“Having the opportunity to attend a SCHEV meeting and to present my findings to staff gave me a look behind the scenes at state policymaking.”

Summer Responsibilities: As a member of the team reviewing student support services at institutions across the state, Jennifer immersed herself in background information, attended listening sessions, and created sets of recommendations—one for policymakers and the other for institutions—many of which were included in the final report.

Background: Jennifer’s research focuses on understanding and overcoming barriers to accessing mental healthcare for autistic children and their families, particularly in underserved rural areas such as southwest Virginia. Her work has specifically focused on novel methods of service delivery in rural regions, such as mobile clinics and telehealth. In addition to research, Jennifer has the opportunity to work as a graduate clinician, delivering low-cost therapy and assessment services to children and families in the local community.