LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Corina M. Barker as Instructor in the Clinical Title Series. Barker brings extensive experience in clinical social work, suicide prevention, and behavioral health care, coupled with several years of teaching within the College.
“Joining the College as full-time faculty is an incredible honor,” Barker shared. “Social work has always been my calling, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape future clinicians while continuing to advance suicide prevention and mental health support for Kentucky communities.”
Barker has served as a part-time instructor at CoSW since 2021, teaching across the MSW curriculum, including Social Welfare Policy, Psychopathology, Advanced Psychopathology, and Evidence-Based Practice. Alongside her teaching, she has worked full-time in a variety of clinical roles across inpatient medical settings, psychiatric care, community mental health, and primary care.
Most recently, Barker served as the Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center. In this role, she implemented suicide-prevention strategies, coordinated enhanced care for veterans at high risk, provided leadership to the Suicide Prevention Team, and served as a facility-wide subject matter expert in suicide prevention.
Her professional background also includes extensive experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing both individual and group psychotherapy in primary care settings using a wide range of evidence-based treatments, including motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, solution-focused therapies, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, among others. She has additionally served as an outpatient therapist in community mental health, a medical social worker in advanced illness and emergency department settings, and a psychiatric social worker in a locked inpatient facility across crisis stabilization units.
Barker earned her Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Kentucky, where her capstone focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic stress, and adolescent mental health. She completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Southern California with a concentration in Mental Health and a sub-concentration in Military Social Work, and holds a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, where she minored in psychology and sociology and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society.
“Dr. Barker brings exceptional clinical depth, extensive experience supporting veterans and high-risk populations, and a strong record of teaching our students,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her expertise strengthens our ability to prepare skilled, compassionate clinical social workers ready to meet diverse community needs.”
Outside of her professional work, Barker enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and cheering on Kentucky sports. She is a proud working mother of four young children and an enthusiastic supporter of all things “Kentucky blue.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Corina Barker to the College of Social Work community.
