The Heller School for Social Policy and ManagementReturn to this website's homepageBrandeis University

Nancy Lurie Marks Professor of Disability Policy, Director, Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, and Director, PhD Program

slp@brandeis.edu  •  Heller-Brown Building  • 365  •  781-736-3928

Expertise

autism; Medicaid; poverty and people with disabilities; health care access of women with intellectual disabilities; support for family caregivers of adults and children with disabilities; financial well-being of people with disabilities and their caregiving families

Courses

  • HS 332a - Research Methods and Evaluation
  • HS 339a - Disability Policy
  • HS 401b - Research Methods

Scholarship

  • Friedman, N., Erickson Warfield, M. & Parish, S. L.,. "Transition to adulthood for individuals with autism spectrum disorders: Current issues and future perspectives." Neuropsychiatry (2013). (forthcoming)
  • Parish, S.L., Swaine, J.G., Son, E., & Luken, K.. "Determinants of cervical cancer screening among women with intellectual disabilities: Longitudinal evidence from medical record data." Public Health Reports (2013). (forthcoming)
  • Son, E, Parish, S. L., Swaine, J.G., & Luken, K.. "Accuracy of reporting receipt of cervical and breast cancer screening among women with intellectual and developmental disabilities." American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2013). (forthcoming)
  • Sswaine, J.G., Parish, S.L., Ghosh, S., Luken, K., & Wright, G.. "Obtaining medical records for women with developmental disabilities in community-based health promotion intervention." Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities (2013). (forthcoming)
  • Swaine, J.G., Parish, S. L., & Luken, K.. "Breast and cervical cancer screening for women with intellectual disabilities.." Health & Social Work (2013). (forthcoming)
  • Croft, B., & Parish, S. L.. "Care integration in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for behavioral health." Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research (2012). (forthcoming)
  • Nageswaran, S., Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., & Grady, M. "Health care access of children with developmental disabilities." Maternal and Child Health Journal (2010). (forthcoming)
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., & Swaine, J.G. "Income and asset poverty of parents of children and adults with developmental disabilities: A comparison of age cohorts across the lifespan." Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities. 35. 4 (2010): 235-243. (forthcoming)
  • Ghosh, S., & Parish, S. L.. "Material hardships and income poverty: A case of households raising multiple children with disabilities.." Society for Social Work Research annual conference, San Diego, CA. January 2013.
  • Parish, S.L., Swaine, J.G., Son, E., & Luken, K.. "Receipt of mammography among women with intellectual disabilities: Medical record data indicate substantial disparities for African American women." Disability and Health Journal 6. (2013): 36-42.
  • Son, E., Parish, S. L., Swaine, J.G., & Luken, K.. "Accuracy of self-reported screening receipt among women with intellectual disabilities." Society for Social Work Research annual conference, San Diego, CA. January 2013.
  • Swaine, J.G., Dababnah, S., Parish, S.L., & Luken, K.. "Family caregivers' perspectives on barriers and facilitators of cervical and breast cancer screening for women with intellectual disability." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 51. 1 (2013): 62-73.
  • Dickens, P., Luken, K., Swaine, J.G., & Parish, S.L.. Recommended Health Screenings for Women with Disabilities.. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2012.
  • Fisher, K. Williams, G., Luken, K., Swaine, J.G., & Parish, S.L.. "Researchers and women with intellectual disabilities: Partnerships to promote cervical and breast cancer screening.." American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Charlotte, NC. June 2012.
  • Fisher, K., Williams, G., Luken, K., Parish, S.L., Swaine, J.G., & Dickens, P.. "Making a difference in the lives of women with intellectual disabilities: Moving research findings about breast and cervical cancer screening into the real world." American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Charlotte, NC. June 2012.
  • Magana, S., Parish, S. L., Rose, R.A., Timberlake, M., & Swaine, J.G.. "Racial and ethnic disparities in quality of health care among children with autism and other developmental disabilities." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 50. 4 (2012): 287-299.
  • Parish, S. L., & Ghosh, S.. "Hardship and deprivation among children with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income." American Association of Public Policy and Management, Baltimore, MD. November 2012.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R., Swaime, J.G., Dababnah, S., & Marya, E.T.. "Financial well-being of lone, working-age mothers of children with developmental disabilities." work and Family Researchers Network, New York. June 2012.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R.A., Swaine, J.G., Dababnah, S., & Marya, E.T.. "Financial well-being of single, working-age mothers of children with developmental disabilities." American Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 117. 5 (2012): 400-412.
  • Parish, S. L., Swaine, J.G., Luken, K., Rose, R.A., & Dababnah, S.. "Cervical and breast cancer screening knowledge of women with developmental disabilities.." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 50. 2 (2012): 79-91.
  • Parish, S. L., Swaine, J.G., Son, E., & Luken, K.. "Cervical and breast cancer screening of women with intellectual disabilities: Evidence of inadequate receipt and marked racial disparities from medical records." American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Charlotte, NC. June 2012.
  • Parish, S.L., Ghosh, S., & Swaine, J.G.. Deprivation in families of disabled children who receive child Supplemental Security payments. Waltham, MA Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2012.
  • Parish, S.L., Magana, S., Rose, R.A., Timberlake, M., & Swaine, J.G.. "Health care of Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities: Quality of provider interaction mediates utilization." American Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 117. 4 (2012): 304-315.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R., Dababnah, S., Yoo, J., & Cassiman, S.. Families of children with special health care needs experience greater family burden in states with greater income inequality. Waltham, MA Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2012.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R., Swaine, J.G., Dababnah, S., & Marya, E.T.. "Financial well-being of single working age mothers of children with developmental disabilities." International Association for Feminist Economics, Barcelona, Spain. July 2012.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., Dababnah, S., Yoo, J., & Cassiman, S.A.. "State-level income inequality and family burden of US families raising children with special health care needs.." Social Science & Medicine 74. (2012): 399-407.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., Swaine, J.G., Luken, K., & O’Hare, L.. "Cancer screening knowledge changes: Results from a randomized control trial of women with developmental disabilities." Research on Social Work Practice 22. (2012): 43-53.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., Yoo, J., & Swaine, J.G.. "State Medicaid policies and the health care access of low-income children with special health care needs living in the American South." North Carolina Medical Journal 73. 1 (2012): 15-23.
  • Parish, S.L., Swaine, J.G., Son, E., & Luken, K.. "Cervical and breast cancer screening of women with intellectual disabilities: Evidence of inadequate receipt from medical records." 34th annual meeting of the National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers, Alexandria, VA. April 2012.
  • Parish, S.L., Thomas, K., Rose, R.A., Kilany, M., & McConville, R.. "State insurance parity legislation for autism services and family financial burden." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 50. (2012): 190-198.
  • Parish, S.L., Thomas, K.C., Rose, R., Kilany, M., & Shattuck, P.T.. "State Medicaid spending and financial burden of families raising children with autism." Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 50. 6 (2012): 441-451.
  • Parish, S.L., Thomas, K.C., Rose, R., Kilany, McConville, R., & Igdalsky, L.. State insurance partiy legislation reduces financial burden of families with children with autism. Waltham, MA Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2012.
  • Son, E., Parish, S.L., & Peterson, N.A.. "National prevalence of peer victimization among young children with disabilities in the United States." Children & Youth Services Review 34. (2012): 1540-1545.
  • Swaine, J.G., Luken, K., & Parish, S.L.. "An empowerment-based method for recruiting women with intellectual disabilities to participate in health promotion research." American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Charlotte, NC. June 2012.
  • Swaine, J.G., Parish, S. L., Luken, K., & Dickens, P.. Feasibility & acceptability of Women Be Healthy 2: An intervention to improve cancer screenings. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2012.
  • Swaine, J.G., Parish, S.L., & Luken, K.. Health screenings for women with developmental disabilities: Note for social workers and case managers. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy.: 2012.
  • Thomas, K., Parish, S.L., & williamson, C.. "Healthcare expenditures for autism during times of transition: Disadvantaged families fall behind." American Public Health Association, San Francisco, CA. November 2012.
  • Thomas, K., Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., & Kilany, M.. "Access to care for children with autism in the context of state Medicaid policy." Maternal & Child Health Journal 16. (2012): 1636-1644.
  • Dickens, P., Luken, K., Parish, S.L., & Swaine, J.G.. Women Be Healthy 2: A curriculum to increase cervical and breast cancer screening rates of women with intellectual and developmental disabilities.. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2011.
  • Nageswaran, S., Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., & Grady, M.. "Health care access of children with developmental disabilities.." Maternal and Child Health Journal 15. (2011): 634-641.
  • Parish, S. L., Magaña, S., & Rose, R.. "Racial and ethnic disparities in health care access of children with autism.." 43rd Annual Gatlinburg Conference on Research & Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, San Antonio, TX. March 2011.
  • Parish, S. L., Whisnant, A. I., & Swaine, J. G.. "Policies and programs for children and youth with disabilities.." Social policy for children and families: A risk and resilience perspective, 2nd ed. Ed. Jenson, J.M., & Fraser, M.W.. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2011
  • Parish, S.L., Magana, S., Rose, R., Timberlake, M., Swaine, J.G., & Fichtenbaum, R.. Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities experience disparities in access, utilization, and quality of health care.. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2011.
  • Parish, S.L., Swaine, J.G., Luken, K., Rose, R.A., Dababnah, S., & Fichtenbaum, R.. Increased knowledge of breast and cervical cancer screening needed among women with developmental disabilities.. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2011.
  • Parish, S.L., Thomas, K., Rose, R.A., Shattuck, P.T., Kilany, M., & Crossman, M.. Financial burden of raising children with autism: Association with state Medicaid spending.. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2011.
  • Swaine, J.G., Parish, S.L., & Luken, K.. Research: A guide for self-advocates with developmental disabilities. Waltham, MA. Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: 2011.
  • Swaine, J.G., Parish, S.L., Luken, K., & Atkins, L.. "Recruitment and consent of women with intellectual disabilities in research studies.." Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 55. 5 (2011): 474–483.
  • Dababnah, S., Parish, S.L., Brown, L.T., & Hooper, S.R.. "Early screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A primer for social work practice.." Children and Youth Services Review 33. (2010): 265-273.
  • Emerson, E., & Parish, S.L.. "Introduction to the special section on poverty and intellectual disabilities." Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 35. 221–223 (2010).
  • Laws, J., Parish, S. L., Scheyett, A. M., & Egan. C. "Preparation of social workers to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." Journal of Teaching in Social Work 30. 3 (2010): 317 - 333.
  • Macy, R. J., Giattina, M., Parish, S. L., & Crosby, C. "Domestic violence and sexual assault services challenges." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 25. (2010): 3-32.
  • Parish, S. L., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Yeo, Y., Rose, R. A., & Rimmerman, A. "Assets and income: Evidence of disability-based disparities in the U. S." Social Work Research 34. 71-82 (2010).
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R. A., & Andrews, M. E.. "TANF and the employment, marriage, and welfare use of low-income mothers raising children with disabilities." Exceptional Children 76. (2010): 234-253.
  • Parish, S.L., Rose, R.A., & Swaine, J.G.. "Financial well-being of US parents caring for coresident children and adults with developmental disabilities: An age-cohort analysis. .." Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 35. (2010): 235-243.
  • Rose, R. A., Parish, S. L., Yoo, J., Grady, M.D., Andrews, M. E., Powell, S. E., & Hicks-Sangster, T. K. "Medicaid suppresses racial disparities in health care among children with special health care needs: Evidence from a multi-level mediation modeling analysis." Social Science & Medicine 70. (2010): 1263–1270.
  • Rose, R. A., Parish, S. L., Yoo, J.. "Observation, correlation and policy analysis: A response to Foster." Social Science & Medicine 70. (2010): 1274.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R. A., & Andrews, M. E. "Income poverty and material hardship among U.S. women with disabilities." Social Service Review 83. (2009): 33-52.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R. A., Andrews, M. E., & Shattuck, P. T. "Receipt of professional care coordination services among families raising children with special health care needs: A multilevel analysis of state policy predictors." Children & Youth Services Review 31. (2009): 63-70.
  • Parish, S.L., Shattuck, P. T., & Rose, R. A. "A multi-level analysis of state Medicaid and financial burden of raising children with special health care needs." Pediatrics 124. Supplement 6 (2009): S435-S442.
  • Rose, R. A., Parish, S. L., & Yoo, J.P. "Measuring material hardship among the US population of women with disabilities using latent class analysis." Social Indicators Research 94. 3 (2009).
  • Scheyett, A., Vaughn, J., Taylor, M. F., & Parish, S. L. "Screening for intellectual and developmental disabilities in jails: Are we there yet?." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 47. (2009): 13-23.
  • Shattuck, P.T., Grosse, S. D., Parish, S. L., & Bier, D. "Utilization of Medicaid-funded interventions for children with autism." Psychiatric Services 60. (2009): 549-552.
  • Wacker, J. L., Macy, R. J., Barger, E. & Parish, S. L. "Sexual assault prevention for women with intellectual disabilities: A critical review of the evidence." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 47. (2009): 249-262.
  • Birdsong, S. S., & Parish, S. L. "The Healthy Families Act: Vital support for families of people with developmental disabilities." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 46. (2008): 319-321.
  • Magaña, S., Parish, S. L., & Cassiman, S. A. "Policy lessons from low-income mothers with disabilities: A primer on inadequate incomes, work disincentives, and bureaucratic insensitivity." Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 29. (2008): 29.
  • Parish, S. L., Magaña, S., & Cassiman, S. A. "It’s just that much harder: Multilayered hardship experiences of low-income mothers with disabilities raising their children." Affilia: The Journal of Women and Social Work 23. (2008): 51-65.
  • Parish, S. L., Moss, K., & Richman, E. L. "Perspectives on health care of adults with developmental disabilities." Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 46. (2008): 411-426.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R. A., Andrews, M. E., Grinstein-Weiss, M., & Richman, E. L. "Material hardship among U.S. families raising children with disabilities." Exceptional Children 75. (2008): 71-92.
  • Parish, S. L., Rose, R. A., Andrews, M. E., Grinstein-Weiss, M., & Richman, E. L. "Material hardship among U.S. families raising children with disabilities." Exceptional Children 75. (2008): 71-92.
  • Shattuck, P.T., & Parish, S. L. "Multilevel analysis of financial burden in families of children with special health care needs." Pediatrics 122. (2008): 13-18.
  • Wacker, J. L., Parish, S. L., & Macy, R. J. "Sexual assault and women with cognitive disabilities: Codifying discrimination in the states." Journal of Disability Policy Studies 19. (2008): 86-94.
  • Fujiura, G.T., & Parish, S. L. "Emerging policy challenges in intellectual disabilities." Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 13. (2007): 188-194.
  • Grinstein-Weiss, M., Irish, K., Parish, S. L., & Wagner, K. "Using individual development accounts to save for a home: Are there differences by race?." Social Service Review 81. (2007): 657-681.
  • Parish, S. L., & Ellison-Martin, J. M. "Health care of low-income women Medicaid recipients: Evidence of disability-based disparities." Journal of Disability Policy Studies 18. (2007): 109-116.
  • Parish, S. L. "Health care of women with disabilities: Population-based evidence of disparities." Health & Social Work 31. (2006): 7-15.
  • Parish, S. L. "Juggling and struggling: A preliminary work-life study of mothers with adolescents with developmental disabilities." Mental Retardation 44 (2006): 393-404.
  • Parish, S. L. & Cloud, J. M. "Financial well-being of young children with disabilities." Social Work 51. (2006): 223-232.
  • Parish, S. L., & Cloud, J. M. "Child care for low-income school-age children: Disability and family structure effects in a national sample." Children & Youth Services Review 28. (2006): 927-940.
  • Parish, S. L., & Saville, A. W. "Women with cognitive limitations living in the community: Evidence of disability-based disparities in health care." Mental Retardation 44. (2006): 249-259.
  • Parish, S. L. "Deinstitutionalization in two states: The impact of advocacy, policy and other social forces on services for people with developmental disabilities." Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities 30. (2005): 219-231.
  • Parish, S. L., & Lutwick, Z. E. "A critical analysis of the emerging crisis in long-term care for people with developmental disabilities." Social Work 50. (2005): 345-354.
  • Parish, S. L., Cloud, J. M., Huh, J., & Henning, A. N. "Child care, disability and family structure: Use and quality in a population-based sample of low-income preschool children." Children & Youth Services Review 27. (2005): 905-918.
  • Parish, S. L., Seltzer, M. M., Greenberg, J. S., & Floyd, F. J. "Economic implications of caregiving at midlife: Comparing parents of children with developmental disabilities to other parents." Mental Retardation 42. (2004): 413-459.
  • Parish, S. L. "Mental retardation and federal income transfers: The political and economic context." Mental Retardation 41. (2003): 446-459.
  • Parish, S. L., Pomeranz-Essley, A., & Braddock, D. "Family support in the United States: Financing trends and emerging initiatives." Mental Retardation 41. (2003): 174-187.
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Profile

Susan L. Parish, PhD, MSW is the Nancy Lurie Marks Professor of Disability Policy and Director of the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Her research examines the health and financial well-being of children and adults with disabilities, as well as their caregiving families. She is particularly interested in the impact of health and poverty policies on people with disabilities and their caregiving families. Her research has been funded by federal, state, and foundation sources, including HRSA and the US Department of Education (NIDRR). At the Heller School, she directs the doctoral program in social policy. Parish teaches classes in disability policy and both quantitative and qualitative research methods. She has won numerous awards for her teaching and her research, including the Padgett Early Career Achievement Award from the Society for Social Work and Research and the Research Matters! award from the Arc of the United States. She is a Fellow of the American Association of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.

 

Degrees

University of Illinois, Chicago
Ph.D.

Rutgers University
M.S.W.

Rutgers University
B.A.

Awards and Honors

  • appointed to Steering Committee on Research Gaps and Opportunities on the Causes and Consequences of Child Hunger, National Academy of Science (2013)
  • elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (2013)
  • Heller School Annual Teaching Award (2011)
  • "Research Matters!" Distinguished Research Award, Arc of the United States (2009)
  • Deborah K. Padgett Early Career Achievement Award, Society for Social Work and Research (2009)
  • Fellow, American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (2009)
  • Overall Outstanding Professor, School of Social Work Student Organization, 2005, 2008 & 2009 (2009)