Alicia LaChapelle-Friday
Clinical Assistant Professor
Email: arlachap@CougarNet.UH.EDU
Room: 414 Social Work Building
Phone: 713-743-1184
Personal Statement
Dr. LaChapelle-Friday has almost two decades of experience in social work practice,
research and program evaluation. Throughout her career, her aim has been to partner
with communities and community-based organizations in the promotion of health and
well-being. Her work is guided by a commitment to conduct meaningful and accessible
research that seeks answers rooted in the lived experiences, strengths and needs of
a community.
She earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Houston, where her dissertation—a
grounded theory study of adolescents and emotional self-protection—reflected an enduring
interest in the intersection of identity, meaningful relationships, sense of community
and mental health. This work laid the foundation for her subsequent roles in research
and evaluation, where she has consistently centered community voices in studies of
civic engagement, mental health, substance use disorders and community health.
Her most recent work applies an interdisciplinary lens to understanding the complex
needs of local communities. This work has involved studies of nonacademic, community-based
support programs in schools as well as regional needs assessments of substance use
and mental health. She plans to continue advancing this work by fostering collaborations
between interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners with local communities to
strengthen assessment and data analysis processes that support improved community
health.
Education
- University of Houston, Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
- University of Houston, Master of Social Work
- Howard University, Bachelor of Arts, English
Courses
- Confronting Oppression and Injustice
- Social Work Leadership
- Social Work Practice with Communities
- Social Work Practice for Policy Change
- Social Policy Analysis
Research Interests
- Community health and behavioral health
- Social policy
- Civic engagement
- Community-based research
- Interdisciplinary research and practice