Faculty

Elissa D. Giffords

Professor of Social Work

A.A., Nassau Community CollegeB.A., Hofstra UniversityM.S.W., D.S.W., Adelphi University

elissa.giffords@liu.edu

Description

Elissa D. Giffords, DSW, LCSW is a Professor in the Social Work Department at LIU Post Since joining the faculty in 2000, Dr. Giffords enjoys the mixture of teaching, advising students, producing scholarly research, and participating in service to the university and in the greater Long Island community.

Dr. Giffords entered the field as a paraprofessional in 1983 as a peer counselor at Runaway Youth Coordinating Council, then worked as an outreach worker at Youth Environmental Services and later as a Nassau County Department of Social Services (DSS) Child Protective Caseworker.  She received her MSW with dual concentrations in group work and community organization and DSW in policy, planning, and administration from Adelphi University. During her MSW and DSW programs, Dr. Giffords assisted eligible individuals to obtain health and human services through community-based coalitions and direct work with clients at the Interfaith Nutrition Network, Health and Welfare Council, and Family and Children's Association.

Dr. Giffords previously served as an Executive Board member of the Long Island Health Access Monitoring Project (LIHAMP) a group that focused on efforts to gain access to healthcare for underserved people. In 2006 this advocacy group worked in conjunction with other statewide coalitions and with the NYS Legislature to meet its mission of getting New York State Charity Care Legislation passed. Her prior coalition work is substantial and includes the National Board of Directors for the Lupus Alliance of America; Nassau County Department of Social Services, Foster Care Committee; Nassau County Presiding Supervisor’s Citizen Advisory Committee for the Physically Challenged; Refugee Assistance Program, Advisory Board Member; Robert Wood Johnson Senior-Services Faith-in-Action Grant Project, Executive Advisory Board Member; and the SSI Advocacy Group.

Dr. Giffords actively serves on several community-based boards and committees, including her work on Nassau County Executive’s Task Force on Family Violence as the Co-Chair of the Program Committee. In addition, Dr. Giffords is extremely engaged in collaborative advocacy efforts that focus on improving social service benefits and service delivery at Nassau County Department of Social Services (NCDSS) in her role of Executive Committee Chair of the Advisory Council.  She is also an active member of the Advisory Council’s Income Supports subcommittee, a group that works toward assisting low-income and public assistance recipients at the macro level.

On campus, Dr. Giffords serves as the Faculty Liaison for the MSW Graduate Student Association, Phi Alpha Honor Society, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Liaison. Through these roles, she has helped LIU Post students to achieve a prominent role in campus life, to engage in community service as well as assist in the socialization of future social work professionals. In May 2011, Dr. Giffords, along with Dr. Ilene Nathanson lectured on social work at the University of Nanjing Science and Technology in China.

Dr. Giffords has an extensive publication record that includes peer reviewed journal articles in the areas of social work ethics, chronic illness, health policy, child welfare, administration and technology. She is recently co-edited a textbook book for Lyceum Books titled “New Perspectives on Poverty: Policies, Programs and Practice”.

Specialties

Administration/Nonprofit management

Social Policy

Community practice

Publications

Co-author, (2012) Understanding The Concerns And Needs Of Immigrant Youth In Nassau County, New York. Families in Society

Co-author, (2011) Expanding Awareness: Issues in the Development of an Ethics Scale for the Social Work Profession. Journal of Social Work Education.

Co-author, (2010) A Model for Change: Legislative Advocacy to Improving Access for the Uninsured and Underinsured in New York State', Journal of Community Practice, 18: 1, 5-18.

Author, (2009). The Internet and Social Work: Where are we now? Families in Society. 90(4) 413-418.

Author, (2009). An Examination of Social Workers’ Organizational Commitment and Professional Commitment. Journal of Social Work. 9(4) 386-404.

Co-author, (2007). A Transitional Living Program for Homeless Adolescents: A Case Study. Child and Youth Care Forum. 36(4). 141-151.

Co-author, (2005). Practical Strategies for Independent Living. The Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 43(1). 3-16.

Co-author, (2005). Increasing Access to Health Care: An Examination of Hospital Community Benefits and Free Care Programs. Health & Social Work. 30(3).  183-191.

Co-author, (2004). Strategic Planning in Nonprofit Organizations: Continuous Quality Performance Improvement – A Case Study International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior. 7(1). 66-80.

Author, (2003). A Study of Employee Commitment in Public, Not-for-profit and Proprietary Social Service Organizations.  Social Work in Administration. 27(3) 5-23.

Author, (2003). Strategies for Understanding and Managing Systemic Lupus and other Chronic Illnesses. Social Work in Health Care (37)4. 57-72.

Author, (2003) Changing Organizational Cultures: The Challenge in Forging Successful Mergers. Social Work in Administration 27(1). 69-81.

Author,  (2003) Bringing Technology to School: An Online Guide for the School Social Worker. Journal of Technology in Human Services. 21(1/2). 57-83

Author, (2000). A Study of Employee Commitment in Public, Not-for-profit and Proprietary Social Service Organizations. Unpublished. Dissertation Abstracts.

Author, (1998). Social Work on the Internet: An Introduction.  Social Work 43(2). 243-251

Books

Co-Editor. (2014) New Perspectives on Poverty: Policies, Programs and Practice. Lyceum Books Inc. Chicago, IL.

Instructional Guide

Co-Author, (2007). Challenging the Myths and Stereotypes about the Poor. Uniondale, New York: Nassau County Commissioner’s Advisory Council.

Book Chapters

Author. (2014). What is poverty? In E.D. Giffords & K.R. Garber (eds.) New Perspectives on Poverty: Policies, Programs and Practice. Lyceum Books Inc. Chicago, IL.

Author. (2014). Contemporary Responses to Poverty.  In E.D. Giffords & K.R. Garber (eds.) New Perspectives on Poverty: Policies, Programs and Practice. Lyceum Books Inc. Chicago, IL.

Author. (2014). Poverty: What you can do about it. In E.D. Giffords & K.R. Garber (eds.) New Perspectives on Poverty: Policies, Programs and Practice. Lyceum Books Inc. Chicago, IL.

Co-Author, (2009). Case Vignettes and Ethical Choices. In E. P. Congress, P. N. Black & K. Strom-Gottfried (eds). Teaching in Social Work Values & Ethics: A Curriculum Resource, 2^nd Ed.) pp. 123-128. CSWE Press. Washington DC.

Co-Author, (2002) Sexuality counseling for persons with physical disabilities. In E. Weinstein & E. Rosen, Critical Issues in Sexuality: Implications for Psychotherapy. (pp. 187-210). Boston: American Press.

Author, (2003) Bringing Technology to School: An Online Guide for the School Social Worker. In B. A. Pahwa (Ed.) Technology-Assisted Delivery of School Based Mental Health Services. (pp. 57-83). New York: Hayworth Press. (Co-published simultaneously as Journal of Technology in Human Services 2(1/2).

Honors/Awards

Recipient, The David Newton Awards for Excellence in Teaching, LIU, 2013

Recipient, Recognition and Appreciation from the Master Social Work LIU Post Graduate Student Association and Class of 2010

Recipient, Advisor of the Year Award: LIU Post, Division of Student Affairs, 2009

Recipient, Outstanding Teaching Award: LIU Post, College of Management, 2008

Recipient, Social Worker of the Year: National Association of Social Workers, New York State, 2008

Recipient, Office of the Nassau County Executive Citation from Thomas R. Suoizzi, 2008 [in recognition of Social Worker of the Year, NYS]

Recipient, Appreciation of Service to the NASWNYS, Nassau Division, 2005

Recipient, Certificate of Appreciation from LIU Post Students & Staff in recognition of being an Exemplary Model for Today’s Women, 2005.

Recipient, Social Worker of the Year: National Association of Social Workers, NYS-Nassau Division, 2004

Recipient, Office of the Nassau County Executive Citation from Thomas R. Suoizzi, 2004 [for Social Worker Of The Year]

Recipient, Citation from Presiding Officer Nassau County Legislature, Judith Jacobs, 2004 [for Social Worker Of The Year]

Recipient, Citation from Nassau County Legislator, Kevan Abrahams, 2004 [for Social Worker Of The Year]

Recipient, Office of the Nassau County Executive Citation from Thomas R. Suoizzi, 2004 [for my role in coordinating a cultural competence conference]

Recipient, Outstanding Research Award: LIU Post, College of Management, 2004

Recipient, Honorable Mention, National League of American Pen Woman, 2000.

Recipient, Certificate of Appreciation: Outstanding Service in Advancing ROTACARE to Provide Free Healthcare for People in Need, Rotary Club, 1993.

Professional Affiliations

Council of Social Work Education

National Association of Social Workers

Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine

Therapy Dogs Inc.