October 25, 2024

Winter course to explore interdisciplinary work that improves youth mental health, well-being

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative, the College of Education and the School of Social Work are partnering to offer a one-credit General Studies course during winter quarter 2025 that will introduce students to a number of UW and community-based research and programs that are working to improve youth mental health and well-being. Undergraduates and graduate students may take this course for credit; graduate students will need to request an add code.

The course, “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Youth Mental Health and Well-Being (GEN ST 498 A / EDPSY581 / SOC W596),” will focus on innovative research and interventions that are successfully breaking down barriers between disciplines that have traditionally hindered positive progress from being realized as quickly as might be possible. A different faculty member or community-based practitioner will present each week to share their unique experiences with students regarding specific approaches they have taken to improve youth mental health and well-being.

Specific topics this course will address include:

Date	Speaker	Topic	Unit
1/9	Mia Tuan, Arti Shah and Taylor Jolliffe	Welcome Introduction to course	College of Education Population Health Initiative
1/16	Janine Jones	Culturally responsive approaches to support youth well-being in schools	College of Education
1/23	Katie Davis	Impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development and well-being	Information School
1/30	Sarah Walker	Youth mental health policy	School of Medicine
2/6	Nucha Isarowong	Relational health during the prenatal through early childhood period which influence relationships throughout the life course	School of Nursing
2/13	James Mazza and Jaclyn Lally	Social emotional regulation curriculum for youth well-being	College of Education
2/20	Lynn Fainsilber Katz	Examining familial factors related to risk and resilience in children’s socioemotional development	College of Arts & Sciences
2/27	Aaron Lyon	Assessment of suicide and self-injury to enhance school safety	School of Medicine
3/6	Kristian Jones	Impact of community-based mentorship for black youth	Social Work
3/13	Heather Hill	How public and workplace policies influence family economic circumstances and child wellbeing in low-income families	Evans School

The course will meet on Thursdays in ART 003 from 10:30 to 11:20 a.m. during Winter Quarter 2025. Additional course details can be found in the time schedule. Each lecture is open to interested faculty, students, staff, alumni and members of the community as well as those students who are registered for the course.

Please contact Taylor Jolliffe via email at tjoll10@uw.edu with questions or if you are a graduate student who wishes to enroll and needs an add code.