DR. AMELIA SERAPHIA DERR
Amelia Seraphia Derr is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Seattle University. She is also an affiliate of the Center for Prevention Research in Social Welfare, the Center for Ethical Leadership, and a consultant for the City of Seattle Office for Civil Rights and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
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Dr. Derr's research examines the nexus between social and health service systems and the migration experience. Specifically, she is concerned with this intersection as a site for enacting social justice. This commitment has prompted her to focus on three research areas:
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Barriers to social, mental health, and health services for migrants and factors that promote service access and parity.
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The role of city government and social service providers in promoting socially just contexts of reception for migrants.
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Strategies and best practices for training social workers to provide accessible, quality services that improve the health and wellbeing of immigrants and refugees.
Dr. Derr is currently studying the importance of the local sector – both government and nonprofit – in addressing recent migration trends. She has over a decade of experience working with immigrants and refugees in Seattle and abroad, including five years as Education Director at OneAmerica. Dr. Derr teaches courses on global migration, social science research methods, and data analysis.