2026 Cluster Chairs

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Overview of Cluster Chair Roles and Responsibilities in the Abstract Review and Development of the Abstract-based Program Content of the SSWR Annual Conference

Cluster Co-Chairs play a significant role in the abstract review and development of the abstract-based program content for the SSWR annual conference. The multi-stage abstract review process, which is led by the Cluster Co-Chairs, is intrinsic to a successful, impactful, and scientifically rigorous research conference. We could not offer the conference without the energy that volunteer reviewers, Cluster Co-Chairs, and staff devote to the abstract review process.

CLUSTER CHAIR TERM AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS
Service Term: 3-year term
Eligibility Requirements: Prospective cluster chairs must meet the following criteria:

  1. PhD in social work or social welfare (or be on a social work faculty)
  2. Maintain a current program of research
  3. Possess relative expertise to the SSWR clusters and topics
  4. Experience serving at least two years as an abstract reviewer for SSWR, and/or as an abstract reviewer for another social work or related national membership organization in a similar or related area to the cluster(s) you are being nominated for

Recommendation Process: Every year, a number of Cluster Co-Chairs rotate off. The Cluster Co-Chairs, SSWR Board and conference committee members, SSWR Fellows, and the Special Interest Group (SIG) conveners are asked to recommend individuals that meet the eligibility requirements.

Vetting Process: The SSWR Vice President/Conference Chair vets each of the prospective Cluster Co-Chairs. The SSWR Vice President/Conference Chair then recommends the Cluster Co-Chair appointments to the conference committee and board who vote to affirm the appointments.

CLUSTER CHAIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Abstracts submitted to the conference are categorized within 29 clusters. Each cluster is chaired by 2-4 members of the social work community for a 3-year term – in many cases we aim to appoint three co-chairs to better distribute the work. Cluster chairs have a very significant role in the abstract review process and ensuring timely notification of abstract status to authors.

Cluster chairs jointly are responsible for the following tasks in this progressive order:

• Agree to serve for 3 years.
• Help to recruit reviewers with expertise in related to your Cluster.
• Make reviewer assignments to submitted abstracts. (each abstract is reviewed by two reviewers.)
• Review incomplete assignments or outlier abstracts for your Cluster. (Cluster chairs are asked to review incomplete review assignments, have conflicts of interest, or when abstract content and reviewer expertise is not a good match. After the Vice President/Conference Chair oversees the abstract review score discrepancy analysis for outlying reviewer scores, the cluster chairs provide a third review for abstracts where there are outlying reviewer scores)
• Recommend abstracts for acceptance in each format (individual oral papers, posters, symposia, roundtables, and workshops) and group into cohesive sessions which contain 4-5 highly scored individual oral paper abstracts, convert highly scored papers that don’t fit thematically into a paper session to ePosters when the authors agree.
• Create flash-talk sessions which contain 6-7 highly scored individual oral paper abstracts, convert highly scored papers that don’t fit thematically into a flash talk session to flash-talk sessions when the authors agree.
• Recommend moderators for oral paper and flash talk sessions.
• Report on Cluster submissions and accepted abstracts to your Cluster and any affiliated or related Special Interest Groups.

Tentative 2026 Timeline for Cluster Chairs’ work:

  • March 2025: recruit volunteer reviewers for their cluster (as needed)
  • April 15-30, 2025: assign abstracts submitted in their cluster to volunteer reviewers
  • June 8-22, 2025: handle incomplete abstract review assignments
  • July 1-15: review outlier abstracts
  • July 23-August 7, 2025: complete abstract decision-making process

If you have any questions, please contact A. DeeJay Hastings, IOM, CAE, SSWR program director, dj@sswr.org.

2026 Conference Cluster Descriptions and Co-Chairs (pending)

Download Full Cluster Descriptions and Topics (PDF)

1. Adolescent and Youth Development (ADOL)
The Adolescent and Youth Development (ADOL) cluster serves as the main track for social work and research related to the healthy development and well-being of adolescents and young adults. Work centered on youth and young adults with marginalized and intersectional identities is promoted.

2. Aging Services and Gerontology (A&G)
The Aging Services and Gerontology (A&G) cluster serves as the main track for social work practice, policy, and research related to aging and the well-being of older adults (65 years and older). The cluster topics include long-term and palliative care, caregiving for older adults, productive aging, housing, physical, mental, and cognitive health, social networks and supports, elder abuse, health promotion and disease prevention, intergenerational relationships/grandparenting, case management, economic well-being, and technology. This cluster is particularly interested in abstract submissions on diverse, innovative approaches to aging, older adults’ health, and services that support their independence, well-being, and quality of life.

3. American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Global Indigenous Populations (Indigenous Cluster)
The Indigenous cluster serves as the main track for social work practice, policy, and research related to Indigenous Peoples, Communities, and Populations. This cluster is particularly interested in abstracts that center Indigenous led and driven research, practice, and policy.

4. Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander-Focused Research (AAPIFR)
Dedicated to the comprehensive exploration of topics crucial to the health and well-being of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities, the API-Focused Research (APIFR) cluster serves as the primary track for social work and research within these communities. Organized into thematic categories, our focus areas include Health and Mental Health (encompassing substance use and prevention), Social and Cultural Dynamics (covering immigration, discrimination, civic participation, and culture), and Community and Policy Issues (with a focus on neighborhood/community dynamics, policy, and prejudice/discrimination). Encompassing such dynamic topics, APIFR cluster aims to illuminate the unique challenges faced by the API communities, offering a platform for abstract submissions proposing innovative approaches. We are particularly keen on contributions addressing health disparities, racial discrimination, and the enhancement of mental health interventions tailored to API communities. Your insights and innovations in these areas will contribute nuanced perspectives and solutions to the broader conference theme.

5. Black and African Diaspora Focused-Research (BADFR)
The Black and African Diaspora Focused-Research (BADFR) cluster serves as the main track for social work research related to Black and African American people who descend from Africa. This cluster includes, but is not limited to, topics about the multifaceted experiences, histories, and contributions of people of African descent across the globe. Research in this area focuses on the impact of slavery, colonization, and systemic oppression on Black individuals and communities. This cluster also values scholarship that emphasizes the strengths, creativity, and agency of Black people to navigate and challenge these structures. It also explores themes of identity, belonging, migration, and cultural exchange within the context of the African Diaspora. Black and African Diaspora Focused research not only enriches our understanding of the past but also informs efforts to address present-day challenges and envisions a more equitable and inclusive future for Black communities globally.

6. Child Welfare (CW)
The Child Welfare cluster is the primary track for research on the child welfare service system. This includes a broad range of programming: from prevention to intervention, family preservation, kinship and foster care, permanency/reunification, adoption, as well as system-level issues in child welfare policy, management, and workforce retention. The cluster seeks high quality research that uses innovative approaches to address challenges within child welfare services, including racial disproportionality and alternatives to traditional child welfare practice models.

7. Communities and Neighborhoods (C&N)
The Communities and Neighborhoods (C&N) cluster serves as the main community-focused macro social work research track. This cluster includes topics such as research on all forms of community practice including but not limited to community organizing, community building, community development, and mutual aid; research that is community-engaged, community-based participatory research (CBPR), or youth participatory action research (YPAR); research on how communities are impacted by state or federal policies and practices; and research on how communities (place-based, identity-based, and interest-based) affect their members.

8. Crime and Criminal Justice (C&CJ)
The Crime and Criminal Justice (C&CJ) cluster serves as the all-inclusive track for social work research across juvenile and adult legal systems. This cluster highlights topics such as macro, mezzo, and micro issues pertaining to juvenile and adult legal systems, life-course development of crime and delinquency, physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs of individuals affected by the legal system, and research across the system continuum (prevention, intervention, treatment, reentry/reintegration). This cluster is particularly interested in research using innovative approaches – research questions, study design, methods, conceptualization – to disentangle the system and structural inequities endemic to the legal system.

9. Disability (D)
The Disability cluster serves as a central track for social work research and practice focusing on disability-related issues. This cluster encompasses a broad range of topics, including but not limited to: inclusive education, accessibility in communities, disability rights and advocacy, social and employment barriers for people with disabilities, assistive technologies, health disparities in disability, mental health and disability, and intersectionality in disability experiences. We are particularly interested in abstract submissions that address innovative approaches, challenges, and solutions in the fields of disability research and practice.

10. Gender (G)
The Gender cluster serves as the primary track related to research surrounding/engaging topics of gender, including transgender and gender diverse individuals. Topics include, but are not limited to; sexism, ciscexism, misogyny, transmisogyny, misogynoir, gender joy, gender euphoria, gender roles, etc., as well as gender as related to health/healthcare (including sexual/reproductive health and behavioral health), employment/labor, gender wealth gap, feminist economics, education, immigration, violence, families, parenting, connection, community organizing, policy, and justice. We are especially interested in work taking a critical, intersectional, and/or feminist lens, and welcome all methodologies and methods.

11. Gender-Based Violence Cluster (GBV) (Previously VAWC Cluster)
The gender-based violence cluster serves as the main track for social work research, policy, and practice on gender-based violence, trauma, and abuse, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, sex trafficking, teen dating violence, and interpersonal violence. The cluster is particularly interested in research guided by theoretical perspectives that acknowledge how power, control, and inequities based on gender and intersecting identities, marginalization, and oppressions shape experiences of violence and abuse, as well as research examining broader systems and structures (e.g. policy, programming, community, and interpersonal) that impact GBV and GBV prevention and response. This cluster is interested in submissions based on all forms of research and scholarship, including but not limited to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs, community-based and participatory research, intervention research, arts-based research, and theoretical innovations to prevent and respond to GBV.

12. Health (H)
The Health cluster focuses on the multifaceted landscape of health and social work in health settings. It delves into the intricate interplay between social and structural drivers of health, aiming to understand their profound impact on health and disease. Key Themes:

Epidemiology, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Chronic Diseases: This theme explores the epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases, offering a comprehensive investigation of the multifaceted dimensions. Chronic diseases include cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, among others. This theme examines the prevalence, risk and protective factors, screening and diagnosis methodologies, and treatment modalities.

Social and Structural Determinants of Health: Understanding health outcomes requires analyzing the broader social context in which individuals live. This theme investigates how social determinants such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and built environments, social and community context, and healthcare access and quality intersect with structural factors like systemic racism, discrimination, and policy decisions to shape health inequities.

Social Work Roles in Health & Interprofessional Teaming: Within this theme, the focus is on the provision of healthcare services and the role of health social workers in addressing the psychosocial needs of patients as well as working collaboratively with other professions for best outcomes. It explores strategies for delivering culturally competent care, promoting patient advocacy facilitating access to resources for marginalized populations, and addressing provider secondary traumatic stress.

Health Policy: This theme delves into the development, implementation, and evaluation of health policies at local, national, and global levels. It examines policy frameworks aimed at disease prevention, healthcare financing, access to care, and the promotion of population health.

Health Equity: Central to all themes in this cluster is the pursuit of health equity. It involves addressing systemic injustices, dismantling barriers to care, and fostering inclusive policies and practices that promote equitable health outcomes for diverse populations.

By exploring these interconnected themes, the Health cluster aims to advance knowledge, inform policy and practice, and ultimately contribute to the achievement of optimal health and well-being for all individuals and communities.

13. History (HST)
The History cluster examines how historical events, policies, ideologies, politics, and knowledge production have shaped and been shaped by the development of social welfare and the social work profession. It encourages critical reflection on the agency and impact of social workers on communities, practices, and policies, whether positive or negative, by exploring social work’s role in the histories of: communities; significant events; individual social workers; intellectual development; social policy; ideologies and public narratives; and interconnected histories encompassing these elements. Submissions should use archival and historical research methods to show how history shapes contemporary challenges, opportunities, and social work’s evolving role.

14. Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy (IP&SWP)
The Inequality, Poverty, and Social Welfare Policy cluster concentrates on social policy and social work research that delves into examining, exploring, analyzing, and evaluating the impact of policy and practice innovations and interventions aimed at reducing poverty and economic inequality, promoting financial well-being, and enhancing social welfare.

15. International Social Work & Global Issues (ISW&GI)
The International Social Work & Global Issues (ISW&GI) cluster serves as a main track for social work research related to international social work and global issues. This cluster includes topics related to but not limited to comparative studies and cross-national research.

16. Immigrants and Refugees (I&R)
The Immigrant and Refugee Study (I & R) cluster is a hub for social work research dedicated to the multifaceted field of migration. Our cluster encompasses a wide range of topics, reflecting our commitment to comprehensively understanding the complex issues that immigrants and forcibly displaced populations face. Some key areas of focus within our cluster include forced migration (with or without recognized legal documents by the receiving country), resettlement, immigration policy (e.g. border control and migration integration policy), human trafficking, internal displacement, statelessness, war and conflict, and the intersection of mental health with (forced) migration (e.g. intergenerational trauma). At the I & R cluster, we strive to shed light on the challenges and opportunities presented by migration in a world that is increasingly on the move. We welcome abstract submissions that explore and address various aspects of immigrant and refugee experiences, from the legal and policy dimensions to the psychological and social impacts. Our cluster is particularly interested in research and contributions that delve into the often-overlooked nuances and complexities of immigration, with a commitment to promoting inclusivity and understanding. We encourage scholars, practitioners, and advocates to join us in the exploration of these vital issues and contribute to the growing body of knowledge that informs policies and practices related to (forced) migration.

17. LatinX Focused-Research (LXFR)
The LatinX Focused-Research (LXFR) cluster is the main research track dedicated exclusively to the experiences of Latinx populations within a domestic (i.e., United States) and international context. This cluster includes topics related but not limited to: Latinx health and mental health, acculturation, social service access, implementation science, Latin American migration, community-engaged work with Latinx populations, and immigration-related issues.

18. Mental Health (MH)
The mental health cluster serves as the main track for advancing mental health research related to culturally responsive prevention, screening, assessment, treatment/intervention, rehabilitation, policy, and evaluation. This cluster includes research on all topics related to mental health including but not limited to Depression and Anxiety Disorders; Serious Mental Illness; Mental Health Treatment and Services Co-morbidity; Systems of Care; Trauma Exposure; Trauma-Informed Care; Psychiatric Epidemiology; Prevention and Resilience; Culturally Responsive Practice; and Psychiatric/Psychotropic Medications.

19. Military Service Members, Veterans and Their Families (MSVF)
The military service members, veterans and their families (MSVF) cluster serves as the main track focused on research about military and veteran populations. Cluster topics include military and veteran mental health, substance use/misuse, suicide, and homelessness. Additional topics include deployment stressors, combat exposures, deployment and post-deployment health, post-deployment reintegration, military sexual trauma, the military-to- veteran transition, and health services utilization in the Military Health System, Veterans Health Administration, and civilian health facilities. Additional populations of interest include military chaplains, military healthcare providers, military social workers, student veterans, women, racial and sexual minorities, military families, military spouses, military couples, and military children.

20. Organizations & Management (O&M)
The O&M cluster concerns a wide range of research on organizational behaviors and management issues in various service fields. Most health, social, and human services are delivered within organizational settings, and many organizations engage in interdependent relationships with their environments. Thus, the cluster invites abstracts addressing the following topics at individual-level (e.g., user experience within organizations), relational level (e.g., user-provider interactions, staff and professional dynamics), organizational level (e.g., inter-organizational collaboration), and regional/system-level (e.g., public-nonprofit social service contracts) with various methodological approaches.

21. Race and Ethnicity (R&E)
The cluster serves as the main track for social work research related to issues, problems and analyses related to race and ethnicity. This cluster is particularly interested in abstract submissions that address pressing social problems, offer theoretical contributions, apply a critical lens and use innovative methodologies, such as historical, participatory, action-oriented, arts-based, big data and discursive methodologies. This cluster includes topics related but not limited to: Racial Policies, Issues, and Gaps, Anti-Racism, Racial and Ethnic Discrimination, Ethnic Minority Groups, Ethnic Minority Wellbeing.

22. Research Design and Measurement (RD&M)
The “Research Design and Measurement” cluster is pivotal in advancing social work research through innovative methodologies. It emphasizes the development and application of both quantitative and qualitative research designs, fostering methodological rigor and creativity. This content area is dedicated to exploring novel approaches for data collection, analysis, and interpretation, ensuring that research outcomes are reliable and impactful. It also prioritizes advancements in measurement techniques, enhancing the precision and accuracy of data in social work studies. This cluster serves as a methodological cornerstone for researchers aiming to contribute sound insights into the multifaceted field of social work research.

23. Research on Social Work Education (RSWE)
Research on Social Work Education SSWR Cluster focuses on qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, and conceptual ideas that highlight scholarship related to social work education. The primary aim of this track is to offer the latest and most advanced thinking regarding trends, innovations, opportunities, and challenges facing social work education with the goal of improving and enhancing the undergraduate, master’s, and postgraduate educational experience.

24. School Social Work (SSW)
The School Social Work Cluster focuses on research examining, exploring, analyzing, and evaluating the role of school social work practices, interventions, and policies that influence student and school well-being. This includes, but is not limited to, research on school advocacy, policy, and leadership; school climate and culture; anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in schools; interprofessional collaboration; school health clinics; school discipline; student learning supports; student-teacher relationships; extracurriculars and out-of-school time activities tied to schools; school-based mental health interventions; crisis management; case management; student and family support services, and school-community partnerships.

25. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SO&GI)
The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) cluster provides a vital platform for cutting-edge research dedicated to understanding the rich diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations. This cluster emphasizes rigorous inquiry into the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities, aiming to advance knowledge that promotes social justice and equitable health outcomes. We welcome submissions that explore both the resilience and challenges encountered by SOGI populations, and that inform and promote structurally/culturally competent and affirming social work practices and policies nationally and abroad.

26. Social Work Practice (SWP)
The social work practice (SWP) cluster focuses on research that advances effective, ethical, and culturally competent practice at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Key areas of focus include intervention research and direct practice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, ethical issues, and macro practice issues including policy practice and workforce development. Submissions should contribute to evidence-based social work practice as well as advancing social work values and ethical principles and may encompass various research methodologies and specific topic areas. Though all submissions will be considered, preference will be given to submissions that demonstrate alignment with SSWR’s Grand Challenges and the conference theme.

27. Substance Misuse and Addictive Behaviors (SM&AB)
The Substance Misuse and Addictive Behaviors cluster is the primary track for social work research on substances like alcohol, opioids, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs, and addictive behaviors such as gambling, sex, technology use, and more. Cluster-related research covers the entire lifespan and includes individuals, groups, families, and community contexts to understand substance misuse and addictive behavior dynamics. Submissions of intervention strategies, epidemiological investigations, policy analyses, assessment processes, and measurement exploration are encouraged. The cluster values innovative research that enhances recovery, deepens our understanding of root causes and prevalence, and influences societal responses to substance misuse and addictive behaviors.

28. Sustainable Development, Environmental and Climate Justice (SDE&CJ)
The Sustainable Development, Environmental, and Climate Justice (SDE&CJ) cluster is dedicated to investigating and acting on the social and policy dimensions of global and local environmental change. The cluster encompasses practice, policy, and research inquiries into climate and environmental justice, including diverse dimensions such as food, water, and energy security and sovereignty, sustainable development, environmental sustainability, disaster impacts and risk reduction, intersections of migration and environmental change, as well as community impacts and actions in response to interconnected socio-environmental challenges.

29. Work and Work-Life Policies and Programs (WWLP&P)
The Work and Work-Life Policies and Programs (WWLPP) cluster serves as the main track for social work research, policy, and practice related to labor conditions, work-life balance, and their effects on individuals and families in today’s economy. Topics include but are not limited to:

  • Job conditions and dynamics: unemployment, underemployment, job quality
  • Worker wellbeing: worker performance, occupational health and safety, and worker health and economic wellbeing
  • Families and work: spillover of work on children and families, including economic wellbeing, parent-child relationships, mental health, child development, child care and early education programs
  • Labor relations and management: unions and labor relations, management practices, occupational social work, workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Work-life policies and programs: employee assistance programs; workplace and government policies, such as paid family leave; labor standards; safety net policies and programs’ intersection with work; workplace- based interventions; job training and development
  • Workplace inequality: inequality at work, effects of work on social inequality
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