Jennifer Putney
Professor and Chair, Department of Social Work
85 South Prospect Street
Waterman 439
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- PhD in Social Work, Simmons University in Boston, MA
- Master of Social Work (MSW), University of Denver in Denver, CO
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH
Areas of expertise
- Substance Use
- LGBTQ+ Mental Health
- LGBTQ+ Aging
- Qualitative Inquiry
- Mixed Methods
BIO
Jennifer Putney, Ph.D., MSW, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work. Drawing on her background as a clinical social worker, her scholarship focuses on transforming systems and structures of care to become more affirming, inclusive, and responsive to LGBTQ+ individuals and people who use substances. Her research spans three overlapping areas: substance use education in social work; LGBTQ+ mental health; and LGBTQ+ aging, community, and systems of care.
Dr. Putney’s research on substance use education integrates curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, and community-engaged scholarship. She has led multi-year grant-funded initiatives to develop and evaluate substance use and behavioral health curricula for social work students. Her LGBTQ+ scholarship examines how stigma, discrimination, belonging, and systems of care shape health and well-being across the lifespan, including research with youth, college students, and older adults addressing mental health, housing, social support, and community.
Dr. Putney’s scholarship informs her teaching and academic leadership. As Department Chair, she approaches the stewardship of social work education as a collaborative endeavor, working with faculty, students, and community partners to foster curriculum and program development grounded in critical inquiry, relational practice, and social justice.
Current/recent grants include:
Title: Building Community-Engaged Research Capacity in Substance Use and Health Equity: An Inter-Disciplinary Approach
Funded by: The University of Vermont College of Education and Social Services Research Grant
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $8,500
Funding Period: 2/24-8/24
Title: Harm Reduction Training (HaRT) Scholars Program
Funding Source: RIZE Massachusetts
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $196,936
Funding Period: 7/21-7/23
Title: Simmons SSW Expansion of Practitioner Education (ESPE)
Funding Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $196,591
Funding Period: 4/20-4/22
Title: Simmons Opioid Workforce Expansion Program (SOWEP)
Funding Source: Health Resources and Services Administration
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $1,281,354
Funding Period: 9/19-8/23
Courses
SWSS 6360: Substance Use and Social Work Practice
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- University Award for Excellence in Research, Simmons University (2020)
- Community Partnership Award, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice (2020)
- Rose Dobrof Award, Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (2019)
- Mentor Recognition, Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (2019)
Bio
Jennifer Putney, Ph.D., MSW, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work. Drawing on her background as a clinical social worker, her scholarship focuses on transforming systems and structures of care to become more affirming, inclusive, and responsive to LGBTQ+ individuals and people who use substances. Her research spans three overlapping areas: substance use education in social work; LGBTQ+ mental health; and LGBTQ+ aging, community, and systems of care.
Dr. Putney’s research on substance use education integrates curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, and community-engaged scholarship. She has led multi-year grant-funded initiatives to develop and evaluate substance use and behavioral health curricula for social work students. Her LGBTQ+ scholarship examines how stigma, discrimination, belonging, and systems of care shape health and well-being across the lifespan, including research with youth, college students, and older adults addressing mental health, housing, social support, and community.
Dr. Putney’s scholarship informs her teaching and academic leadership. As Department Chair, she approaches the stewardship of social work education as a collaborative endeavor, working with faculty, students, and community partners to foster curriculum and program development grounded in critical inquiry, relational practice, and social justice.
Current/recent grants include:
Title: Building Community-Engaged Research Capacity in Substance Use and Health Equity: An Inter-Disciplinary Approach
Funded by: The University of Vermont College of Education and Social Services Research Grant
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $8,500
Funding Period: 2/24-8/24
Title: Harm Reduction Training (HaRT) Scholars Program
Funding Source: RIZE Massachusetts
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $196,936
Funding Period: 7/21-7/23
Title: Simmons SSW Expansion of Practitioner Education (ESPE)
Funding Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $196,591
Funding Period: 4/20-4/22
Title: Simmons Opioid Workforce Expansion Program (SOWEP)
Funding Source: Health Resources and Services Administration
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount of Award: $1,281,354
Funding Period: 9/19-8/23
Courses
SWSS 6360: Substance Use and Social Work Practice
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- University Award for Excellence in Research, Simmons University (2020)
- Community Partnership Award, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice (2020)
- Rose Dobrof Award, Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (2019)
- Mentor Recognition, Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (2019)