B2 – Novel Actions to Understanding the Health and Coping Responses of the Child Welfare Workforce: Efforts from a Collective Partnership    

High levels of work-related stress in child protection remain a public health concern. Research suggests that traditional approaches to address and understand stress in social work have been ineffective or unevaluated. Furthermore, technological advances (e.g., online, biometric data) remain largely omitted. This action lab examines the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel stress reduction project with child welfare workers (n = 32) in Kentucky. Physiological results highlight variability in visceral responses (e.g., heart rate) to environmental stressors. Psychological measures (e.g., stress) offer an insight into workforce health in pre/post measures. The results will inform collective action to build a 21st century child welfare workforce.

Presenters: Austin Griffiths, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, OH; Oliver Beer, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH