Susan S. Manning

My research interests and experience are in two areas - professional ethics and empowerment. My empowerment research is focused in mental health and is specifically directed toward the empowerment of consumers with severe and persistent mental illness. My research expertise is primarily qualitative, using a variety of methods, including grounded theory, action research, and participatory research.

Research studies in ethics include a grounded theory approach to ethical decision-making for social workadministrators, and a case study regarding the development of ethical guidelines about the use of Norplant as a contraceptive.

Research on empowerment includes a qualitative evaluation of the consumer case manager project, exploring the factors that affect the employment of consumers with serious mental illness as case managers in the mental health system; an action research project to evaluate a consumer/family empowerment project, define empowerment from the consumer perspective, and define factors that are unique to consumer-run groups and programs; and, a participatory research project to identify and define empowerment interventions from the perspectives of consumers in consumer-run programs and providers who articulate an empowerment philosophy

Consultancies:
1977-present, Private Practitioner, Psychotherapy and counseling, individual, couples, and families;
1999, Arapahoe House, qualitative Research Methods, and Participatory Research;
1998,Colorado Coalition on Domestic Violence, Geminsit Models of Organizational Design;
1997, Pro Behavioral Health, Ethics of Managed Care;
1996, Colorado Health Network, Focus Groups as Data Collection Methods for Program Evaluation;
1996, Warren Village, Strategic Planning; 1995, Adams Community Mental Health Center, Consultant, ethics of managed care;
1992-1993, Science Applications International Corporation, Consultant, ethics and policy;
1991, Fitzsimmons Army Hospital Social Work, ethics, inservice;Workshops:Ethics of Managed Care, Gender-Related Issues;Working Parents Support Group;Communication Issues, Stress/Burnout in Medical Settings;Team Building;Organizational Development;Empowerment Perspectictives;Multi-Cultural Sensitivity;Member: Practice Standards Committee for the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers;Awards:Jean Peart Sinnock Award, Grad. School of Social Work,
1983; Most Outstanding Student, University of Denver;Tommi Frank Memorial award, Graduate School of Social Work,
1983; Most Creative Use of Media in Practice, University of Denver.

Ethics in Leadership in Human Services; developing ethical cultures in organizations;

Empowerment of women with serious and persistent psychiatric disability; a partnership model of empowerment intervention.

Organizational ethics, ethics of leadership, ethical leading.