Margarita Villagrana
Dr. Villagrana graduated with a PhD from the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California. While at USC, she received a three year pre-doctoral research fellowship through the Council on Social Work Education funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. After graduating from USC, she completed a two year post doctoral research fellowship in health disparities at Arizona State University. Dr. Villagrana also worked as Chief Research Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and most recently as Chief of Research for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. She also worked for 12 years as a Children’s Social Worker for the same department. Dr. Villagrana’s research focus is mental health services for children and youth in the child welfare system, specifically with racial/ethnic minority children. Her work has been presented at national conferences and her research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Courses Taught
SOCW 6101 - Essential Skills for SWP
SOCW 6000 - Changing Lives
SOCW 6301 - SW Practice Res I
Education
PhD, University of Southern California
MSW, California State University, Long Beach
Publications
Villagrana, M., Palinkas, L. (2012). Caregivers' endorsement of barriers to mental health services for children and youth in child welfare. Journal of Family Social Work
Schneiderman, J., Villagrana, M. (2010). Meeting children's mental and physical health needs in child welfare: The importance of caregivers. Social Work in Health Care
Villagrana, M. (2010). Mental health services for children and youth in the child welfare system: A focus on caregivers as gatekeepers. Children and Youth Services Review
Villagrana, M. (2010). Pathways to mental health services for children and youth in the child welfare system: A focus on social workers' referral. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal