Kimberly Bender
Contact:
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Texas at Austin
Craig Hall, Room 469
Telephone: 303-871-6760
E-mail: Kimberly.Bender@du.edu
Areas of interest:
- adolescent mental health and substance abuse
- juvenile delinquency
- psychosocial co-morbidities
- child welfare
Prof. Kimberly Bender's recent research includes a study of gender-specific pathways from childhood maltreatment to juvenile delinquency among youth in the child welfare system. Her research aims to improve services and develop empirically-based interventions for adolescents at risk of problem behavior. She recently contributed to an intervention research project on methods for engaging runaway youth in substance use treatment funded by the National Institute for Drug Abuse. Prof. Bender has worked in a variety of clinical settings with youth, including residential treatment, inpatient facilities, and outpatient mental health centers.
Passionate about educating future social workers practitioners, Prof. Bender was principal investigator of a qualitative study of the importance of self-awareness in training social work graduate students for culturally competent practice. At GSSW, she teaches the social work skills lab and program evaluation.
"Many people would be surprised by delinquent youths' resiliencies. They have overcome unimaginable obstacles in their lives, and are often looking for a way to harness their strengths and experiences into something positive. Social work researchers and practitioners can help at-risk youth find alternative paths and recognize their full potentials."
