CoSW Staff, Author at University of Kentucky College of Social Work

Close up of a man carrying his child on his back outdoors.

National Adoption Month: Strengthening Pathways for Lasting Bonds in Kentucky

By: Emily Hendrickson, Adoption Support for Kentucky Program Coordinator

Every November, National Adoption Month invites us to pause and reflect on the transformative power of family, connection, and belonging. It’s a time to celebrate the courage of children waiting for permanent homes, honor the dedication of families who open their hearts, and recognize the professionals and advocates who work tirelessly to bring them together. This year’s theme, “Honoring Youth: Strengthening Pathways for Lasting Bonds,” places young people in foster care at the center of the conversation—where they’ve always belonged.

In Kentucky, this mission comes to life through collaboration and commitment. The Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, and the Adoption Support for Kentucky (ASK) program work hand in hand to ensure every young person finds not just a home, but a permanent place to belong. These partnerships demonstrate that honoring youth begins with one essential practice: listening to their voices, understanding their needs, and then taking meaningful action to support their journeys toward permanency.

The Heart of the Matter: Youth Voices in Kentucky

Honoring Kentucky’s youth starts with creating space for their stories and recognizing the wisdom they carry. Young people in foster care understand a profound truth that sometimes gets lost in systems and procedures: permanency transcends paperwork and court dates. It is about people who show up consistently, who stay through difficult moments, and who commit to being there for the long haul.

“I just wanted a family who wouldn’t give up on me,” shared one Kentucky teen whose words have resonated throughout the child welfare community. These simple yet powerful words encapsulate the essence of National Adoption Month, celebrating the remarkable resilience of young people while forging the lasting bonds that honor each child’s individual journey, needs, and dreams for the future.

When we truly honor youth, we recognize that they are experts in their own experiences. They know what it feels like to wait, to hope, and sometimes to have those hopes disappointed. They understand the difference between temporary placements and permanent commitment. And they can teach us, if we’re willing to listen, about what they need to heal, grow, and thrive in forever families.

Kentucky’s Adoption Landscape: Understanding the Need

The scope of Kentucky’s commitment to children and families reveals itself in these key figures, each one representing a young person with their own story, strengths, and needs:

8,647 children are currently in out-of-home care across the Commonwealth, each waiting for the stability and security they deserve.
2,248 children have adoption as their permanency goal, meaning they cannot safely return to their birth families and need adoptive homes.
7 years old is the average age at which children enter care. A reminder that many have already experienced years of instability before entering the system.
10 years old is the average age of children currently in care, highlighting the need for families willing to adopt school-age children and teens.
More than 55,000 children across Kentucky are being raised by kin or fictive-kin caregivers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, family friends, and other adults who stepped forward when children needed them most. This remarkable figure stands as a powerful testament to the strength of community bonds and the tradition of extended family support that runs deep in Kentucky culture.
Kentucky’s kinship care rate stands twice the national average, reflecting the state’s deep-rooted culture of family resilience, community support, and the willingness of relatives to provide safe, loving homes for children when parents cannot.

These numbers tell us that while the need is significant, so too is Kentucky’s response. The Commonwealth has built a foundation of family-centered care that recognizes the importance of keeping children connected to their communities, cultures, and families whenever possible.

ASK: Creating Foundations for Forever Families

The Adoption Support for Kentucky (ASK) program, based at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, serves as a cornerstone of support for adoptive, foster, and kinship families throughout the Commonwealth. Founded on evidence-based practices and the lived experiences of adoptive families, ASK operates from a fundamental understanding: adoption isn’t the conclusion of a story—it’s the opening chapter of a lifelong relationship that requires ongoing nurturing, support, and understanding.

Many families enter adoption with love, dedication, and good intentions, but may not fully understand the impact of trauma, loss, and attachment challenges that many children in foster care have experienced. ASK bridges this gap by providing education, resources, and connection to help families not just survive, but thrive together.

Through a comprehensive statewide network, ASK provides:

Peer-led support groups that connect adoptive and kinship families with others who truly understand their journey. These groups create safe spaces where caregivers can share challenges, celebrate victories, and find solidarity with others navigating similar experiences. There’s profound power in knowing you’re not alone.
Continuous training opportunities grounded in trauma-informed, adoption-competent care practices. These educational offerings help caregivers understand the “why” behind challenging behaviors, develop effective parenting strategies, and build stronger, more connected relationships with their children. Topics range from understanding trauma and attachment to navigating adolescence and supporting educational success.
The Kentucky Adoption Mentoring Program (KAMP), which pairs families new to adoption with experienced mentors who have walked the path before them. These mentoring relationships provide practical guidance, emotional support, and the reassurance that comes from learning from someone who has faced similar joys and challenges.
Strategic partnerships with DCBS and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky to strengthen outcomes for families across the state. These collaborations ensure that families have access to the services, support, and resources they need throughout their adoption journey and beyond.

ASK recognizes that supporting families means supporting the children in their care. When caregivers have the knowledge, skills, and support they need, children benefit through more stable placements, stronger attachments, and better long-term outcomes.

Elevating Youth Voice in the Permanency Process

Research consistently demonstrates that when young people participate meaningfully in decisions about their futures, outcomes improve dramatically. Youth engagement isn’t just a nice idea; it’s the best practice that leads to better matches, more stable placements, and greater satisfaction for both youth and families.

Programs like ASK and KAMP equip caregivers with the tools to build authentic trust and maintain open, honest communication with the children in their care. This includes teaching families how to have difficult conversations, honor a child’s past while building a future together, and create space for young people to express their fears, hopes, and needs without judgment.

By fostering peer connections, facilitating mentorship relationships, and creating learning opportunities for entire families, ASK cultivates a supportive network where both caregivers and youth feel genuinely seen, valued, and heard. This approach strengthens the bedrock of Kentucky’s permanency efforts—ensuring that each young person’s voice actively shapes their path toward a permanent family rather than having decisions made for them without their input.

When youth have a say in their permanency planning, they are more likely to engage positively with the process, develop stronger relationships with their caregivers, and achieve the lasting connections that lead to successful adoptions. Honoring youth means recognizing them as partners in their own permanency journey.

Join Kentucky’s Movement: Ways to Get Involved

National Adoption Month is an opportunity for all Kentuckians—whether you’re an adoptive parent, a kinship caregiver, a professional in child welfare, or simply a community member who cares about children—to get involved in strengthening pathways to permanency.

Connect with the community by attending an ASK training session or support group. Even if you’re not currently a caregiver, learning about adoption and foster care helps build understanding and support throughout the community.
Recognize excellence by nominating a deserving family or caregiver for Kentucky’s Adoptive Parent of the Year. These families exemplify the commitment, love, and dedication that children need and deserve.
Share your experience by volunteering with KAMP to mentor fellow adoptive or kinship caregivers. Your story and your wisdom could be exactly what another family needs to hear.
Amplify stories of adoption and permanency on social media using #HonoringYouthKY and our National Adoption Month graphic. Sharing positive adoption narratives helps reduce stigma, educate the public, and inspire others to consider adoption or support for families.
Champion changes by advocating for trauma-informed, youth-centered policies in your community, school system, and across Kentucky. Use your voice to ensure that systems serve the best interests of children and families.
Consider becoming a resource for children who need families. Whether through adoption, foster care, or supporting kinship caregivers in your community, there are many ways to make a lasting difference in a child’s life.

Moving Forward Together

National Adoption Month represents more than celebration—it’s a call to action and a reminder of our collective responsibility to Kentucky’s youth. Behind every statistic lives a story. Within every story lives a child with dreams, strengths, and an innate desire to belong. And every child deserves the security, love, and stability that comes with a forever family.

The work of honoring youth extends far beyond November. It’s a daily commitment to listening to young people, believing in their potential, and working tirelessly to ensure they have the support and permanency they need to flourish. It’s about recognizing that every child who waits is a child who deserves a family committed to walking alongside them through all of life’s seasons.

Through the dedicated work of programs like ASK and KAMP, the unwavering commitment of DCBS, and the compassionate hearts of Kentucky’s caregiving community, we’re building the pathways that lead to lasting bonds and brighter futures. We’re creating a Kentucky where no child ages out of foster care alone, where kinship caregivers receive the support they need, and where adoptive families have access to lifelong resources.

Together, we’re ensuring that every young person in our care can find what they’ve been seeking all along: a family who will never give up on them, who will celebrate their victories, support them through challenges, and provide the unconditional love that every child needs and deserves. That is how we truly honor youth—not just in November, but every single day.

November 1, 2025

‘I am a UK Innovator’: College of Social Work’s Julie Cerel

This article was originally published on UKNow by Victoria Alleman.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 23, 2025) — Innovation is a new way of thinking that can often lead to transformative breakthroughs. Research Communications partnered with UK Innovate to spotlight faculty innovators with pioneering ideas at the University of Kentucky. UK Innovate works collaboratively with innovators to strategically assess, protect and license early-stage technologies and co-create new technology startups.

Julie Cerel, Ph.D., is a professor in the UK’s College of Social Work and director of the Suicide Prevention & Exposure Lab. In this Q&A, Cerel discusses her work on CODE RED Safety Planning — a proactive crisis planning intervention. CODE RED stands for “COntact,” “DElay decisions,” “RElax” and “Distract.” This approach fosters open dialogue and encourages individuals to create a simple, customized safety plan they can access during a crisis.

With more than 100 academic publications and an accomplished career as a clinical psychologist, Cerel uses her expertise and empathy to develop new and innovative ways to help those most at risk.

UKNow: What inspired you to pick this specific area of research?

Cerel: As a suicidologist, most of my career has been focused on helping people left behind after a suicide has occurred. Despite years of research, the suicide rate has not decreased. One myth about suicide is that it is mostly a problem among those with mental health disorders. However, many individuals who die by suicide have no diagnosis at the time of their death. Therefore, I started to think about universal approaches that could help not only those we think of as being at-risk, but could benefit everyone. That was the start of CODE RED.

UKNow: What is the most challenging aspect of your research?

Cerel: With nearly 50,000 deaths annually in the U.S., the scope of the problem can feel overwhelming at times. Learning about the experiences of people who lose loved ones to suicide or are struggling to keep someone they care about alive is humbling and often very sad. Thus, we have to be cautious, caring and sensitive throughout our work. Sometimes it is difficult to strike a balance between operating efficiently so we can help those in need in a timely manner and making sure that we satisfy all required documentation and regulations. We have to ensure we do the best we can and have the greatest impact for the most people.

UKNow: What have been the most fulfilling moments for you regarding your discoveries?

Cerel: Many suicide prevention programs, especially those directed at youth, rarely ask those who are on the receiving end of them what they think about the program itself. When deciding how to evaluate CODE RED, we knew that asking those who participated in CODE RED directly about their experience with it would be a very important part of understanding CODE RED’s impact, especially among our youth participants. The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. Youth have noted that they found their CODE RED experience meaningful, and that they liked the interactive and the proactive approach of the program. While we still have a lot to learn about how CODE RED is perceived and its impact, this initial data tells us that we are on the right track and are making progress toward an effective universal suicide prevention program.

UKNow: How has your research impacted the way you train students?

Cerel: My work has shown that about half of all adults know someone who has died by suicide and even more know someone who has made a suicide attempt. So when working with students, I emphasize that even if they do not personally know someone who has died by suicide or made an attempt, that they are very likely to encounter someone who does. Compassion and sensitivity are central to this work, and I try very hard to make sure that students understand their importance. I also believe it is very important that students across a variety of disciplines learn about suicide and how they can have an impact in their academic area and future careers.

UKNow: What drew you to and/or inspires you about the University of Kentucky?

Cerel: Although I did not grow up in Lexington, my family has deep roots here. I wholeheartedly believe that Kentucky students deserve a university that not only educates them but also supports them and cares about them. I am fortunate that during my time at UK, I’ve been able to not only pursue my research, but to do it in a way that has benefited Kentucky students. Seeing the impact of our work not only nationally, but locally, has been incredibly rewarding.

October 24, 2025

📷Highlights: 2025 Annual Recognition Celebration

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 26, 2025) — On September 25, 2025, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work held its Annual Recognition Celebration, honoring the achievements and contributions of faculty, staff, and students. Individuals who exemplify the College’s mission and values were recognized in a shared celebration of accomplishment and camaraderie. Below is a series of photos captured at the event.

Photo credit: Cassie Payne / UK College of Social Work

September 26, 2025

College of Social Work Welcomes Liz Utterback

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to welcome Liz Utterback as a Lecturer at the University of Kentucky.

Utterback brings more than a decade of experience working across the legal and social services fields, with professional roles spanning court administration, criminal prosecution and defense, law enforcement, and community-based social work. She has served in critical support roles, including legal advocate and victim advocate, and has worked directly with many communities through both service delivery and program administration.

Currently a doctoral candidate in social work, Utterback’s research focuses on the intersection of violence and extremism, particularly the ways in which language is used on digital platforms to incite and facilitate harm. She has presented at national academic conferences and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications, including as a solo author. Utterback also holds a master’s degree in post-secondary instruction, which supports her strong foundation in pedagogy and commitment to student development.

“Liz brings a valuable combination of real-world legal experience and academic rigor,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her work will strengthen our ability to prepare students for the realities and responsibilities of justice-driven community work.”

Outside the classroom, Utterback is a passionate animal lover and dedicated Indianapolis Colts fan. When she’s not visiting her favorite zoo exhibits (including red pandas and cheetah cubs at the Cincinnati Zoo), you’ll likely find her tailgating with her Colts “FANmily”—a group that combines game day spirit with community service. Together, they support causes like back-to-school supply drives and the Ronald McDonald House of Indianapolis.

“During my education and career, I have benefited from the guidance and wisdom of caring mentors, and I am thrilled to have the chance to pay that mentorship forward,” Utterback said. “I am honored to be given the opportunity to join a faculty who is deeply committed to the education, growth, and success of The University of Kentucky’s students.”

September 10, 2025

Social Work Student Receives NextGen Service Fellowship

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Social Work has taken Angelita Lazaro many places but most recently, the Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) made the journey to Thailand, receiving the NextGen Service Fellowship from the Institute of International Education (IIE).

IIE, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation, announced the launch of the new fellowship to equip the next generation of public service leaders with professional experience in international development careers. The NextGen Service offered 52 American undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to support communities overseas, where they worked with organizations focused on fields including education, public health, agriculture, the environment and economic development.

Lazaro was one of eight UK students that were selected to receive funding from the program to complete service projects around the globe and she was placed Mae Sot, Thailand, working on a child abuse prevention and awareness program.

“My experience in Thailand was eye-opening. I learned resilience, acceptance, and perspective, lessons I’ll carry with me forever,” Lazaro shared. “I’d say to anyone—if you can go to Thailand, do it. And if you can volunteer while you’re there, even better.”

The NextGen Service Fellowship funds students’ travel and provides a stipend and placement costs at nonprofit and community-based organizations throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean this summer.

The selection of fellows and oversight of their participation is fully managed by IIE. Upon returning from their international placements, each fellow will share a reflective report outlining how the experience shaped their professional development and contributed to the communities they served.

Graduating with her MSW in December 2026, Lazaro chose social work because of her upbringing, often paying for her school clothes by collecting aluminum cans. Now, she has been working in the social work field for 22 years, working in treatment facilities, as well as working for the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Line and the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, among other positions.

“My experience growing up taught me to give myself and others grace,” Lazaro said. “I try to meet people where they are, knowing everyone is doing the best they can in any given moment.”

That perspective is one she brought to Thailand during her four-week fellowship this summer. Lazaro shared the most rewarding part of her time spent was connecting with the families in Mae Sot and helping to deliver food and supplies, as well as her work with the child abuse and prevention program.

“It was an enlightening experience that I would recommend to all students. I learned a lot about Buddhism, the culture, and myself,” Lazaro said.

September 8, 2025

Celebrating National Kinship Month at the Kentucky Kinship Resource Center

By Sheila Rentfrow, Kentucky Kinship Resource Center Program Coordinator

Each September, National Kinship Care Month affords the ability to shine a light on the incredible impact kinship caregivers have in the lives of children and families. Honoring and celebrating this month is important because it brings visibility, recognition, and support to the vital role caregivers play—both here in Kentucky and across the nation.

According to Grandfamilies, as of 2021 more than 77,000 children in Kentucky are being raised by kin with no parent present. Of these, 51,762 grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. For every one child in foster care being raised by kin, there are 82 more being raised by relatives or close friends outside of foster care. These numbers reflect just how critical kinship care is in helping children remain with the people who know and love them most.

Kinship care allows children to stay connected to family, culture, and community while ensuring they are cared for in a safe and loving home. This connection improves outcomes for children—helping them feel secure, supported, and better able to heal from the challenges they have faced.

The Kentucky Kinship Resource Center provides a continuum of services to meet the unique needs of kinship providers across the Commonwealth, including one-on-one peer support, support groups, and online webinars and trainings. Recently, the KKRC expanded and now serves all caregivers, whether they have custody, are fostering, or are caretaking for a family member or friend’s child.

Creating a safe, supportive community for kinship caregivers, where they can experience support, find resources, and gain knowledge is one of the main goals at the KKRC and with the expansion, the foster care side of the kinship population will be integrated into the program, allowing for more resource sharing and community building.

Caregivers truly change the lives of the children they raise. When children can no longer remain with their parents due to different circumstances, kinship care provides a lifeline. Instead of moving to unfamiliar communities, children have the chance to live with family members or trusted friends they already know, making an already difficult situation much easier for a child to navigate.

Kinship caregivers provide not only love and safety, but also a true sense of belonging. They preserve family ties, traditions, and community roots—all while providing a home that the child can heal, grow, and thrive.

September is also Self-Care Awareness Month and while kinship care is earmarked by love and commitment, it can also come with unique challenges. Because family connections are at the heart of kinship care, they can also create added stress for caregivers. Navigating relationships with biological parents can be complicated, as those ties are personal and deeply felt by caregivers as well as the children they care for. Transitioning from being a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or close friend into the role of “parent” can also create tension, especially when discipline or new boundaries or expectations are involved.

In addition, other family members may struggle with feelings of confusion or frustration because the caregiver is in this new parental role, which can further add stress and conflict to an already strained system. For all these reasons, self-care is not optional—it is a critical part of sustaining caregivers’ health and capacity to continue providing the love and stability children need.

Practicing self-care helps caregivers feel refreshed, supported, and better prepared to meet the needs of the children in their care. Here are some helpful strategies for caregivers:

Rest: Take time to recharge. Whether it’s a nap, quiet time with a book, or a hobby you enjoy, rest is essential to maintaining energy and balance.
Utilize Support Systems: Lean on family, friends, neighbors, or community groups for help. Support might look like babysitting, sharing a meal, or simply listening when you need to talk.
Ask for Help: Speak up when you need assistance. If you don’t have a strong personal support system, reach out to the Kentucky Kinship Resource Center for additional guidance and resources.
Make Time for enjoyable activities: Schedule activities you enjoy, even if it’s only for 10 minutes a day. Doing something that relaxes or energizes you will lift your spirits and keep you grounded.
Celebrate the Good: Notice the positives—whether it’s good grades, a child’s kindness, or a successful day. Celebrating small wins builds hope and gratitude.
Develop Coping Skills: Try stress-relieving practices like deep breathing, meditation, journaling, or a walk outside. These tools help you stay calm and centered.
Set Boundaries: Remember it’s okay to say “no.” Protecting your time and energy allows you to give your best to your family without burning out.

For more information on the KKRC and its programs, please visit the KKRC website.

September 4, 2025

A golf ball inches away from going into the hole

The Crucial Inches in Sport: Sport Social Work and Winning the Mental Game

By: Matt Moore, Ph.D., MSW

In elite sports, the difference between greatness and disappointment is often a matter of inches. A fingertip catch in the World Series, a photo-finish at the Kentucky Derby, or a shot in the Stanley Cup finals that rings off the post. These are the moments that separate champions from the rest. At the highest levels, where everyone is physically gifted, it is not just about strength, speed, or skill. The margins are razor-thin, and every inch counts.

Just ask Michael Phelps, who won the 100m butterfly at the 2008 Olympics by one one-hundredth of a second over Milorad Čavić. Or consider the 2022 NFL playoffs, when the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime after a 13-second drive that covered just enough inches to tie the game. These moments illustrate how elite sports are defined not by dominance, but by the slimmest of margins.

While physical distances matter, perhaps the most critical inches in sport are the ones that cannot be measured by football chains, video replay, or a photo finish. They are the inches between your ears, the mental space where self-belief, focus, fear, and pressure collide. At the highest level, talent is a given. What often distinguishes the champions from contenders is the strength of the mind.

The history of sports is rich with examples of mental collapses that underscore this truth. Greg Norman’s infamous collapse at the 1996 Masters is a textbook case. Starting the final round with a six-shot lead, Norman unraveled under pressure, shooting a 78 and losing by five strokes to Nick Faldo. In tennis, Jana Novotná crumbled at Wimbledon in 1993, losing a 4–1 lead in the final set to Steffi Graf. She had to wait five years before claiming her first Wimbledon title.

Yet, just as sport has shown us how mental fragility can bring down the best, it also showcases incredible resilience. Serena Williams has bounced back from injury, childbirth, and media scrutiny to remain one of the greatest tennis players in history. Michael Jordan famously used perceived slights to fuel his legendary playoff performances. The 2004 Boston Red Sox overcame a 0–3 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS thanks in large part to their collective belief and mental fortitude.

This year’s Masters Tournament offered a fresh reminder of how the mind can either be a battleground or a sanctuary. Rory McIlroy, long haunted by past disappointments at Augusta, delivered one of the most composed and mentally resilient performances of his career. With critics circling and the weight of nearly a decade of major-less seasons on his shoulders, McIlroy stayed present, focused, and calm despite his fair share of ups and downs. His final round 73 included six birdies, three bogeys, and two double bogeys, causing him to see numerous leaderboard changes. Yet, when it mattered most, he stuck an iron within 3 feet on the 17^th, controlled damage after a wedge shot found the sand on the 18^th, and on the first playoff hole hit the same wedge shot that found that sand 15 minutes earlier within two feet of the hole for a tap in put and a place in the history books. He is now one of six male golfers to win all four major championships – joining Gene Sarazan, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.

This brings us to an often overlooked but increasingly vital part of elite sports. How do we prepare elite athletes for the pressures they will face from fans, the media, coaches, and themselves. The College of Social Work (CoSW) at the University of Kentucky believes one piece to this puzzle is the involvement of sport social workers. As mental health professionals embedded in athletic environments, sport social workers help athletes prepare not just physically but psychologically. They understand the unique pressures that come with elite performance. This includes the impact of athletic identity, mental toughness, sport culture, and the strain of expectation. Much like in other areas of social work practice, sport social workers highly trained in building the mental and emotional resilience that athletes need to perform under pressure.

Sport social workers proactively equip athletes with the tools they need long before the final hole or the fourth quarter. From mindfulness training to emotional regulation strategies, from building a positive team culture to ensuring athletes have access to comprehensive mental health services, their role is expansive and essential. To learn more about sport social work check out the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, the Sport Social Work Journal, and the CoSW International Institute for Sport and Behavioral Health.

Remember, inches can be the difference in sport. But the most important inches are not the ones that separate a win from a loss. They are the ones inside the athlete’s mind. As we continue to push for peak performance in sport, we must also invest in the people who help athletes manage those crucial mental margins. Because in the end, winning the game starts with winning the battle between your ears.

May 23, 2025

College of Social Work graduate and her family posing in front of balloons at graduation celebration

📷Highlights: 2025 May Graduation

On May 9, 2025, The UK College of Social Work celebrated the accomplishments of its graduating class of 2025. Amidst a backdrop of joy and nostalgia, graduates, faculty, staff, families, and guests came together to commemorate the occasion. The festivities began with a Graduation Celebration Event at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Lexington, KY, followed soon after with commencement at Rupp Arena later in the day.

Below are the photo highlights of the celebration event. Photo credit Cassie Payne/UK College of Social Work

May 10, 2025

How UK Grad Raven Whitaker-Smith found family, purpose — and herself

This article was originally published by Lindsey Piercy and Steve Shaffer of UKNow. You can view the original article here.

Video produced by UK Public Relations and Strategic Communication and UK Marketing and Brand Strategy. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. If using a mobile device, click on the “thought bubble” in the same area.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 8, 2025) — How do you define family?

For some, it’s the people they grew up with — parents, siblings and relatives bound by blood. For others, it’s a chosen group — friends, mentors or caregivers.

For Raven Whitaker-Smith, the meaning of family often felt undefined.

By the time she was 12-years-old, she had already lived through more than most do in a lifetime. While being bounced around the foster care system, Whitaker-Smith had no sense of permanence, no deep roots — just a longing to feel chosen.

“My biological parents were just kids when they had me and my siblings,” she said. “They were addicted to drugs, and my home life was a very dark place.”

When Whitaker-Smith was 11, the Department for Community Based Services stepped in and removed her and her siblings from their tumultuous home.

Whitaker-Smith found herself living at Holly Hill, an all-girls group home, while attending Campbell County Middle School. The weight of her personal struggles often spilled over into the classroom — one day landing her outside the principal’s office.

Whitaker-Smith was just a sixth grader, but she was on the verge of suspension.

****

Jason Smith felt being a school principal was not just a career — but a calling.

He had been one for 14 years when he found Whitaker-Smith sitting outside his office.

“She was just this sweet looking, little innocent child sitting there — kind of defeated,” he said. “I asked her, ‘What’s going on?’ and she said that she had thrown a cup of yogurt at lunch, had been suspended and was waiting to be picked up.”

Smith then asked her if she would ever throw food at a restaurant with her family. She told him she had never eaten in one and didn’t have a family.

“At that point, I had felt like she just needed a hand — needed help,” he said.

Though brief, that conversation had a profound impact on Smith. But he hesitated to bring it up to his wife, Marybeth, that evening.

For years, the couple had faced the heartbreak of infertility.

They had once opened their home as foster parents hoping to adopt. But that dream had quietly faded nearly six years earlier after caring for a trio of siblings — only to have them reunified with their biological parents.

Following that fateful interaction, the Smiths began exploring the idea of fostering Whitaker-Smith. They first reached out to her case worker, then went through the process of getting recertified as foster parents.

Once approved, the Smiths opened their home to Whitaker-Smith, who moved in with them in June 2015.

“He (Smith) felt compelled to become a foster parent,” Whitaker-Smith recalls. “The summer following sixth grade, I began having visitation with them before moving in. From there, we became a family.”

On Nov. 3, 2017, the Smiths formally adopted Whitaker-Smith, by then a high school freshman. Their inspiring story was later featured on Good Morning America.

“They gave hope to a hopeless kid,” she said.

****

Whitaker-Smith hadn’t just found a home — she found a future.

Her new family had deep ties to the University of Kentucky. Before moving in, she remembers seeing photos of them dressed from head to toe in Wildcat gear.

“They would show me these pictures — the whole family,” she said. “And as I got older, and I learned about college, I just knew UK was for me.”

But choosing UK wasn’t just about family pride — it was about finding a purpose. Whitaker-Smith had always felt drawn to working with children. Still, she struggled with the idea of helping others when she herself felt “unhealed.”

That started to shift during her first social work class with Professor Shelita Jackson, D.S.W.

“As soon as I was in her class, I knew social work was for me,” Whitaker-Smith said. “I just felt so passionate. I knew I was supposed to be there.”

Through her College of Social Work (CoSW) coursework — classes in psychology, domestic violence and family systems — Whitaker-Smith began to confront and understand her past.

“I would think about my past and my biological parents when they were younger,” she continued. “They kind of grew up in a similar situation, and they didn’t have a lot of resources.”

Whitaker-Smith’s education led to understanding, and ultimately, her understanding led to compassion. “Why would the cycle change unless you’re educated about it?” she asks. “Social work definitely saved me and changed the way I thought about things — definitely the way I thought about my past.”

Now, Whitaker-Smith works at the DCCH Center for Children and Families — the same nonprofit organization that helped facilitate her foster care with the Smiths.

“The therapeutic atmosphere DCCH provided was what I needed to learn to trust my parents and heal from the trauma I experienced,” she said. “They are still there for me today. I truly feel DCCH is a part of my family and played a significant role in my story.”

****

As Whitaker-Smith prepares to walk across the Commencement stage, she knows exactly where to look — toward the cheering crowd of loved ones, with her family front and center.

Their unwavering support has given her the strength to believe in herself and her future.

“I haven’t actually talked about how proud I am of myself,” Whitaker-Smith admits through tears. “But to be the first person from my biological family to graduate high school and then move on to college, I’m so incredibly proud of myself.”

More than anything, she’s ready to pay it forward — eager to step into the role of the social worker she once needed.

“Not many people get to say their parents chose them. If anyone reading this is thinking about fostering or adopting a child, I urge you to take a chance,” she said. “Foster care saved my life and because of that, it has inspired me to be a social worker. There are so many kids out there that are just like me — who need to be loved, cared for and given hope.”

Did you know, in Kentucky alone, more than 8,000 children are in need of foster or adoptive parents? You can learn more by visiting the DCCH website.

Explore the degree pathways and programs available through the CoSW by visiting the college website.

*Raven Whitaker-Smith works at the DCCH Center for Children and Families — the same nonprofit organization that helped facilitate her foster care with the Smiths. UK Photo*

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It’s all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

May 8, 2025

📷Highlights: 2025 CoSW Goes Out to the Ball Game

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) continues to celebrate National Social Work and Criminal Justice Month, coming together with faculty, staff, and students at the UK baseball game on March 23.

The CoSW and Dean Jay Miller invited all faculty, staff, and alumni to College of Social Work Day at Kentucky Proud Park as the Wildcats defeated the Auburn Tigers, 6-0.

Miller also had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch prior to the game, throwing a strike to the Wildcat catcher. There was also a tailgate area for the College to come together with fellow CoSW members.

The CoSW will continue to celebrate National Social Work and Criminal Justice Month during the month of March, hosting a multitude of events and highlighting the impactful role of social workers and criminal justice professionals across different areas of society. For more information, visit the CoSW National Social Work and Criminal Justice Month page..

Photo Credit: Cassie Payne / UK College of Social Work