De'An O Roper

Dr. De'An O Roper serves as Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Arlington since 2019, concurrently maintaining clinical practice at Realistic Expectations. With over 20 years of clinical experience in community mental health and substance use disorder treatment, they specialize in developing evidence-based programs for co-occurring disorders and criminal justice populations.

Educational background includes:

• PhD in Health Studies from Texas Woman's University (2019)
• MSW in Social Work from The University of Texas at Arlington (1994)
• BA in Social Work from Texas Woman's University (1992)

Dr. Roper's research integrates substance abuse treatment, mental health, and criminal justice systems with strong emphasis on LGBTQ+ populations and cultural humility. They pioneered Texas' first Bachelor of Substance Use Treatment program and redesigned Dallas County's largest SUD residential program using evidence-based interventions. Their work focuses on dismantling one-size-fits-all treatment models through forensic social work applications and addressing systemic inequities in justice-involved care.

As academic advisor, Dr. Roper has mentored ten master's students on theses covering LGBTQIA+ erasure, veteran reintegration, transgender healthcare bias, and resource barriers in immigrant communities. They actively contribute to professional discourse through Council on Social Work Education membership and presentations on opioid education, cultural competence, and MSW faculty equity during pandemic transitions.