Dawn Matera Bassett

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Dawn Matera Bassett

Professor of Social Work

Social Work

Office Hours

Tuesday - 12-2pm
Wednesday - 01:30 to 02:00 and 4:45 to 05:30pm
or by appointment

Biography

I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults in urban and rural mental health settings. I have also been a part of developing collaborative initiatives to provide services to clients.

Research Interests

    My research interest lays in improving the efficacy of services provided to children, adolescents and families. Projects which support clinical staff development; build personal, familial and community assets; and explore the efficacy of interventions are all the foci of my interest.

Teaching Interests

    To begin, I learn. By participation in courses as both a student and an instructor, I have learned to value learner-centered and transformative teaching pedagogies. Through the creation of inclusive learning environments which situate multiple voices and narratives in the classroom students have the best opportunity to learn. It is with that goal, I teach.

    My specific teaching interests include courses which focus on effecting change on the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro level. In addition to the foundational courses on Quantitative Thinking and Research, I have taught Micro level courses including Social Work Practice with Child and Adolescents, Generalist Practice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Assessments, Multicultural Social Work Practice, and HBSE. Mezzo level courses which I have taught include Family Therapy, Groups, Urban Families, and Exploring Social Work Issues. Finally, Macro level courses include Applied Legal, Social Welfare Policy, Advanced Social Welfare Policy and Macro Social Work Practice.

Education

PhD in Mental Health Interventions

University of Denver

Other in Marriage and Family Therapy

University of Denver

BS in Music Therapy

Radford University

Published Works

    Starr, E., Matera Bassett, R. D., Greathouse, T., Ryder, S., Darnel, L. . Working Title: Challenges and Emerging needs of Telemedicine in Behavioral Health. (). NASW Press. https://www.socialworkers.org/Shop/NASW-Press-Publications Darnel, L., Retrum, H. J., Matera Bassett, R. D., Greathouse, T., Ryder, S., Starr, E., Atkinson, N. K., Knechtel, L. (2024). Improved Student Outcomes: A Unique, Culturally Relevant, and Intensive Behavioral Health Training Program. Social Work in Mental Health, 22(5), -622. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2024.2354678. Retrum, H. J., Knechtel, L., Darnel, L., Greathouse, T., Matera Bassett, R. D., Ryder, S. (2023). Colorado Behavioral Health Network of Providers HSRA SNA Report. , Matera Bassett, R. D. . Your soul feels a little bruised: Forensic Interviewers’ experiences of vicarious trauma. . Traumatology, Greathouse, T., Darnel, L., Matera Bassett, R. D., Meurer-Lynn, S. M. . Scaffolded Approach to Help Social Work Students Learn and Practice Strategies to Address and Dismantle Oppressive Ideologies. Advances in Social Work, Special Issue Summer 2021, Darnel, L., Matera Bassett, R. D. (2019). A Program Evaluation of the Colorado Office of Respondent Parents' Counsel Social Work Program. Colorado State Court Administrators Office, Matera Bassett, R. D., Riley, M. (2018). Dialectical Behavior Therapy, a group therapy intervention for clinically depressed adolescents.. Agora: Psycho-Pragmatica, Matera Bassett. (2018). Making the case for civic engagement, understanding how youth make meaning.. Agora: Psycho-Pragmatica, Matera Bassett, R. D. (2018). Report to Legislature. Report to Colorado General Assembly, Trujillo, A. K., Matera Bassett, R. D. . Understanding the Case Plan. Colorado Department of Human Services, Trujillo, A. K., Vigil, C., Matera Bassett, R. D. . Adolescent Permanancy . Colorado Department of Human Services, Trujillo, A. K., Vigil, C., Matera Bassett, R. D. . Fostering Independence. Colorado Department of Human Services, Trujillo, A. K., Archuleta, S., Matera Bassett, R. D. . Visitation: From Hello to Goodbye. Colorado Department of Human Services, McDonald, A., Middleton, J., Matera Bassett., Harris, L. (2017). Organizational Culture and Climate Factors Impacting Forensic Interviewers' Experiences of Vicarious Trauma. Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal, 4(4). https://doi.org/ DOI: 10.15406/frcij.2017.04.00118. Matera Bassett., Trujillo, A. K. (2017). Adolescent 201. Colorado Department of Human Services, Matera Bassett. (2016). Adolescent, The 411. Colorado Department of Human Services, Forrest-Bank, S., Nicotera, N., Matera Bassett, R. D., Ferrarone, P. (2016). Effects of an Expressive Art Intervention with Urban Youth in Low-Income Neighborhoods. Child and Adolescent Social Work, Matera Bassett, R. D. (2016). Children in Care: A pragmatic approach to understanding and responding to maladaptive behavior.. (in press). AGORA: Psycho-Progmatica, 2. . Middleton, J., Matera Bassett, R. D., Nicotera, N., . (2013). The impact of vicarious trauma on interviewing professionals. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Traumatology, American Psychological Association. Nicotera, N., Matera Bassett, R. D. (2015). Building civic leadership through neighborhood-based afterschool programming. Journal of Youth Development, 10(1), 19-33. http://media.wix.com/ugd/f3287d_b765e68755a14210ababaa90603f1e6e.pdf. , I. I., Matera Bassett, R. D. (2014). Colorado Department of Human Services: Colorado Child Welfare County Workload Report. Colorado Office of the State Auditor, Matera Bassett, R. D. . Exploring a Debriefing Intervention: A mixed methods study of clinical staff intervention. . Pike, P., Bane, B., Matera Bassett, R. D. (2012). Transition Age Youth and Young Adults with Mental Health Diagnosis. Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health, Hanna, M., Tokarski, K., Matera Bassett, R. D., Fong, R. (2011). Happily ever after? The journey from foster care to adoption. Adoption Quarterly, 14(2), 107-131. .