Brittany Miles is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) dedicated to the profession of social work and strives to advance mental health services within the public K-12 education system. She earned her Bachelor of Psychology with a Minor in Sociology from the University of West Georgia in 2016. In 2019, Brittany graduated summa cum lade with a Master of Social Work from Kennesaw State University.
Brittany is currently a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) candidate at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. Her professional experience began in clinical practice, where she gained experience in inpatient psychiatric stabilization and outpatient therapy. While in outpatient practice, Brittany served as the lead therapist in a dual-diagnosis substance abuse treatment program.
As a school social worker in the Douglas County School System in Georgia, she is dedicated to child and adolescent mental health. With a deep understanding of students’ unique challenges, she is passionate about advocating for integrating comprehensive mental health programs in schools. Her research focuses on educational leadership and strategies to enhance the effectiveness of mental health resources in the public K-12 education system.
DSW Showcase Student Presentation
Brittany Miles
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The Expansion of School Social Work: From Marginalization to Leadership in Supporting the Whole Child and Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis
Concentration - Administrative Leadership
- Tuesday, April 29, 2025 -
- 4:00 pm
Abstract
Despite the integral role school social workers (SSWs) play in the K-12 education system by providing essential student mental health (MH) support services and merging the gap between school, home, and community, they remain marginalized and often encounter barriers due to role confusion, differing administrative expectations, and systematic barriers that hinder them from appropriately and effectively utilizing their clinical skills. This presentation illustrates how SSWs have been marginalized and emphasizes strategies that examine how to address practice barriers. The presentation will also highlight how expanding the role of SSWs to encompass leadership opportunities will enhance SSW practice and school MH support services. Additionally, the presentation proposes a shift toward a holistic “whole child” framework, which will demonstrate how SSWs are key players in leadership positions to support the youth MH crisis better. Practice implications such as systematic and organizational structure changes, implementation of school-wide MH programs, and professional development for school staff will be discussed. Systematic-level changes will be proposed to remove the barriers that prevent SSWs from appropriately applying their specialized skill set and expanding into leadership in an educator-dominated setting.