Jennifer E. O'Brien

Dr. Jennifer E. O'Brien is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at The University of Texas at Arlington. Her work focuses on addressing commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), mental health interventions for survivors, and policy advocacy. She holds a PhD in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2017), an MSW from Smith College (2010), and a BS in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin (2006).

Her research emphasizes systemic factors contributing to CSEC, trauma-informed care, and service delivery improvements. Notable projects include evaluations of anti-trafficking programs (e.g., LOVE146) and studies on law enforcement practices. Dr. O'Brien has secured over $5.4M in grants from federal agencies like NIH and CDC, focusing on prevention, intervention, and provider well-being.

She has authored over 60 peer-reviewed articles, with recent work addressing pandemic impacts on CSEC, law enforcement resilience, and survivor healthcare needs. Awards include the NIH Loan Repayment Award (2023) and Fulbright Specialist designation (2022). Active in professional organizations, she serves on editorial boards for Violence Against Women and the Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work.

Teaching focuses on linking practice, policy, and research in social work. She advises on university committees and collaborates with task forces like the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force. Her advocacy includes public speaking on child protection, appearing in media outlets like USA Today and Atlanta Public Radio.