MSW students in their Specialist year (2nd year) research, write and disseminate policy advocacy briefs on issues of importance to social workers, their clients, and communities in SOWK 655: Social Work Policy Practice. For information about the course or any of the advocacy briefs contact Nancy Fitzsimons, PhD, MSW, LISW at nancy.fitzsimons@mnsu.edu.
Submissions from 2024
2024-01: Rethinking Educational Neglect: Supporting and Investing in Families to Thrive, Meghan Lutz, Alexis Ewanga, Cole Rauchman, and Madori Scholten
2024-02: Transforming Educational Neglect: Advocating for a Family Centered Approach Through Community-Based Response, Sydney Barrett, Ash-Lee Conley, Cindi Lindstrom, and Madison Roth
2024-03: Addressing Mental Health Needs of Mothers in Minnesota, Liz Fritz, Leah Nachreiner, Jaelynn Pinske, and Mary Speer
2024-04: Pathways to Stability and Hope: A Holistic Approach to Permanent Supportive Housing for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Dayna Gums, Ericka Wood, Haddy Jagne, and Haley Pollard
2024-05: A Place to Call Home: Source of Income Protection, Farhiya Dini, Ally Petersen, Olivia Rivers, and Sierra Wieneke
2024-06: Disability Wage Justice: Ending Subminimum Wages and Advancing Equality for People with Disabilities, Samantha Koenigs, Stephanie Almanza, Christy Dauner, and Rachel Murphy
Submissions from 2023
Building the Pathway Towards Inclusivity: A Policy Brief Advocating for Inclusive Postsecondary Education, Callie Fore, Crystal Morales, DeAnn Prouty, and Emily Whittaker
End Felony Disenfranchisement and Restore the Right to Vote, Anna Lahr, Hannah Van Otterloo, Nichole Smith, and Taylor Ernste
Ensuring Equity in Education: End Exclusionary Discipline to Protect All Students Access to Learning, Emma Daugherty, Dominika Dyminski, Lacey Erickson, and Carly Manderfeld
Expanding Full-Service Community Schools in Minnesota, Angela Dabu, Kaylee Olson, Allie Paulson, and Kaylee Warner
Incorporating Cultural Healing Practices into Mental Health Care, Maria Jeremiason, Hailey Wilhelm, Yuriana Soto, and Erin Sudbeck
Investing in Rural Mental Health: An Approach to Increasing Access to Mental Health Professionals and Services, Corey Jeries-Bardon, Paige Peterson, Paige Pittmann, and Makena Roeker
Reforma a las prácticas predatorias de los préstamos del día de pago en Minnesota, Michelle Dammann, Neida Juantos, and Wendy Tougas
Reforming Predatory Payday Loan Practices in Minnesota, Michelle Dammann, Neida Juantos, and Wendy Tougas
You Betcha We Want MN Paid Family Medical Leave!, Julie Bishop, Crystal Haugen, Alicia Nelson, and Cassandra Rigdon
Submissions from 2022
Broadband Internet Access: Equal Access and Opportunity for All, Erin Kotten, Emily Louks, Matt Frank, and Marissa Mammenga
Collaborating with Parents with Disabilities to Create Accountability in the Special Education System, Brooke Crosby, Julia Lutz-Lawlor, Kelsy Farley, and Khadra Geelle
Cultural Healing Practices: Incorporating Cultural Healers into Minnesota's Mental Health Care System, Raymond Shoup, Allyson Endersbe, Nayeli Hernandez Moctezuma, and Patty Balderas-Johnson
Gender Responsive Reentry: Supporting Mothers and Their Children, Michaela Bruder, Ally Malueg, Neve Patterson, and Courtney Schallock
Investing in the Social Work Profession Benefits the Health and Well-Being of Us All, Jill Craig, Kayla Jacobsen, Mackenzie Erickson, and Madison Lanning
Parent-Centered Planning: One Approach to Ending Ableism in the Child Welfare System, Gabrielle Heille, Bailey McNulty, Jessica Schisel, Bla Yang, and Lauren Zappitello
Payday Lending: Reforming this Predatory Practice in Minnesota, Courtney Colton, Karmy Luker, Addy Haarstad-Mead, and Sarah Turpen
Restore the Vote: Ending Parole, Probationary, and Supervised Release Disenfranchisement, Patrick Johnson, Lucy Rodriguez, Katelyn Sticha, and Stephanie Trejo
Submissions from 2021
From Incarceration to Community: Criminal Justice Reform for People Affected by Mental Illness in Minnesota, Nancy Altmann and Paige Myrick
Front End Justice: Diverting People Affected by Mental Illness from the Criminal Justice System, Ariel Esqueda, Kelliann Kutschke, Matthew Miller, and Kayleigh Wendland
I Am Ready for College. Are You Ready for Me?: Investing in Inclusive Higher Education for Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Minnesota, Travis Bowen, Lindsey Morrison, Janessa Jandt, and Claire Ziegler
Investing in a Culturally Diverse Mental Health Workforce in Minnesota, Emma Fuhrman, Teia Kopari, Cody Reinke, and Josie Schultz
Paid Sick Time: An Essential Benefit for All of Minnesota's Workers, Leah Hanson, Caitlin Kemp, and Carrie Leggett
Promoting Equity in Education: Fostering Positive School Climates Where All Students Learn, Rebecca Bakkedahl, Jessica Bernier, Karen Hernandez, and Samantha Koktan
Promoting the Well-Being of People with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities through Trauma-Informed Supports, Jenny Birkholz, Katy Hemberger, Brianna Jonason, and Stephanie Nelson
Submissions from 2020
Achieving Equity for African American Children and Families in Minnesota's Child Welfare System: Keeping Families Together, Abigail Kamm, Quincey Krein, Lindsay Simon, and Kayla Wolff
Affordable & Accessible Housing for All Minnesotans: Equitable Investment in Housing for People with Disabilities, Nabiha Ali, Jennifer Gutierrez, Monde Solomon, Natalia Marchan-Gallardo, and Nancy M. Fitzsimons
Equity and Justice for People with Traumatic Brain Injury in Minnesota's Criminal Justice System: Achieving Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity, Megan Bryant, Donica Doran, Karen LaCroix, and Beth Winterfeldt
Modernizing Minnesota's Guardianship Statute: Moving Away from Guardianship to Supported Decision-Making, Anna Ely, Madalyn Johnson, Bethany Mueller, and Taylor Steckelberg
Police Social Work in Minnesota: Starting the Conversation, Jenny Ellsworth, Taylor Fish, Alison Niesen, and Natalia Pitts
Promoting Health, Justice and Well-Being of Minnesota's LGBTQ+ Community: Banning Conversion Therapy, Katelin Farmer, Ashley Hansen, Chelesa Schweim, and Sarah Petersen
Supported Families Grow Healthy Children: Branching Out Services to Support Children, Families, and Communities Impacted by Punitive Practices in the Criminal Justice System, Patrick Clark, Janet Meegan, Troy Potter, Holly Schmitt, and Jesse Valentin
Submissions from 2019
A Crisis in the Farming Community: A Pathway to Acceptable, Accessible and Available Mental Health Care in Rural Minnesota, Trevor Frybarger, Laura Koch, Kathy Thao, and Taryn Wicks
Bridging the Gap: Supporting Transition-Age Youth Living with Mental Health Conditions, Oreoluwa Dasylva, Abbie Ensrud, Brittany Kruse, and Cindy Schulz
Expanding Full-Service Community Schools into Rural Minnesota, Rachel Cox Raverty, Lindsey Gilbert, Jessica Goettl, Claire Otto, and Korissa Smith
Moving Beyond a Protective Approach to Stopping Sexual Violence of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Katie Crowell, Jenni Elwer, Beatrice Makori, and Laura Schultz
Paid Family and Medical Leave Policy: An Investment in Minnesota's Families, Hannah Krog, Danielle Kaderlik, Danielle Maher, Paxson Menard, and Kallie Trutnau
Voting Rights & Felon Disenfranchisement: A New Path Forward, Jenessa Rudell, Sierra Sanders, Kali Shae, Emily Stensvold, and Luke Westman
Submissions from 2018
Applying Social Work Values to the Care and Treatment of Intersex People, Michelle Anklan, Jeffrey Matejcek, and Lorelei Tinaglia
In the Child's Best Interests: Preparing Culturally Responsive Guardians ad Litem in Minnesota, Ashley Brown, Emily Camacho, Taneesha Hunter, and Skylar Retterath
Invisible No More: Bringing Awareness to Mental Health in Older Adults Living in Rural Minnesota, Abigail Schaper, Carley LeDoux, and Kristry Danielson
Jails are not Treatment Centers, Michael Henning, Rachel Mattick, and Cali Turbes
LAUNCH-ing Minnesota Early Childhood Mental Health into the Future, Molly Abdo, Alyssa Baker, and Elizabeth Holz
Perinatal Depression: Investing in Our Mothers Before It's Too Late, Katelin Dietel, Anna Garbers, and Kailee Hrubetz
Sexual Harassment, Jessica Gagnier, Kara Kocmick, and Stepanie Voegele
Taking Care of Palliative Care, Jolene Baker, Kristina Larsen, and Amanda Schumacher
The Social Isolation Epidemic: A Public Health Concern, Jolynne Bockman, Allison Frandrup, and Hannah Miner
Submissions from 2017
{Ace}ing Early Childhood in Minnesota, Bailey Alston, Casie DeVos, Alisha Field, and Renee Gasner
A Mental Health Workforce Crisis: Roadmap for Enhancing Recruitment & Retention in Minnesota, Iowa & Wisconsin, Lindsay Duenow, Rebecca Kobernick, McKenzie Sohre, and Kim Wallgren
Creating Healthy Communities Across Minnesota: Investing in Integrated Health Care, Leah Jacobson, Nicole Lidstrom, Jenna Lipovetz, and Jamie Schuller
Ensuring Access to Mental Health Care: A Rural Perspective, Shannon M. Bank, Roxanne M. Paulson, Samantha N. Schafter, and Anne M. Schuelke
In Search of a Forever Home: Raising the Standards for Our Kids, Katarina Barrett, Shelby Marx, Moriah Mueller, Christopher Olson, and Michelle Olund-Youngberg
Stop Truancy Before It Starts: Getting Every Kid to School, Everyday, Brittany Roulette, Hannah Twedt, and Paula Skala
Time to Stand Up for Female Vets: Improving Access to Vegerans Administration Health Services for Female Veterans who Experience Military Sexual Trauma, Rhonda Haugstad, Dana Miller, and Michelle Remold
