User:MichiganProf

Dr. Desmond U. Patton is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. He teaches SSW 697: Social Work Practice with Communities and Social Systems. His classes are using Wikipedia to write articles on pertinent social work practice skills.

Professor Patton's research is broadly focused on urban African American male development and identity. He is specifically interested in the mechanisms and processes underlying how African American adolescent males respond to community violence exposure and its impact on masculinity, friendship and schooling. His work takes into account how relationships between social networks, neighborhood conditions and social support impact how African-American males navigate violent neighborhoods and value school. As a qualitative researcher, Professor Patton has interest in narrative and case-study based approached to unpacking the lived experiences of urban African American males.

Prior to joining the School of Social Work faculty, Professor Patton was a Researcher in the Child Health Data Lab at the Children's Hospital of Chicago Research Center and Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He conducted research that examines how youth development programs influence successful outcomes for African American youth; evaluated the effectiveness of a Safe Passage program as an intervention for violence reduction; and conducted focus groups to identify the individual psychosocial needs and post-discharge health care needs of emergency room patients affected by gun violence. Professor Patton is also a part of the Strengthening Chicago Youth's (SCY) leadership team- a community- academic collaboration to prevent violence in Chicago.