Marywood University Graduate Earns William Penn Fellowship to Serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services

 

Scranton, PA (June 12, 2019) — Victor Cabral, class of 2019 master of social work graduate, was recently chosen as one of 13 individuals, from among more than 300 applicants, for the William Penn Fellowship to serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf, and the Department of Human Services (DHS). He will begin in his position with the DHS on July 8, 2019. Additionally, Mr. Cabral recently passed his Licensed Social Work Exam, and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, a professional social work organization.

 

Mr. Cabral will be working on Governor Tom Wolf’s whole person initiative addressing social determinants of health, which includes working on several projects and helping to change policy and regulations where possible to achieve that goal. Specifically, he will be part of the team of analysts for research and will make recommendations to the governor on how different policy changes will affect providers, constituents, and overall outcomes.

 

Studies suggest that genetics and what happens in the doctor’s office is responsible for about 40 percent of a person’s health outcomes. The rest is driven by personal behavior and social determinants of health such as nutrition, housing, education, and community. The DHS continues to identify opportunities to better align services and supports for the individuals served by addressing individuals’ and families’ needs holistically. In addition to supporting the work of the policy office, Mr. Cabral will work with internal and external partners to develop policies and strategies to address various social determinants, and as a result, improve health outcomes for individuals across program areas.

 

For additional information about Marywood University’s School of Social work, please visit www.marywood.edu/ssw/, or call (570) 348-6282, ext. 2398.

For additional information about Governor Tom Wolf’s Whole Person Initiative, please visit www.health.pa.gov/.