Doerr Center for Social Justice

Decolonizing Therapy ™: Intro to Decolonizing Mental Health Workshop with Dr. Jennifer Mullan

Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 

Jennifer Mullan, Psy. D., will guide participants through a presentation that will connect colonization to the mental health industry, and begin to slowly unpack the oppressive legacy of modern mental health practices- and their importance. We will look at the roots of many people’s emotional wounding and focus on the importance of healing within a sociopolitical lens, particularly for Queer, Indigenous, Black, Brown, and People of Color (QIBPOC).

Decolonizing Therapy ™: Healing The Colonial Soul Wound in Psychology Keynote Lecture: with Dr. Jennifer Mullan

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024

Jennifer Mullan, Psy. D., will invite participants on a journey towards acknowledging, unlearning, and revitalizing their emotional-decolonial process of ancestral self-discovery. This interactive workshop will discuss why it is important for mental health professionals to take an emotional-decolonial approach and “shift our perspective” in how we provide services. This workshop will cover the core wound trauma of colonization resulting from cultural, historical, and ancestral trauma. As well as the impact of structural and systemic oppression on clients and practitioners.

Decolonizing Therapy’s ® framework will invite practitioners to consider how rage, grief, and shame are often pathologized- and how the personal is indeed political. This workshop seeks to expand our story and reframe how therapy is conducted; instead offering the creation of community support for therapists to create new pathways to healing, not just “treating.” The aim of this workshop is for attendees to have instilled confidence in unlearning and reclaiming; while walking away with actionable steps to politicize their practices!

RaceTalk Workshop Series: Systemic Racism and Anti-Blackness Lecture and Facilitated Discussion with Bedelia Richards, Ph.D.

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 (Part One) and Feb. 9, 2024 (Part Two)

Join Bedelia Richards, Ph.D., a renowned race scholar, for a two-part workshop series for undergraduate and graduate SLU faculty. Part one of this free series will focus on enhancing faculty skills related to conducting cross-racial dialogues in the classroom and beyond. Part two of the workshop will assist faculty in incorporating these skills into their teaching. Faculty will have the opportunity to develop lesson plans and classroom activities designed to teach cross-racial dialogue skills to students. 

The Doerr Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion is a two-year full-tuition fellowship funded by the School of Social Work for new students. This fellowship requires recipients to serve as members of the School of Social Work's Equity and Inclusion Committee. Recipients are also expected to actively participate in the Doerr Center's diversity, equity and inclusion activities throughout the year. 

For the 2024-2026 academic cycle, the Doerr Center has awarded the fellowship opportunity to two incoming Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) graduate students. 

Mahlik Good

As a Doerr Fellow, Mahlik Good passionately empowers individuals to become their best selves, with a particular focus on the unique needs of BIPOC communities. Guided by a commitment to fostering inclusive environments, Mahlik creates spaces where every voice is heard and valued. Complementing this mission, Mahlik holds an Engaging in Bold, Inclusive Conversations® (BIC) Facilitator Certification, which enhances his ability to facilitate meaningful dialogue across cultural differences.

Latoya Wilson

Latoya Wilson is a self-proclaimed Chief Executive Social Servant. She is an advocate for social policy reform, who thrives at communicating impact to individuals and communities. Her ability to communicate, innovate, organize, impact, and facilitate enables her to be a driving force for change. Latoya’s rallying cry to engaging individuals and communities is that “No help is coming…We Are Our Help!”

The Doerr Center provides funding opportunity for faculty and graduate students within the School of Social Work to pursue project-based learning and research around issues of social justice. In 2024, the Doerr Center awarded Collaborative Research Grants to the following faculty: 

Jin Huang, Ph.D., M.S.W.

Examine Racial Disparity in Children Vaccination: Roles of Families Resources

Project Description: One of the primary challenges confronting public health is the evident racial disparity in vaccination rates, particularly among children. Vaccination emerges as a pivotal safeguard for societal health at large. However, structural obstacles within the United States healthcare system, perpetuated by systemic racism, stand as formidable barriers to achieving equitable vaccination distribution. These impediments contribute significantly to the pronounced racial disparities observed in vaccination rates. For highly contagious ailments like pertussis and measles, maintaining immunization rates exceeding 95% within communities is imperative to stave off uncontrolled disease dissemination. Missouri, in particular, exhibits immunization rates dipping below 93%.

The proposed study will collaborate with the Danis Pediatric Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, leveraging clinical data from approximately 10,000 pediatric patients. Focused on a Midwestern, economically disadvantaged demographic, this study aims to scrutinize racial disparities in vaccination and their correlation with familial socioeconomic and demographic profiles. Situated within the City of St. Louis, Missouri, the Danis Pediatric Center serves predominantly low-income patients, with 78.4% identifying as Black and 78.7% enrolled in Medicaid.

The research results will offer localized empirical evidence on the significance of connecting racial minority families in the St. Louis area with necessary community resources, providing insights into designing specific interventions. The findings will also have practical implications for addressing racial disparities in healthcare in other geographical areas across the United States.

Kenya Brumfield-Young, M.L.S., M.S.C.J.

Moral Engagement and Compulsive Misbehavior among Youth in Missouri Residential Treatment Settings: Toward a Community-Based Prevention Framework

Project Description: Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) is a state-run organization responsible for the care and treatment of juveniles referred by the juvenile courts due to law violations or status offenses. This division is recognized for its innovative approach to juvenile justice, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, with the aim of reintegrating youth into their communities as productive and responsible citizens.

The Missouri DYS operates a comprehensive system encompassing detention centers, residential treatment facilities, group homes, and community-based programs. These facilities are designed to provide a continuum of care, addressing the diverse needs of the youth they serve through individualized treatment plans, education, vocational training, and therapy.

Demographic information about the juveniles within the DYS system varies, reflecting the broader demographic trends of the state's youth population. The system serves both male and female juveniles, with a larger proportion of males reflecting nationwide trends in juvenile justice systems. The age range typically spans from 10 to 21 years old, with the majority being teenagers.

The racial and ethnic composition within the Missouri DYS has historically mirrored the racial disparities present in the national juvenile justice system, with African American youth and other minorities often being overrepresented compared to their proportions in the general population. This overrepresentation is a concern across the United States and is subject to ongoing analysis and policy reform efforts aimed at achieving a more equitable justice system.

Educational programming within DYS facilities is tailored to meet the individual needs of the youth, including special education services, high school diploma attainment, and GED preparation. Vocational training and employment preparation services are also critical components of the rehabilitation process, aiming to equip youth with the skills necessary for successful reintegration.

The Missouri Division of Youth Services has been the recipient of national acclaim for its treatment-based approach to juvenile justice. By focusing on rehabilitation and employing a model that emphasizes individualized care, community involvement, and restorative justice principles, DYS strives to reduce recidivism and promote positive outcomes for the youth in its care.

Maria Morrison, Ph.D., LCSW

Mass Incarceration Trauma Screening Instrument:  A Pilot Study

Project Description:The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country, with 2 million people currently behind bars. The high rate of mental illness in this population is a major challenge of decarceration.  This is a highly traumatized population and effective mental health intervention requires trauma-responsive service systems.   Among the challenges faced by researchers and practitioners in this area is the absence of survey instruments that can accurately capture trauma exposures unique to this population.  This project proposes creating a trauma-screening instrument specifically for individuals who experience incarceration in the 21st century.  .  

These issues are particularly meaningful in the current moment, as we search for the tools to implement criminal justice reforms which could truly advance equity and racial justice.  This project aims to contribute to the knowledge base about the lives of individuals who experience incarceration in the U.S. Research has shown clearly that the millions of Americans who cycle through prisons and jails each year are among the most marginalized in society – most are poor, in poor health, living in contexts of chronic violence, often with mental illness, and most are people of color.  

Families served by child welfare agencies are at high risk for hunger. In Missouri, about 70% of families receiving child welfare services report very low food security, meaning parents and sometimes children skip meals because there is not enough food. Although referrals to food pantries and programs like SNAP and WIC offer some relief, many parents still struggle to feed themselves and their children due to unemployment, transportation barriers, housing instability, and limited social support.

In response, the School of Social Work launched the Feeding Families initiative, led by Dr. Jesse Helton, through the Doerr Center for Social Justice last September. This program provides lunch and dinner, five days a week, delivered directly to the homes of families facing very low food security in the City and County. Two of our partners—St. Louis Crisis Nursery and Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri—help identify families in need. Propel Kitchens, a nonprofit commercial kitchen located in Pagedale, prepares meals for about $4.50 per person, enabling us to feed a family of four for about $180 a week. Over the course of three months, our families enjoy high-quality, made-from-scratch meals like chili with cornbread, spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread, and chicken fajitas with Spanish rice, complete with whole fruits, vegetables, milk, and freshly baked desserts.  Each meal is delivered ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat, making it easier for families to enjoy dinner with little preparation. 

Dr. Helton's impactful work addressing food insecurity through collaboration with Propel Kitchens highlights Saint Louis University's commitment to serving the community. This initiative, funded by a grant from the Doerr Center for Social Justice, aligns with Saint Louis University's Jesuit mission to uplift our community, promote equity, and foster well-being. Dr. Helton’s project continues to grow, reaching more people and addressing critical needs around food access, nutrition, and community support. His work with Propel Kitchens exemplifies the transformative power of research and service at the School of Social Work.