Faculty Profiles
Mary Elizabeth Collins
Associate Professor
Social Welfare Policy
Phone: 617-353-3748
mcollins@bu.edu
Education
B.A. (criminal justice), University of Illinois - Chicago
M.A. (social work), University of Chicago
Ph.D. (social work), University of Chicago
Post-doctoral (social work), University of Michigan
Courses Taught
WP700 Social Welfare Policy I
WP701 Social Welfare Policy II
WP707 Social Welfare Policy and Programs in Children
WP900 Social Program Analysis and Evaluation
Scholarly and Practice Interests
Child welfare policy, transition to adulthood for vulnerable youth; mental health services; social services evaluation.
Selected Publications
Collins, M.E., Hyun Kim, S., Clay, C., and Perlstein, J. (In press). Addressing issues of globalization in the training of public child welfare workers: Lessons from a training program in the United States. International Social Work.
Collins, M.E., Amodeo, M. and Clay, C. (In press). Planning and evaluating child welfare training projects: Working toward a comprehensive conceptual model. Child Welfare.
Collins, M.E. and Pinkerton, J. (2008). The policy context of leaving care services: A case study of Northern Ireland. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 1279-1288.
Collins, M.E., Hill. N., and Miranda, C.M. (2008). Establishing positive youth development approaches in group home settings: Training implementation and evaluation. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 25, 43-54.
Collins, M.E. (2008). Evaluating child welfare training in public agencies: Status and prospects. Evaluation and Program Planning, 31, 241-246.
Collins, M.E., Paris, R., and Ward, R. (2008). The permanence of family ties: Implications for youth transitioning from foster care. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 78 (1), 54-62.
Collins, M.E., Amodeo, M., and Clay, C.M. (2007). Training as a factor in policy implementation: Lessons from a national evaluation of child welfare training. Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 1487-1502.
Amodeo, M. and Collins, M.E. ( In press ). Applying Positive Youth Development Principles in Practice with Youth with Problem Behaviors. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services.
Collins, M.E. (2006). The Children (Northern Ireland) Order: A Perspective from the U.S. Child Care in Practice, 12, 2, 113-127.
Collins, M.E. and Mowbray, C.T. (2005). Higher Education and Psychiatric Disabilities: National Survey of Campus Disability Services. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75, 2, 304-315.
Collins, M.E. and Amodeo, M.,(2005). Responding to plagiarism in schools of social work: Considerations and recommendations. Journal of Social Work Education.
Collins, M.E. and Mowbray, C.T., (2005). Understanding the policy context for supporting students with psychiatric disabilities in higher education. Community Mental Health Journal, 41, 4, 431-450.
Collins, M.E., Curley, A., Clay, C.M., and Lara, R., (2005). Evaluation of social services programming in a mixed income housing development. Evaluation and Program Planning, 28, 47-59.
Collins, M.E., (2004). Enhancing services to youths leaving foster care: Analysis of recent legislation and its potential impact. Children and Youth Services Review, 26, 1051-1065.
Collins, M.E., Lane, T.S., and Stevens, J.W. (2003). Teen Living Programs: A Description of Program Components and Issues in Service Delivery. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 84, 1, 31-38.
Collins, M.E., (2001). Transition to adulthood for vulnerable youth: A Review of research and implications for policy. Social Service Review, 75, 2, 271-291.
Selected Presentations
Collins, M.E., and Duffy, J. (2008). Contextual impacts on caseworker decision-making in child welfare: A cross-national comparison. 34th Biennial Congress International Association of Schools of Social Work. Durban, South Africa.
Collins, M.E., Clay, C.M., and Ward, R. (2008). Developing State Policy Regarding Foster Youth Transition to Independence: Problem Definition, Policy Solutions, Political Strategies. Society for Social Work and Research 12th Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.
Collins, M.E., Amodeo, M., and Clay, C.M. (2006). Child welfare training as policy solution: Findings from the National Evaluation of Child Welfare Training Grants. Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Conference. Madison, WI.
Collins, M.E., Hyun Kim, S., Clay, C., and Perlstein, J. (2006). Addressing issues of globalization in the training of public child welfare workers in the U.S. 33rd World Congress of Schools of Social Work. Santiago, Chile.
Collins, M.E. (2006). Shared challenges and contextual differences: A U.S. perspective on child care legislation in Northern Ireland. Child Care in Practice Conference. Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Collins, M.E. (2006). National evaluation of child welfare training grants, independent living projects: Preliminary findings. Invited presentation at U.S. Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grants, Training for Independent Living Supervisors Cluster Meeting. Washington, DC.
Collins, M.E. (2005). National evaluation of child welfare training grants: Early findings and next steps. Invited presentation at U.S. Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grants Annual Meeting. Crystal City, VA.
Selected Grant Activity
Leaving Care in Massachusetts: Policy and Supports to Facilitate Transition. Funding by the Massachusetts Youth Transition Task Force, 2006-2007.
National Evaluation of Child Welfare Training Grants, 2003-2006. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children and Families.
Supporting Higher Education Pursuits for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities: A State and School Level Policy and Practice Analysis, 2001-2002. Funded by the Spencer Foundation.
Training of Child Welfare Practitioners to Work Effectively with Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care through the Federal Independent Living Program, 2000-2003. Funded by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
Consulting and Professional Activities
Steering Committee Member, Group for Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) (2006 – present)
Advisory Board Member, Massachusetts Department of Social Services, Training of Child Welfare Supervisors in the Effective Delivery and Management of Federal Independent Living Service for Youth in Foster Care (2006 – present).
Member, Massachusetts Adolescent Health Council, 2003 - present.
Chair, Program Planning Sub-Committee, 15 th National Conference on Child Abuse/Neglect, 2004-2005.
Awards and Honors
Dissertation Award, Eighth National Symposium on Doctoral Student Research: 1995, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
