Melissa Anne Hensley

Melissa Hensley teaches in both the BSW and MSW programs at Augsburg University. She enjoys her role as a social work educator because she is able to integrate wisdom accumulated from years of social work practice with the most up-to-date research in the applied social sciences. Melissa views herself as an advanced generalist social worker who can provide competent and compassionate direct services, as well as manage organizations and advocate for social change. Melissa has several active research projects, including a survey assessing social work student knowledge of the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Melissa’s practice experience includes work in the field of housing and homelessness, children’s advocacy, and HIV prevention education. She spent many years as a provider of services to adults with serious and persistent mental illness in a residential setting. Melissa also volunteers in a variety of ways with NAMI of Hennepin County, and the Minnesota Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Network.

Education

• B.A. Washington University, St. Louis
• M.S.W., Washington University, St. Louis
• M.H.A., University of Missouri
• Ph.D., Washington University, St. Louis

Current Research Interests

• The impact of health care and mental health policy on adults with mental illness
• Effectiveness of educational techniques used in policy practice and cultural diversity courses
• Use of qualitative techniques to understand experiences of individuals with mental illness and their support people