Doctor of Health Sciences Student Appointed by Governor to Board of Registration of Social Workers
In March 2022, Scune Carrington, MSW, LICSW, candidate for DHS ’23, was appointed to the Board of Registration of Social Workers by the Baker-Polito Administration.
Scune Carrington, MSW, LICSW, candidate for DHS ’23, is a part-time student in the Doctor of Health Sciences program and a full-time Director of Integrated Care at the MA League of Community Health Centers. She also provides counseling services and clinical supervision at BennuCare LLC, which she co-founded and owns. On top of that, Carrington was appointed to the Board of Health for the City of Malden, and for the past year, she has been supporting the COVID-19 response and supporting initiatives to promote behavioral health.
In early March 2022, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito appointed Carrington along with three other members to the Board of Registration of Social Workers. In a press release, Governor Baker said that the appointees “bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of social work” and that the added diversity of their expertise will be “key to ensuring the Board reflects the individuals it serves.” In this role, Carrington serves residents of the state of MA by helping establish social work standards, investigate, and ensure licensing regulations. “I feel deeply honored by the appointment and eager to get to work,” says Carrington. In addition to her position with the state government, Carrington holds several other leadership positions, such as Board member of the MA Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; Committee on Oral Health, MA Medical Society; Oral Health Advocacy Task Force; and MassHealth Dental Advisory Committee.
Carrington’s appointment reflects her impressive and broad-ranging work in the field. “As a healthcare social worker, my focus has been on the individual, institutional, and social causes that negatively impact the whole-person health and wellness of my clients,” she says. “Oral health is an integral component of this holistic approach to behavioral health—simultaneously at both individual and systemic levels.” Early into her second year as a doctorate student, Carrington was invited to present at the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) conference in San Antonio, Texas on November 15, 2021. Her presentation, “Addressing Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders through the Power of Public Health Dentistry and Partnerships,” covered trauma-informed care and substance-use screening in the dental chair and emphasized an interdisciplinary approach to address the opioid epidemic. Carrington co-led the discussion with a dentist whom she had coached on the topic.
Earlier that same term, the Social Science Research Network published a paper that Carrington co-authored with a mentor and friend. Their paper, “Telemental Health through a Racial Justice and Health Equity Lens,” was published on October 9, 2021. She hopes to use her knowledge about telehealth in her position on the Board of Registration of Social Workers, to continue discussions and progress made through the pandemic. She says, “The response to the public health emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic provided opportunities for the board to consider pushing the boundaries of established practice standards. This included most notably allowing required supervision hours to be conducted via video conferencing. . . . I hope that gained ground remains and that we can benefit from our pandemic-inspired knowledge.”
Carrington’s expertise in both behavioral and oral health exemplifies the diversity of specializations that are not only possible but welcomed in the interprofessional environment of MCPHS. “As we look through practice standards and scope, I hope that I can leverage my experience in the service of the future evolution of our profession,” she says. “That is why I was attracted to the MCPHS Doctor of Health Sciences program, within which I am having the opportunity to engage in interprofessional education with other disciplines, such as allied health professionals, nurses, dental providers, and acupuncturists.”
Interested in earning your doctorate online? Learn more about the Doctor of Health Sciences at MCPHS.