Research Professional ; Social Worker

About the Job

The Minnesota Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study teamis seeking a social worker (Research Professional
2) to support theHBCD study. The study team is led by the Principal Investigators Drs. Sylia Wilson (Institute of Child Development), Anna Zilverstand (Department of Psychiatry) and Michael Georgieff(Department of Pediatrics).

The HBCD study is a NIH-funded national landmark study on thelong-term effects of perinatal substance use exposure and otherrisk and protective factors on infant and child development((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).). This study includes 7000 women nationally(250 in Minnesota) from various backgrounds, to investigate thebrain development, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional function beginning in the perinatal period, and extending through childhood until age 10 of the children.

Currently, the enrolledchildren are 0-3 years old.

The social worker will be responsible for outreach and retentionefforts for the HBCD study, and work with the study assessment teamand a certified peer recovery navigator with past lived experience of substance use disorder to support study participants.

Responsibilities are described below.

• Co-developing and implementing a plan for retention strategies with Dr. Zilverstand (5% of time) – current strategies include
  1) individual check-ins with families between and at study visits,
  2) referrals to services/resources as needed,
  3) personalize done-on-one support as needed,
  4) monthly drop-in group for study participants,
  5) phone “warm-line” for study participants,
  6) community building and educational events,
  7) yearly event forstudy participants,
  8) study website and newsletter,
  9) compensation, 10) non-monetary incentives.
• Maintaining our catalog of local and regional resources and referrals (5% of time), which can be offered to participants asthey request or desire, such as how and where to access assistance with substance use treatment, mental and physical health care,housing, food supplies, etc.
• Providing personalized one-on-one support to study participants during study visits (25% of time). The study team includes acertified peer recovery navigator with past lived experiences of Substance Use Disorder. Together with the peer navigator, you willcheck in with study participants at study visits to answer questions and provide resources/referrals for study participants asneeded. Personalized one-on-one support may also include home visits in-between study visits.
• Co-developing a plan and purchasing items for non-monetary compensation of study participants (5% of time), such as for example developmentally appropriate toys or infant/toddler clothing.
• Leading a monthly drop-in group for study participants and providing a phone “warm line” (10% of time) that can be contacted by study participants during business hours for questions and support.
• Contacting study participants in case of a clinically significant incidental finding (5% of time), providing the appropriate referral information (in consultation with the clinicians from the studyteam).
• Managing our social media accounts and study communication channels (5% of time).
• Organizing, overseeing, participating in and leading events aimedat retaining enrolled participants (10% of time), for example:

• Community events hosted by the University and/or collaborating community organizations around different topics such as for example the goals of the study, the achieved study milestones, and resources available for participating families and beyond.
• Educational events at the University of Minnesota and/or collaborating community organizations, led by researchers or collaborators that are organized around topics that are…