Alan Dettlaff, PhD

Alan J. Dettlaff has served as Dean of the Graduate College of Social Work and Maconda Brown O’Connor Endowed Dean’s Chair since May 2015. Prior to joining the University of Houston, Dean Dettlaff served on the faculty of the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Dean Dettlaff’s work focuses on improving outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system through examining the factors contributing to racial and SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression) based disparities and improving cultural responsiveness. His research and consultation with state child welfare systems has led to significant policy and practice improvements that have resulted in reductions in the overrepresentation of African American children in these systems. Dean Dettlaff has also conducted groundbreaking research to identify and understand the unique needs of immigrant Latino children and families involved in child welfare. This research resulted in the first national data on the presence of Latino children of immigrants in the child welfare system and their risk exposure.  The current project expands on this methodology, to identify the prevalence of LGB youth within child welfare, their risks and needs.

Dean Dettlaff is co-editor of Addressing Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in Human Services: Multisystemic Approaches and Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families: Culturally Responsive Practice, published by Columbia University Press. He serves on the editorial boards of Child Welfare, Child Abuse & Neglect, and Journal of Public Child Welfare. He is a member of the advisory boards of the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute and the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Social Work Education. Locally, he is a member of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Coalition for the Homeless and Mental Health America of Greater Houston.

Micki Washburn, PhD, LMSW, LPC-C

Micki Washburn is a Research Scientist at the Center for Drug and Social Policy Research and the Center for Child and Family Innovation Research at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work.  Her research focuses on behavioral health interventions for vulnerable populations, including young women with potential child welfare involvement due to substance abuse, and LGBTQ+ youth. Dr. Washburn is an expert in LGBTQ+ mental health and wellness and has worked extensively with many historically under-resourced communities in the greater Houston area. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor and licensed in Social Work, Professional Counseling and Clinical Supervision.  In 2012 Dr. Washburn developed the GCSW course “Social Work with LGBTQ Communities” to help prepare students to work competently and compassionately with those with diverse SOGIE (Sexual orientation, gender identity and expression). Prior to her work in academia, Dr. Washburn worked providing affirming, evidence-informed mental health and substance abuse services for individuals, couples and families.

Christian Carr, MBA