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School of Social Work
105 Peters Hall
1404 Gortner Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Voice: 612-625-1220

Colleen Fisher

Fisher

Assistant Professor

Office Hours:
Thursdays 11:30 – 12:30 & 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Colleen Fisher is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work.  She teaches in both the MSW program (Research Methods; Advanced Practice with Diverse Populations) and the undergraduate Social Justice Minor (Intro to Social Justice).  She co-taught the May term international study course to the Netherlands and South Africa in 2009.  Her primary research areas are adolescent sexual health, particularly HIV/STI prevention; and LBGTQ youth health and wellbeing, including sexual identity and gender identity development.  Other interest areas include intervention and translational research, diversity and social justice, assessment methods, program evaluation, and international social work.

 

CEHD Blog Post: Social Work's Fisher honored by graduate students

School of Social Work

269 Peters Hall
1404 Gortner
St. Paul, MN 55108

Tel: 612-624-3658


Degrees

Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis
M.S.W., Michigan State University

Active Research Projects

"HIV, Gender, and Social Development in Kenya" (Fisher, PI)

  • This mixed method study broadly examines the impact of social development factors on health and well-being among HIV-positive women living in rural villages and urban slums across Kenya.  Phase one explores the lived experience of HIV-positive women in Kenya and experiences with a range of social development factors (e.g., food and nutrition, housing, access to ARVs). The second study phase evaluates the impact of a multi-site social development-focused intervention on women’s health and well-being.    

“Minnesota Center for Mental Health: Clinical Innovation, Research & Evaluation” (Rohovit, PI; Dimock, Winters & Fisher, Co-PI)

  • This multi-year project will develop and implement a novel IMR/IDDT pilot program for providers of mental health and addictions services in preparation for future statewide implementation.  The research arm of this project, headed by Dr. Fisher, includes development, pilot testing, and psychometric evaluation of new assessment instruments as well as quasi-experimental evaluation of the pilot intervention.  An additional research component is the analysis and dissemination of data from the statewide workforce development survey implemented during the preliminary stage of this project.  The project is funded by the Department of Human Services, Adult Mental Health Division, State of Minnesota (Award period: July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2016; Award amount: $1.95 million).

"Risky Lifestyles Study" (Fisher, PI; Burton & Craft, co-I)

  • This study examines HIV-related risk taking among adult felony probationers and evaluates the cognitive and behavioral impact of a Thinking for a Change intervention with this population.

"HIV Risk, Sexual Identity, and Social Networks among Sexual Minority Youth" (Fisher, PI)

  • This pilot study examines relationships among HIV risk, sexual identity, and social network characteristics among sexual minority youth ages 16-21.  The study also explores the feasibility of an HIV preventive intervention with this population and tests the reliability of Life History Calendar reports of sexual risk over time.

 

Selected Past Research Projects

"Developing a Brief Sexual Health History Calendar for Youth" (Fisher, PI)

  • This pilot study developed and tested a mixed method sexual risk assessment with adolescents at a publicly funded teen health clinic.  Phase two of the study incorporated a brief behavior change plan as well as a 3-month follow-up interview with youth respondents.
  • A brief description of this project can be found on the Minnesota Center for Social Work Research Web site.

"HIV Risk and Sexual Identity Development" (Fisher, PI)

 

 

Publications

  1. Fisher, C. & Lee, M. (in press).  Comparison of adolescents' reports of sexual behavior on a survey and Sexual Health History Calendar.  Article in press at The Journal of Sex Research.

  2. Fisher, C. (2013).  Queering Data Collection: Using the Life History Calendar Method With Sexual-Minority Youth.  Manuscript published online ahead of print in the Journal of Social Service Research.  DOI:10.1080/01488376.2013.766554.

  3. Roholt, R. & Fisher, C. (2013).  Expect the Unexpected: Short-Term International Study Course Pedagogies and Practices.  Journal of Social Work Education, 49(1), 48-65.  DOI:10.1080/10437797.2013.755416

  4. Fisher, C. & Boudreau, M. (2012).  Assessing Recent Adolescent Sexual Risk Using a Sexual Heath History Calendar: Results from a Mixed Method Feasibility Study.  Manuscript published online ahead of print in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jana.2012.06.011

  5. Boudreau, M. & Fisher, C. (2012).  Providing Effective Medical and Case Management Services to HIV-Infected Youth Preparing to Transition to Adult Care.  Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 23(4), 318-328.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jana.2011.06.003..

  6. Fisher, C. (2012).  Assessing Developmental Trajectories of LBGTQQ Youth: Discrepant Findings from a Life History Calendar and a Self-administered Survey.  Journal of LGBT Youth, 9(2), 114-135.

  7. Fisher, C. (2011).  Adapting the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills model: Predicting HIV-related sexual risk among sexual minority youth.  Health Education & Behavior, 39(3), 290-302.  DOI: 10.1177/1090198111406537.

  8. Auslander, W., Fisher, C., Ollie, M. & Yu, M. (2012).  Teaching Social Work Students to Systematically Evaluate Evidence-Based Interventions.  Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 32(4), 320–341.

  9. Fisher, C. (2011).  Are Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills Linked with HIV-Related Sexual Risk among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men?  Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 10(1), 5-21.

Presentations

  1. Fisher, C. & Winkler, V. (2013, July).  Linking HIV and Social Development in Kenya: Impact of the Women Equality Empowerment Program.  Paper accepted at the 18th Biennial International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD), Kampala, Uganda.

  2. Fisher, C. & Grettenberger, S. (2013, July).  A model for applying community-based participatory principles to social development focused study abroad.  Paper accepted at the 18th Biennial International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD), Kampala, Uganda. 

  3. Fisher, C. & Lee, M. (2013, May).  Assessing adolescent HIV risk: Can a different tool reveal unreported behaviors?  Paper accepted at the 25th Annual National Conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS, Chicago, IL.

  4. Fisher, C., Lee, M. & Boudreau, M. (2013, May).  Developing a youth-driven, tailored sexual risk reduction intervention: Results from a community-based participatory pilot study.  Paper accepted at the 25th Annual National Conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS, Chicago, IL.

  5. Fisher, C., Elze, D., Craig, S., Walls, E. & Asakura, K. (2013, January 18).  Advancing Research with Sexual Minority Youth: Building a Social Work Research Agenda.  Roundtable session accepted at the 17th Annual Society for Social Work & Research Conference, San Diego, CA.

  6. Craig, S., Dentato, M. & Fisher, C. (2012, 10 November).  Does trauma matter? Correlates of depression for multiethnic sexual minority youth.  Paper presented at the 58th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Washington, DC.

  7. Rooney, R., Rodenborg, N.,  Marrs Fuchsel, C., Fisher, C. & Vang, P. (2012, 9 November).  Social work faculty writing groups: How to encourage and support productivity.  Faculty Development Institute (FDI) presented at the 58th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Washington, DC.    

  8. Fisher, C.  (2012, January 14).  Milestone Consequences, Resilience, and Multiple Identity Management: Findings from a Mixed Method Study of Sexual Minority Youth.  Paper presented at the 16th Annual Society for Social Work & Research Conference, Washington, D.C.

  9. Fisher, C.  (2011, January 14).  Assessment as Intervention? Development of a Sexual Health History Calendar for Youth.  Paper presented at the 15th Annual Society for Social Work & Research Conference, Tampa, FL.

  10. Fisher, C. & Boudreau, M.(2010, May).  Assessing sexual risk and sexual identity development among youth: Using the Life History Calendar method in research and practice settings.  Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Social Work & AIDS Conference, Denver, CO.

  11. Boudreau, M. & Fisher, C. (2010, May).  “Get on my level!”  Developing professional partnerships with diverse youth including young adults living with HIV and sexual minority youth.  Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Social Work & AIDS Conference, Denver, CO.

  12. Fisher, C.  (2010, January 15).  Exploring the complexities of sexual identity development: Use of the Life History Calendar with sexual minority youth.  Paper presented at the 14th Annual Society for Social Work & Research Conference, San Francisco, CA.

  13. Fisher, C.  (2009, January 17).  Predicting HIV Risk among Sexual Minority Youth: The Impact of Sexual Identity Development.  Paper presented at the 13th Annual Society for Social Work & Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.

  14. Fisher, C.  (2008, October 29).  Capturing the complexities of sexual identity development and HIV risk: Use of the Life History Calendar with sexual minority youth.  Paper presented at the 136th Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association, San Diego, CA.

  15. Fisher, C. (2007, November 6).  Does Sexual Identity Development Matter for HIV Prevention with Sexual Minority Youth?  Paper presented at the 135th Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association, Washington, DC.