School of Social Work – UW News

UW’s graduate and professional programs highly ranked by US News & World Report

Jackson Holtz — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:00:53 +0000

The UW’s graduate and professional degree programs again were recognized as among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

UPDATE April 7, 2026:��The original version of this story omitted two UW programs that were included in the rankings: Occupational Therapy (Tied for 20th) and Physical Therapy (Tied for 31st).��

The ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý’s graduate and professional degree programs again were recognized as among the best in the nation, according to .

Topping this year’s list include programs at the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, the School of Public Health, the School of Nursing, the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering in the College of Engineering and the College of Education. The College of Arts & Sciences and the College of the Environment also had top-rated programs.

In total, 81 graduate and professional degree programs across the UW placed in the top 35 in this year’s U.S. News rankings.

“These rankings highlight the strength and impact of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý’s graduate and professional programs,” said UW President Robert J. Jones. “These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge to meet critical workforce needs and serve society, while demonstrating the power of higher education to advance the public good. We are proud to foster an environment where students and faculty can thrive and have a real impact on the world around them.”

While the UW celebrates the success and impact of the programs recognized by U.S. News — and notes that many applicants use these rankings to help them select schools and discover potential areas of study — the University also recognizes shortcomings inherent in the ranking systems.

The UW School of Law and the UW School of Medicine withdrew from the U.S. News rankings in 2022 and 2023, respectively, citing concerns that some of the methodology in the rankings for those specific disciplines incentivize actions and policies that run counter to the schools’ public service missions.

UW leaders continue to work with U.S. News and other ranking organizations to improve their methodologies, to the extent that the organizations are open to it. Schools, colleges and departments continually reevaluate the benefits and potential shortfalls of participating in specific rankings.

Excluding the School of Law and the School of Medicine, 29 UW programs placed in the top 10, and 81 are in the top 35.

��The UW this year placed in the top 10 nationwide in public affairs, biostatistics,�� nursing, computer science, education, psychology, speech and language pathology, statistics and Earth sciences.

The UW’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance has maintained its top-10 ranking for more than a decade and tied for fifth in the nation this year. The Evans School’s environmental policy program was ranked second, while public finance and budgeting as well as leadership both ranked No. 10.

The UW School of Nursing’s doctor of nursing practice program tied for No. 1 among public institutions. The School of Public Health has maintained its top-10 ranking for more than a decade, coming in this year at No. 9. The school also had three programs in the top 10: biostatistics, environmental health sciences and epidemiology.��

The UW’s programs in speech and language pathology tied for No. 6.�� Two programs from the College of Education placed in the top 10. And the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering this year tied for seventh place overall with three programs ranked in the top 10, including artificial intelligence, programming language and systems.

U.S. News ranks biostatistics in two ways. UW ranked No. 3 as a science discipline that applies statistical theory and mathematical principles to research in medicine, biology, environmental science, public health and related fields. UW’s School of Public Health ranked No. 7 in biostatistics as an area of study that trains students to apply statistical principles and methods to problems in health sciences, medicine and biology. At the UW, biostatistics is a division of the School of Public Health.

In some cases, such as the College of Arts & Science and the Foster School of Business, U.S. News ranks several professional disciplines housed within academic units. Programs in dentistry are not ranked.��

The rankings below are based on preliminary data and may be updated. relies on both expert opinions and statistical indicators.

TOP 10:

Library and Information Studies (overall): Two-way tie for 1st (ranked in 2025)

Public Affairs (environmental policy): 2nd

Library and information studies (digital librarianship): Two-way for 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Library and Information Studies (information systems): 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Biostatistics: 3rd

Physics (nuclear): Two-way tie for 3rd (ranked in 2024)

Nurse practitioner (doctor of nursing practice): Four-way tie for 4th

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance (overall): Four-way tie for 5th

Library and Information Studies (library services for children and youth): Two-way for 5th (ranked in 2022)

Computer science (systems): Tied for 6th

Education (elementary education): 6th

Psychology (clinical): Three-way tie for 6th

Speech-language pathology: Five-way tie for 6th

Statistics: Four-way tie for 6th

Public Health (biostatistics): 7th

Computer science (overall): Three-way tie for 7th

Computer science (programming language): Tied for 7th

Education (secondary education): 7th

Nursing (midwifery): Five-way tie for 7th

Public Health (environmental health sciences): 7th

School of Social Work (overall): 7th (ranked in 2025)

Public Health (epidemiology): 8th

Computer science (artificial intelligence): 9th

Earth sciences: Tied for 9th��

Geophysics: Three-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024)

Public Affairs (nonprofit management): 9th

School of Public Health (overall): Tied for 9th

Public Affairs (public finance and budgeting): 10th

Public Affairs (public management and leadership): 10th

TOP 25:

Biological sciences: Five-way tie for 16th

Business (accounting): 10-way tie for 16th

Business (entrepreneurship): Five-way tie for 17th

Business (information systems): Three-way tie for 15th

Business (part-time MBA): Three-way tie for 11th

Business (full-time MBA): 20th

Business (management): Five-way tie for 25th

Business (marketing): Eight-way tie for 25th

Chemistry (analytical): Four-way tie for 16th (ranked in 2024)

Chemistry: Seven-way tie for 22nd

Chemistry (inorganic): Three-way tie for 22nd (ranked in 2024)

Computer science (theory): Tied for 11th

College of Education (overall): Tied for 24th

Education (administration): Tied for 11th

Education (curriculum/instruction): Tied for 12th

Education (policy): Tied for 14th

Education (special education): Tied for 12th

College of Engineering (overall): Three-way tie for 22nd

Engineering (aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical): Tied for 17th

Engineering (biomedical/bioengineering): Five-way tie for 12th

Engineering (civil): Four-way tie for 13th

Engineering (computer): 12th

Engineering (electrical): Three-way tie for 22nd

Engineering (industrial/manufacturing/systems): Seven-way tie for 24th

Engineering (materials engineering): Five-way tie for 25th

Library and Information Studies (school library media): Two-way tie for 11th (ranked in 2022)

Mathematics (applied math): 21st (ranked in 2024)

Nursing master’s (overall): Tied for 12th

Nurse practitioner (adult gerontology acute care): Tied for 11th

Nurse practitioner (family): Tied for 15th

School of Pharmacy (overall): Tied for 14th

Physics (overall): Tied for 20th��

Public Affairs (public policy analysis): 14th

Public Affairs (social policy): Tied for 13th

Public Affairs (urban policy): Three-way tie for 21st

Public Health (health care management): Three-way tie for 16th��

Public Health (health policy and management): 11th

Public Health (social behavior): 13th

Sociology (overall): Two-way tie for 22nd (ranked in 2025)

Sociology (population): Two-way tie for 15th (ranked in 2022)

TOP 35:

Business (analytics): Seven-way tie for 32nd

Business (executive MBA): Three-way tie for 29th

Business (finance): Nine-way tie for 31st

Business (international MBA): Tie for 32nd

Business (production & operations): Five-way tie for 27th

Engineering (chemical): Tied for 28th

Engineering (mechanical): 34th

English: Two-way tie for 34th (ranked in 2025)

Fine arts: 15-way tie for 34th

History: Three-way tie for 31st (ranked in 2025)

Mathematics: Four-way tie for 26th

Occupational Therapy: Tied for 20th

Physical Therapy: Tied for 31st

Political science: Five-way tie for 33rd (ranked in 2025)

Canopy Foundation makes $15M grant to establish Neurodiversity and Employment Institute at the UW

Dana Robinson Slote — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:01:05 +0000

The awarded a $15 million grant to the to support the launch of the UW Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment. The new institute will bring together leading scholars and practitioners from various disciplines alongside employers to build the capacity of the UW, Washington state and the nation to create meaningful employment opportunities and career experiences for neurodivergent people.

Neurodivergent adults, such as those on the autism spectrum, or with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or other cognitive differences, experience significant barriers to inclusion in education and employment due to disabilities that often aren’t obvious. Research shows��that remain consistently employed over time, and just are employed, compared to 87% employment among adults without ADHD. Studies suggest that is neurodivergent. Accordingly, efforts to improve the neuroinclusivity of academic institutions and workplaces have significant potential for impact on individuals, families and the U.S. economy.

“The lower education and employment outcomes are largely attributed to education and workplace environments that were designed to reinforce normative expectations,” said , UW associate professor in the Information School and founding director of the Institute. “When learning and work environments are designed for neurodiversity — and managers and teachers are trained to be neuroinclusive — neurodivergent individuals achieve far better outcomes.”

Annabi is a leading scholar on neurodiversity and employment. Her work in this space includes the publication of a series of Neurodiversity @ Work Playbooks that make a case for hiring neurodivergent people and offer concrete instructions for supporting their growth and career development.

“The Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment is set up to make a significant difference — not just at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý, but for communities all over our state,” said , executive director of the Canopy Neurodiversity Foundation. “This institute will build on Canopy’s vision for a truly neuroinclusive workforce, dramatically expanding what’s possible in our state.”

Housed in the Information School, the Institute will integrate faculty, research and support from the and the , with additional collaboration from UW Medicine and the School of Social Work.

“The new institute will build upon the outstanding neurodiversity work of Dr. Annabi at the Information School,” said , dean of the UW Information School. “Adding the deep expertise of our cross-campus collaborators, along with Canopy and other community partners, we will create truly multidisciplinary, innovative and impactful solutions that will transform Washington’s education and employment spaces — including here at the UW.”

“At present, research addressing lifespan issues such as employment is happening in silos across various disciplines, limiting our ability to develop comprehensive solutions,” said Annabi. “By convening a broad coalition of partners across the neurodiversity, employment and academic communities, we can move beyond isolated efforts toward innovative, systems-level change — driven by those with lived experience and deep expertise.”

The Institute’s work will focus on five pillars: translational research on neurodiversity and employment, applied professional education and training, community empowerment across Washington state, advocacy efforts to create and strengthen neuroinclusive policies and practices statewide, and direct engagement with UW leadership to make the university a premier destination for neurodivergent faculty, staff, clinicians and students.

Annabi is particularly enthusiastic about the UW’s commitment to ‘walk the talk’ by committing, through the Institute, to neuroinclusive employment practices.

“The UW recognizes that employment is an important component of a person’s quality of life and the equitable distribution of societal resources and power,” said UW Provost Tricia Serio.�� “As one of the state’s largest employers, we have a vital role to play in modeling ways to increase support for neurodivergent people and break down the persistence of barriers in post-secondary education and the workplace that they face. We are thrilled to channel this work through the Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment.”

The UW Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment will launch activities and programming in 2026.

###

For questions, please contact: neurodiversity@uw.edu.

12 UW professors elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences

Alden Woods — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 17:03:41 +0000

Pictured in order, starting from the top left: Rona Levy, Horacio de la Iglesia, Jashvant Unadkat, Eric Steig, Kai-Mei Fu, Julie Kientz, Magdalena Balazinska, David Hertzog, Cynthia Chen, Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert, Scott Ramsey, Donald Chi. Photo collage credit: Alex Bartick

Twelve faculty members at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state July 17 as new members. Election recognizes the new member’s “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement and willingness to assist the Academy in providing the best available scientific information and technical understanding to inform complex policy decisions in Washington.”��

The UW faculty members were selected by current WSAS members or by their election to national science academies. Eleven were voted on by current WSAS members:��

, professor, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair, and director of the Paul G. ��Allen School for Computer Science & Engineering, for “contributions in data management for data science, big data systems, cloud computing and image/video analytics and leadership in data science education.”��

professor of civil & environmental engineering and of industrial & systems engineering, for “pioneering work in human mobility analysis and infrastructure resilience, which have transformed transportation systems in terms of both demand and supply, and shaped the future directions of transportation systems research on community-based solutions and disaster resilience.”��

Lloyd and Kay Chapman Endowed Chair for Oral Health and associate dean for research in the UW School of Dentistry, and professor in the Department of Health Systems & Population Health, for “leadership in understanding and addressing children’s oral health inequities through community-based socio-behavioral interventions and evidence-based policies.”��

professor of biology, for “internationally recognized leadership in the biology of sleep, including groundbreaking research on molecular and genetic aspects of the brain, human behavioral studies on learning under varied sleep schedules, and contributions that have shaped policy on school schedules and standard time.”��

, the Virginia and Prentice Bloedel professor of physics and of electrical & computer engineering, for “foundational contributions to fundamental and applied research on the optical and spin properties of quantum point defects in crystals and for service and leadership in the quantum community.” ��

, professor and chair of human centered design and engineering, for “award-winning leadership in HCI computing, whose research has advanced health and education technology, influenced policy, and shaped the HCI field of through impactful scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration and inclusive, real-world technology design.”��

, professor and associate dean for research in the UW School of Social Work, for “contributions to understanding psychosocial and physiological factors that moderate the effectiveness of their interventions and ultimately improve the health of children with abdominal pain disorders.”��

, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine and of pharmacy, “for leadership in health economics and cancer research, including work on financial toxicity, cost- effectiveness, and healthcare policy that has influenced national discussions, improved cancer care access, and shaped policies for equitable and sustainable healthcare.” Ramsey is also Director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at Fred Hutch.��

, professor of bioengineering and Vice Dean of Research and Graduate Education in the UW School of Medicine, for “national leadership in biomedical research, research policy, and graduate education, including pioneering novel drug delivery approaches for regenerative medicine applications in the nervous system and other tissues such as bone, cartilage, tendon and skin.”��

, Rabinowitz Endowed Professor of Earth and space sciences, for “revolutionizing our understanding of climate change in Antarctica through pioneering ice core extractions under hazardous Antarctic conditions and their subsequent analyses over two decades, and for applying that expertise to advance climate research in Washington State.”��

, professor of pharmaceutics, for “pioneering contributions to pharmaceutical and translational sciences, including groundbreaking research on drug transporters, PBPK modeling and maternal-fetal pharmacology that have helped shaped drug safety policies.”��

The Academy also welcomed new members who were selected by virtue of their election to the National Academies of Science, Engineering or Medicine. Among them is , the Arthur B. McDonald professor of physics and director of the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. Hertzog was elected to the National Academy of Sciences last year. ��

UW Information School ties for 1st; other UW programs place highly in US News & World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking

Jackson Holtz — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 04:06:29 +0000

The UW’s graduate and professional degree programs were widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings. Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

UPDATE April 8,2025: An earlier version of this story included outdated rankings that were erroneously posted by U.S. News and have since been removed from the U.S. News ranking site. This story has been updated to reflect most recent rankings.

Many of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý’s graduate and professional degree programs were widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to .

The UW Information School tied for No. 1 alongside the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for library and information studies. And, more than 80 UW schools and departments placed prominently in the 2026 rankings.

“As these rankings demonstrate, the UW’s outstanding graduate and professional degree programs are leading the way in training highly skilled people to fill critical workforce needs and advance discovery and innovation in a wide range of fields,” said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. “It has never been more important to recognize how much graduate and professional education benefit our nation and people everywhere, and the UW is proud to see these exceptional programs be celebrated.”

Excluding the School of Law and the School of Medicine, 32 UW programs placed in the top 10, and more than 80 are in the top 35.

In new rankings released this year, the UW placed in the top 10 nationwide in library and information studies, public affairs, nursing, speech and language pathology, education, public health, computer science, psychology and civil engineering, according to U.S. News.

The UW’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance has maintained its top-10 ranking for more than a decade and placed seventh in the nation. The Evans School’s environmental policy program was ranked second and nonprofit management and social policy each were ranked at No. 8.

This year’s rankings highlighted UW’s leadership in nursing and public health: The UW School of Nursing held the No. 1 overall ranking for a public school offering a doctor of nursing practice program, and nursing schools at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma are among the top 10 public institutions that offer a master’s degree. The School of Public Health has maintained its top-10 ranking for more than a decade, coming in this year tied for No. 10. The school also had three programs in the top 10: biostatistics, environmental health sciences and epidemiology. And overall, the U.S. News rankings noted UW’s strength in health sciences: The School of Social Work was ranked No. 7 and the School of Pharmacy tied for 12th — or third among public institutions on the West Coast — on last year’s list, while dentistry programs are not ranked.

The UW’s programs in speech and language pathology tied for No. 5, topping schools on the West Coast.�� Three programs from the College of Education placed in the top 10. And the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering this year tied for seventh place overall, and four programs ranked in the top 10, including artificial intelligence, programming language, systems and theory.

In some cases, such as the College of Arts & Science and the Foster School of Business, U.S. News ranks several professional disciplines housed within academic units. The rankings below are based on preliminary data and may be updated. relies on both expert opinions and statistical indicators.

TOP 10:

Library and Information Studies (overall): Two-way tie for 1st

Public Affairs (environmental policy): 2nd

Library and information studies (digital librarianship): Two-way for 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Library and Information Studies (information systems): 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Nurse practitioner (doctor of nursing practice): 3rd

Physics (nuclear): Two-way tie for 3rd (ranked in 2024)

Library and Information Studies (library services for children and youth): Two-way for 5th (ranked in 2022)

Nursing (midwifery): 5th

Nurse practitioner (pediatric acute care): Two-way tie for 5th (ranked in 2022)

Speech-language pathology: Six-way tie for 5th

Education (elementary education): 6th

Education (secondary education): 6th

Public Health (biostatistics): 6th

Computer science (overall): Four-way tie for 7th

Computer science (programming language): 7th

Public Health (environmental health sciences): 7th

School of Social Work (overall): 7th (ranked in 2025)

Statistics: Tie for 7th (ranked in 2022)

Computer science (artificial intelligence): 8th

Computer science (systems): 8th

Education (curriculum/instruction): 8th

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance (overall): Two-way tie for 7th

Psychology (clinical): Six-way tie for 8th

Public Affairs (nonprofit management): 8th

Public Affairs (social policy): 8th

Public Health (epidemiology): Two-way tie for 8th

Computer science (theory): Three-way tie for 9th

Earth sciences: Five-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024)

Geophysics: Three-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024)

Engineering (civil): Three-way tie for 10th

Public Affairs (public finance and budgeting): 10th

School of Public Health (overall): Two-way tie for 10th

TOP 25:

Biological sciences: Three-way tie for 23rd (ranked in 2022)

Business (part-time MBA): Two-way tie for 17th

Business (information systems): Two-way tie for 12th

Business (international MBA): Three-way tie for 20th

Business (supply chain management): Three-way tie for 21st (ranked in 2025)

Business (full-time MBA): Two-way tie for 22nd

Business (entrepreneurship): Three-way tie for 23rd

Business (executive MBA): Three-way tie for 25th

Chemistry (analytical): Four-way tie for 16th (ranked in 2024)

Chemistry: Three-way tie for 24th (ranked in 2024)

Chemistry (inorganic): Three-way tie for 22nd (ranked in 2024)

College of Education (overall): Two-way tie for 22nd

Education (administration): Two-way tie for 12th

Education (policy): Three-way tie for 16th

Education (psychology): 19th

Education (special education): Two-way tie for 11th

College of Engineering (overall): Three-way tie for 20th

Engineering (aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical): Three-way tie for 15th

Engineering (biomedical/bioengineering): Four-way tie for 12th

Engineering (chemical): Two-way tie for 25th

Engineering (computer): Two-way tie for 13th

Engineering (electrical): Four-way tie for 18th

Engineering (environmental/environmental health): Four-way tie for 18th (ranked in 2025)

Engineering (materials engineering): Three-way tie for 24th

Library and Information Studies (school library media): Two-way tie for 11th (ranked in 2022)

Mathematics (applied math): 21st (ranked in 2024)

Nursing master’s (overall): Three-way tie for 12th

Nurse practitioner (family): Three-way tie for 11th (ranked in 2025)

College of Pharmacy (overall): Three-way tie for 12th (ranked in 2025)

Physics (overall): 20th (ranked in 2024)

Public Health (healthcare management): Three-way tie for 16th

Public Health (health policy and management): 13th

Public Health (social behavior): Two-way tie for 12th

Public Affairs (global policy and administration): 14th

Public Affairs (public management and leadership): Three-way tie for 11th

Public Affairs (public policy analysis): 13th

Sociology (overall): Two-way tie for 22nd

Sociology (population): Two-way tie for 15th (ranked in 2022)

TOP 35:

Business (accounting): Three-way tie for 27th

Business (management): Three-way tie for 29th

Business (finance): Three-way tie for 31st

Business (marketing): Two-way tie for 32nd

Engineering (industrial/manufacturing/systems): Three-way tie for 30th

Engineering (mechanical): Three-way tie for 30th

English: Two-way tie for 34th

History: Three-way tie for 31st

Mathematics: Three-way tie for 27th (ranked in 2024)

Political science: Five-way tie for 33rd

Psychology: Nine-way way tie for 30th

Q&A: Using marijuana can worsen outcomes for young adults with psychosis – how can mental health professionals help them stop?

Alden Woods — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:18:19 +0000

PrathanChorruangsak/iStock

Twelve years after Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, it’s safe to say that weed is here to stay. report using cannabis in the last month, and believe marijuana products are safe.��

When it comes to the safety of long-term marijuana use among the general population, the jury’s still out. But there are some groups for whom cannabis poses a serious health risk. Among the most vulnerable are young adults with psychosis, who tend to use cannabis at extremely high rates, and whose symptoms can be exacerbated by long-term marijuana use. A team of ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý researchers is focused on this particular group.��

To effectively treat these patients’ symptoms and improve long-term outcomes, it’s critical for providers to help young adults as quickly as possible after their first psychotic episode. But that’s proven tricky. Current best practices aren’t always effective for young adults with psychosis, who tend to use cannabis for different reasons than their peers and who may feel different effects.��

That leaves mental health care providers with a difficult problem: How can they best discern why their patients use cannabis, and what’s the best way to help them stop?��

UW researchers and from the School of Social Work, and , an associate professor in department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine, studied and then developed a novel treatment method. A pilot study of 12 people showed the method to be effective, though final results have yet to be published. UW News sat down with the research team to discuss their intervention and why it’s so important to help young people in this group cut down their use.��

Cannabis use is increasing across the board, but the numbers are staggeringly high among young adults with psychosis – you cite statistics estimating that 60-80% have used cannabis at some point in their lifetime. What makes a person experiencing psychosis so much more likely to use cannabis?��

Denise Walker: Many people were probably using cannabis before the onset of their psychosis symptoms, because there is strong research evidence that cannabis increases the risk for developing psychosis-related disorders. For those who do develop a psychosis-related disorder like schizophrenia, continued cannabis use impedes the recovery process and makes outcomes worse. There is still a lot more to learn about the cause and effect of these relationships, but cannabis does seem to have a unique relationship with psychosis.��

Ryan Petros: In addition, there is some evidence to suggest that people with schizophrenia are more prone to feeling bored than people without schizophrenia. In general, a lot of people use cannabis because they like it, and they find the associated high to be fun. It may be that people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders are more likely to use cannabis to have fun and feel good because they are more likely to feel bored and less likely to feel pleasure in everyday activities. But the fact of the matter is, we don’t really know. Another reason that people use cannabis, in general, is because it facilitates social interactions or provides a shared activity in social settings. Because people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders have smaller social networks and fewer social engagements, it may be that they use cannabis to facilitate improved social interaction, but here again, we need more research to know with more certainty.��

At the heart of all this research is the different health risks of cannabis use for people with and without psychosis or other mental health challenges. What are those differences, and why is cannabis use among young adults with psychosis particularly concerning?��

RP: For people with a psychosis, cannabis use is associated with higher rates of dropping from treatment and decreased adherence to medication. It leads to increased symptoms of psychosis and higher rates of psychiatric rehospitalization. In the long –term, cannabis use increases the risk of poor psychosocial outcomes and diminished overall functioning.��

DW: Essentially, continued cannabis use makes it much harder for young adults with psychosis to take advantage of treatment, make strides in their recovery and, ultimately, get on with having the life they want.��

RP: Another major reason for concern is that not only is cannabis use on the rise, people also have progressively adopted more tolerant attitudes toward cannabis. Cannabis has recently overtaken alcohol as the drug most often used on a daily basis in the United States. While some people can use cannabis without a problem, it’s recommended that some others abstain from using at all.�� Over time, however, people have come to believe that cannabis use has health benefits, and they are less likely to perceive risks of use. This may result in a particularly challenging set of circumstances for helping someone with psychosis to learn about the real risks that cannabis use has for their health and wellness and to make the choice to reduce or abstain from use.��

DW: I agree. Perceptions surrounding cannabis are often polarized – it is often viewed as either “good” or “bad,” when in reality, it’s somewhere in the middle. There can be benefits for some to use cannabis and real risks of harm for others. These mixed messages, or at least the lack of acknowledgement of harms, contribute to continued hardship for those experiencing psychosis and their families.��

What methods are currently recommended to help people reduce their cannabis use, and why might those not be as effective for young adults with psychosis?����

DW: The gold standard treatment includes a combination of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and contingency management. Contingency management is often not available in the community, and studies show that MET plus CBT perform almost as well. Because it is normal for motivation to wax and wane for someone contemplating changing their cannabis use, MET addresses the issue of motivation early on. CBT teaches skills to avoid drug use, cope with social situations and negative moods, and solve problems without the use of cannabis. Family therapy is another option with strong support.��

The big problem is that we don’t know if these treatments are effective for young adults with psychosis.�� MET is the most studied intervention in cannabis treatment, alone and in combination; however, it has not been tested with young adults with psychosis.�� With a few optimizations, we believe that it could perform even better than with the general population, and we have begun to test it with young adults with psychosis.��

Your team has developed an intervention for young adults with psychosis that incorporates MET. Can you describe what that intervention looks like, and why it might be more effective for this population?��

DW: MET is a person-centered, nonjudgmental approach that facilitates an honest and candid discussion about cannabis use. The techniques are intended to draw out the individuals’ personal reasons for making a change and to grow their motivation to do so. Individualized feedback is created based on a client’s responses to an assessment of their cannabis use and related experiences and summarizes information about their cannabis use patterns, how their cannabis use compares with others, and their risk factors for developing a cannabis use disorder. It also provides an opportunity for clients to think about their personal goals and how their cannabis use promotes or detracts from their ability to attain those goals.��

When we asked young adults with psychosis what they wanted in a cannabis intervention, they were clear that they wanted an individualized and nonjudgmental approach. They also said they wanted accurate and science-based information about the relationship between cannabis and psychosis. MET ticks those boxes. With a few adaptations, it is an ideal format for providing objective information, while also inviting the young adult to talk it through and consider what the information means to them personally.��

Currently, providers are giving the message to patients that cannabis is harmful for those with psychosis, which is a great start.�� But most providers don’t feel confident discussing why cannabis is harmful and what the research has found.�� My sense is that patients often take that message and defend against it with their own personal experiences of what they like about cannabis. MET offers an invitation to receive and discuss objective evidence, consider their own experiences of how cannabis affects their symptoms and what they want for their future, and do so in a supportive environment that allows for looking at their use from a variety of perspectives.��

You ran a pilot program to understand how the new intervention works. What did you learn in that pilot study?����

DW: We adapted the MET intervention to include personalized feedback on the interaction between cannabis and psychosis and included some graphics and ideas about ways to reduce those risks in addition to abstinence. Twelve young adults experiencing psychosis who used cannabis regularly enrolled in the study and were offered the intervention.��Most of the participants were not interested in changing their use of cannabis at the outset of the study, and by the end, several chose to reduce their cannabis use.��

Overall, the feedback was very positive. Participants overwhelmingly said they would recommend the intervention and would retain the psychosis specific pieces of the conversation. They appreciated the data that was included and the opportunity to discuss what it meant for them. They also said they enjoyed talking about how cannabis fits into their larger life and goals for the future. Overall, the feedback suggests this intervention has promise and should be studied in a larger trial.��

Maria Monroe-DeVita: My long-term goal would be to offer this new intervention either in addition to, or integrated within, the evidence-based package of services known to work best for individuals experiencing first episode psychosis.��

is a research professor in the UW School of Social Work, is an associate professor in the UW School of Social Work, and is an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine.����

For more information or to reach the researchers, contact Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.��

15 UW professors among new class of members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences

James Urton — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:46:33 +0000

UPDATE (Aug. 2, 2024): A previous version of this story misstated Paul Kinahan’s name.

Fifteen faculty members at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state . Selection recognizes the new members’ “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

Twelve UW faculty members were selected by current WSAS members. They are:

, associate professor of epidemiology, of health systems and population health, and of child, family and population health nursing, who “possesses the rare combination of scientific rigor and courageous commitment to local community health. Identifying original ways to examine questions, and seeking out appropriate scientific methods to study those questions, allow her to translate research to collaborative community interventions with a direct impact on the health of communities.”
, the Shauna C. Larson endowed chair in learning sciences, for “his work in the cultural basis of scientific research and learning, bringing rigor and light to multiculturalism in science and STEM education through STEM Teaching Tools and other programs.”
, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, “for her sustained commitment to community-engaged, science-driven practice and policy change related to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of mental health, with a focus on providing effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate care to people with serious mental illness.”
, the David and Nancy Auth endowed professor in bioengineering, who has “charted new paths for 30-plus years. Her quest to deeply understand protein folding/unfolding and the link to amyloid diseases has propelled her to pioneer unique computational and experimental methods leading to the discovery and characterization of a new protein structure linked to toxicity early in amyloidogenesis.”
, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, of global health, and of emergency medicine, who is “a global and national leader at the intersection of climate change and health whose work has advanced our understanding of climate change health effects and has informed the design of preparedness and disaster response planning in Washington state, nationally and globally.”
, professor of bioengineering and of radiology, who is “recognized for his contributions to the science and engineering of medical imaging systems and for leadership in national programs and professional and scientific societies advancing the capabilities of medical imaging.”
, the Donald W. and Ruth Mary Close professor of electrical and computer engineering and faculty member in the UW Clean Energy Institute, who is “recognized for his distinguished research contributions to the design and operation of economical, reliable and environmentally sustainable power systems, and the development of influential educational materials used to train the next generation of power engineers.”
, senior vice president and director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the Joel D. Meyers endowed chair of clinical research and of vaccine and infectious disease at Fred Hutch, and UW professor of medicine, who is “is recognized for her seminal contributions to developing validated laboratory methods for interrogating cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV, TB and COVID-19 vaccines, which has led to the analysis of more than 100 vaccine and monoclonal antibody trials for nearly three decades, including evidence of T-cell immune responses as a correlate of vaccine protection.”
, professor of political science and the Walker family professor for the arts and sciences, who is a specialist “in environmental politics, international political economy, and the politics of nonprofit organizations. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of environmental politics, best known for his path-breaking research on the role firms and nongovernmental organizations can play in promoting more stringent regulatory standards.”
, the Ballmer endowed dean of social work, for investigations of “how inequality, in its many forms, affects health, illness and quality of life. He has developed unique conceptual frameworks to investigate how race, ethnicity and immigration are associated with health and social outcomes.”
, professor of chemistry, who is elected “for distinguished scientific and community contributions to advancing the field of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, which have transformed how researchers worldwide analyze data.”
, professor of bioengineering and of ophthalmology, whose “pioneering work in biomedical optics, including the invention of optical microangiography and development of novel imaging technologies, has transformed clinical practice, significantly improving patient outcomes. Through his numerous publications, patents and clinical translations, his research has helped shape the field of biomedical optics.”

Three new UW members of the academy were selected by virtue of their previous election to one of the National Academies. They are:

, professor of atmospheric and climate science, who had been elected to the National Academy of Sciences “for contributions to research and expertise in atmospheric radiation and cloud processes, remote sensing, cloud/aerosol/radiation/climate interactions, stratospheric circulation and stratosphere-troposphere exchanges and coupling, and climate change.”
, the Bartley Dobb professor for the study and prevention of violence in the Department of Epidemiology and a UW professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for being a national public health leader whose innovative and multidisciplinary research to integrate data across the health care system and criminal legal system has deepened our understanding of the risk and consequences of firearm-related harm and informed policies and programs to reduce its burden, especially among underserved communities and populations.”
, division chief of general pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital and a UW professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for her leadership in advancing child health equity through scholarship in community-partnered design of innovative care models in pediatric primary care. Her work has transformed our understanding of how to deliver child preventive health care during the critical early childhood period to achieve equitable health outcomes and reduce disparities.”

In addition, Dr. , president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and of the Cancer Consortium — a partnership between the UW, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Fred Hutch — was elected to the academy for being “part of a research effort that found mutations in the cell-surface protein epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which plays an important role in helping lung cancer cells survive. Today, drugs that target EGFR can dramatically change outcomes for lung cancer patients by slowing the progression of the cancer.”

the Boeing-Egtvedt endowed professor and chair in aeronautics and astronautics, will join the board effective Sept. 30. Morgansen was elected to WSAS in 2021 “for significant advances in nonlinear methods for integrated sensing and control in engineered, bioinspired and biological flight systems,” and “for leadership in cross-disciplinary aerospace workforce development.” She is currently director of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium, co-director of the UW Space Policy and Research Center and chair of the AIAA Aerospace Department Chairs Association. She is also a member of the WSAS education committee.

“I am excited to serve on the WSAS board and work with WSAS members to leverage and grow WSAS’s impact by identifying new opportunities for WSAS to collaborate and partner with the state in addressing the state’s needs,” said Morgansen.

The new members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences will be formally inducted in September.

UW graduate and professional disciplines have strong showing on US News’ Best Graduate Schools rankings

Jackson Holtz — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 04:03:21 +0000

The UW’s graduate and professional degree programs were widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings. Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

UPDATE:

On June 18, U.S. News & Report updated the rankings to include a number of engineering disciplines.��The College of Engineering was ranked No. 21 overall and nine subdisciplines ranked in the top 35. They include:

Engineering: Aerospace, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, 17th

Engineering: Chemical Engineering, 25th

Engineering: Civil Engineering,12th

Engineering: Computer Engineering, 12th

Engineering: Electrical, Electronic & Communications Engineering, 15th

Engineering: Environmental & Environmental Health Engineering, 18th

Engineering: Industrial Manufacturing & Systems Engineering, 29th

Engineering: Materials Engineering, 29th

Engineering: Mechanical Engineering, 33rd

Original story:

The ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý’s graduate and professional degree programs were widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools released late Monday.

While the UW celebrates the success and impact of the programs recognized by U.S. News — and many applicants use these rankings to help them select schools and discover potential areas of study — the University also recognizes shortcomings inherent in the ranking systems.

UW leaders continue to work with U.S. News and other ranking organizations — to the extent they are open to it — to improve their methodologies. And schools, colleges and departments continually reevaluate the benefits and potential shortfalls of participating in specific rankings.

“Across the UW, our world-class graduate and professional degree programs are not only expanding and creating knowledge and discovery, they are training the next generation of highly skilled professionals and Ph.D.s who are needed in our labs, classrooms and hospitals; in government and industry and everywhere that we face serious and urgent challenges,” said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. “We’re happy to see the success of these programs be recognized.”

Dozens of UW schools and departments placed prominently in the 2025 rankings — excluding the School of Law and the School of Medicine, more than 30 placed in the top 10, and more than 60 in the top 35.

In new rankings released this year, the UW placed in the top 10 nationwide in public affairs, nursing, speech and language pathology, computer science, education, public health, social work and business, according to U.S. News.

The UW’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance has maintained its top-10 ranking for more than a decade and placed eighth in the nation. The Evans School’s environmental policy program was ranked second, nonprofit management and social policy each ranking at No. 8, public finance and budgeting came in at No. 10.

This year’s rankings solidified UW leadership in the health sciences: The UW School of Nursing tied for third place for the doctor of nursing practice program, and nursing schools at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma are among the top 10 public institutions that offer a master’s degree. The School of Public Health tied for No. 7, and had three programs — biostatistics, environmental health sciences and epidemiology — in the top 10. The School of Social Work was ranked No. 7 this year and the School of Pharmacy placed third among public institutions on the West Coast. Dentistry programs are not ranked by U.S. News

The UW’s programs in speech and language pathology ranked No. 5, topping schools on the West Coast.�� Three programs from the College of Education placed in the top 10, and the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering this year tied for seventh place overall, and three programs ranked in the top 10, including artificial intelligence at No. 6, programming language at No. 8, and systems at No. 9.

U.S. News said it would release 2025 rankings for clinical psychology and other engineering programs at a later date.

In some cases, such as the College of Arts & Science and the Foster School of Business, U.S. News ranks several professional disciplines housed within academic units. The rankings below are based on preliminary data and may be updated. Information about U.S. News & World Report’s methodology can be found .

TOP 10:

Public Affairs (environmental policy): 2nd

Library and Information Studies (overall): Tie for 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Library and Information studies (digital librarianship): Tie for 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Library and Information Studies (information systems): 2nd (ranked in 2022)

Nurse practitioner (doctor of nursing practice): Two-way tie for 3rd

Physics (nuclear): Tied for 3rd (ranked in 2024)

Library and Information Studies (library services for children and youth): Tie for 5th (ranked in 2022)

Speech-language pathology: Four-way tie for 5th

Nurse practitioner (pediatric acute care): Tie for 5th (ranked in 2022)

Computer science (artificial intelligence): 6th

Nurse midwifery: Tie for 6th

Computer science (overall): Three-way tie for 7th

Education (secondary education): 7th

Education (elementary education): 7th

School of Public Health (overall): Tie for 7th

Public Health (biostatistics): 7^th

Public Health (environmental health sciences): 7th

School of Social Work (overall): 7th

Statistics: Tie for 7th (ranked in 2022)

Computer science (programming language): 8th

Education (curriculum/instruction): Three-way tie for 8th

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance (overall): 8th

Public Affairs (nonprofit management): 8th

Public Affairs (social policy): 8th

Computer science (systems): 9th

Earth sciences: Five-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024)

Geophysics: Three-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024)

Public Health (epidemiology): 9th

Public Affairs (public finance and budgeting): 10th

Business (part-time MBA): Three-way tie for 10th

Business (information systems): Two-way tie for 10th

TOP 25:

Biological sciences: Three-way tie for 23rd (ranked in 2022)

Business (marketing): Six-way tie for 23rd (ranked in 2024)

Business (analytics): Four-way tie for 19th

Business (entrepreneurship): Four-way tie for 21st

Chemistry (analytical): Four-way tie for 16th (ranked in 2024)

Chemistry: Three-way tie for 24th (ranked in 2024)

Chemistry (inorganic): Three-way tie for 22nd (ranked in 2024)

Computer science (theory): 11th

College of Education (overall): Two-way tie for 23rd

Education (administration/supervision): Two-way tie for 11th

Education (policy): Two-way tie for 19th

Education (special education): 11th

Mathematics (applied math): 21st (ranked in 2024)

Nursing master’s (overall): Two-way tie for 12th

Nurse practitioner (family): Three-way tie for 11th

College of Pharmacy (overall): Three-way tie for 12th

Physics (overall): 20th (ranked in 2024)

Public Health (health policy and management): Tie for 14th

Public Health (social behavior): 14th

Public Affairs (global policy): 14th

Public Affairs (leadership): Three-way tie for 11th

Public Affairs (public policy analysis): 13th

Psychology: Seven-way way tie for 23rd (ranked in 2022)

Library and Information Studies (school library media): Tie for 11th (ranked in 2022)

Sociology (overall): Three-way tie for 20th (ranked in 2022)

Sociology (population): Tie for 15th (ranked in 2022)

TOP 35:

Business (accounting): Four-way tie for 29th

Business (full-time MBA): Two-way tie for 27th

Business (supply chain management): Three-way tie for 21st

English: Seven-way tie for 32nd (ranked in 2022)

History: Four-way tie for 34th (ranked in 2022)

Mathematics: Three-way tie for 27th (ranked in 2024)

Political science: Three-way tie for 34th (ranked in 2022)

Q&A: UW expert on the rising rates of immunosuppression among U.S. adults

Alden Woods — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 19:16:20 +0000

Credit: Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, as it became clear that people with suppressed immune systems were particularly vulnerable to the worst of the virus, public health officials prioritized their protection. Leaders presented stay-at-home orders and masking requirements as measures to prevent the virus from spreading to high-risk individuals. And when vaccines became available, many governments placed immunocompromised ��people near the front of the line. ��

All the while, public health officials believed only about 3% of the American population was immunocompromised.��

New research from the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý suggests that number may have been a drastic undercount. The study, p, places the prevalence of immunosuppression at around 6.6% of American adults — more than twice as high as previously understood. That rise could have broad implications for how we navigate the late stages of COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics. ��

UW News spoke with co-author , a UW associate professor of social work, about the reasons behind the rise and how public health officials can better serve this growing population.��

Immunosuppression and the experiences of immunocompromised people have become more visible in recent years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and our collective attempts to slow its spread. How has that added visibility affected people’s experiences?��

Melissa Martinson: The COVID-19 pandemic really brought the experiences of immunosuppressed (more commonly called immunocompromised) people to the public attention, and the voices of this population and other medically vulnerable people were important to how people interacted in their communities in the early days of the pandemic. Early in the pandemic, public health guidance was focused on protecting medically vulnerable people. Four years on, that guidance has changed, and most folks are engaging in activities similarly to before the pandemic.��

However, for some immunocompromised people, the lack of community protections today despite their continued risk of contracting COVID-19, can be an isolating experience. ��

You set out to find a better estimate of the prevalence of immunosuppression nationwide. Why is a more accurate number important? ��

MM: We were surprised by reports in the popular media that said about 3% of American adults were immunocompromised. Much of my research focuses on framing U.S. health in an international context, and we had seen estimates of immunocompromise prevalence in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada that were much higher than the widely reported American estimate. ��

Getting an updated and accurate estimate is important because immunosuppressed people are more likely to experience viral and bacterial infections, and these infections are more likely to be severe. We also now know that this population is still advised to take precautions against COVID-19 due to the higher risk of serious outcomes like hospitalization, death, and long COVID. This is a group who also has access to public health tools like additional vaccine doses and antiviral treatment (such as Paxlovid) regardless of age, so it is important that these tools are readily available to this population.Having an accurate estimate of the prevalence of immunosuppression can ensure that we have adequate supply of these tools.��

You estimate that about 6.6% of American adults have immunosuppression, which is more than twice as high as the figure in 2013 (2.7%). That’s quite the jump. What’s behind it? ��

MM: Unfortunately, we can’t answer this question definitively with the available data. However, we know that since prevalence was last estimated, immunosuppressive therapies for autoimmune diseases have been prescribed much more frequently and more of these medications are available. It might also be that more people have a better understanding of their immunocompromised health status due to conversations with their healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with awareness from public health guidance.

We also found that the proportional increase in prevalence was almost 2.5 times between 2013 and 2021, and this increase was even higher for some subpopulations including males, people with Hispanic ethnicity, adults under 50, and older adults ages 70 to 79. ��

You write that the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the increase of immunosuppression prevalence. One obvious possibility is that the virus itself weakened people’s immune systems, but do you see any other ways in which the pandemic might have contributed to that rise?��

MM: New evidence does suggest that COVID-19 leads to an increased risk of autoimmune conditions that may result in immunosuppression either through the condition itself or medication to treat the condition. We also looked at the data available for the second half of 2020, and the rates were similar to 2021. To us, this suggests that more people may have been informed about their immunosuppressed status in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and conversations they may have had with their healthcare providers due to their increased risk of serious outcomes from infection.��

From a public health perspective, what changes might we need to consider making in the face of these findings? How do we help to protect a population that might be twice as large as previously thought?��

MM: It is important to note that almost 1 in 15 adults is immunosuppressed and that this population may need additional precautions in workplaces, schools and universities, and especially medical settings. Making sure that our gatherings and built environment are accessible to people who are at greater risk is something that we can all do. Measures such as ventilation, air filtration, and mask use can protect immunocompromised people in public settings.��

The pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, but this is a medically vulnerable group who is still advised to follow precautions that many people have given up at the end of the public health emergency in 2023. Given the recent changes in COVID-19 isolation guidelines from the CDC, it is important for the public — and policymakers — to consider that between older adults and this immunosuppressed population at high risk, it is worthwhile to use and promote tools like testing, vaccines, sick leave and staying home when ill, and use of masks or respirators to reduce virus spread to vulnerable people.��

For more information, contact Martinson at melmart@uw.edu. ��

Report on Washington’s Extended Foster Care program shows successful ways to support more young adults

Kim Eckart — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 16:58:31 +0000

The state of Washington’s program — in which young adults ages 18-21 can continue to receive some support — could help even more people by expanding participation, providing greater flexibility in eligibility criteria, and extending benefits, according to a recent report from the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý.

Commissioned by the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, the was completed by , which researches and advocates for policy and practice reforms in the child welfare system. The study was led by faculty in the UW School of Social Work and conducted with guidance from an advisory group of young people with lived expertise in Extended Foster Care. Along with interviews and data collected by the state, the UW team reviewed the literature on foster care programs nationwide and on the challenges this population of young adults faces.

The report has been submitted to Gov. Jay Inslee’s office for the 2024 legislative session, where that would implement recommendations from the report.

“Extended Foster Care can be very helpful, and the state should try to enroll everyone who is 18 and exiting foster care,” said , associate professor of social work at the UW and executive director of Partners for Our Children, “Not everyone is aware of it and not everyone who is eligible for it is using it. There are issues with how it’s being implemented, but overall, it’s a program that works, and it’s needed now more than ever.”

The state Legislature in 2022 approved the systems assessment of services and benefits for young adults in Extended Foster Care. Legislators were interested in how to address any service gaps to better prepare participants for the transition to adulthood.

Washington state established its Extended Foster Care program in 2012 to provide additional services to young people who would typically “age out” of foster care but need some support to successfully transition to adult life. Among the services and benefits offered are placement supports and stipends for Supervised Independent Living (SIL) settings, health insurance and continued case management. With the help of federal funding, nearly every state offers a version of the program; as of June 2022, 858 young adults were enrolled in Washington.

To qualify for Washington’s Extended Foster Care, a person must, as of age 18, request continued placement in foster care or a Supervised Independent Living site. They must be enrolled in an educational, vocational or employment program, be working half or full time, or unable to engage in any of these activities due to a documented medical condition.

These can be significant obstacles for young people who have spent time in foster care, the report notes. , as researchers term it, is often described as a time of identify formation, exploration, and being in-between. It is ��a critical developmental period in which inequalities across education, income and social support accumulate as advantages or disadvantages with lifelong consequences. But it’s also a time of continued brain growth: Impulse control, reasoning and organizational skills can develop well into a person’s 20s.

“Emerging adulthood is such a critical time in someone’s life, and often the first time people are paying bills, living on their own, and trying to find their place in the world. Without support from our social network and resources from local, state and federal institutions, none of us are able to build the relationships and skills necessary to transition from dependent adolescents into interdependent and self-sufficient members of society,” said , an assistant professor of social work at the UW and a co-author of the report.

Many have suffered trauma, abuse and discrimination. Some have been incarcerated. According to in the report, roughly one-third of young adults enrolled in or eligible for foster care are parents. , co-designed with young people with lived experience in Extended Foster Care, of 63 current or past participants in the program, nearly half were experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

The UW report also identified specific subgroups of participants who may be especially marginalized, and whose needs can go unmet. In addition to those who are pregnant or parenting, these groups include BIPOC young people, who are overrepresented in the foster care system; LGBTQ+ young people; and individuals with disabilities.

That’s why expanded services are needed, the report finds. According to a longitudinal study based on California’s extended foster care system, called California Youth Transitions, each additional year of services increased the probabilities young people would complete high school and enroll in college. Each extra year also decreased the odds they’d be arrested or experience homelessness.

Based on such research and on interviews with community partners and social workers around Washington, the assessment team outlined key recommendations for the program:

Extend participation to all young adults in foster care
Expand eligibility criteria
Focus preventive supports on groups such as young parents
Allocate more funding and resources to long-term housing supports
Add more peer support networks and services
Prepare adolescents for Extended Foster Care before age 18

Increase DCYF staff throughout the state, potentially with units devoted only to Extended Foster Care, and add trainings in developmentally tailored and culturally responsive practice

“This report demonstrates that youth who enroll in Extended Foster Care in Washington have better outcomes than those who do not. But we still have work to do,” Ross Hunter, secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “Beyond the recommendations in the systems assessment, we need to leverage existing resources to help youth access mental and behavioral health services, prevention services, and early childhood supports when they are pregnant or parenting. We must develop strategies that support them to complete high school, get postsecondary degrees and get on a path to a career.”

For more information, contact Tajima at etajima@uw.edu.

Q&A: Older adults want more say in companion robots, AI and data collection

Kim Eckart — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:28:49 +0000

Technology for older adults and their care partners, typically marketed for safety and security, has been evolving for years, and now includes everything from location trackers to companion robots.

But often left out of decisions about how and why to use that technology are the older adults themselves, says , associate professor of social work at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý. Berridge studies issues facing older adults, in particular technology that can support care or a person’s ability to live independently. She recently published two articles related to older adults and : In articles for the and , Berridge explores older adults’ opinions of companion robots, finding that such devices may not provide the blanket comfort or utility that creators presume – and that older adults have an interest in data protections.

“Older adults have been learning about, adapting and integrating technology solutions into their lives for longer than anyone,” said Berridge. “Older adults’ feelings about technologies on offer to them for care and living at home, and their creative use, resistance and other interactions with these technologies should be taken seriously. So much research, time and money has been focused on pushing acceptance of technologies that could be better spent by older adults over direction, purpose and design.”

Berridge spoke with UW News about the importance of involving older adults in the design and use of technology.

��

What do you think is important for people outside the field to understand?

CB: One of the themes in my research is that older adults are rarely empowered to refuse or negotiate how technology is used in their care. That doesn’t prevent many from and negotiating nevertheless – older adults are not passive users – but that this kind of engagement is often discouraged in design and implementation. My research on long-term care in peoples’ homes and in residential facilities has found that people are not meaningfully engaged in decisions about how and what data should be collected about them. There’s a misperception that most don’t want to be involved or consulted. Older adults are often configured as passive data points.

Clara Berridge

This matters because embedded in these technologies are certain values (e.g., that safety justifies invasion of privacy) or limitations on the older adult (i.e., they can’t deviate from routine, like younger adults can, without triggering an intervention). With the algorithmic management of care, the person being targeted by technology may not share the priorities embedded in the devices themselves. When the technology practice enables older adults to be controlled, rather than enabling them to have control, this intensifies unbalanced power dynamics in care. It can mean restrictions or exercise of control over their lives. There’s a lot of at play in how technologies used in care are developed, hyped and implemented. And ableism, particularly when it comes to .

��

People might assume that surveillance technology is a means of protection. Can you talk about the positive and negative aspects of this kind of technology?

CB: Different people are going to weigh the range of implications differently – in a single day I have talked with a person who likened her daughter using sensors to track her routines to the Gestapo, and another person without a support network who “wish[ed] someone cared enough about me to watch me on camera!”

��As many – including faculty at the UW – have , power is implicated in all the decisions (what data is collected, what’s excluded, how categories are determined, what behavior is allowed or prohibited – the very definition of the problem the technology is targeting). We have been in a wakeup call moment, as COVID further exposed the dramatic racial disparities in health among older people and the lack of access to home care. Where’s the meaningful policy action? Where’s the influx of resources needed to combat social exclusion and racial inequities in health and long-term care access? What we see are efforts to give lonely older adults AI companionship, deploy digital contact tracing in nursing homes, and employ AI to manage people more efficiently. Whose problem is that addressing? What are the opportunity costs of pursuing sideshow solutions that don’t touch the underlying problems?

��

You note in a recent study that some state aging agencies are distributing companion robots to assist with loneliness. Are they a solution?

CB: Prompted by the pandemic, a lot of states have passed out furry pet-like or speaking robots with the goal of mitigating loneliness.

Together with researchers at Oregon Health & Science University, I surveyed more than 800 people, half of whom were over age 64, about whether they thought an artificial companion robot — one that can “talk and listen,” so not like Paro or other plush non-talking robots — would help them feel less lonely, if they were. Only 3% replied “definitely yes.” A quarter answered “definitely no” and a significantly greater percentage answered “probably no” than “probably yes.” We also asked about comfort with small companion robots and different types of data use on the horizon.

This comment we heard in the study echoed a common sentiment among participants. A participant told us: “One of the problems I see with how we care for the elderly is the lack of contact with others. I am afraid that these measures would lead to less and less human contact for these folks. It might become easier and cheaper for the care system to use these measures and for our elderly to become more and more isolated.” Others acknowledged positive potential uses of AI-enabled robots to assist with physical tasks — capacity that is limited at the moment — and drew a line at social interaction.

But the most-raised issue was invasion of privacy, and perception that artificial companion robot-based data collection is excessive monitoring. Many participants also raised concerns about data security, third party use, or exploitation of data. For example, a participant explained that an AI companion or device could be especially helpful in alerting emergency personnel, but they were concerned about how data from such a device would be stored and used by third-party companies. Clearly, older adults would benefit from new regulation of AI, though their interests haven’t been represented very well so far in those discussions.

How might older adults be more included in designing technologies?

CB: Last spring, I had the pleasure of working with design students from the UW School of Art + Art History + Design with my colleague, , associate professor of interaction design at the UW. Her Interface Design 2 students designed fun and creative IoT (Internet of Things) system prototypes, many of which were better targeted to the breadth of desires and needs of older adults than what the current “AgeTech” space is producing. Dr. Desjardins had students each interview older people and then as a class share back and collectively identify themes — before conceiving of their products. And unlike many marketed devices, students provided their imagined users with transparent information about data flows.

You’ve developed a prototype web app, Let’s Talk Tech, that would help older adults with dementia and their caregivers make joint decisions about technology. What are you finding from that approach?

CB: This is the first-of-its-kind tool to help families meaningfully engage people living with dementia in decisions about technology use. I worked with the UW (CIRG) to develop Let’s Talk Tech as a web app and with doctoral student Natalie Turner to pilot the app with volunteers from the UW Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Berridge and the CIRG team are enhancing Let’s Talk Tech with funding from PennAITech through the National Institute on Aging’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories for Aging Research program. They plan to make it widely available once its efficacy has been established with more people.

Families or others supporting people living with dementia don’t have those conversations about what the person would or would not want used with them, for understandable reasons. So the families need help, because they’re left to navigate a complex technological landscape without a map. Having an informed conversation with the person living with mild-stage Alzheimer’s disease about their hopes and concerns and feelings about various technologies and other support options gave our pilot study participants a significantly better feeling of . They told us it provided the structure and direction for hard conversations that may not have otherwise happened. Many reported that it was not an easy conversation, but all noted that any discomfort was worth what was gained.

For more information, contact Berridge at clarawb@uw.edu.