Carlson Given Fellowship

By: Andrew Peters

Posted: 11/1/06

A UConn School of Social Work student was recently recognized by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for her research about families' transitions off of welfare programs.

Doctoral student Patricia Carlson received the 2006 Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship from the NASW to support her dissertation, which will explore how welfare patrons make the jump to employment. The $2,000 Blackey Fellowship was the first such award given by the NASW since 2003.

"The NASW is a professional organization, and to be recognized by them is a huge honor," Carlson said.

The Blackey Fellowship was created in honor of Eileen Blackey, former dean of the University of California - Los Angeles School of Social Welfare and innovator of public welfare systems who died in 1979, according to the NASW web site.

The NASW chose to award Carlson's research interests because they matched very well with the intention of the Blackey fellowship - highlighting important research in welfare policy and practice, according to Joan Zlotnik of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, who was part of the decision-making panel.

Carlson's research will focus on how employer supports, such as subsidized insurance, benefits, and non-wage income can help ease families' transitions from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, according to a release from NASW Senior Communications Associate Allison Nadelhaft.

"Ms. Carlson contends in her research that successful TANF leavers will be more likely to report utilization of employment supports and services that non-successful TANF leavers," Nadelhaft said. "This research will challenge the assumptions of the current social welfare policy and the findings of this study will be useful in advocating for welfare policies that ensure access to the resources necessary for poor families."

For Carlson, receiving the Blackey Fellowship is the latest chapter of a long-time interest in social work that began during her undergraduate studies at UConn.

"Pretty early on at UConn I became interested in economic justice and poverty issues, especially concerning women," Carlson said. "Prior to starting my doctoral work, I worked on programs with women leaving welfare for employment."

"Basically, I'll be researching what women and their families need to be successful after they leave welfare," Carlson added. "My research is mixed methods - I'm looking at things like educational and family supports, and subsidized child care."

Nadelhaft said Carlson's work will show policy-makers the significance of social work in the bigger picture of welfare.

"Ms. Carlson's research will strengthen social work's contribution to public policy debate as it will highlight the factors that increase the likelihood of a successful TANF exit," according to Nadelhaft's press release.

As for Carlson's future, she plans to stay the course in research and academics.

"I'm interested in academics and policy work," Carlson said. "I want to continue teach and research, and to continue to have research stemming from my dissertation."