Lead Public Health Research Associate
Social Work, MSW
Washburn University
Email: e.tinius@tcu.edu
Elaine joined the IBR team in January 2020 as the Project Coordinator for the LeSA study. She transitioned from a background of social work, where the majority of her career had been rooted in the child welfare arena, directly serving families and vulnerable youth. She has completed both undergraduate and graduate studies in Social Work, and is a TBRI practitioner.
Elaine has a passion for combatting abuse and neglect, focusing on effective ways to support and impact children, youth, and families. Her experience includes investigations, permanency work, as well as family preservation, implementing foster care systems, curriculum facilitation, and partnering with the legal system in numerous capacities. Elaine believes all young people deserve and are meant to connect to a positive, caring, supportive, and nurturing caregiver. She works to advocate, educate, and empower others to be more trauma informed, believing everyone possesses their own unique catalogue of experiences.
Publications
Knight, D.K., Yang, Y., Joseph, E.D., Tinius, E., Young, S., Shelley, L., Cross, D.R., & Knight, K. (2021). Preventing opioid use among justice involved youth as they transition to adulthood: Leveraging safe adults (LeSA) protocol paper. BMC Public Health. 21(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12127-3