Bethany Lee, PhD, MSW

Dr. Bethany Lee, PhD MSW, is the Richard P. Barth Professor of Children’s Services at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She has significant expertise in child and family social work practice and research. Her scholarly agenda is to improve child welfare and mental health services for youth, especially youth who are at risk of, or currently placed in, therapeutic residential care or other group settings. A consistent thread in her work is the quality and outcomes of services provided to youth and families served through various public sector services. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal of Residential Treatment for Children & Youth.  

Professor Lee has authored over 50 empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals and several book chapters. Her work has been presented at 33 national and international juried conferences and 29 invited presentations. She has completed over a dozen research studies funded by state and federal governments as well as private foundations.  

She received her MSW and PhD from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to her doctoral studies, Professor Lee worked in residential programs for youth with behavioral health needs and child welfare involvement.