Event featured networking, panel discussion, faculty-led breakouts, and student presentations

University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences held its biannual Research Symposium themed, “Empowering Mental Health Support in Our Communities,” on August 16. The symposium serves as a dynamic forum supporting student experience and elevating research from faculty and students, with topics on various aspects of mental health needs, care and support, including for first responders.

“Mental health care does not belong to a sole discipline and it is clear that communities best benefit when there is deeper collaboration on support and treatment,” states Christina Neider, Ed.D., dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “Our College structure is designed to support this type of collaboration across social and behavioral health services, and this symposium helped highlight those opportunities for our students so that they can better identify synergies of community engagement that contribute to improving mental health outcomes.”

The symposium opened with a panel discussion featuring College leaders Sheila Babendir, Ed.D., LPC associate dean, Daniel Barry, M.A., program chair, Barbara Burt, Psy.D., program chair, Samantha Dutton, Ph.D., LCSW(r), Lt Col(Ret), associate dean, Mary Jo Trombley, Ph.D., associate dean, and moderated by Franzi Walsh, DBA, associate dean. Designed to drive positive change and empower mental health advocacy, their conversation addressed innovative strategies such as embedding social workers into large downtown libraries where homeless populations gather, interdisciplinary approaches such as harnessing community-based resources to help with tech set-up and education in order to support telehealth delivery, and best practices to address the complexities of mental health support, focused on enhancing well-being, and cultivating inclusive, supportive environments within communities.

Breakout sessions included the following topics:

• Transference and Countertransference: Made Plain
• Crisis Intervention Team Training and the Benefits of Educating Law Enforcement on Mental Health Issues
• Healing Communities by Developing Psychoeducational and Support Groups
• The Impact of Social-Media on Adolescent’s Mental Health
• Empowering Mental Health of First Responders: Roles, Impact, and Self-Care Strategies
• Mental Wellness and the Police Athletic/Activities League

Additionally, Tommy Napier, a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, presented research on “AI and Mental Health Counseling,” on the purpose, ethics, and patient privacy aspects of artificial intelligence in counseling. "The research symposium was a great opportunity to both enrich others and myself through the process of readying and presenting points of interest to the mental health community,” Napier shared. “The ease of onboarding to the presentation site as well as communication with the moderator made everything smooth.”

The University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences designs and administers bachelors and masters in human services, social work, counseling, criminal justice, corrections, public administration, and psychology. Learn more here about these and other University of Phoenix programs here.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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