Barry Ackerson
Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Associate Professor
Office location: Suite 2000
Phone number: 217-333-2261
Email: backerso@illinois.edu
Educational Background
Professor Ackerson received his bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1975. He earned his MSW in 1978 and his Ph.D. in 1998, both from the School of Social Work at The University of Alabama. He is also licensed as an LCSW, which he has maintained since making the transition from social work practice to his current academic position.
Dr. Ackerson has over twenty years of experience as both a clinician and administrator in the mental health field. His practice background is reflected in his research interests, which focus primarily on mental health services and policies. He has presented at state and national conferences including: Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Annual Program Meeting, the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and both the Alabama and Illinois chapters of the National Association of Social Work (NASW). He has published in a variety of social work and mental health journals including: Families in Society, Social Work, Health and Social Work, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, Journal of Family Social Work, and Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal. He has also written several book chapters on mental health and is currently working as a co-author on a mental health policy textbook.
Professor Ackerson currently teaches courses relevant to mental health (SOCW 552: HBSE II: Mental Disorders) and is and advisor in the Advocacy, Leadership and Social Change concentration. Dr. Ackerson recently developed and teaches “Social Work Teaching Seminar” for doctoral students.
Dr. Ackerson is an active member of several mental health organizations at the local, state, and national level. He currently serves as Vice-President on the Board of Directors for Community Elements (formerly Mental Health Center of Champaign County). He serves on the Board of Directors for NASW-IL as treasurer. His national service includes the Council for Practice Methods and Specializations of the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE).
Research and Practice Interests
Mental health services: parents with severe and persistent mental illness, assertive community treatment (ACT), harm reduction and integrated treatment for mental illness and substance abuse (MISA), effects of organizational climate on mental health service outcomes.
Current Research
“Mentalization abilities of mothers with mental illness: Links to young children's mental health outcomes and language.” Teresa Ostler, Principal Investigator. Co-Investigator: Barry Ackerson. This project is studying whether maternal mentalization (i.e. mother’s ability to help her child make sense of and cope with feeling states) is associated with mental health outcomes in preschool-aged children (ages 2-5).
“Climate, Diversity and Outcomes in Rural Mental Health.” Chris Larrison, Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators: Susan Schoppelrey and Barry Ackerson. This is a multi-site study examining the organizational factors that influence disparities in treatment outcomes for African American clients receiving services from community mental health agencies (CMHAs) in rural areas.
Recent Publications
Ackerson, B.J. (in press). Coping With the Dual Demands of Psychiatric Disability and Parenting: The Parents’ Perspective. In A.E. Fortune (Ed.) Qualitative Research in Social Work (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press.
Ackerson, B.J. (in press). Coping With the Dual Demands of Psychiatric Disability and Parenting: The Parents’ Perspective. In A.E. Fortune (Ed.) Qualitative Research in Social Work (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press.
Ackerson, B.J. (in press). Coping With the Dual Demands of Psychiatric Disability and Parenting: The Parents’ Perspective. In A.E. Fortune (Ed.) Qualitative Research in Social Work (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press.
Ackerson, B.J. (in press). Coping With the Dual Demands of Psychiatric Disability and Parenting: The Parents’ Perspective. In A.E. Fortune (Ed.) Qualitative Research in Social Work (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press
Garrison, M. E. & Ackerson B.J. (2010). Consumers as Providers: What inhibits the success of this practice? Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal, 6(2), 1-12.
Venkataraman, M. & Ackerson, B.J. (2008). Parenting among mothers with bipolar disorder: Strengths, challenges, and service needs. Journal of Family Social Work, 11(4), 389-408.
Larrison, C.R., Schoppelrey, S.L., Hadley-Ives, E., & Ackerson, B.J. (2008). Organizational climate and treatment outcomes for African American clients receiving services at community mental health agencies. Administration in Social Work, 32(3), 111-138 .
Ostler, T. & Ackerson, B. (2008). Parental Chronic Mental Illness. In M.M. Haith & J.B. Benson (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development (Vol. 2, pp. 479-490). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Press.
Ackerson, B.J. & Korr. W.S. (2007). Mental health policy and social justice. In E. Aldarondo (Ed.) Advancing social justice through clinical practice (pp.359-369). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Ackerson, B.J., Finet, D., Kayama, M., & Sensoy, O. (2007). Cunningham Children’s Home Supported Education and Employment for Older Youth in Care. Urbana, Illinois: School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Children and Family Research Center.
Ackerson, B.J. (2007). [Review of the book Empowering People with Severe Mental Illness: A Practical Guide]. Social Work, 52, 90-91.
Ackerson, B. & Karoll, B. (2005). Evaluation of an Assertive Community Treatment-Harm Reduction Program: Implementation Issues. Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal, 1(2), 34-49.