Community Engagement
The Resiliency Center for Assessment and Treatment (RCAT)
RCAT is committed to offering programs that enrich the lives of the youth and families we serve. Our youth and family counseling and pediatric occupational therapy services play a crucial role in fostering resiliency among young people. Resiliency refers to the ability to recover from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going in the face of adversity.
Both counseling and occupational therapy services aim to build resilience by addressing various aspects of a young person's life, including trauma.
If you would like to learn more about services offered, please complete this form.
Family Assessment and Specialized Treatment for Resiliency in Families (FASTER Program)
FASTER is a project funded by a SAMHSA grant. We are an interdisciplinary team that conducts assessments to understand how traumatic exposures or family conflict impact children and their families, with the ultimate goal of supporting the families in their diverse needs. Our program includes assessments for children, adults, and families, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Disorders (FASD) evaluations, medication consultations, advocacy, and parent coaching using the Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). Our program is affiliated with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). For more information, please contact Sarah Meyers at @email.
Child Welfare Program and Title IV-E Fellowship
Dr. Anna Yelick is the Child Welfare Program Director and the principle investigator for this program and fellowship. Western Michigan University is one of 5 Michigan universities offering The Title IV-E Child Welfare Fellowship program, which provides additional resources and support to students committed to working in the Child Welfare System. The aim of this program is to recruit, retain, and educate students to be leaders in the field of child welfare. The fellowship includes requirements for course work and field education culminating in either a graduate certificate in Child Welfare or a minor in Child Welfare.
The Title IV-E Child Welfare Fellowship is an opportunity to provide resources and support to students committed to working in the child welfare system including but not limited to Children’s Protective Services, Foster Care, Licensing and Adoption, and more. There are requirements for eligibility to be considered for this program as well as obligations for students after completion of the program. Being part of the fellowship comes with a stipend per semester, but students will also be contractually obligated to search for and accept employment within the child welfare system upon graduation. For more information, please email @email
Fostering Success
Social work professor Dr. Yvonne Unrau is the director of the Center for Fostering Success, which is a University-level center that seeks to create successful transitions from foster care-to-college and college-to-career for students who age out of foster care and enroll in college. The center also aims to educate, develop and connect leaders addressing the needs of youth and alumni of foster care.
I-PEER
Dr. Jennifer Harrison (School of Social Work), Dr. Carla Adkison-Johnson (Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology), and Dr. Bridget Weller (Wayne State University School of Social Work) are investigators in the Interprofessional Peer Education and Evidence for Recovery (I-PEER) program, a behavioral health workforce development program for MSW and MA students completing internships in integrated health or educational sites throughout Michigan. The I-PEER program provides students with specialty training on culturally and linguistically-response behavioral health, outcome measurement using Goal Scaling Solutions, and a stipend of $10,000 for full completion. I-PEER program expands meaningful community partnerships in Michigan to assure that the diverse lived experiences of adolescents and young adults remain seen. The I-PEER program is entering its final year in Fall 2024, and applications are due in August 2024.
Walker Institute
Associate professor Dr. Don Cooney serves as associate director of the Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations. In 2000, the institute was renamed in honor of Dr. Lewis Walker, WMU's first African American Ph.D. faculty member, who devoted his career to teaching and research about race and ethnic relations and worked for social justice through many applied research and community service projects. The Walker Institute continues this work in service to the University and community.
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare
The WMU School of Social Work is home to the Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare. This journal, established in 1974, promotes the understanding of social welfare by applying social science knowledge, methodology and technology to problems of social policy, politics, the social ecology and social services. Associate Professor Dr. Melinda McCormick serves as the Editor-in-Chief.
Private Practice(s)
A number of faculty own private practices in the community, and bring that current expertise into their teaching.
NASW Leadership
Some faculty members are deeply involved in the local, state and national chapters of the National Association of Social Workers, leading the path forward for our profession.