Mary Elizabeth Collins

Boston University School of Social Work

Mary Elizabeth Collins is an internationally recognized expert on youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood. Her research program focuses on vulnerable young people, the systemic inequities they face, and the policy and program support that can facilitate a positive life trajectory. Currently, she is researching the employment and training systems available to vulnerable youth, including the opportunities for young people to have voice in policy decisions. Dr. Collins is the author of Macro Perspectives on Youth Aging Out of Foster Care and over 80 published articles and chapters. Additionally, she engages in occasional and strategic public scholarship in relevant media regarding needed improvements in child welfare, promoting more ethical public policy, and most recently, policy support for youth in the context of COVID-19. Dr. Collins has been a visiting scholar in Vietnam, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, and Ethiopia.

Areas of Expertise

• Policy
• Social Policy
• Social Work

Methodology

• Interviews
• Mixed Methods
• Secondary Data Analysis
• Survey Methods and Questionnaires