Social Welfare's Director of Field receives prestigious MFP Award

The School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany proudly congratulates Estella Williamson a 2016 Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) award recipient. Ms. Williamson is an alum of the school and is currently serving as our Assistant Dean/Director of Field Education. Her past experience in social work leadership involved managing programs in child welfare, outpatient mental health, addictions, prenatal services, HIV clinical and preventive care.

Ms. Williamson is enrolled in the social work doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. As a doctoral candidate, her research focus is on behavioral health services specifically as it relates too African American women and the degree to which depression and psychological distress affect decision-making in the engagement in high-risk behaviors for contracting HIV/AIDS.  After the completion of this degree, she plans to continue her research in HIV prevention for African American women.

Ms. Williamson is licensed in the state of New York as an LCSW-R and began private practice in 2013 serving adults, older adults, couples, families, and people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses; she specializes in treating mood and personality disorders, women’s health issues, sexuality issues, and same-sex relational issues.

The MFP provides professional development training, mentorship, and other supports to racial/ethnic minority social work doctoral students who are preparing to provide leadership in practice, research, teaching and policy. The purpose of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve health care outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals available to underserved populations in the public and private nonprofit sectors. Click here for more information on MFP.