March is Social Work Month, and what better way to celebrate than by giving a shout-out to some of our favorite social workers? The team at Lori’s Hands has recently had the opportunity to work closely with some amazing social workers in preparation for the launch of Lori’s Hands’ third chapter in Metro Detroit. The Metro Detroit chapter was the culmination of a strong collaboration with Eastern Michigan University faculty Christina Marsack-Topolewski and Jillian Graves and Hunter College faculty member Keith Chan, all of whom are social workers!
Dr. Jillian Graves is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University, a psychotherapist, and a field unit supervisor. She has been a social worker in both mental health and juvenile justice settings for over 20 years in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Her research interests include interprofessional education, trauma reactive violence, severe mental illness, and sibling identity development, and adolescent development.
Dr. Keith Chan is an Assistant Professor at Hunter College, a Congressional Fellow at US House Ways and Means, a Co-Investigator of The SOCIAL Partnership funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, a Co-Investigator on the NIMHD-funded P50 Center for Asian Health Promotion and Equity (CAHPE), and a Lori’s Hands board member. His research examines social determinants of physical and mental health for vulnerable populations, in particular Asian Americans, immigrants and older adults, as well as the impact of the opioid epidemic across the lifespan.
Dr. Christina Marsack-Topolewski is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University. She earned a BS in Special Education from Wayne State University, a master’s in Social Work for the University of Michigan, and a PhD in Social Work from Wayne State University. She is passionate about helping individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions and their family caregivers. She has over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and encyclopedia entries on caregiving, disabilities, and chronic conditions. Chrissy has been appointed to the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices where she serves as both a board member and co-chair of Membership Affairs.
Keep reading to find out why Jillian, Keith, and Christina love social work and why they are excited by Lori’s Hands!
Why did you decide to go into social work?
Jillian: I decided to become a social worker because I have always been interested in hearing people’s stories about their lives and being a witness to their struggles and successes. I believe that making deep connections with others is a profound act and having the ability to do that in my role as a social worker is really an honor.
Keith: I love social work because I can make an impact on improving the lives of the most vulnerable, whether it is older adults, people with serious mental illness, or addressing health disparities for minority populations and especially those in the AAPI community.
Christina: As an extrovert, I find the profession to be the best ever. As a social worker, I have the opportunity to learn about people and help those in the community. I love the multi-faceted nature of the field and that no day is ever the same. There are endless possibilities to serve those and bring better options and opportunities to the community I serve.
What excites you about Lori’s Hands?
Jillian: Lori’s Hands facilitates intergenerational relationships and gives both people a chance to hear people’s life stories. The students have been able to hear the older adults’ stories and witness their struggles and that act of sharing gives both a deeper understanding of the human condition.
Keith: Lori’s Hands is an elegant solution to addressing the needs of older adults, people with chronic health conditions and their caregivers by providing a pipeline of trained pre-health students who can become leaders in health care. It is both my honor and pleasure to be able to contribute to the efforts of Lori’s Hands.
