Dr. Jessica K. Camp is an assistant professor of social work in the Department of Health and Health Services at the University of Michigan- Dearborn. She is licensed by the State of Michigan as a social worker for clinical and macro practices, is a Certified Advanced Addiction and Drug Counselor with the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals, and is an Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioner- Educator (trainer level). She teaches courses across the bachelor’s, masters, and doctoral programs in social statistics, research methodology, evaluation, social work, and social welfare policy.

Prior to earning her Ph.D. in Social Work from Wayne State University in 2013, she worked as an adult mental health and substance use therapist in the Community Mental Health system in Wayne County for nearly a decade. One of her primary roles during this time was to coordinate a program called Supported Education, a best practices program designed to provide support and training to help CMH consumers transition to post-secondary educational opportunities.

Influenced by this work, her research focuses primarily on extreme poverty, inequality, and the forces that create disparity and social stratification in the United States. Her publications have explored the interaction of race, gender, and mental health disorders on economic and labor market disparities and the impact of social welfare changes on the well-being of working women. Most recently her work has focused on developing healing centered and restorative practice approaches targeted towards keeping Opportunity Youth and adults engaged in work and school opportunities. She hopes her research will help inform and strengthen national policies and programs that inform inclusion, employment accessibility, and economic equality.