Denise Rice-Prior

Denise Rice-Prior serves as an Instructor at the School of Social Work at Utah State University (USU) Tooele campus. She joined USU as a part-time adjunct faculty member in August 2023 and has been an adjunct faculty at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work since 2016.

• Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) candidate at Walden University (2020–Present)
• Master of Social Work (MSW) specializing in mental health from California State University San Bernardino (2001)
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sociology with a minor in Criminology from the University of La Verne (1997)

Her expertise spans trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and the intersectionality of mental health and substance use. She focuses on social work retention through grit and joy, alongside professional self-care strategies. Recently, she developed a state-approved Crisis Intervention Response course for Utah’s crisis workers.

Denise holds licenses as an LCSW and substance use disorder counselor across Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Her practice includes clinical roles in county jails, emergency departments, child welfare, community mental health, and clinical supervision. She resides in Tooele County with her family and enjoys gardening, streaming media, and reading.