Kelly Clary

Kelly Clary is an Assistant Professor at Texas State University's School of Social Work, joining in Fall 2020. She holds BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her clinical background includes substance use interventions for emerging adults using motivational interviewing (MI) and SBIRT techniques across university counseling centers, psychiatric hospitals, and outpatient facilities. She teaches research methods, motivational interviewing, SBIRT, diversity, and direct practice.

Her research examines substance use influences among emerging adults, stigma in military/veteran populations, Emerging Adulthood Theory development, and qualitative methods. Current projects include a study on benzodiazepine/opioid/cannabis use in older veterans, nonprofit development for transitioning veterans, and virtual training for social workers. Recent publications (2023-2025) analyze veteran mental health trends, transgender experiences in Texas, and educational innovations in social work.