Ijeoma Opara, PhD, LMSW, MPH

Experience

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  Griswold Home Care

  Jun 2007 - May 2010

  Caregiver Supervisor

  Supervised, Hired and Trained Caregivers, CNA's and CHHA who were responsible for caring for the elderly.

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  Johns Hopkins Hospital

  May 2010 - May 2011

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) R.I.S.E Pre-Masters Extern

  Supervised by Dr. Arlene Butz, Professor and PI of PAAL (Pediatric Asthma Alert Leader) NIH Funded studyConducted quantitative research on the risk factors for repeated emergency room usage amongst children with severe asthma. Examined the association between caregiver characteristics such as maternal smoking and maternal stress and asthma morbidity.

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  New York University

  Jan 2013 - May 2014

  SAMHSA/HRSA Integrated Behavioral and Primary Healthcare Program MSW Fellowship

  Conducted psychotherapy sessions with women who reside in the shelter using various techniques including CBT, trauma focused therapy and motivational interviewing techniquesConducted medical and mental health risk assessments on new residents and patients of the clinicConducted Biopsychosocial assessments Coordinated medical and mental health visits and appointments for clientsDeveloped and implemented a young adults women's support group for women ages 18 to 30 years oldAssisted the Director of Evaluations and Outcomes Research on data collection involving health outcomes of consumers of ICL mental health clinic services who participated in an ongoing integrated health study Show less

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  The Children's Village

  May 2014 - Nov 2014

  Assistant Director of Supportive Housing

  Assist in program oversight, weekly staff supervision and recruitmentSupervise 5-7 resource specialists and case managersAssist in addressing programmatic issues and youth concernsAssist in coordinating with program partners and other internal CV program, stakeholders and program budgetEnsure compliance with funding, program audit requirements, report outcome, goals and data trackingRepresent CV Supportive Housing program at external meetings such as Department of Social Services monthly meetings, Housing & Urban Development meetings & other meetings pertaining to supportive housing in Westchester County, NYCreated and implemented various programming for youthCreated & implemented CV Supportive Housing Healthy Eating Initiative Program July 2014Conducted training for all staff on how to teach healthy eating practices to young adults in the supportive housing programInterview youth & young adults who are referred to the supportive housing program by outside, external sources, determines whether young adult is eligible to be in program by discussing future goals for youth after dischargeProvide counseling and psychotherapy services to program participants as needed Show less

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  Esperanza NY, Inc

  Nov 2014 - Sept 2016

  Youth and Family Therapist

  Providing counseling and therapeutic services for court involved youth and families in the community

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  Montclair State University

  Sept 2016 - Aug 2019

  Doctoral Research Fellow

  -Conducting research and analyzing data to address barriers to HIV/STD treatment and prevention in African American Women and Girls-Developing programs that address sexual risk reduction in communities of color, Black female empowerment, Black youth empowerment and racial pride in African American Youth-Implementing evidence based programming in inner city high schools that address substance abuse and HIV/STD prevention for ethnic minority adolescents

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  Columbia University - Columbia School of Social Work

  Sept 2017 - Aug 2019

  Lecturer

  Course(s) Taught: Developmental Aspects of Adolescence: Theory & Intervention PerspectivesSchool of Social Work, MSW course

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  New York University

  Feb 2018 - Aug 2019

  National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Predoctoral fellow

  Behavioral Sciences Training (BST) in Drug Abuse Research ProgramT-32 Training Grant funded by National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse

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  Yale University

  Jun 2019 - Jul 2021

  Visiting Research Faculty

  Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS in the Yale School of Public Health

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  Stony Brook University

  Sept 2019 - Jul 2021

  Assistant Professor of Social Work
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  The SASH Lab at Yale

  Sept 2020 - now

  Principal Investigator and Director of The Substances and Sexual Health Lab
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  Yale School of Public Health

  Jul 2021 - now

  • Associate Professor

    Jul 2023 - now

  • Assistant Professor

    Jul 2021 - Jul 2023