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UK College of Social Work

“Social work found me.” Erin Mayhorn’s passion for child welfare culminates in doctoral degree

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Making a difference in the lives of children and families in the Commonwealth has always been a passion for Dr. Erin Mayhorn, and now, three degrees later, it has paid off in the best way.

Mayhorn, Child Welfare Workforce Development Manager at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW), graduated on May 3, 2024, with a Doctorate of Social Work. Because of this passion for child welfare, Mayhorn, a first-generation college student, was able to earn three degrees (Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Work, and Doctorate of Social Work) with no student loans.

Attending Morehead State for her undergraduate degree, Mayhorn entered college from a small town in Eastern Kentucky knowing she wanted to be in a helping profession but didn’t know which route to take. Then, social work found her.

“I always say that social work found me,” Mayhorn said. “I started out thinking I was going to do nursing or something in the medical field. An advisor recommended social work and at first, I wasn’t sure because of the stereotypes around being a social worker. After pursuing social work, I kept being compelled to stay in child welfare.”

During Mayhorn’s time at Morehead, she joined the Public Child Welfare Certification Program (PCWCP, now called Child Welfare Prep). Through this program, she was able to get in-state tuition, a stipend, and a particular concentration in public child welfare training. Following graduation, participants are required to work for two years at the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS) in a county of their preference.

While Mayhorn worked at DCBS, she received financial support to pursue her Master of Social Work, this time at the University of Louisville. Mayhorn continued to work her way up to a supervisory role at DCBS in Fayette County, seeing the difference in the child welfare workers who graduated from the CW Prep program.

“As a supervisor, I could see workers coming in from the CW Prep program being more prepared, which means families were getting quicker services and usually more stable services because the workers stay for two years,” Mayhorn said.

When a position at the CoSW opened to become a CW Prep recruiter in 2016, Mayhorn took the opportunity to recruit students to the program that had helped her significantly, and to also help reduce turnover in the social work field.

While at the University of Kentucky, working in child welfare once again paid off, giving Mayhorn an opportunity to pursue her Doctorate of Social Work, walking across the stage for a third time and proving herself wrong yet again.

“I had all these ‘I nevers’ because I was from such a small town in Kentucky,” Mayhorn said. “I said I would never go to UK because it was too big. I said I would never do child welfare or pursue my Masters or Doctorate. It’s really nice to be able to prove myself wrong. I said I would never but here I am because of the support and community that I’ve been able to have through child welfare. It’s a special place and I’m really honored that I was able to get to this position.”

Being able to earn three degrees with no student loans because of child welfare has made a significant impact on Mayhorn and her family.

“Education is important to my family as a first-generation college student from Phelps, Ky. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in 2003 and now it’s 2024 and I’m still in child welfare,” Mayhorn said. “If you’re passionate about helping families, apply to CW Prep and get your tuition paid for.”

For more information on CW Prep or to apply, please visit the CW Prep website.

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UK College of Social Work

UK College of Social Work celebrates graduating class of 2024

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) celebrated its graduating class of 2024 on Friday, May 3, honoring 384 graduates who walked across the stage at Rupp Arena.

The CoSW is committed to developing outstanding professionals — leaders who will serve individuals, families, and communities through innovative and effective practices that are guided by cultural competency, systematic ethical analysis, and a keen and pragmatic understanding of the human condition. 

The class of 2024 join the ranks of CoSW alumni, poised to shape the future with integrity, passion, and unwavering commitment to excellence, reminding the world that Social Work is Everywhere. 

“It’s very important,” Autumn Lautigar, first generation college student said on earning her Masters of Social Work on Friday. “A social worker told me I would be a good social worker five years ago and it inspired me to go back to school. Earning this degree from the University of Kentucky means a lot.”

To kick off the celebration on Friday, the College of Social Work hosted a Graduation Celebration at the Gatton Student Center, inviting all graduates and their loved ones to come together and meet their fellow graduates.

“We are excited to welcome all of our graduates and congratulate them on all their hard work paying off,” Dr. Kalea Benner, CoSW Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs said at the celebration. “We are so glad to call you our social work colleagues. Congratulations!”

Among those walking across the stage in Rupp Arena were doctors Jasmine Thomas and AJ Deloney, both graduates of the Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program at the CoSW.

“To me, social work is the cultivation is doing something that we are passionate about. The recognition that comes with a doctoral level degree, that’s the part that completed the cycle. This has been special,” Deloney said.

When asked what graduation meant to her, Dr. Thomas described receiving her doctoral degree as “monumental.”

“My motto has always been ‘help me help you.’ Now being a doctor and able to help people at a different level, that’s inspirational,” Thomas said.

The College of Social Work congratulates the class of 2024 and looks forward to the impact CoSW graduates continue to make on the Commonwealth and beyond, improving the human condition always, in all ways.

Image of students painting on Rachel's Room walls

UK College of Social Work paints “Rachel’s Room” in honor of former CoSW student

LEXINGTON, Ky. — In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) students were invited to participate in a self-care activity, creating a comforting and welcoming space for families visiting the supervised visitation room at the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) office.

Students were asked to prime and paint the visitation room, alongside UK Fine Arts student Beaux Hardin, who led a guided art session.

This project holds extra significance to the CoSW community as DCBS plans to name this room “Rachel’s Room” after a former University of Kentucky College of Social Work and PCWCP (Public Child Welfare Certification Program, now called CW Prep) student who dedicated nearly 20 years of service to the community. Rachel Hodnett was deeply passionate about supporting families, and this mural project is a fitting tribute to her legacy.

“Just thinking about Rachel and her passion for the families that we worked with, it was important to her that we provided good quality service. She wanted to provide that support to families in the community while they were going through some of the toughest parts of their lives,” Erin Mayhorn, Child Welfare Workforce Development Manager and former colleague and friend of Hodnett, said.  “Being able to put the room together to provide a more comfortable space for families to visit when they are temporarily apart, means a lot to be able carry that out in her memory.”

This project aimed to provide a therapeutic outlet for stress relief, relaxation, and creative expression for students. By engaging in this self-care activity, students and DCBS staff improved their mental and emotional well-being, ultimately fostering a more productive and supportive academic and work environment.

The supervised visitation room at DCBS will now be one of comfort for families and staff in honor of Rachel, who made a lasting impact on the lives of families and children in the Commonwealth.

UK College of Social Work

UK College of Social Work honors 2024 graduating class on Friday

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The College of Social Work (CoSW) at the University of Kentucky proudly celebrates the accomplishments of its graduating class of 2024 on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. Amidst a backdrop of joy and nostalgia, graduates, faculty, staff, families, and guests come together to commemorate this occasion as 384 graduates walk across the stage at Rupp Arena in Lexington.  

 The ceremony, a testament to perseverance, dedication, and scholarly pursuit, symbolizes the culmination of hard work and unwavering determination. It marks the transition of students into empowered individuals ready to make their mark on the world.  

The CoSW looks forward to celebrating its graduates at the Graduation Celebration prior to commencement, as well as at the Grad Gathering following the ceremony. Throughout the week, graduates are invited to share their photos with the CoSW for an opportunity to be highlighted on social media. Submit photos here. Graduates are also invited to use #CoSWGrad on all their social media posts from the week to be featured at the Graduation Celebration. 

Graduation Celebration (hosted by UK College of Social Work) 

Day: May 3, 2024 
Time: 1 – 3 p.m. 

Refreshments will be provided. 

Location: Grand Ballrooms, Gatton Student Center 
Parking: Complimentary parking is available at the Cornerstone Garage, located at 409 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506. The garage gates will be open from 1 PM onwards for the rest of the day. If you arrive before 1 p.m., you will need to take a ticket at the gate, but you will not be required to pay. 

The Graduation Celebration, occurring a few hours before commencement, is a longer event and is exclusively for College of Social Work graduates. There will be food, photo opportunities, a brief program at 1:45 p.m., and an opportunity to spend more quality time with your fellow graduates as well as college faculty and staff. 

Grad Gathering (hosted by UK Alumni Association) 

Time: Immediately following commencement
Location: Rupp Arena

More information on commencement. 

The Grad Gathering, occurring immediately following commencement in Rupp Arena, is an event at which all colleges with students graduating during the commencement ceremony will be represented, including the College of Social Work. The CoSW will be there with a small table and a gift for each graduate. Graduates typically walk through this space quickly before reuniting with any friends and family who watched them participate in commencement. 

UK College of Social Work

The College of Social Work Honors National Foster Care Month this May

By Jeff Damron and Tamikia Dumas, Program Coordinators for the Foster Parent Mentor Program

Each year in May, we take a few moments to honor those who have dedicated themselves to providing safety, permanency, and well-being for children and youth, who for a variety of reasons, have been placed into foster care. Join us in giving thanks to the many foster parents, child welfare professionals, policy makers, and community officials that shine the light of hope for children in the Commonwealth and around the world.

Nationally, just over 390,000 children have been removed from their homes and placed into what is hoped to be the temporary care of trained and certified foster parents within the community. In Kentucky, just over 8,000 children have been placed in out-of-home care.

All that sounds a bit sterile, statistical, and academic. But what we’re really hoping to do is bring awareness to those in our community that tirelessly offer our kids empathy, love, support, and encouragement – to help our kids heal, and find some measure of normalcy until such time that they’re reunited with family or adopted.

People like Ken and Vicky from central Kentucky who would come home from their jobs to the hospital to sit and rock an infant, placed with them, suffering from withdrawal of a substance exposed to while in utero. Ken worked third shift and Vicky worked first shift and would take turns offering patience, presence, and persistence in the rocking chair for several weeks.

We want to celebrate folks like Laura in northern Kentucky who was willing to take additional training to help a young 13-year-old girl overcome her near crippling anxiety. After months of reordering both their lives, Laura enrolled her in her local high school where she flourished academically, socially, and in the gym. And we can’t forget social workers like Melissa who spent more than a few long weekends at the office sitting with and caring for a young man who was recently released from a behavioral treatment program. Until a family could be identified to care for him, he would sadly have to spend weekends sleeping on a mattress at the local foster care office. It’s this kind of love and sacrifice we want to focus on and celebrate.

In addition to serving children in need, foster parents also serve and support each other. There are over 350 foster parents in Kentucky who become mentors to support newly approved foster parents. Mentors like April, in Franklin County, who went to the emergency room at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning to relieve a foster parent who had been there all night with a child. Mentors like Diane in Jefferson County, who contacted the Foster Parent Mentor Program Coordinator to inquire about resources for a relative care foster parent who was going to lose financial support for their sibling once custody was turned over to Kentucky from another state. During National Foster Care Month, we recognize and applaud your efforts to help new foster parents.  

Here at the Foster Parent Mentor Program, we recently afforded our nearly 400 Foster Parent Mentors a professional development opportunity to learn more about the extensive benefits for youth in care and for those ageing out of care (learn more about them here). The Commonwealth is indeed engaging and investing in our youth by building an extensive support system and working with them to think about and plan for that next best step in their lives.

What a wonderful time to consider providing kindness, love, and hope to a child in need! Thank you to all many foster parents, child welfare professionals, policy makers, and community officials that continue to help and support families in the Commonwealth and beyond.

Learn more about the Foster Parent Mentor Program.

From the Court to the Classroom: Dr. Jasmine Cohen-Young’s journey to the College of Social Work

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As Dr. Jasmine Cohen-Young finishes up her time with the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW), a journey that started with a basketball and a hoop culminates in a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW).

Photo credit Jasmine Cohen-Young/Rollins College

A student-athlete at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., Cohen-Young grew up playing basketball and had many influential figures in her athletic career, including Rose Richmond, Cohen-Young’s aunt and track & field athlete at Indiana University (2000-2003) and Olympian, as well as Troy and Darren Hambrick, her cousins and former members of the Dallas Cowboys.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rollins College, Cohen-Young pursued a Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida. Becoming a clinically licensed social worker with experience in the collegiate athletic culture led Cohen-Young to begin asking questions when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and that’s when her jump into sport social work began.

“During Covid, I saw the impact of the student-athletes’ seasons ending so suddenly. Specifically in women’s basketball, I saw teams who were so close to winning a National Championship and then the season just had to stop,” Cohen-Young said. “I asked myself ‘How can I help? What can I do to help these athletes and get involved?’ I did some research and realized that sport social work was a thing and I wanted to be a part of it.”

The first step into this relatively new space of sport social work was the creation of Cohen-Young’s nonprofit, Mindz Matter Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit that aims to provide mental health education and resources through community efforts to youth athletes and youth sports organizations, primarily in underserved communities.

Sport social workers don’t just focus on sports performance, they also focus on the entire person and go beyond just sports, combining the science of the practice and the art of the practice. Sport social workers are trained to find the solution and put empirical backing behind it.

“It’s one thing to ask an athlete, ‘how can we get you to perform at your peak?’ It’s another thing to say you’re also a person outside of sports and I want to help you succeed at being a person beyond your sport,” Cohen-Young said. “As athletes, we get consumed in that identity. Whatever the sport is, athletes want to be the best at that and that consumes them. When they go home at night, they’re still a person. We would be doing them a disservice to only focus on their sports performance and not focus on their entire being.”

That athlete mentality of wanting to be the best inspired her to continue her education, this time at the CoSW.

“I wanted to take it up a notch and I wanted to have a bigger voice at the table. I wanted to make even more of a difference in the spaces that I operate in,” Cohen-Young said. “For me, it’s about being the best of the best. I did some research and found the DSW program at UK and knew this was the one. If I want to be amongst the best, I have to do it here.”

Cohen-Young presented her DSW capstone project titled “Preseason Isn’t Just for Conditioning: An Interprofessional Approach to Assessing Collegiate Student-Athlete Mental Health” at the 2024 Showcase of DSW Scholars.

This research is focused on the assessment of student-athletes’ mental health throughout their careers, not just at the beginning of the season at their preseason physical. Specifically, Cohen-Young’s research is looking at the assessment process and the empirical backing of the assessment.

Recently, research was released that suicide is the second-leading cause of death in student-athletes. These assessments will be key in preventing mental health crises and help professionals intervene and provide support for student-athletes.  

“As athletes, we always want to perform, but behind closed doors is when it can get heavy. If athletes aren’t feeling supported, that’s when the crisis arises, and we have to be mindful of the sports culture that these athletes are performing within. We must take a proactive stance in how we are assessing and making sure athletes have resources available,” Cohen-Young said.

Following Cohen-Young’s graduation from the CoSW, she looks to continue to make an impact in the lives of athletes with her first-hand experience and now, a Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Kentucky.

Image of Miss Segress speaking at the Foster Parent Appreciation Event

📷Highlights: Statewide Foster and Adoptive Parent Appreciation Event

As National Foster Care Month approaches in May, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW), alongside the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS), hosted a Statewide Foster and Adoptive Parent Appreciation event at the Newport Aquarium on Sunday, April 14. Below are the highlights of the day.

Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
UK College of Social Work

UK College of Social Work and DCBS Host Statewide Foster and Adoptive Parent Appreciation Event

NEWPORT, Ky. – As National Foster Care Month approaches in May, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW), alongside the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS), hosted a Statewide Foster and Adoptive Parent Appreciation event at the Newport Aquarium on Sunday, April 14. 

The 2023 Foster and Adoptive Families of the Year were invited to attend, as well as DCBS staff members and coordinators for Adoption Support for Kentucky and the Foster Parent Training program, housed at the CoSW. Lesa Dennis, DCBS Commissioner, gave opening remarks, thanking the families for their hard work and dedication to children in the Commonwealth. 

“By offering opportunities for growth and happiness, foster and adoptive parents play a critical role in helping our children heal, learn, and thrive. You invest in our future by providing this next generation with the safety, consistency, stability, protection, and nurturing support they deserve,” Dennis said. “Together, with your work to show the benefits of building healthy and fulfilling relationships, you make our Commonwealth, our country and our world as a whole a much better place to live.” 

Families were provided lunch and tickets to spend the afternoon as a family in the aquarium. Family portraits were also taken and provided to the families, celebrating the hard work and commitment it takes to raise a foster or adopted child.  

2023 Foster Families of the Year 

Danny and Sabrina Hobbs 

Nellie and Paul Mullins 

Gemirra Petty 

Michelle Maehren 

Michael and Amber Manion 

Ashlee and Steve Pracht 

Sharon York 

Thomas and Margaret Kirkwood 

Josh and Terra Blandford 

2023 Adoptive Families of the Year 

Justin and Kassi Williamson 

Richard Kilburne 

Billy and Stephanie Masters 

Traci and Gerald Hedrick 

Angela and Raymond Bischoff 

Gary and Marilyn Harp 

David and Pamela Young 

Natalie and Randall McVay 

Matt and Kortnea Powell 

The CoSW provides many resources to foster and adoptive families through the Training Resource Center. These resources and programs include: 

UK College of Social Work

Southern Bluegrass Citizen Review Panel Hosts Conference for Foster Parents and Social Workers

By: Tara Pulaski

LEXINGTON, Ky. — On Friday, April 12, the Southern Bluegrass Citizen Review Panel hosted a conference called A Conversation on Collaboration for regional foster parents and frontline child welfare workers during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Citizen Review Panels (CRPs) are regional volunteer groups that aim to improve the safety and well-being of children and families in the Commonwealth.  

Kentucky’s nine CRPs are facilitated by the University of Kentucky’s College of Social Work (CoSW), in collaboration with Kentucky’s Department for Community Based Services (DCBS).  

A Conversation on Collaboration was hosted at the Lexington Public Library’s Eastside Branch and offered unique training opportunities to both foster parents and social workers. The conference name is a nod to bringing together foster parents, social workers, and community partners in collaboration for the good of the children they serve.  

“The conference provided training and resources from content experts to more than 40 frontline workers, foster parents, and school personnel,” Lisa Gabbard, chair of the Southern Bluegrass Citizen Review Panel, said. “These participants were also shown appreciation for their invaluable contributions to the Kentucky child welfare systems that keep our children safe with lunch and a thank you gift from the panel.” 

Conference sessions included substance use and harm reduction in youth, trauma-informed parenting, self-care, a lived experience panel (including a former foster youth, a kinship caregiver, and a birth parent), gun safety for children, and safe-haven boxes for surrendered infants. All groups came together to share in camaraderie, education, and lunch.  

In addition to collaboration, the conference sought to recognize the contributions of foster parents and frontline DCBS workers in Kentucky. These two groups were recognized as the backbones of the child welfare system, and they frequently work and collaborate together for the good of families in the Commonwealth.  

“CRPs make a difference by tackling the most salient child welfare issues in their regions. Caring volunteers come together to identify issues and formulate a plan to alleviate them,” Tara Pulaski, CRP Program Coordinator at the CoSW, said. 

Learn more about CRPs.

UK College of Social Work

UK College of Social Work Hosting 22nd Annual Rosenstein Lecture

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 17, 2024) — On Thursday, April 18, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) will hold the 22nd Annual Irma Sarett Rosenstein Lecture. This year’s event, featuring journalist and columnist Juan Williams, will take place at 8 a.m. in the Gatton Student Center (Grand Ballroom AB).

The lecture is named for Lexington social worker Irma Sarett Rosenstein. Until her passing in 2015, she led the fight against social injustice in Central Kentucky. The lecture, intended to celebrate Rosenstein’s remarkable legacy, will feature a national voice on positive social change.

In addition to being an award-winning columnist, Williams is a New York Times best-selling author for his book, “Eyes on the Prize” America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965,” a companion to the documentary series of the same name about the civil rights movement.

During his 23 year-career, Williams has served as a investigative journalist, White House correspondent, editorial writer, columnist and magazine writer — interviewing U.S. presidents and members of the Supreme Court and Congress, as well as civil rights and global leaders.

“The Irma Rosenstein Lecture Series encapsulates all that is social work, and we look forward to continuing to bring these experiences to our communities for many years to come.” Jay Miller, dean of the CoSW, said. “We would like to thank the Rosenstein family for their ongoing support and partnership in providing what is sure to be a thought-provoking and insightful lecture.”  

This year’s Rosenstein Lecture is being held as part of the 2024 UNITE Research Showcase, which aims to elevate and promote the importance of research and critical inquiry across the Commonwealth.  

The lecture and showcase are free and open to UK faculty, staff, students, affiliates and partners.

More about Rosenstein

Rosenstein was a social worker at UK Chandler Hospital and taught in the CoSW, where she worked closely with the first dean of the college, Ernest Witte. She is well-remembered for bringing an ethos of openness and clarity to the college and community issues.

Rosenstein did not shirk from addressing racism. She was the driving force behind the Kentucky Conference of Christians and Jews — now called the Kentucky Conference for Community and Justice (KCCJ). The organization is dedicated to building community. Rosenstein also hosted one of social work’s most prominent leaders, Whitney Young, at a KCCJ dinner when no public places outside of UK were desegregated.

Thanks to a generous gift from Rosenstein and her family in 2002, the CoSW has been providing research-based and practice-driven lectures by distinguished national speakers each year on UK’s campus.