Jess Retrum

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Jess Retrum

Chair and Professor of Social Work

College of Health and Human Sciences

Bio

Dr. Retrum is a Professor and currently the chair of the the Department of Social Work. Dr. Retrum pursued a PhD in social work after eight years of clinical experience in hospice, home care, inpatient care, and developmental disabilities, and provided mental health care to children in residential and in-home settings. She enjoys mentoring students in community and research projects and often supports her fellow faculty with evaluative aspects of their projects.

Degree

PhD in Social Work

University of Denver

Other in Health

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Social Work

BS in Social Work

Illinois State University

Published Works

  • Acker, J., Ihara, E., Luna, N., Magen, R., Onken, S., Retrum, H. J., Stone, S., Yoshioka, M. (2025). Findings of the NADD Payment for Placement (P4P) Workgroup. National Association of Deans and Directors of Social Work, https://naddssw.org/
  • Retrum, H. J., Cozens, K. D., Ryder, S., Madison Lignell, H., Riley, C., Reid, S. (2025, September). University and Provider Collaboration: Addressing Colorado’s Workforce Shortage With Apprenticeships. Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (CBHC).
  • 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. (2024). Chapter 10 Social Work Practice with Older Adults. Cognella, https://titles.cognella.com/introduction-to-social-work-9781793567222
  • Retrum, H. J. (2024). Chapter 8 Social Work in Health Care and Public Health Settings. Cognella, https://titles.cognella.com/introduction-to-social-work-9781793567222
  • 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. ,
  • Clockston , M. J., Darnel , L., Retrum , J., Taylor, A., Greathouse, T. (2022). Metamorphosing White Supremacist Organizational Practices: Stages of Liberatory Engagement. [Manuscript submitted for publication].
  • Delva, J., Marsh, C. J., Retrum, H. J., Morano, C., Nicklett, E. (2022). Council on Social Work Education, Curricular Guide for Health Social Work, Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities. CSWE, https://www.cswe.org/Education-Resources/2015-Curricular-Guides
  • Retrum, H. J., Schafer, T. S., Douglas, M. . Innovations in Teaching: Graduate Student Engagement through a Social Documentary Capstone Project. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Journal of Teaching in Social Workhttps://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wtsw20/current.
  • Retrum, H. J. . The Status of Palliative Care Social Work in Skilled Care Facilities. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care,
  • Retrum, H. J. (2020). AARP Foundation Catalog Project: Research findings published in Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults, Opportunities for the Health Care System. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, https://doi.org/10.17226/25663
  • Fischer, M. S., Tropeano, L., Lahoff, D., Owens, B., Nielsen, E., Retrum, H. J., Jensen, E., Ross, C., Mancuso, M., Drace, M., Plata, A., Melnyk, A., Golub, M., Gozansky, W. (2020). Integrating Palliative Care Social Workers into Sub-Acute Settings: Feasibility of the ALIGN intervention trial. Journal of Palliative Medicine, Published Online, 12 Nov 2020, Ahead of Print https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2020.0322.
  • Retrum, H. J., Atkinson, N. K., Farrell, S. . Effective Innovations for Engaging Students in Capstone Projects Focused on Community Benefits. Journal of Social Work Education.
  • Retrum, H. J. . Research findings published in Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults, Opportunities for the Health Care System. Chapter 9, Interventions, . The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25663
  • Hand, C., Retrum, H. J., Ware, G., Iwasaki, P., Moaalii, G., Main, S. D. (2017). Understanding Social Isolation Among Urban Aging Adults: Informing Occupation-Based Approaches. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 37(4), 188-198. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217727119.
  • Wright, A. L., King, K. D., Retrum, H. J., Helander, K., Boggs, J., Dickman Portz, J., Nearing, K., Gozansky, S. W. (2017). Lessons learned from community-based participatory research: establishing a partnership to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ageing in place. Family Practice, 34(3), 330-335. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmx005.
  • Boggs, J., Dickman Portz, J., King, K. D., Wright, A. L., Helander, K., Retrum, H. J., Gozansky, S. W. (2016). Perspectives of LGBTQ Older Adults on Aging in Place: A Qualitative Investigation. Journal of Homosexualitydx.doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2016.1247539.
  • Litt, J., Varda, D., Reed, H., Retrum, H. J., Tabak, R., Gustat, J., O'Hara Tompkins, N. (2015). How to identify success among networks that promote active living. American Journal of Public Health, 298-2305 . https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302828.
  • Bevc, C., Retrum, H. J., Varda, D. (2015). Patterns in PARTNERing across Public Health Collaboratives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 122412-12425. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121012412.
  • Retrum, H. J., Gozansky, W., Lahoff, G. D., Rosenberg, L. E., Eskra Tropeano, L., Addison Owens, B., Fischer, M. S. (2015). A Need for More Palliative Focused Care: A Survey of Colorado Skilled Care Facilities. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2015.05.011
  • Varda, M. D., Retrum, H. J. (2015). Collaborative Performance as a Function of Network Members’ . Public Performance and Management Review, 38(4), 632-653. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2015.1031006.
  • Bevc, C., Retrum, H. J., Varda, M. D. (2015). New Perspectives on the “Silo Effect” Initial Comparisons of Network Structures across Public Health Collaboratives. American Journal of Public Health, 105(Suppl 2)230–S235. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302256.
  • Varda, M. D., Retrum, H. J., Chapman, C. (2014). Exploring the Process, Models, and Outcomes of Hospital-Public Health Partnerships. Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research , uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1113&context=frontiersinphssr
  • Dickman Portz, J., Retrum, H. J., Wright, A. L., Boggs, M. J., Wilkins, S., Grimm, C., Gilchrist, K., Gozansky, S. W. (2014). Assessing Capacity for Providing Culturally Competent Services to LGBT Older Adults. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2013.857378
  • Pereira, M. m., Retrum, H. J., Forness, R. S. (2013). Factors Affecting BSW Students’ Choices in Initial Field Placement: A Racial/Ethnic Comparison. The Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 189-102. https://doi.org/10.18084/basw.18.1.0064308654x2687q.
  • Retrum, H. J., Chapman, C., Varda, M. D. (2013). Implications of Network Structure on Public Health Collaboratives. Health Education & Behavior, 40(1S), 13S-23S. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198113492759.
  • Boelk, Z. A., Retrum, H. J. (2013). Building Capacity to Overcome Challenges in the Delivery of Hospice and Palliative Care in Rural Communities. Wiley & Sons,
  • Retrum, H. J., Nowels, T. C., Bekelman, B. D. (2013). Patient and caregiver congruence: The importance of dyads in heart failure care. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, https://doi.org/10.1097/JCN.0b013e3182435f27
  • Retrum, H. J., Hersh, A., Wright, A. L., Main, S. D., Magid, J. D., Allen, A. L. (2013). Patient-Identified Factors Related to Heart Failure Readmissions. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 28(2), 129-136. https://doi.org/0.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.112.967356.
  • Varda, M. D., Retrum, H. J., Kuenzi, K. (2012). The Influence of Teaching Methodology on Student Social Interaction. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 18(4), 633-660. .
  • Varda, M. D., Retrum, H. J. (2012). An exploratory analysis of network characteristics and quality of interactions among public health collaboratives. Journal of Public Health Research, 1(e27), 170-176. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2012.e27.
  • Retrum, H. J., Elder, K. (2012). Framework for isolation in adults over 50. AARP Foundation,
  • Retrum, H. J., Boelk, Z. A. (2011). A national survey of rural hospice social workers on the frontline: Challenges and creative solutions. Social Work in Health Care, https://doi.org/10.1080/00981381003648422
  • Bekelman, B. D., Nowels, T. C., Retrum, H. J., Allen, A. L., Shakar, S., Hutt, E., Theresa, H., Main, D., Kutner, J. (2011). Giving Voice to Patients' and Family Caregivers' Needs in Chronic Heart Failure: Implications for Palliative Care Programs. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 14(12), 1317-1324. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2011.0179.
  • Retrum, H. J. (2010). An Examination of Caregiving Dyads: Community Dwelling Chronically Ill Older Adults and Their Caregivers. ProQuest, UMI Dissertation Publishing .
  • Retrum, H. J. (2008). Shaping the future of gerontological social work: Graduate students’ transformative experiences with older adults. Social Work Perspectives, San Francisco State University, 19-17. .

Research Interests

Social work in the field of gerontology; health and mental health needs of community dwelling older adults; palliative and end-of-life care; social network analysis in community practice.

Teaching Interests

Social work education related topics in Health, Mental Health, Aging, and Research

Additional Information

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