiple occasions. She recently accepted an invitation to join a four-year review panel tasked with examining pro-posals related to the multiple personal, social, and commu-nity factors that influence HIV risk and preventive behaviors.“I think it has helped me to

craft stronger proposals and to give my colleagues and doc-toral students better advice on writing their own,” she said.

“The level of precision and sci-entific rigor that is expected by the reviewers and the institutes is really quite pronounced.”

The grant review process can be mystifying for many in aca-demia. Application guidelines are long and complex, argu-ments and approaches have

Reviewing grant proposals for federal agencies has proven to be a boon to researchers at the USC

School of Social Work.

Winter 2014

to be framed in a certain way, and funding priorities are con-stantly shifting.

Having an insider’s perspec-tive on how federal agencies such as the NIH and National Science Foundation (NSF) assess grant applications is crit-ical to putting together a suc-cessful proposal, said Charles Kaplan, associate dean of research at the USC School of Social Work.“You can send proposals in

but you can’t get them funded unless you are very aware of the dynamics of the review pro-cess,” he said. “You really have to have your finger on the pulse of what NIH and NSF are doing in terms of their review and to try to get on those com-mittees. That’s the best way of learning. It’s a stepping-stone to excellence.”

The school has increasingly emphasized mentoring and internal review of grant pro-posals before they are submitted.

2 3

When the county experienced budget cuts and eliminated his position in 2009, the university hired him to perform the same role. A year later, the USC School of Social Work offered him a similar job at its San Diego Academic Center.

Throughout his time with the county, López became involved with various boards and orga-nizations, including taking on leadership roles with the county employee union.“I was an idealistic 23-year-

old,” he said. “I was going to change the world.”

His experience, first as union steward and then vice presi-dent and president, helped him understand how to present issues and build relationships in a productive manner. And although he enjoyed his clinical work as a social worker, López said he began to look for more impactful ways to improve the child welfare system.

enough and shipped him off to live with his father in the United States.

He landed in Lake Elsinore, a city in western Riverside County, at 12 years old with no immigration documents and a rowdy disposition.“I was in an area that wasn’t the greatest—

gangs, prostitution, drugs,” he said. “Coming to this country as an immigrant, not speaking a word of English, was kind of rough, so I ended up hanging out with the wrong crowd.”

His father had good intentions but poor parenting skills, López said, letting him get away with misbehaving for several years. When his father remarried and tried to set some new boundaries, it didn’t sit well with López, who began sleeping in his car or spending the night with friends so he didn’t have to follow the rules at home.

But not everything was bleak. As a freshman, he had joined the cross-country team to spend more time with a girlfriend on the squad. They eventually split up, but

his coach refused to let him quit running.“I ended up sticking

with it,” López said. “That in a way saved me. It minimized the number of hours I was on the street.”

He had managed to attend class often enough to maintain decent grades and even completed a few advanced courses. A school counselor encour-aged him to apply to col-lege and he was accepted

to the University of California, San Diego.By that time, he was a permanent resi-

dent; his father had been working diligently behind the scenes to ensure López was shep-herded through the naturalization process.

After taking an elective course on the U.S. education system, López said he became aware of how many minority groups had fewer opportunities to succeed.“The lightbulb started going off,” he said.He enrolled in more

sociology courses and, at the urging of one of his

After tough upbringing, clinical professor finds way to give back

Reading the draft of this issue of Hamovitch PI, as it has happened many times before, I am overwhelmed by a sense of fascination and happiness about being the director of the Hamovitch Research Center. Why? Because I am given the privilege of directing a center that serves so many talented and dedicated people from all walks of life who share the USC School of Social Work as a home. In this home, practices, interventions, and scholarship are developed and new generations of social workers are educated and trained as agents of innovation and change to the benefit of the underprivileged and most vulnerable individuals in the nation and beyond.

These agents of change include the son of a baker who grew up in the rough neighborhoods of Mexico City (see story on this page), philanthropists with strong roots in Taiwan (page 4), experienced researchers who are enhancing the quality of research funded by the National Institutes of Health (cover story), a dean whose accomplishments earned her induction into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction (page 5), and many, many others.

What else can a director of a social work research center wish for in his professional life? I hope you will enjoy reading this issue as much as I did. Happy holidays and best wishes for the coming year!

From the Director

Haluk Soydan, PhDDirector of the Hamovitch Center

Vol. 4, Issue 4Winter 2014

DeanMarilyn Flynn

DirectorHaluk Soydan

EditorEric Lindberg

Hamovitch PI is a research newsletter published quarterly by the Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services at the USC School of Social Work. Send questions, comments, and reprint requests to elindber@usc.edu

Front page: Federal officials recently selected

Suzanne Wenzel, professor and Research Council

chair, to serve as a grant proposal reviewer for the

Center for Scientific Review.

Photo/Eric Lindberg

That moment when his mother pointed to a man in an orange jumpsuit sweeping the streets of Mexico City and told him that he would have to stay in school or he would end up in a similar position.

His father, a baker with a sixth-grade education, delivering a similar message as they rose at 3 a.m. to start preparing the dough and heating the ovens.

Having a few trusted mentors who encouraged him to keep attending classes and stay on the cross-country team rather than getting into trouble.

But it wasn’t until he took a few sociology classes in college that López realized how fortunate he had been.“I started noticing, man,

I’m pretty lucky,” he said. “A lot of my friends with very similar backgrounds and abilities were either deported, dead, or in jail.”

Throughout his remark-able career—as a social worker specializing in adoption services for Spanish-speaking families, as an international liaison handling complicated issues related to child wel-fare, and now as a clinical associate professor and assistant director of field education at the USC School of Social Work—López said he has felt blessed to have the opportu-nity to help others, particularly children and families in vulnerable populations.“I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “Being

in a position to give back really drives me.”As a self-described knucklehead growing

up in a poor area of Mexico City, López said he proved to be too much of a handful for his hardworking single mother. By the time he finished sixth grade, she had

“The lightbulb started going off. I started noticing, man, I’m

pretty luck. A lot of my friends with very similar

backgrounds and abilities were either deported,

dead, or in jail.”

Omar López

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professors, quit his janito-rial work-study job to take a position with the Chicano Federation, a nonprofit that provides social services and advocates for Latino issues.

As he neared the end of his undergraduate studies in soci-ology and Spanish literature, López was introduced to Maria Zuniga, a board member of the Chicano Federation and a long-time professor of social work at San Diego State University. After a five-minute conversa-tion, she had convinced him to look into a stipend program that provided nearly $40,000 toward graduate education and other expenses as long as participants agreed to work in public child welfare services after graduation.“So you mean they will pay

me to go to school to do what I want to do anyway and then they will give me a job after-ward?” López said. “It sounded like a pretty good deal.”

He earned his master’s degree in social work and by 23 had been hired by San Diego County as a social worker specializing in adoptions. He worked closely with adoptive families that primarily spoke Spanish through a program called Nuestros Niños.“I developed more expertise in

working on international cases, essentially dependents that were placed in Guatemala, Mexico, or other countries,” he said.

That experience landed him a gig as international liaison for the county, placing him in charge of facilitating commu-nication with other countries relating to child welfare issues such as repatriation of children, welfare checks, and adoptions.

Later recruited to oversee internships and training for child protective services, López helped students at his alma mater, San Diego State University, connect with field instructors and county agencies.

“In the back of my mind, I always saw more benefit working at the macro level,” he said. “I didn’t know how and I didn’t really know what that meant, but I think it’s why I was attracted to being in the union, understanding systems, and working with policy to have more of an impact on families.”

He certainly brought that mindset to his role at the USC School of Social Work, spear-heading a successful application for a $1.4 million training grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Part of the Obama administration’s efforts to address gun vio-lence, the grant is designed to increase the size of the behav-ioral health services workforce.

López said a common theme among recent mass shootings has been that the perpetrators are often young men between the ages of 16 and 25 who were unable to access mental health >>

Omar López can point to a few instances in his past that set him

on the right track.

As a clinical associate professor of field

education at the USC School of Social

Work, Omar López is charged with

helping students find internships with

social services agencies to gain real-

world experience. He recently received

a $1.4 million grant to expand student

training opportunities on issues relevant

to gun violence, particularly the need for

more behavioral health specialists.

and behavioral health services.“As a country, we’re not doing

a good job of helping these indi-viduals or providing them with services that are necessary to prevent these outcomes,” he said.

The grant will provide more than $1 million in stipends to students interested in issues of substance abuse, mental health, and violence. López and his colleagues are still developing the selection process, but he said students who know about the program are already expressing interest.“It’s going to be very competi-

tive,” he said. “This is allowing me to help out even more so at the macro level.”

But López is not one to sit back and congratulate him-self. He is continuing to push forward with other initiatives, including completing a doc-torate program in higher educa-tion administration at USC and teaching leadership and field practicum courses.

He is also serving as an advisor to the Mexican govern-ment on issues such as busi-ness, politics, immigration, and policy as part of a council of approximately 100 individuals from North America. He views it as another way to have an influence at a higher level and inspire others in social work to pursue a similar path.“All of these experiences are

great because I use them in my teaching,” he said. “I can give my students concrete examples of what a social workers can do in a bunch of different fields.” t

4 5Dean inducted into social work hall of distinction

The dean of the USC School of Social Work is among six individuals with dis-tinguished and successful careers in social work who were inducted into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction during a recent ceremony that recognized their exceptional contributions to social justice and social welfare.

Joining Flynn in the new class of inductees are Marilyn Montenegro, PhD ‘81, a social worker committed to resolving issues of societal inequality, and Helen Ramirez, MSW ‘59, whose work in child welfare and adoption services have been a model for practice and outreach in minority communities.“It’s so heartening to see so many people

committed to preserving the history and dignity of the profession of social work in California,” said Rino Patti, DSW ‘67, dean emeritus of the USC School of Social Work and professor emeritus.

In accepting the honor, Flynn emphasized the need to cultivate and cherish an appre-ciation for the history of the social work profession in California. Although much is known about economic and political devel-opment, she said less is understood about social workers who transformed the wild society of the West into a caring community.“I’m extremely proud to be part of a nar-

rative that exemplifies and honors social work in the West,” she said, adding that she feels she is following in the footsteps of Frances Feldman, a social work pioneer who laid the groundwork for the Hall of Distinction. “I hope we are establishing a tradition that endures and inspires others for generations to come.”

A transformational leader who in 1997 became the second woman to serve as dean of social work at USC, Flynn created the first military social work specializa-tion at a major civilian research university, established a groundbreaking and suc-cessful web-based master of social work degree program, and recruited a diverse and distinguished faculty specializing in

Gift will help older adults bridge the digital dividehow vulnerable older adults receive care,” said Marilyn Flynn, dean of the USC School of Social Work. “We are fortunate to have such forward-thinking and caring donors who recognize the importance of this work.”

Researchers hope the project will dem-onstrate that older adults can embrace new ways to care for themselves in an increas-ingly technological era of health care.“It’s a platform to close the digital divide

and give them a tool to do better self-care,” said Wu, a researcher with the school’s Roybal Institute on Aging who will be working closely with research assistant professor Hsin-Yi Hsiao and professor Iris Chi, the Chinese-American Golden Age Association/Frances Wu Chair for the Chinese Elderly.

Young volunteers from local high schools and universities in Taiwan will train approx-imately 500 older adults with diabetes how to use tablets to access health information and connect with sources of social support such as friends and family.“That can lessen the burden on primary

care, reinforce the educational values that primary care providers are trying to deliver, and build social support for these patients,” Wu said. “This will create a more healthy aging community.”

The project will compare outcomes for older adults who receive tablet training and

technological support via the Intergenerational Mobile Technology Opportunities Program, or IMTOP, to a comparison group that will receive standard health care.

Researchers are hopeful that providing access to online resources and tools will help address critical issues faced by older indi-viduals, including low awareness of serious health conditions such as diabetes, the most prevalent chronic illness in Taiwan.

Mutsu Hsu, who serves as vice president, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and professor of anthro-pology in the Department of Human Development at Tzu Chi University, said despite advances in medical care in Taiwan, many low-income aging adults have limited options in terms of community care and may not receive support from their chil-dren, who often lack the time or resources to provide intensive care to their parents.“Some aboriginal village seniors with

chronic disease struggled to deal with the disease on their own and didn’t receive the long-term care they needed,” Hsu said, describing results from a previous study. “In the end, they chose to commit suicide.”

In addition to helping older adults main-tain their health, he said IMTOP may also bring a sense of security and reduce stress

TAiwAn | continued on page 9

A research team led by associate

professor Shinyi Wu (center)

and research assistant professor

Hsin-Yi Hsiao (front left)

will examine whether tablet

computers can help older adults

in Taiwan manage their health.

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launching a career services program for social workers focused on nontraditional settings, and establishing new academic centers in San Diego and West Los Angeles.

Despite her many accomplishments, Flynn said she plans to press forward with efforts to promote social work in the West and develop new partnerships throughout the Pacific Rim.“California is the world’s eighth largest

economy; we are both the prophets and the canaries in the mine for the 21st century,” she said. “I believe we will be the source of social leadership on some of the greatest challenges confronting our society today.”

Paraphrasing C.S. Lewis, she added that it is never too late to set another goal or dream a new dream. “I’ve always believed this,” she said, “so just wait, there’s more to come.”

Flynn is joined in the Hall of Distinction by Montenegro, who has been a committed advocate for equality since her days as a graduate student at the UCLA School of Social Welfare and later as a doctoral stu-dent in urban studies at USC. Throughout her career, Montenegro has tirelessly pur-sued efforts to increase diversity in aca-demia, address housing discrimination, and protect prisoners from abuse and inhu-mane conditions.

Ramirez, another USC alumna, devel-oped innovative programs and policies in child welfare and served as a vigorous advocate for minority children and fami-lies, establishing the first social work unit in the Los Angeles County Department of Adoptions focused on placing children with developmental disabilities with adop-tive families and creating a support and training program for emancipated youths transitioning from foster care.

The Hall of Distinction also welcomed L. Georgi DiStefano, an advocate for the inte-gration of alcohol abuse and mental health treatment services; Alex J. Norman, a pro-ponent of building coalitions across racial and ethnic lines; and Fernando Torres-Gil, a champion of issues related to aging and health in later life.

Established in 2002, the Hall of Distinction has honored 91 individuals who have made outstanding contribu-tions to social welfare and social work in California. In particular, the organization

health, mental health, aging, and child maltreatment.

Marv Southard, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, praised Flynn for her rigor, entre-preneurial spirit, generosity, international perspective, collaborative nature, and intense devotion to social justice.“She’s always looking beyond the obvious

to new opportunities,” he said. “Marilyn has always been willing to share resources and time and energy and intellect to advance our profession to a new level.”

Her legacy also includes significantly expanding the school’s Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services,

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A $1.5 million donation from a couple with strong ties to USC will enable researchers at the USC School of

Social Work to explore how technology can

promote health among older adults in Taiwan.Provided by USC Trustee Daniel Tsai

and his wife, USC alumna Irene Chen, through their charitable foundation, the funding will support the efforts of associate professor Shinyi Wu and her research team to test whether tablet computers can be an effective medium to help prevent disease, decrease isolation, increase social engage-ment, and improve general well-being among older adults with disabilities.“This gift is incredibly valuable and will

enable innovative research that has the potential to address serious disparities in

“I’m extremely proud to be part of a narrative that

exemplifies and honors social work in the West. I hope we are establishing a tradition that endures and inspires others for generations to come.”

Marilyn Flynn

It’s safe to say Marilyn Flynn is in esteemed company.

FLynn | continued on page 7

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>>

“What might be preventing them from coming forth when they need assistance?” she said. “Do they have difficulty under-standing the laws here?”

For example, He recalled a recent con-versation with a colleague who works as an emergency response supervisor regarding a specific Los Angeles neighborhood with a high concentration of low-income Guatemalan immigrants.

Rates of maltreatment in that community are notoriously high, she said, and agencies are experiencing difficulty providing services due to language barriers and other issues.“For some reason, the domestic violence

in these families is really intense,” He said. “Housing is also an issue, because one person may rent out an apartment to three different families.”

Developing strategies to improve access and use of services in that type of situa-tion is a good fit with He’s general research interests and her dissertation, which is focused on interagency collaboration among service providers. She is looking forward to interviewing providers to deter-mine if any preventive efforts are being made across organizations.“I’m interested in not just intervention

but also primary prevention with respect to helping communities so that child mal-treated is prevented from occurring in the first place and families are able to access services before they come to the attention of child welfare,” she said.

This funding, including the original sup-port from a social innovations grant from the

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Scholars to explore maltreatment in select neighborhoods

A new study led by researchers at the USC School of Social Work will explore that question, particularly how social dynamics in immigrant enclaves and col-laboration among community service pro-viders may protect against or increase the risk of child abuse and neglect.

Previous studies have largely focused on individual and family factors that might influence maltreatment, but researchers at the USC School of Social Work are wid-ening that perspective to examine specific geographic areas in Southern California with child maltreatment rates that are higher or lower than expected.

Although the two-year project builds on a current effort by assistant professor Michael Hurlburt to explore variations in maltreatment at the neighborhood level in San Diego County, it will essentially allow doctoral candidates Megan Finno-Velasquez and Amy He to advance their personal research interests.“This is allowing Amy and Megan to

finish their dissertations and to develop additional skills and expertise that will strengthen their transitions into faculty positions,” Hurlburt said. “This grant is designed to develop outstanding scholars who will be the next generation of profes-sional leaders in the field.”

Finno-Velasquez will focus on how cul-tural and social factors related to the immi-grant experience may increase or decrease instances of child abuse or neglect, whereas He is interested in exploring the role of inter-actions and partnerships among child welfare service providers in preventing maltreatment.

Both students said the funding, approxi-mately $200,000 from the federal Children’s Bureau, will help them advance their disser-tations, which involve analyzing secondary data from a national study, and build valu-able research skills in terms of collecting

primary data in the community. It will also offer opportunities to other master’s and doctoral students interested in research.“It has built-in funding for doctoral research

assistants to help with a lot of the data col-lection and management,” Finno-Velasquez said. “It also adds a training component for master’s students to have hands-on experi-ence in their research methods classes. They will hopefully be going out and collecting some of the surveys with us.”

She plans to ask specific questions during interviews and surveys with service providers and community members geared toward

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Amy He (left) and Megan Finno-Velasquez, both

doctoral students at the USC School of Social Work, are

working with assistant professor Michael Hurlburt to

examine social dynamics that influence child maltreatment

in specifc Southern California nieghborhoods.

How do unique neighborhood characteristics

influence rates of child maltreatment?

from this work will guide ongoing efforts to design community-level intervention strategies that can reduce local rates of maltreatment. The team is already building partnerships with agencies in San Diego, including a nonprofit organization in San Diego County that owns more than 30 affordable housing properties.“Over time, we’re hoping that those col-

laborations will serve as ongoing venues for trying out ideas for prevention that come from the work we are doing,” Hurlburt said.

The researchers will also share their find-ings with community stakeholders during planned meetings and via the school’s Child Development and Children’s Services research cluster and Children’s Data Network.

Both doctoral candidates said the expe-rience may give them an edge once they complete their dissertations and begin searching for faculty positions, particularly because they will have engaged in commu-nity-level research.“This grant allows me to go out and collect

data and talk to people about what is actually happening,” He said. “It’s a really great com-plement to my dissertation and in terms of my research agenda, it creates a much more rounded profile for me coming out of USC.”

Finno-Velasquez agreed, noting that although analyzing a large dataset as part of her dissertation will be respected, she now has the opportunity to begin building relationships with service providers and stakeholders that may lead to new studies.“It’s definitely a jump start for future

research,” she said. t

has emphasized leaders who served as practitioners, adminis-trators, advocates, educators, or other high-impact contributors to the profession.

The Hall of Distinction is sup-ported by the California Social Welfare Archives, which iden-tifies and preserves documents and memorabilia related to social welfare programs in California and gathers oral histories from professional and volunteer social welfare leaders. The archives are housed at the USC Doheny Special Collections Library and supported by the USC School of Social Work. t

“This grant is designed to develop outstanding scholars who will be

the next generation of professional leaders in the field.”

Michael Hurlburt

understanding how both negative and posi-tive social dynamics, such as strong family support networks, social isolation, and fear or mistrust of government, may affect child maltreatment rates in areas with high concentrations of Latino immigrants.

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During her induction

to the California Social

Work Hall of Distinction,

Dean Marilyn Flynn

emphasized the need

to preserve and cherish

the history of social

work in California.

USC Price School of Public Policy and the new grant, will allow the researchers to test specific hypotheses about characteristics of communities that may lead to unusual rates of maltreatment referrals and conduct explor-atory research via qualitative interviews.

The research team is hopeful that results

FLynn | from page 5

8 9

“When I learned that this project with a potential impact on Taiwan’s society was ini-tiated by researchers in the School of Social Work at USC, as a Trojan family member I felt obligated to get involved,” Chen said.

The gift significantly boosts the Campaign for the University of Southern California, a multiyear effort to raise $6 billion or more in private philanthropic funding to advance USC’s academic priorities and expand its positive impact on the community and world. Three years after its launch, the cam-paign has raised more than $3.5 billion.

Chen said she is hopeful the model can be translated to other older populations in other countries, a goal echoed by the researchers.“If this model is successful, we hope to

disseminate it through other organizations in Taiwan,” Wu said. “We want to apply for government funding in the United States to test the model as well, and we may be able to do cross-national comparisons.” t

a doctoral student at the USC School of Social Work, and Tsai and Chen, who were on campus to attend orientation with their daughter, who joined two of her siblings in attending USC.

Hsiao, a native of Taiwan, recognized the couple and struck up a conversation. When they learned she was studying social work, Hsiao said they encouraged her to come to them with any future research proposals. Seven years later, Hsiao emailed Chen and pitched an idea about a caregiving training program for older adults with disabilities that ultimately evolved into the IMTOP model.

From the settlement houses of the late 1800s to the therapeutic treatments offered to veterans of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the profession has focused on providing services to the most vulnerable individuals in society.

In recent decades, however, scholars have sought to bring a decidedly more scientific approach to social work by emphasizing evi-dence-based interventions shown to be effec-tive in research studies, an effort that has been embraced by some but challenged by others.“The use of evidence-based practices has

an interesting history in the field of social work,” said Lawrence Palinkas, who holds the Frances L. and Albert G. Feldman Endowed Professorship in Social Policy and Health at the USC School of Social Work. “While many have embraced the idea as a way of providing better quality services to the communities we serve, there have been a number of individuals who are critical of evidence-based practice for various reasons.”

In a recently published book, Palinkas and Haluk Soydan, professor, associate dean of research, and director of the school’s Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services, outlined the issues and challenges of evidence-based practice in social work.

Ensuring that social services or treat-ments provided to individuals don’t do more harm than good is a critical under-pinning of the profession and one that ben-efits from more rigorous research. However, concerns about adopting a dogmatic per-spective toward social work, issues related to implementing interventions as they were intended and tested, and general dis-comfort with the perceived rigidity of evi-dence-based practice has presented a major barrier to its wide acceptance.“Clinicians may feel that not everything

in a particular practice is relevant to their clients’ needs or is consistent with their

Should social work become more scientific? TAiwAn | from page 4

and issues related to cultural diversity and adaptation of evidence-based interventions.“I find the book’s emphasis on the devel-

opment of a new professional culture to be a unique contribution and one that sets the stage for further development,” said Edward Mullen, professor emeritus of social work at Columbia University.

“Whatever EBP comes to look like in the years ahead it is the cultural shift that promises to make the deep and lasting dif-ference within the professions.”

Based on his own experience working with clinicians in the field during research studies, Palinkas said researchers should be more responsive to the needs of practi-tioners and clients to encourage the use of scientifically proven approaches.“People who are skeptical of the value

of evidence-based practices often become converts,” he said. “They still look for ways to make it more flexible than perhaps many treatment or intervention developers would like, but I think that’s an inherent part of the process.”

Adaptation is particularly common when translating practices across borders, Palinkas said, an issue he said is becoming even more critical as low- and middle-income coun-tries with limited resources begin embracing interventions from other cultural contexts. Despite the steep initial cost of adopting an evidence-based practice, including the need to take time away from clinical practice to train staff members, these countries will need to adjust interventions to address their own needs and abilities.“The continual experimentation with

these practices—reducing the number of sessions for cognitive behavioral therapy from 12 to four, for example—is an illus-tration of how translating many of these practices across national borders and with different cultures might provide opportuni-ties for producing more effective and per-haps more cost-effective approaches to the work we do with clients,” he said.

Palinkas said the book also fits well with a recent effort undertaken by leading scholars at the USC School of Social Work and else-where to define a science of social work.“I’m looking forward to seeing the reac-

tion of practitioners and researchers to the approach to developing a professional cul-ture that we describe in the book,” he said. t

and anxiety related to not being able to contact family members or receive advice from health professionals.

Introducing older individuals to new technology is increasingly important, said Chi, who noted that more health care pro-viders are shifting to an electronic model.“The traditional health education chan-

nels or methods are becoming less and less available,” she said. “People don’t print booklets or information fact sheets any more. People just go online.”

Previous efforts to teach older adults how to use technology have been stymied by problems such as difficulty learning how to use a computer mouse, poor hand–eye coordination, or concerns about damaging or moving bulky equipment.

Tablets may present a solution to these issues, Chi said, because they are easier to carry and handle and allow users to easily enlarge font sizes or images. She described a pilot project at a retirement community in Los Angeles that compared the ease of using laptop computers versus tablets among older adults.“We already see a huge difference,” she said.

“It is more difficult for seniors to grasp every-thing we teach them on the laptops. With the tablets, it seems like it’s much easier to handle and just more user-friendly.”

A key aspect of the IMTOP project is its reliance on younger individuals from high schools and universities as trainers for older adults in the use of a tablet com-puter, including how to access Internet resources, use applications, and navigate the device’s basic functions.

Chun-Jen Huang, a professor at Tzu Chi University and director of the Departments of Anesthesiology and Medical Education at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, said he is hopeful the project will promote intergen-erational understanding and concern.“Many younger people do not pay much

attention to disease management and health prevention programs because they are young and healthy,” he said. “This project promotes the younger generation’s health awareness and knowledge. It will help to bridge some of the gaps that lead to intergenerational conflicts.”

The intergenerational focus of the project is one aspect that drew the attention of Tsai and Chen. Tsai, who joined the USC Board of Trustees in 2012, is the chairman of Fubon Financial, a large financial services

Social work is historically and

inherently based in clinical practice.

own practice philosophies,” Palinkas said.In Evidence-based Practice in Social Work:

Development of a New Professional Culture, Soydan and Palinkas sought to dispel mis-conceptions about evidence-based practice, identify ways for social work practitioners to become more familiar with the concept, highlight the nature of evidence supporting certain interventions, and offer strategies to integrate evidence-based practices with existing clinical approaches, practitioner expertise, and client preferences.

Designed with social work students and clinicians in mind, the book describes the relevance of evidence-based practice to social work, relevant controversies and criticisms,

group in Taiwan that supports social ser-vice, cultural, and educational programs through four charitable foundations.

As executive director of the Fubon Cultural & Educational Foundation, Chen has focused her attention on adolescent education, whereas a separate nonprofit organization, the Taipei Fubon Bank Charity Foundation, seeks to address issues related to aging. Bridging those two sepa-rate interests intrigued Chen, who said she is excited to see whether tablets can facili-tate socialization among generations and improve care for older adults.

“The innovative model has a positive impact on both generations,” she said. “For older people, tablets will be used as a medium for self-care and disease prevention. For young people, the experience of tutoring older adults to use tablets will empower them.”

Hsui-Hsuing Bai, chairman of the Taipei Fubon Bank Charity Foundation, agreed, stating that the technology will help older adults with disabilities engage with others in the community and reduce cognitive decline while encouraging younger generations to get involved in caring for their elders.“The youth will learn about the very

important value of respect for the elderly and empathy for the underprivileged com-munity,” he said. “In addition, by mastering these modern technological devices, partic-ipants’ social isolation will decline and their social engagement will be enhanced.”

The IMTOP project has its origins in an unlikely encounter between Hsiao, then

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A $1.5 million donation

from USC Trustee

Daniel Tsai and his

wife, Irene Chen,

will help researchers

explore the use of

tablet computers to

promote health among

older adults in Taiwan.

“I find the book’s emphasis on the development of a new professional culture to be a unique contribution and one that sets the stage for further development. Whatever EBP

comes to look like in the years ahead, it is the cultural shift that promises to make the deep and lasting difference

within the professions.”

edward Mullen

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10 11RevieweRs | from page 1

Each of the school’s research clusters—which bring together faculty, student, and postdoctoral scholars with similar research interests to stimulate intellectual produc-tivity—has at least one faculty member with extensive experience reviewing federal grant proposals. That knowledge appears to be paying off.

Three recent proposals earned perfect scores during the review process, a relatively rare occurrence in federal funding circles. However, Kaplan said he would like to see more leadership among faculty members with review experience in terms of mentoring younger or less experienced researchers.“We definitely have lots of room for

improvement,” he said.The most effective way to gain knowledge

of the review process, at least at the NIH, is to be invited to join a study section at the fed-eral Center for Scientific Review. Members of these study sections or peer review groups typically serve for four years and meet three times a year to review proposals that corre-spond with their area of expertise.

Due to her extensive research in the area, Wenzel has primarily assessed applica-tions for funding that focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment and behavioral health issues. During a typical review period, she is assigned as the primary reviewer of a handful of proposals.“Your role as a reviewer is to review the

applications carefully, present your point of view to the study section, listen to the other reviewers, and as a group evaluate the appli-cations in terms of their overall impact on the field and beyond,” she said. “It is impor-tant that you address whether the applica-tion is answering an important question within an area of science and how the aims, if successful, will move the field forward.”

Before meeting with other reviewers, however, Wenzel meticulously reads each proposal, including sections on the research and data analysis strategy, procedures for protecting participants, the budget, and bio-graphical information for the research team.

She then drafts a written review and assigns a preliminary score to proposals that warrant further discussion at the group level. After she presents the application to the study section, other reviewers weigh in and vote on a final score.

Recommendations are then forwarded on to a separate advisory council, which helps the federal agency decide which proposals

a mental health services and epidemiology review committee at the National Institute of Mental Health for six years and as an ad hoc reviewer on many occasions.

Although each round of review involves at least two weeks of intensive work prior to gathering with other committee mem-bers to discuss the proposals, Brekke said he never questioned whether he should dedicate his time to the process.“It really is a notable time commitment,

but it’s just something that people who are in the research community and take the research and scientific world seriously know is something we have to do,” he said.

“It’s all about shaping a scientific agenda, and that’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.”

He also noted that the position is con-sidered to be very prestigious. Only indi-viduals who have exemplary records of scientific exploration and productivity are invited to serve as reviewers, Brekke said.

He is thankful for several senior men-tors who offered guidance during the early years of his career, and he has since created a template for others to follow in terms of building a successful grant application.“I think it’s absolutely perilous for

someone to attempt an NIH proposal without mentoring from someone who has gone through the process,” Brekke said.

“That can mean the difference between funding and no funding.”

By capitalizing on the strength and knowledge of experienced researchers, he said the USC School of Social Work is setting up its junior faculty members for success. It’s also helping senior researchers maintain their edge in an increasingly com-petitive funding environment and adapt to new funding streams.

Brekke recently applied for and received a $1.2 million award from the newly established Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, a nonprofit organi-zation created by Congress through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He said advice and guidance from col-leagues who had submitted successful pro-posals to the institute in earlier rounds of funding was critical to his success.“I’ve had good success following a really

disciplined approach,” he said. “You can tell the proposals that have done this and those that haven’t. It’s immediately obvious, just in reading the abstract, who has had some mentoring and who has not.”

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“It’s not only the quantity but the quality of the proposals. You can send proposals in but you can’t get them funded unless you are

very aware of the dynamics of the review process. You really have to

have your finger on the pulse of what NIH and NSF are doing.”

Charles Kaplan

As a doctoral and postdoctoral

student at the USC School of Social

Work, Mercedes Hernandez (left)

drew on the expertise of associate

professor Concepción Barrio when

applying for a dissertation grant from

the National Institute of Mental Health.

Barrio has extensive experience as a

reviewer for the institute and other

federal agencies.

Another strong believer in the power of mentoring and peer review of pro-posals prior to submission is Eric Rice, an assistant professor at the USC School of Social Work. As an early career researcher at UCLA, he wanted to pursue a specific NIH funding mechanism designed for career development known as a K award.

Because none of his close colleagues had experience with that award, his mentor referred him to a friend on a federal review committee, Concepción “Concha” Barrio, now an associate professor at the USC School of Social Work.

Barrio, who several years prior had

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to fund. Adding to the complexity of the process is the varying set of guidelines for different types of proposals.

Some focus on the significance and innovation of the research, the rigor of the methods and analysis plan, and the scientific environment in which the project will occur. Others are focused on early career develop-ment and may emphasize training opportu-nities for less experienced researchers.“If I had to describe my mindset when

I approach review of any given applica-tion, it would be objectivity,” Wenzel said.

“Fairness. Openmindedness. Impartiality must be a hallmark of review. Without that, the process is doomed.”

The commitment required to be a federal grant reviewer is staggering. John Brekke, the Frances G. Larson Professor of Social Work Research, has been consistently involved as a scientific reviewer at the federal level since 1989, serving as a standing member of >>

applied for and received a K award on her first submission and had been reviewing grant proposals related to mental health services, was more than happy to provide feedback on Rice’s application.“No hyperbole, I got that grant because

of Concha,” Rice said. “Knowing what one of these things should look like and how it should read and having someone who has sat on those review committees is invalu-able. It’s an inside bit of knowledge you wouldn’t otherwise have.”

He has since served as an ad hoc reviewer, called in by federal officials because of his expertise in social network research. He

said the experience has given him a better sense of how to craft his own proposals and he is sharing that knowledge with postdoc-toral scholars and colleagues.

However, Rice acknowledges that he still has plenty to learn. He turned to Brekke for advice on how to leverage data from a pilot study into a larger project on social networks among young men and women experiencing homelessness. Wenzel, who also specializes in homelessness issues, helped him refine his application, and he successfully secured a $2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.“I completely attribute my early career

successes to having been in an environment with people like Concha and Suzanne and John who were willing to help me,” Rice said. “The resources are there, you just have to reach out and ask for that help.”

Another early career researcher who is benefiting from the school’s focus on internal review and mentoring related to grant proposals is Mercedes Hernandez, a postdoctoral scholar who recently com-pleted the school’s doctoral program.

She worked closely with Barrio as a PhD student and received valuable feed-back on an application for funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to support her dissertation. Barrio served for four years as a reviewer for the institute and has since been invited to participate in ad hoc reviews for various federal agencies.“She was just amazing in helping me to

navigate the whole application process, which can be a little overwhelming and confusing for someone who is not familiar with it,” Hernandez said. “When I was trying to develop ideas for my dissertation, she read my drafts from the beginning, she directed me in terms of what I needed to include, and she directed me to the NIMH website and informed me of what its pri-orities are and how my work related to that.”

GRAnTs | continued on page 12

Hamovitch Center | 1149 South Hill Street, Suite 360 | Los Angeles, CA 90015USC School of Social Work | Montgomery Ross Fisher Building | 669 West 34th Street | Los Angeles, CA 90089

213.821.3628 | hrc@usc.edu | usc.edu/socialwork/research

Hortensia Amaro, Dean’s Professor and associate vice provost of community research initiatives, has been selected as the recipient of the 2014 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award. This award honors teachers who have inspired former students to make a significant contribution to society and is given to a faculty member who has motivated students to establish and sustain a concept, procedure, or movement of deep benefit to the community at large.

After an elaborate and comprehensive evaluation of his schol-arly and academic experience and achievements, assistant pro-fessor Erick Guerrero has been awarded National Investigator Level 1 status by the National Science Foundation of Mexico. The honor indicates that a researcher is part of a select cadre of scientists engaged in conducting influential research, guiding students, and disseminating research findings in scientific and community settings.

Professor Suzanne Wenzel was invited to Harvard University to serve as one of four nationally selected scholars for an inaugural convening of programs that serve unaccompanied and homeless women. The convening addressed research, policy, practice, and resources. Wenzel specializes in research on the health-related needs of vulnerable populations, particularly individuals experi-encing homelessness in urban communities.

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The top medical sociology journal in the United States, the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, has selected Karen Lincoln as a member of its editorial board. The journal nominates board members based on their scholarly expertise and candidates are approved by the American Sociological Association. Lincoln, who will serve as associate editor for the journal, is an associate pro-fessor with the USC School of Social Work and director of the USC Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work.

Helen Land, an associate professor, has received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions to Social Work Education from the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. The honor recognizes achievement in teaching, dissemination of knowledge, and scholarship with diverse popu-lations, in addition to other contributions to the field of social work education.

Doctoral candidate Weiyu Mao has been elected to the student representative board position of the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work. Mao specializes in social relationships and health-related out-comes in later life, family caregiving, cross-cultural research, and vulnerable populations and racial and ethnic minorities. In her role on the board, she hopes to support geronto-logical social work education and help col-leagues and students interested in aging. Ph

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GRAnTs | from page 11

Barrio helped her set up a mock review with experts in serious mental illness and put together other required information beyond her research plan such as her project budget and biosketch. Hernandez received the dissertation grant, which allowed her to provide incentives to participants in her study and hire a professional to transcribe interview data.

As a postdoctoral scholar, Hernandez is helping Barrio with various grant applica-tions and research projects, developing aca-demic manuscripts, and applying for her own funding.“Now that I’m a little more familiar with

the process, I think I’m able to contribute more,” she said. “Having the NIH expe-rience is the model for other types of grants, and being involved in these proj-ects is furthering my awareness of what’s available in terms of funding. She’s just a wonderful mentor and has treated me as an equal in terms of sharing her resources and knowledge.”

Building that understanding of the grant review process is critical for early career success, Barrio said, especially in the profes-sion of social work. When she first served as an NIH standing committee member in 2006, she was one of only two reviewers at San Diego State University. Most of her fellow committee members were medical doctors, psychologists, and nurses, with a handful of economists and anthropologists.“I think what made me stand out is I’m a

Latina with a lot of practice experience, a social worker, and my area of focus on serious mental illness and psychosis among Latinos and multicultural populations,” she said.

Barrio said her experience as a reviewer has improved her grant-writing skills and continues to afford her a sneak preview of federal funding priorities. Before each review session, she said officials provide an overview of the government’s focus for that particular period.

She also feels that being a reviewer has given her a boost of self-confidence, espe-cially when she comes across grant pro-posals submitted by people whose work she studied and are recognized as top scholars in the field. However, Barrio noted that although gaining this knowl-edge has benefited her career, the ultimate goal of embracing the role of reviewer is to improve the quality of life and well-being of vulnerable individuals.“We are invested in this process to

improve the rigor of our research and ulti-mately benefit our community,” she said. t

“I think it’s absolutely perilous for someone to attempt an NIH proposal without mentoring from someone who has gone through the

process. That can mean the difference between funding

and no funding.”

John Brekke