The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare has offered the Graduate Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) since 2013, training students to work with clients who have traumatic backgrounds. Those planning to pursue careers in the justice system are increasingly incorporating this certificate into their master’s degree curriculum.

Nearly 20 students have completed the TIC certificate alongside their master’s in criminal justice and criminology since 2022. That’s when Danielle Romain Dagenhardt reached out to the Social Work Department to discuss adding criminal justice courses to their array of electives.

Romain Dagenhardt, who’s now the criminal justice and criminology department chair, said the TIC certificate benefits students interested in law enforcement, corrections, courts or victim advocacy. Criminal justice professionals in those roles will likely encounter individuals managing their current trauma or a trauma history. The certificate offers students an in-depth understanding of trauma and how it may impact those they encounter.

While the interdisciplinary certificate program was initially developed for social work graduate students, all graduate students in the helping professions can participate including those in nursing, counseling, and now, criminal justice and criminology.

The TIC certificate requires completion of fifteen credits in trauma-informed care coursework. Each department decides which courses are double counted toward their degrees, explained Kristina Pekulik, a senior lecturer and the Trauma-Informed Care certificate coordinator. The certificate is also open to individuals with a bachelor’s degree who would like to incorporate trauma-informed care knowledge into their career.

Acknowledging clients’ trauma history

Ciara Trunnell, a criminal justice and criminology graduate student, has years of experience working in child welfare. She saw the value in providing resources and services through a trauma-informed lens.

“The populations I work with are more vulnerable and at risk of traumatization or re-traumatization than others,” she said. “I have been able to apply many of the skills and techniques I’ve learned about from TIC classes to the families I support every day.”

Alyssa Sheeran, an assistant professor, explains that the TIC certificate has become popular with criminal justice and criminology graduate students. “Students have had very positive feedback,” Sheeran said. “They are interested in learning more about the theory, practice, and policy of trauma and how they can apply that to their future careers in the criminal justice field.”

Sheeran said graduate students enjoy the required classes, including trauma counseling, victimology, and women and criminal justice.

Trunnell echoed Sheeran’s statement. “Being able to understand someone’s trauma history, no matter how recent, and being able recognize how it may directly or indirectly impact who they are in this moment, is one of the most important things I’ve learned during my time at 51����.”

Upon completion, students receive a certificate document from the 51���� Graduate School and a transcript designation showing that they have earned the Trauma-Informed Care certificate. This indicates an advanced level of training to prospective employers and professional organizations.

Students pursuing their master’s in criminal justice and criminology with the TIC certificate will graduate prepared to implement trauma-informed policy, supervision, and intervention within professional criminal justice settings.

“Receiving a Trauma-Informed Care certificate from 51���� has made me rethink how my future looks, especially as a current child welfare employee,” Trunnell said.

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By Kathy Quirk

Caretaking is a universal fact of life.   
 
So sharing information and research about how different countries approach caregiving challenges is important, according to Melinda S. Kavanaugh, professor of social work in 51����’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare.  
 
That’s why she’s excited and honored to be chosen as a visiting professor at in Newcastle England, she said.  

Kavanaugh’s research and teaching focus primarily on young caregivers in families managing chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  

Paul Watson, an associate professor and assistant director of the at Northumbria University, suggested to his university that she be invited to come there, according to Kavanaugh.  

“We share some similar research interests on children and youth who are caregivers and military-connected caregivers,” Kavanaugh said. “He does similar work in the UK to what I do in the U.S. We’ve partnered on papers and some upcoming projects.” 

While details of the visiting professorship are still being worked out, Kavanaugh will head to Northumbria in late summer. She will present an inaugural lecture and then travel back and forth between 51���� and Northumbria over a three-year period. In addition, plans are being discussed to have Watson come to 51���� as affiliate faculty. 

“What’s really fantastic is that I am able to go to the UK and meet with different organizations and have conversations around children and youth who are caregivers,” said Kavanaugh, “because it’s part of their fabric there.” With national healthcare and social services, young caregivers are often an integral part of social programs, she added. 

In the U.S., she added, “we find families have real difficulties accessing care and healthcare, especially specialized care,” she said. “So, when it comes to caregiving, whether it’s a child or an adult it’s very difficult and it can be much more complicated and more stressful.” 
 
While social programs are different, studying and researching in the UK can contribute to improving youth caregiving in the U.S., she added.  

“There are things we can definitely learn from them, and they can learn from us.” 

Kavanaugh is one of a handful of researchers in the U.S. who study the young caregiver population. “Sharing my data and sharing some of the interventions and programs we’ve been able to put into place with them is really exciting.”  
 

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The 51���� Helen Bader Office of Applied Gerontology and invite you to attend Artistic Representations of Aging on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in the 51���� Student Union, Ballroom West. View photography showcasing the work of award-winning Wisconsin photographers and . Attendees will enjoy a free screening of , a documentary following three extraordinary artists who continue to create, innovate and thrive in their later years.

The film begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Union Cinema, followed by a 30-minute talkback with film panelists and 51���� faculty.

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Read more about the school’s research presentations.

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Joshua Mersky

The Committee of Distinguished Professors honored Professor Joshua Mersky with the Office of Research Senior Faculty Award.

Nationally recognized for his study of adversity and resilience, Mersky’s research shapes social services and influences social policy. He has received nearly $10 million in grant support. Since 2020, his work has been cited more than 3,300 times. Mersky funds and leads staff at the Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, which he co-founded in 2016. Additionally, Mersky works extensively with pre- and post-doctoral researchers.

Stan Stojkovic

The 51���� Honorary Degrees Committee honored Professor Emeritus Stan Stojkovic with the Ernest Spaights Plaza Award. Stojkovic served 51���� for 40 years, during which time he held a variety of influential roles, most notably as Dean of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare from 2004 to 2020. Under his leadership, HBSSW became a leader in research, community engagement, and innovative programming.

His encouragement of funded research, training, and public service contributed immensely to HBSSW’s growth and influence. His vision led to numerous degree programs that addressed regional and national needs, including the school’s first PhD program in social welfare and various joint graduate programs across disciplines.

Stojkovic’s transparent leadership style, ability to foster collaboration, scholarship, and unrelenting belief in the mission of public education have left an indelible impression on students, colleagues and the wider community.

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For the tens of millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers, there is frequently a lot of pain associated with reminiscing about the past. However, by using virtual reality as a non-pharmacological option to stimulate memories and conversations, Yura Lee, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and her co-investigators hope to further the study of dementia care through the “Going Home” project, funded by the .

One of Lee’s co-investigators, , an assistant professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, was very excited about this project. “I worked at 51���� Biomedical Engineering from 2017 to 2019, where I initiated collaborations with Dr. Yura Lee. We share a strong passion for developing advanced technology for dementia care. It is vital that older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are not left behind in benefiting from rapidly evolving interactive technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Through these technologies, we aim to deliver more affordable, scalable, and personalized care for older adults while reducing the burden on caregivers.”

To further explain her research and goals, Lee agreed to be interviewed regarding this project, and her co-investigators also provided comments.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is your background and connection to this work?

My research focuses on individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), as well as their caregivers. This passion stems from my own experience — my grandfather, who raised me when I was young and to whom I was incredibly close, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease many years ago. I became his primary caregiver, and that role profoundly shaped my perspective. It was both emotionally challenging but deeply meaningful, and it continues to drive my commitment to gerontological social work.

My research centers on two key areas. First, I study identifying risk and protective factors for ADRD and age-related cognitive decline. My work is largely guided by the cognitive reserve theory, and I’ve examined a range of factors on cognitive health like education, life transitions such as retirement and widowhood, multiple chronic conditions, self-perceptions of aging, and late-life engagement in mental, physical, and social activities. I also look at sociocultural influences such as acculturation and social support to better understand bio-psychosocial mechanisms that help elucidate pathways to health disparities in cognitive health.

Second, I explore the needs and challenges faced by dementia caregivers, with the goal of developing support programs that incorporate assistive technology. For example, I am currently leading the “Going Home” project, which is funded by the Alzheimer’s Association. I am collaborating with faculty from electrical engineering at the University of Notre Dame (Zhi Zheng, PhD) and neurology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health (). It’s a reminiscence-based intervention using virtual reality to help Asian immigrants with dementia and their family caregivers bring back meaningful memories of their home.

Please provide a brief overview of what the “Going Home” project is?

Going Home is a technology-based, culturally responsive reminiscence program designed for Asian immigrants with dementia and their family caregivers.

Reminiscence intervention is considered as one of the most popular non-pharmacological treatments for persons with dementia by prompting them to share life stories and recall memories.

Many Asian immigrants maintain strong ties to their homeland and hope to visit, but geographical, financial, and health challenges often make this difficult. Reminiscence intervention can have synergistic effects when combined with technology by simulating real-life 3D environments to alleviate the sense of longing for home more effectively than conventional photo-based interventions.

This “Going Home intervention will engage both the person with dementia and the caregiver in a collaborative process with the study team to create a virtual home in their memory. Participants will brainstorm, share stories, and provide constant feedback as the study team visualizes the virtual home they long for and hope to revisit. For each family, the “Going Home” project will consist of six sessions over six weeks. 

This pilot study aims to 1) design and develop the “Going Home” reminiscence program using VR for Asian immigrants with dementia and their family caregivers and 2) test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of the intervention.

Our research team includes myself from 51����, Dr. Zhi Zheng, an assistant professor of electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and Dr. Elias Granadillo, an assistant professor of neurology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

What drew you to studying this project?

One of the key motivators was the striking disparity in dementia prevalence among Asian Americans. Older Asian adults represent more than 8% of dementia cases, even though they make up less than 6% of the U.S. population. Despite this, Asian immigrants often have limited access to dementia care interventions. There are several contributing factors — recruitment challenges, social isolation due to migration, cultural and language barriers, and a general lack of awareness or understanding of ADRD within some communities.

Our team recognized the need to address these gaps. Raising public awareness and developing culturally responsive interventions for Asian immigrants with dementia is essential — not only to improve care outcomes, but also to reduce bias against ethnic minority groups and encourage greater participation in future clinical trials. This project is a meaningful step in that direction.

Why is this an important topic to study, and why now in particular?

Approximately 7 million Americans are affected by ADRD. Reminiscence intervention — prompting individuals to share life stories and recall memories — is a widely used non-pharmacological approach that can enhance quality of life, cognition, communication, and mood among people with dementia. Many older immigrants who have left their homeland maintain strong ties and long to revisit their home country someday. However, geographical distance, financial constraints, and health issues often make this difficult.

Combining reminiscence intervention with virtual reality (VR) technology can create a powerful synergy by simulating 3D environments, alleviating the sense of longing for home more effectively than conventional photo-based interventions. Research indicates that VR is a safe and well-received tool, promoting audiovisual engagement and positive experiences for people with dementia.

Despite these benefits, there has been a lack of reminiscence interventions specifically targeting Asian immigrants with dementia. To our knowledge, no U.S.-based study has focused on using VR to virtually revisit their former homes. Additionally, existing VR-based reminiscence interventions have typically been pre-designed by researchers — based on prompts from caregivers — without actively involving people with dementia in creating the VR environment.

Our team aims to address this gap by designing and developing a VR-based reminiscence intervention called “Going Home” for Asian immigrants with dementia. The study will pilot test the project’s feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes.

I know there may be limited understanding of what the research indicates right now, but what do you anticipate the results to be, if you are comfortable sharing.

Our long-term goal is to improve the quality of life for underserved populations affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Our central hypothesis is that the “Going Home” intervention will be both feasible and acceptable for Asian immigrants with dementia and their caregivers. We hopefully anticipate that the intervention will lead to improvements in several key areas: first, mood, cognition, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and overall quality of life among people with dementia; second, positive caregiving experience, mood, and self-efficacy among caregivers; and third, the quality of the dyadic relationship between the person with dementia and their caregiver.

We also believe this project lays the foundation for future randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of the “Going Home” intervention. By culturally tailoring dementia care, the study aims to enhance the quality of life for Asian immigrants with dementia and their caregivers. The “Going Home” program also holds potential for adaptation across other underserved populations, improving access to dementia care and supporting more inclusive recruitment in future clinical trials.

Can you tell us a bit about the grant application and acceptance process?

This project is supported by the Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant to Promote Diversity (AARG-D). The application process begins with the submission of a Letter of Intent. If the letter is approved in the following review, applicants are invited to submit a full proposal.

Could you also tell us a little about your co-investigators? Perhaps a little information on their backgrounds and research focuses would be beneficial.

Our team has built a strong collaborative foundation over many years, particularly in developing dementia interventions that incorporate assistive technology. I have expertise in ADRD research and have longstanding partnerships with community organizations in Milwaukee. My co-investigator, Dr. Zhi Zheng, contributes deep expertise in virtual reality technology. We’re also fortunate to have Dr. Elias Granadillo, a geriatric neurologist, as our team consultant. He brings extensive clinical experience with ADRD populations and provides essential guidance on participant eligibility, recruitment strategies, safety protocols, and monitoring for potential adverse outcomes.

Lee’s co-investigators are also eager to see where this research leads. Dr. Elias Granadillo, who works with non-pharmacological alternatives to help manage cognitive disorders, notes that “while recent medication breakthroughs are promising, their limitations and side effects underscore the need for fresh perspectives.” He continued: “That’s why I’m excited about cutting-edge approaches like non-invasive brain stimulation, computer-based cognitive training, and virtual reality – innovative tools that offer new hope for improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life.”

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Patti Schevers has a unique story — growing up in a rural environment as a white woman within the Oneida Nation Reservation. Patti grew up on her family farm, which she and her family have lived on for four generations. After leaving Oneida and pursuing a trade profession for nearly two decades, she returned home, seeking formal education and a new direction. While actively engaging with the community around her, through nonprofits and volunteering, she attended nearby Northwest Technical College and then pursued an undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Patti is now entering her second year in the 51���� Master of Social Work program. 

Recently, Patti received the 2025-2026 . This award is granted to social work students focusing on American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino populations. Patti reflects on her connections with the Oneida Nation, her work and volunteering roles within her community. 

Patti was gracious enough to share a video and transcript of her testimony about receiving this award, what it means to her, and how she hopes to continue to grow in her social work journey.

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When someone is diagnosed with a neurological disorder like ALS or Huntington’s disease, life changes immediately — and not just for them.

Caregiving often falls to immediate family members, even if they are still children. As a clinical social worker, Melinda S. Kavanaugh saw this firsthand while working with families affected by Huntington’s disease at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

“A child was talking to me about the intricacies of disinfecting his dad’s feeding tube and how he needed to be so very careful,” Kavanaugh said. “It’s imprinted on my brain. I’ll never forget that.”

Now a professor of social work at UW-Milwaukee, Kavanaugh has spent her career conducting research and developing training and tools to help other young caregivers and their families.

Full story

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Jayden Varline, a PhD student and research assistant in the Criminal Justice & Criminology department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was always inquisitive. As a teenager, she stumbled across news coverage of the Casey Anthony trial and shows like “Criminal Minds.” It was her introduction to criminology and piqued her curiosity about how humans operate.

“I think sometimes we engage in a little too much of the sensationalized pop culture true crime,” Varline said. “But it really drew me to the topic from a young age.”

Full story.

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Callie Ylvisaker did something no one else has ever done: She completed all three study abroad programs offered by the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at 51����. What’s more, Ylvisaker departed on all three trips in 2024, before her graduation in December.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” Ylvisaker said.

Each country Ylvisaker visited – South Africa, Austria and Costa Rica – offers its own unique study options and experiences. In Costa Rica, where Ylvisaker traveled in January of last year, she was put up by a host family, sharing early morning and evening meals. But in the morning and afternoon, Ylvisaker attended intensive Spanish-language learning courses designed to help social workers interact with non-native English speakers throughout their careers.

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