Experienced social worker, Joslin Batty, to join faculty at USU Uintah Basin
Joslin Batty will soon join the faculty at Utah State University Uintah Basin as a clinical assistant professor in the university’s Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology. The Utah native will officially start in her new role on Aug. 1.
A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Batty has experience in child and family services, juvenile justice, adolescent residential behavioral programs and outpatient clinics, and she has also served in a therapeutic wilderness program. Batty earned her bachelor’s in psychology from Utah Valley University, where she worked two jobs to put herself through school with minimal financial aid. After moving to Vernal and starting a family, Batty enrolled in USU Uintah Basin’s inaugural part-time Master of Social Work (MSW) program cohort.
“I have a strong attachment to USU because it is my alma mater, and my favorite thing about USU is its ability to bring higher education to rural areas,” Batty explained. “I have been given the ability to be my own boss because of my education. I have been given more freedom with my schedule and being involved with my family because of this.
Batty currently owns and operates The Journey Counseling Center in Vernal, where she oversees 10 mental health therapists who provide treatment for children, adolescents and adults healing from trauma.
“Ultimately, I have been afforded opportunities to help others both personally and professionally because of where I have ended up in my career,” Batty added. “And I have been able to help other professionals pursue their own goals and aspirations, as well.”
Those interested in pursuing a career in social work learn how to improve individual lives within each community, “And social work is a great foundation for understanding how to do that best,” Batty noted.
Utah State University offers both a Bachelor of Science in social work and a Master of Social Work at the Uintah Basin campus. There is an advanced standing part-time MSW program that takes a year and half to complete, or a three-year, part-time program is also available. Application deadlines for both graduate cohorts are set for fall 2021.
Topics such as child welfare, human development and policy and law require working and interacting with other people in order to make an impact.
“Look anywhere and if you look hard enough, there is potential for the impact of social work,” Batty explained. “Social work is important because it truly encompasses all the parts of the whole; the individual within their current environment and environmental origin, while also considering the biological and psychological factors. It is not focused on one part, and, because it is not, it is a highly effective approach to human connection, functioning and growth.”
While Utah State has transitioned to remote learning, Batty noted that the field of social work has also transitioned.
“COVID-19 has caused a complete shift in how we provide services,” she said. “I think in the world of telehealth many doors will be opened and continue to flourish in a technologically growing world. I also see many things that must be dialed back to regain professional accountability. But personally, I will be glad to get back to seeing my clients and students in person without social distancing, because interpersonal communication is changed so much with a mask.”
To learn more about USU’s social work programs in the Uintah Basin, visit uintahbasin.usu.edu.
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
