Wood, Leila_square

Leila Wood, PhD, MSSW

Professor
Director of Evaluation for the Center for Violence Prevention

School of Nursing
leiwood@utmb.edu

Leila Wood, PhD, MSSW (she/her) is a Professor at the Center for Violence Prevention, School of Nursing, at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Dr. Wood is a social work researcher with a PhD and BSW from Indiana University and a MSSW from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Wood’s program of research focuses on community and college-campus based interpersonal violence intervention and prevention approaches and the health impacts of interpersonal violence, specifically intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault. This includes assessing the impact of residential and non-residential advocacy (support) services on the prevention of future violence and survivor well-being; evaluations of IPV housing; studies on the extent and impact of sexual assault, IPV, stalking and sexual harassment on college campuses, and a statewide assessment of children’s services in IPV agencies. Dr. Wood focuses her work across the lifespan, with a focus on adults and children at risk for IPV and sexual assault. She is a mixed methods researcher with expertise in qualitative methods. Dr. Wood uses collaborative research models with community-based partners to meet the research and evaluation needs of the practice and policy communities across the state. Dr. Wood has extensive social work practice experience working survivors of IPV and sexual assault. Her work is funded by the National Institute on Justice and the Criminal Justice Division, State of Texas.

Research Interests:

  • Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Interventions
  • Violence, Trauma and Health Disparities
  • Substance Misuse/Abuse and Violence
  • Violence Prevention
  • Qualitative methods
  • Program Evaluation

Recent projects include:

  1. The Texas Council on Family Violence State Plan: Understanding the Experiences and Health and Service Needs of Survivors using Family Violence Services
  2. Evaluation of Campus-based Advocacy Services
  3. National Institute of Justice/ Office for Victims of Crime
  4. ETA: Evaluation of Technology-based Advocacy Services

Leila Wood, PhD, MSSW

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  • Evaluation of Campus-Based Advocacy Services

    The Evaluation of Campus-Based Advocacy Services, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor, is a collaboration between The University of Texas Medical Branch Center for Violence Prevention, The University of Texas at Arlington, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. This project is a multisite program examining the process, implementation, delivery and outcomes of advocacy services on college campuses in Texas. Advocacy is a form of direct service built on empowerment and strengths theories that emphasize safety, support, and promote healing. Campus advocacy services typically include confidential, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive support and linkage to campus and community resources, safety planning, supportive listening, and psychoeducation around violence experiences and trauma reactions.

    The project engages UT System campuses to address a critical need for short-, medium-and long-term outcomes data for campus advocacy models, to understand the effectiveness of advocacy services and improve program implementation. This project is a continuation of a formative evaluation project. It is building upon and expanding the collection of data and articulation of service models to further enhance the efficacy of campus-based advocacy for victims of violence and the academic and well-being outcomes of Texan collegians.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. What factors facilitate and hinder advocacy program implementation?
    2. What are the medium and long-term outcomes of advocacy services on college campuses?
    3. What modifications are needed to adapt services for victims of other forms of violence (e.g., stalking, harassment, hate or property crime)?
    4. What training and support strategies would stakeholders find most helpful for initiating and maintaining quality services?

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu or Project Manager, Dixie Hairston at dahairst@utmb.edu 

  • Evaluation of Technology-Based Services
    The Evaluation of Technology-Based Services, funded by the National Institute of Justice, is a collaboration between the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas, the University of Texas Medical Branch Center for Violence Prevention, and SAFE Alliance. This project encompasses a formative evaluation of SAFEline call/chat/text advocacy services for victims of violence. SAFEline, a service of SAFE Alliance that provides phone/chat/text based-advocacy related to intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual assault (SA), human trafficking (HT), and child abuse and neglect (CAN).

     

    This evaluation explores how technology expands SAFE’s capacity to provide services, provide insight into SAFEline’s current service delivery, and better understand user experiences. Given the small, but growing, number of agencies in Texas and across the nation looking to implement technology-based advocacy, more information is needed about how chat and text services are implemented, who they serve, and how the service models are adapted for these platforms.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. How technology-based advocacy is being implemented at SAFEline and used by SAFE Alliance to provide support to service users.
    2. How advocacy models to support crime victims are being adapted for different technological platforms.
    3. Who are the users of technology-facilitated advocacy, what are their needs, and experiences seeking services?
    4. What agency and community supports and resources are needed to implement technology-based advocacy and conduct subsequent process and outcome evaluations.

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu or Project Manager, Dixie Hairston at dahairst@utmb.edu

  • Coronavirus Safety Project
    The Coronavirus Safety project fills the gap in available knowledge by generating state-specific data on available services for survivors of interpersonal violence; exploring perceptions of service-providers on meeting the needs of survivors; and identifying innovative programs and practices in service delivery to survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis for agencies providing services to survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking and survivors themselves across the state of Texas and throughout the United States.

    This study is assessing the safety and needs of service providers working with survivors of interpersonal violence, and survivors during the Coronavirus pandemic. This project seeks to provide vital information to service agencies, stakeholders, and survivors in Texas and beyond.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. How is the Coronavirus pandemic impacting agencies focused on violence prevention and intervention?
    2. What are the strategies being used to prevent and mitigate the impact of violence?
    3. What are the safety and resource related needs of violence survivors and the staff who work with them during the Coronavirus pandemic?

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu or Project Manager, Dixie Hairston at dahairst@utmb.edu

  • Evaluation of Residential Services at Fort Bend Women’s Center
    The Fort Bend Health Study is an evaluation of the residential services provided to survivors by Fort Bend Women’s Center (FBWC). Fort Bend Women’s Center offers a variety of services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their children to Ft. Bend county and the broader Houston area. Secure, affordable, and stable housing is essential for everyone, but particularly for survivors as they seek safety, address trauma, and regain independence. Using a collaborative framework between the Center for Violence Prevention and the Fort Bend Women’s Center, this study is focused on understanding how providing essential residential services support survivors’ safety, address needs, and improve overall well-being.

    This project is evaluating the process and outcomes of three residential services provided by FBWC, emergency shelter, short-term housing (through rapid rehousing vouchers), and long-term housing. The needs of FBWC’s residential service users are assessed using mixed-methods, longitudinal, in-depth interviews and surveys, and the needs of staff, through open-ended individual interviews.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. What are service users (past and current) and staff member’s perceptions of the needs of survivors and staff in residential services and barriers to achieving goals?
    2. What are the components of the Ft. Bend Model of service?
    3. What is the process of providing residential services to family violence survivors at FBWC?
    4. What is the initial impact of FBWC’s residential programs on service users’ safety, housing and economic stability, and well-being (including physical and mental health and substance misuse)

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu or Project Manager, Maggy McGiffert at mmmcgiff@utmb.edu

  • Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: Understanding the Community Service Response & Needs in Texas
    The Children Exposed to Domestic Violence, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor, project is documenting the availability of services, the service needs and the gaps and barriers to support for children exposed to domestic violence and for survivors who are parents of children under 18 years old. It is a collaborative project with University of Texas at Austin’s Institute on Child and Family Wellbeing and is in partnership with the Texas Council on Family Violence and Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services.

    Children’s exposure to domestic violence can lead to many negative health outcomes. Community-based supportive services and interventions that understand the dynamics of domestic violence can mitigate these negative outcomes; but the depth and availability of these services and the needs for support have yet to be thoroughly assessed in Texas. This project is documenting the innovative practices and the gaps across Texas through the implementation of two statewide surveys; by conducting in-depth interviews with service users and practitioners; and by analyzing secondary data from the Texas 2019 State Plan. These activities are informing the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based guide of findings to bolster community services for children exposed to domestic violence.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. What is accessibility and availability of services for children, including teenagers, in domestic violence agencies in Texas?
    2. What are the services provided, how do services align with best practices and how are the services currently being evaluated?
    3. What are children’s and families’ service needs and experiences in domestic violence services?
    4. How are community-based child welfare service providers assessing for and addressing children’s exposure to domestic violence? What are the needs and services gaps for children exposed to domestic violence when accessing other community child welfare agencies’ services?

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu or Project Manager, Maggy McGiffert at mmmcgiff@utmb.edu

  • Older Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence: Understanding Gaps in Systems and Community Responses
    The Older Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence study, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor examines the availability of services, the access gaps, and the needs of older survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Texas is experiencing rapid population growth, especially among older population segments. As the aging population is at risk of further isolation and reduced access due to mobility and/or chronic illness, it is critical to develop multidisciplinary approaches to provide comprehensive services to older survivors.

    With consultation from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) and the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV), this project is surveying diverse groups of stakeholders within criminal justice and community-based systems who regularly treat or provide services to individuals over the age of 50. Feedback is being gathered from older survivors of domestic violence/sexual assault on their needs and service experiences and a secondary analysis is being conducted on the 2019 State Plan data. Data collected from this project will lead to the development of recommendations and the identification of promising practices to improve the response for the growing population of older adults impacted by interpersonal violence in Texas.

    Specific project questions include:

    1. What services are available for older survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence in the state of Texas?
    2. How do older survivors become aware of or connect with community-based services and the criminal justice system?
    3. What are the experiences of older survivors in accessing and receiving services from criminal justice and community-based agencies?

    For more information, contact Leila Wood at leiwood@utmb.edu