what’s happening at sp2

SP2’s Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research was featured by The Guardian in a story highlighting the challenges facing foster youth transitioning to college. Associate Director Sarah Wasch notes that only 8-11% of people in foster care obtain bachelor’s degrees, with unclear responsibility chains leaving students without basic dorm room essentials.

A new study led by SP2’s Dr. Tamara Cadet and Dr. Meredith Doherty sheds light on the unmet social needs of U.S. cancer survivors, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and financial toxicity, and how these challenges impact health outcomes.

SP2’s Dr. Dennis Culhane is featured in the pilot episode of the Policy Crimes Podcast discussing the cost of homelessness. He shares insights on how the U.S. learned that homelessness was more expensive than housing, why governments often fail to account for savings across departments, and the moral and fiscal case for solving homelessness.

SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton was quoted in the Chicago Tribune about Project Unloaded, a nonprofit that empowers teens to shift attitudes around guns and violence through peer-led social media campaigns. 

SP2 Professor Dr. Femida Handy is coauthor of a new article in The Conversation exploring how Korean pop culture, including K-pop and K-dramas, supports mental health and fosters community among young fans in Philadelphia. 

SP2’s Dr. Johanna Greeson was featured in a WalletHub article exploring the challenges facing underprivileged children across the U.S. As part of the expert panel, Dr. Greeson shared insights on effective programs, policy priorities, and the economic costs of child poverty.

SP2 Assistant Professor Dr. Millan AbiNader was quoted in a Prism article examining the unique challenges faced by survivors of murder-suicides. AbiNader discusses how coercive control and suicide threats often precede intimate partner femicide.

Dr. Amy Castro, co-founder of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR), was featured in Newsweek discussing the growing momentum behind guaranteed income programs across the U.S.

Katherina Rosqueta of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) was featured on the Inspired Money Podcast in an episode titled “How AI, Apps & Blockchain Are Revolutionizing Philanthropy.” Rosqueta discusses how emerging technologies are reshaping charitable giving, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining human connection in effective philanthropy. 

The School of Nursing, in partnership with SP2, Penn Medicine, and Public Safety, hosted a disaster simulation where graduate nursing students treated volunteer actors in a mock explosion. SP2’s Allison Werner-Lin led debriefings on trauma-informed care, crisis response, and bereavement.