CHSS Undergraduate Showcase — Social Work Participants

Homelessness, Health and Hope

Presenter: Rachel Gosiengfiao 
Faculty advisor: Jocelyn Hermoso 

The Tenderloin neighborhood is an ethnically diverse neighborhood with a strong presence of Latino, Asian, African American, and multiracial residents; however, it is also known for its unsafe street conditions, high rates of violent crime, open air drug activity, and homelessness. According to the recent census report, the Tenderloin neighborhood is home to families, seniors, those with disabilities and at least 3,500 children. There is a powerful sense of community, grassroot movements pushing for affordable housing, several organizations offering free meals to those less fortunate, and clinics offering medical care without charge. Aside from the community action plans, the city is supporting small businesses on Larkin Street by providing business training grants, public space improvements, and revitalization initiatives. 

The low-cost housing and SROs (Single Room Occupancy) in the Tenderloin attract individuals from low-income households, seniors and those transitioning out of homelessness. Those that are unhoused have high rates of mental health disorders, substance abuse issues and chronic health conditions (Chang et al., 2023). Many lack insurance or funds to afford copayments and have difficulty making or receiving appointments. There is a correlation that the stress of being homeless and financially challenged can exacerbate mental health issues and encourage substance abuse (Elbogen et al., 2021). 

By using an explanatory research approach, I aim to gain an understanding and identify potential issues and solutions. 

Choosing the Streets Over Shelters: Barriers to Shelter Use Among Unhoused Youth in San Francisco

Presenter: Belayneh Salilew 
Faculty advisor: Jocelyn Hermoso

My research project explores the factors that lead many unhoused youth in San Francisco to avoid using shelters, despite the availability of those few youth shelters. Using a descriptive approach, the study synthesizes findings from academic literature, policy reports, and interviews to better understand the underlying reasons for this resistance. Youth experiencing homelessness face unique challenges, including trauma, mistrust of institutions, lack of privacy, and fear of violence or exploitation within shelters. A recent UCSF report and UC Berkeley study reveal that unhoused youth are more likely to die than their housed peers, largely due to suicide and substance use, making this issue a matter of urgent public concern. 

My project identifies key themes contributing to shelter avoidance, including rigid shelter rules, the lack of youth-specific and culturally competent services, and negative past experiences in the foster care or juvenile justice systems. I aim to provide insights into how shelters and service systems can be made more trauma-informed and youth-centered. 

This research is part of my senior year undergraduate social work capstone. Findings from this study can inform community-based responses, service design, and interventions to improve outcomes for this vulnerable population. 

Vice, Power, and Policy: The Changing Role of Sex Workers in San Francisco

Presenter: Ajai Nicole Duncan 
Faculty advisor: Jocelyn Hermoso 

In this podcast, “Vice, Power, and Policy: The Changing Role of Sex Workers in San Francisco,” we’ll journey through the rich and complex history of sex work in one of America’s most iconic cities. Through a mix of research, storytelling, and expert interviews, I’ll bring you a nuanced understanding of how sex workers went from being revered community figures, like the powerful madams of the Barbary Coast, to marginalized individuals fighting for their rights in the present day.  

This story is more than just about sex work—it’s about power, politics, and the systems that shape who gets to thrive and who gets criminalized. I’ll dive into how U.S. military intervention and moral policing laid the groundwork for laws that continue to impact sex workers today. Through engaging narratives and research-driven insights, we’ll explore how these policies evolved, and how current legal battles, like the Shotwell Street lawsuit, reflect the ongoing fight for decriminalization. 

Study Abroad Experience

Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jocelyn Clare Hermoso
Entry #13

As an undergraduate student and as a Latinx student face multiple challenges in a diverse society. However, there are valuable resources that help the Latinx community in academic development. When studying abroad expands the opportunities for education with high levels of knowledge in different cultures, perspectives, and social issues at the international level. Indeed, only a few students from minority groups participate in study abroad programs due to significant factors. For example, one of the core problems students encounter includes financial constraints.

To find the right financial support, it is imperative to have an important guide during the application process. The International Department from SFSU provides advisory services to guide students and help them find those important resources. As a student who went to study abroad for a semester, I would like to share the incredible experience of a semester abroad (Germany) and provide information about financial support, the host university, and its programs in the Social Work Department.

Hidden Voices of the Tenderloin

Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jocelyn Clare Hermoso
Entry #18

Homelessness is a multifaceted social issue that requires collaborative efforts and joint social action to effectively address its root causes and provide solutions. This study focuses on the homeless population in the Tenderloin District — a specific region in San Francisco. Historically, the city government of San Francisco has tried various efforts to end homelessness, none of which have worked.

One approach, Housing First (HF), has been considered effective at addressing homelessness based on literature and studies. HF guarantees permanent housing as a human right without any conditions. There have been many attempts to implement HF in San Francisco; however, it has been opposed by conservative forces because of the ideological underpinnings about the root causes of poverty. In this study, we provide an in-depth qualitative study through interviews that assess the needs of individuals and families who identify as homeless, both in shelters and in the streets of the Tenderloin district. Our interviews, focus on assessing the unhoused population's beliefs on HF to address homelessness. Homelessness is not limited to a specific demographic or community, thus understanding and respecting diversity within the homeless population is an essential part of finding new solutions.

Poverty and mental health

Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jocelyn Clare Hermoso
Entry #22

Mental illness includes a wide range of conditions that affect a person's emotions, thinking and behavior. There is often a complex relationship between mental illness and poverty. People living in poverty often face many stressors, such as inadequate access to health care, employment opportunities, education, and trauma or violence on top because of the stigmas people have of them. These stressors can increase the risk of developing mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. Often, financially disadvantaged people have more difficult access to psychological support, which can worsen their mental health problems (cf. National Library of Medicine). On the other hand, mental illness can contribute to poverty (cf. Crisis Assistance Ministry 2023). Those affected may have problems finding or even keeping a job, which in turn leads to financial instability. In addition, depending on the diagnosis, high healthcare costs can occur, which can also place a financial charge on them. This research seeks to address the following research question: What are barriers to access mental health care for refugees living in poverty in Fulda, and how can these barriers be overcome?

Ethical Challenges in Social Work Practice in Pandemic Conditions: A Photovoice Project

Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jocelyn Hermoso
Entry #17

The COVID-19 virus pandemic has brought up a multitude of issues and challenges. It intensified already existing inequities which disproportionately affected the marginalized. Social workers played significant roles in responding to the pandemic, including working on the front lines, providing direct social services to clients, and organizing mutual aid groups to support precarious communities. At the same time, the shift in practice modalities to curb infection rates also brought new ethical challenges to social work practice. Building on the works of Banks et al, 2021 and IFSW, 2021, this Photovoice project sought to address the research question: What are the ethical challenges in social work practice in pandemic conditions? Conducted as a class research project, this Photovoice project involved having twenty-seven (27) students each take a photograph that symbolized an ethical challenge to social work practice brought about by the pandemic. Using Wang and Burris’ (1997) SHOWeD framework, the students conducted a focused group analyzing the photographs and formulated themes addressing the research question about the ethical challenges to social work practice. Implications for social work practice, policy, research, and education of this Photovoice project will be explored.