News & Press

New study explores how economic stressors and vaccination shaped mental health during the pandemic 

A new paper co-authored by SP2's Dr. Chenyi Ma explores the impact of job loss, food insecurity, and COVID-19 vaccination on anxiety levels among different demographic groups in the…

Read More New study explores how economic stressors and vaccination shaped mental health during the pandemic 

Storytelling and social work intersect in book edited by SP2’s Dr. Jacqueline Corcoran

Seeking a fresh approach to prepare social work students for their careers, SP2 Professor Jacqueline Corcoran came up with a concept at the intersection of…

Read More Storytelling and social work intersect in book edited by SP2’s Dr. Jacqueline Corcoran

Cultivating compassion & building community 

Compassion was the focus of a special workshop opportunity offered last semester to faculty, staff, and students of Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice…

Read More Cultivating compassion & building community 

Frameworks provide new paradigm for global health law

Aiming to provide a new model for global health law, a recent essay in the Journal of Global Health Law by Dr. Jennifer Prah of…

Read More Frameworks provide new paradigm for global health law

Groundbreaking experiments with guaranteed income for formerly incarcerated individuals show promising results

Research from the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) reveals the profound potential of guaranteed income for individuals…

Read More Groundbreaking experiments with guaranteed income for formerly incarcerated individuals show promising results

Health capability profile offers public health tool for clinicians, health care professionals, social workers, policy makers, and individuals

With the goal of helping individuals, communities, and professionals identify how to promote people’s ability to be healthy and flourish, a new article coauthored by…

Read More Health capability profile offers public health tool for clinicians, health care professionals, social workers, policy makers, and individuals

Improving lives through data: SP2’s Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy boosts national impact through students and alumni

Like a number of SP2 students and alumni, Sharon Zanti, PhD in Social Welfare ’24, has taken a path that is interwoven with SP2’s Actionable…

Read More Improving lives through data: SP2’s Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy boosts national impact through students and alumni

SP2 faculty among “World’s Top 2% Scientists”

Nine SP2 faculty are listed among the Stanford University-Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists for the past two years or on the basis of career-long data.…

Read More SP2 faculty among “World’s Top 2% Scientists”

SP2’s Top News of 2024

A look back at 2024 highlights the School’s excellence in education and research, as well as SP2’s deep commitment to addressing human well-being across multiple…

Read More SP2’s Top News of 2024

SP2 researchers receive awards and recognition at SSWR 2025 Annual Conference

Following the 2025 Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, SP2 is celebrating recipients who were recognized at the annual awards presentation…

Read More SP2 researchers receive awards and recognition at SSWR 2025 Annual Conference

SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton to deliver keynote at SSWR conference with 40+ SP2-led sessions

Collaboration as innovation will be the theme of an address by Keynote Speaker Dr. Desmond Upton Patton of Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice…

Read More SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton to deliver keynote at SSWR conference with 40+ SP2-led sessions

Paper on philanthropic strategies wins editors’ prize for three SP2-affiliated authors

The first author of the paper is Dr. H. Daniel Heist, a graduate of SP2’s PhD in Social Welfare Program. He is joined by SP2…

Read More Paper on philanthropic strategies wins editors’ prize for three SP2-affiliated authors

These community college grads are headed to universities. A basic income program helped make it happen

Stacia West of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research was quoted in an LAist article on the BOOST basic income pilot supporting L.A. community college students, highlighting…

laist.com These community college grads are headed to universities. A basic income program helped make it happen

Aiming for a ‘holistic representation’ career as dual-degree Law and SP2 grad

Christina Bartzokis worked as a Child Protective Services case worker for three years in rural Oregon. Now she’s set her sights on Louisiana, where she’ll…

penntoday.upenn.edu Aiming for a ‘holistic representation’ career as dual-degree Law and SP2 grad

Graduating student veteran makes use of a Yellow Ribbon award

Alice Wu, a Navy veteran graduating from the School of Social Policy & Practice in May, used support from the Yellow Ribbon Program to make…

penntoday.upenn.edu Graduating student veteran makes use of a Yellow Ribbon award

Drug-related deaths dropped in NYC shelter system, even as population boomed

Following national trends, drug-related deaths among New Yorkers in shelters declined last year, even as the shelter population increased. SP2's Dr. Dennis Culhane weighs in…

gothamist.com Drug-related deaths dropped in NYC shelter system, even as population boomed

Episode 2: Lessons in Joy and Care

Desmond Patton of SP2 and the Annenberg School for Communication appears in conversation with Annenberg’s Dean Sarah Banet-Weiser and Dr. Julia Ticona for a discussion…

asc.upenn.edu Episode 2: Lessons in Joy and Care

Schools plan new policies to control student use of cellphones

Why are schools enacting cell phone bans, and is the approach likely to work? SP2’s Desmond Patton weighs in on how to help young people…

news.wgcu.org Schools plan new policies to control student use of cellphones

Combining AI and artmaking for youth well-being

A “Digital Healing” project is building an AI-supported platform to facilitate art making for reflection and community building. SP2’s Siva Mathiyazhagan is principal investigator on…

penntoday.upenn.edu Combining AI and artmaking for youth well-being

Expert discusses science behind school cell phone bans

As measures take shape in New York and elsewhere to ban cell phones in schools, SP2’s Desmond Patton speaks about the importance of educating young…

cbs6albany.com Expert discusses science behind school cell phone bans

Cash or Chaos: Solving the Income Inequality Crisis

A video clip highlights SP2 Amy Castro speaking onstage at the 7th Annual Ideas We Should Steal Festival® in the Comcast Technology Center in November.…

youtube.com Cash or Chaos: Solving the Income Inequality Crisis

Philanthropy Advising Is a ‘Wild West’ — and Increasingly Influential

Weighing in on the growing field of philanthropic advising, Katherina (Kat) Rosqueta of SP2’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy says there is a need for…

philanthropy.com Philanthropy Advising Is a ‘Wild West’ — and Increasingly Influential

2 cities tried basic income for formerly incarcerated people. Participants felt more food secure but struggled to pay for housing.

SP2’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research recently published findings from pilot programs in Gainesville, Florida, and Durham, North Carolina, that provided unconditional cash payments to…

businessinsider.com 2 cities tried basic income for formerly incarcerated people. Participants felt more food secure but struggled to pay for housing.

Many Gen Zers deal with higher rates of mental health challenges and firearm suicides, according to a new report

A new report finds Gen Z faces higher rates of mental health challenges and firearm suicides, according to Penn SP2 research.

whyy.org Many Gen Zers deal with higher rates of mental health challenges and firearm suicides, according to a new report