AREAS OF RESEARCH

Health Equity, Mental Health & Aging

SP2 Labs and Faculty seek to understand diverse social and environmental factors affecting health and well-being within underserved populations, geriatric patients, individuals with mental illness, and those at elevated risk for disease.

Featured Centers

Health Equity Lab

Headshot of Dr. Zvi Gellis

FEATURED FACULTY

Zvi D. Gellis, PhD

Professor; PhD, University of Toronto, 1999. Gerontology; Geriatrics; Evidence-Based Depression & Anxiety Interventions; Integrated Health & Mental Health Care; Telehealth interventions; Randomized Trials.

Femida Handy

FEATURED FACULTY

Femida Handy, PhD

Professor; PhD, York (Canada), 1995. Volunteering; volunteering & health; global philanthropy; corporate social responsibility; environmental habitus.

Phyllis Solomon

FEATURED FACULTY

Phyllis Solomon, PhD

Professor; PhD, Case Western Reserve, 1978. Social work research methods; mental health policy and service delivery systems; severely mentally disabled persons and their families.

Tamara Cadet

FEATURED FACULTY

Tamara J. Cadet, PhD, LICSW, MPH

Associate Professor; PhD, Simmons College. Health social work; health literacy; shared-decision-making; social determinants of health; evidence-based health promotion interventions in the community; facilitators and barriers to reducing disparities in preventative health behaviors; advancing health equity; health care service utilization among vulnerable populations with a focus on oncology and gerontology.

Allison Werner-Lin

FEATURED FACULTY

Allison Werner-Lin, PhD, LCSW

Associate Professor; PhD, University of Chicago, 2005. Psychosocial oncology; genetics and genomics; assisted reproductive technology; bioethics; emerging adulthood; medical family therapy; qualitative health research.

Related News

members of SAFElab meet around a table

First-of-its-kind study analyzes digital mourning practices of gang-affiliated youth

A new paper co-written by SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton explores the role of images in the online grieving practices of gang-affiliated Black youth. Due to his groundbreaking body of research, Dr. Patton was one of 13 participants invited to the White House last week.

Candice Player

New senior fellow joins Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice

Poised to focus on research related to mental health and homelessness, as well as community engaged learning opportunities for students, Dr. Candice Player has joined SP2 as a senior fellow.

West side of Caster building in the snow, showing

New year brings new faculty to Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice

Two new faculty have joined SP2 in January, bringing expertise in health, family systems, nonprofit finance, social entrepreneurship, and beyond to the advancement of SP2’s mission.