Expertise

Areas of Interest and Expertise:

  • Child welfare policy and service delivery
  • Organizational and Policy Contexts of Practice
  • Policy and service disparities

Dr. Brenda Smith’s research focuses on the child welfare system and how organizational and policy contexts can affect practice in human service organizations. She has studied how toxic organizational conditions can hinder the use of evidence and strengths-based practices in such organizations. Her research also addresses the social justice implications of policy and service disparities between and within states.

Affiliations

Director, School of Social Work, University of Alabama
2015

Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of Alabama
2009

Past Affiliations

Associate Professor, School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Albany (past)

Assistant Professor, School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Albany (past)

Associate Professor, Center for Human Services Research, School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Albany (past)

Communities
Social Work
Degrees
PhD, University of Chicago, Social Work Policy and Research, 1999
AM, University of Chicago, Social Work Policy, 1989
BA, St. Olaf College, Psychology and Women’s Studies, 1982
Keywords
urban studies feminist theory poverty and the poor social services social welfare planning or policy sociology of the family
Associations
National Association of Social Workers
Society for Social Work and Research