Elyse Heagle

Bio: Elyse Heagle is an academic researcher from University at Buffalo. The author has contributed to research in topics: Social work & Human rights. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 5 citations.

Trauma Talks: Exploring Personal Narratives of Trauma-Informed Care through Podcasting

Abstract: Trauma Talks: Rising from the Ashes is a podcast series developed by The Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (ITTIC). The series aims to present a variety of personal audio narratives that...

Creating a Human Rights Culture in a Master’s in Social Work Program

Abstract: Social workers have been grappling with social, economic, and political issues relating to human rights since the profession’s inception. It is only recently that there has been explicit recognition of human rights as core principles on which work toward social justice rests. Throughout the world, human rights are considered to be a common benchmark of basic achievement for all peoples and nations. Human rights establish a set of well-defined and accessible principles and standards for social work. They can form the basis of a comprehensive approach to social work practice and increase universality of the profession by creating a clear standard of principles to guide practice and theory. An increasing number of scholars and practitioners in the USA have articulated a convincing case regarding the fit between social work values and human rights principles and the ways in which such principles have relevance to every level of social work theory and practice.

Introduction to Trauma and Human Rights: Context and Content

Abstract: This chapter provides an introduction to the context and content of the book. After introducing the concepts of the trauma and human rights frameworks, the chapter traces the origins of trauma-informed care and its movement into behavioral health, child welfare, and educational settings. Following this, the chapter describes the genesis of the book in the graduate-level course on trauma, trauma-informed care, and human rights that was developed and implemented as a foundational course in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work’s trauma-informed and human rights-based curriculum. Lastly, the chapter outlines the book’s content and goals.

A Human Rights Analysis of a Risk Assessment Instrument in Child Welfare

Abstract: Although social work has long expressed support for human rights principles, scholarship in this area suggests that many social workers still struggle to apply human rights principles to practice. This paper aims to help address this gap by illustrating how a common human rights principle, the right to be free from discrimination, can be applied to a popular risk assessment tool used by social workers in the child welfare system in Ontario, Canada. This paper draws on case examples and knowledge from the field of law to highlight how this risk assessment instrument may increase the tendency of social workers to violate this right. It then offers suggestions about how social workers can modify their practice to better comply with their human rights obligations.

Creating Counternarratives on Trauma Informed Care Through Student Podcasting

Abstract: This research explored how participatory action research (PAR) specifically youth participatory action research (YPAR) could be utilized to help inform and bring change to an alternative high school’s trauma-informed care. The study was informed by critical race theory (Yosso, 2005), trauma-informed care (Day et al, 2017), and youth participatory action research (Halliday, 2019; Goessling, 2020). The YPAR project was conducted at an urban/suburban alternative education high school in Marin County California with nine 11th and 12th graders who engaged in a series of subject-themed forums and then created a podcast informed by an interview they conducted with a community member. Students held a symposium in which they shared the podcasts with administration and other adult leaders and successfully petitioned the school administration to add after school programs. The research found that YPAR is a culturally responsive way to cultivate student agency around school policy, and support meaningful exploratory dialogue that informs engaged practices in the delivery of trauma-informed care. These findings have important implications for how teachers can provide the space for students to create change in their school environments, support one another in navigating life challenges and create connections to mentors in the larger community.

A New Podcast for Reducing Stigma Against People Living With Complex Mental Health Issues: Co-design Study

Abstract: Background Mental illness stigma refers to damaging stereotypes and emotional responses around the experience of mental health issues. Media-based interventions have the potential to reduce the public’s stigmatizing attitudes by improving mental health literacy, emotional appeal, and the intimacy of address. As audio-based media facilitating storytelling, podcasts show potential for reducing stigma; however, it is unclear what features could make a podcast effective or engaging. Objective The Co-Design and Anti-Stigma Podcast Research (CASPR) study aimed to collaborate with key target audience members to inform the development of a new podcast. This podcast primarily aims to reduce listeners’ stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with complex mental health issues. Methods This study was adapted from Experience-Based Co-Design methodology. The first part, information gathering, involved a web-based mixed methods survey with 629 Australian podcast listeners to explore their interest and concerns around podcasts. Then, a series of focus groups were held with a purposive sample of 25 participants to explore the potential benefits and challenges of the podcast format. Focus group participants included people with lived experience of complex mental health issues, media and communications professionals, health care professionals, and people interested in workplace mental health. The second part, co-design, constituted 3 meetings of a co-design committee with 10 participants drawn from the focus groups to design the podcast using brainstorming and decision-making activities. Results Most survey respondents (537/629, 85.3%) indicated a willingness to listen to a podcast about experiences of mental illness stigma; participants indicated preference for semistructured episodes and a mixture of light and serious content. Focus group participants identified potential challenges with appealing to listeners, making the content emotionally resonant and engaging, and translation to listeners’ attitude change. The co-design committee collaborated to achieve consensus on the focus of individual episodes: domains where stigma and discrimination are common, such as workplaces and health care settings; the structure of individual episodes: storyboards that centralize guests with lived experience, featuring explicit discussions around stigma and discrimination; and overarching content principles, including a sincere, empathetic, and hopeful tone; using plain language; having clear calls to action; and providing listener resources. Conclusions The co-design process informed a podcast design that features lived experience narratives with an explicit focus on stigma and discrimination, highlighting the realities of stigma while acknowledging progress in the space and how listeners can contribute toward social change. This study allowed for an in-depth discussion around the strengths and limitations of such a podcast according to different target audience members. The co-design committee designed key elements of a podcast that has the potential to minimize the limitations of the format while embracing the benefits of podcast-based storytelling. Once produced, the podcast will be evaluated for its impact on attitude change.