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CISWH Senior Project Director Bethlyn Houlihan Shares New Framework for Humanistic Systems Change
At the 2026 Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Annual Conference, Bethlyn Houlihan, senior project director at the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health (CISWH) at BUSSW, shared a model initiative and actionable framework co-designed with national clinician and family experts to advance humanistic systems change…
Rooted in Humanity: Urgent action framework for care that matters to CMC, families & clinicians
“Rooted in Humanity” is an urgent action framework and guide that uses a “living tree” visual to help care teams and systems rethink how care for children with medical complexity is designed and improved. It centers care around real people and everyday practice while providing clear, practical guidance that supports collaboration…
How the Expanded Child Tax Credit Supports Families Raising Children with Disabilities
While prior research shows that the expanded credit reduced child poverty nationwide, little was known about how families raising children with disabilities specifically used these funds or how the credit shaped their financial stability. In an article published in the Journal of Disability Policy Studies, researchers at the Center for…
CISWH: Celebrating Another Year of Social Work Leadership in Health
The Beyond 2025 Action HubWe began 2025 with the launch of the Beyond 2025 Action Hub. The Hub provides tools, policy guidance, and accessible analysis to support practitioners, educators, and advocates responding to federal policy activity. It now serves as a resource for those seeking clarity and direction…
Families of Children with Medical Complexity Share What Well-Being Means to Them
Meg Comeau, CISWH senior project director and manager of the Powerbuilding and Leadership Lab, and Bethlyn Vergo Houlihan, CISWH senior project director and manager of the Social Work Innovation Lab, describe family perspectives and introduce a new framework for understanding and improving family well-being at the systems level. According to…
CISWH Experts Share Recommendations for Protecting HIV Care as PEPFAR Scales Down
Photo courtesy of Chip Somodevilla, AFP Getty As the Trump administration seeks to scale down the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, understanding which of its investments have the greatest impact on health outcomes is essential. A new policy brief published by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and…
Pediatrics Supplement: The Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network for Children With Medical Complexity
In this seven-paper journal supplement published in Pediatrics, a group of CMC CoIIN leaders lay out lessons learned over the duration of the project (2017 – 2022), its impact, and the future of its work to improve child quality of life, family well-being and cost-effectiveness of care.
Beyond 2025 Action Toolkit
Part of the Beyond 2025 Action Hub, the Beyond 2025 Action Toolkit offers practical exercises, tools, and resources to empower social workers and other professionals to take action on the issues that matter most.
Trauma-Informed Social Work with Nicaraguan Communities
The team includes physicians, dentists, nurses, social workers, and psychologists who collaborate to deliver integrated care in underserved communities. During the two-week service trip, the medical brigade provides essential physical and mental health services while training local professionals—nurses, community health workers, and lawyers—on trauma-informed approaches. This collaboration strengthens the capacity…
Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR)
Achievements PREPARE – Partners In Pediatric Readiness, Emergency Preparedness, and Response Education Toolkit and Training This virtual training brings together families and pediatric emergency care coordinators to learn from each other, build trust, and practice real-life skills during an emergency. The PREPaRE Training and Companion Toolkit were co-developed with cross-sector…