Rachel K Franz

Rachel K Franz is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Arlington, where she has been teaching since 2004. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker-Supervisor (LCSW-S) currently providing mental health services in the Dallas Independent School District, supporting students, families, and school communities.

Education:

• MSSW in Social Work, The University of Texas at Arlington (2000)
• BA in English and Sociology, Southwestern University

Rachel Franz's professional and teaching interests center on child and adolescent mental health, with a strong emphasis on trauma-informed, school-based interventions. Her expertise includes crisis response, intensive case management for youth with serious mental illness, and integrating neuroscience into social work practice through courses like Brain and Behavior. She specializes in direct clinical practice with children and families, stress and coping mechanisms, and policy related to mental health services.

Her teaching portfolio includes graduate courses such as Advanced Field Instruction, Treatment of Children and Adolescents, and Social Work in Schools, reflecting a sustained commitment to training future clinicians for high-need environments. While no recent publications are listed, her work integrates clinical practice, education, and community service.

Professional Certifications:

• Trust Based Relational Intervention Practitioner (Karin Purvis Institute for Child Development at TCU, 2024–present)
• LCSW-S (Texas Board of Health and Human Services, valid through 2026)

Rachel Franz has served as a clinical therapist in emergency psychiatry at Children's Medical Center and held various roles in case management and crisis intervention across Dallas-area health systems. She also contributes to her community through leadership in school committees and advocacy organizations, including CASA and PTA initiatives. Though no formal advising or grant activity is detailed, her long-standing adjunct role and clinical supervision suggest significant mentorship impact.

Current and Recent Teaching (2022–2025):

• SOCW 5482 – Advanced Field Split I
• SOCW 5315 – Brain and Behavior
• SOCW 5370 – Social Work in Schools
• SOCW 5362 – Direct Practice with Children & Families
• SOCW 5358 – Treatment of Children & Adolescents
• SOCW 5316 – Stress, Crisis, and Coping
• SOCW 5303 – Foundations of Social Policy & Services
• SOCW 5353 – Social Policy and Mental Health
• SOCW 2311 – Introduction to Social Work
• SOCW 2313 – Social Work Practice I
• SOCW 3302 – Life Span Development and Human Behavior