Professor Wins 2025 CAST Crusader Award for Child Advocacy – University of Mississippi | Ole Miss

Report on Child Welfare Advancement and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

• Instructional Assistant Professor of Social Work Patricia Digby has been recognized with the 2025 CAST Crusader Award by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi for over four decades of service in child welfare.
• Her career and academic contributions demonstrate a significant alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of education, institutional strength, health, and partnerships.
• This report outlines how Ms. Digby’s work in developing educational programs and fostering collaborations directly supports the objectives of SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10, SDG 16, and SDG 17.

Educational Initiatives for Institutional Strengthening (SDG 4 & SDG 16)

Efforts to build a skilled workforce of child advocates directly contribute to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by strengthening the systems designed to protect vulnerable children.

1. Program Development: Ms. Digby was instrumental in developing the University of Mississippi’s child advocacy studies (CAST) minor program, providing specialized education for future social workers. She also launched the CARES (Child Advocacy Response and Education for Scholars) Club to enhance student engagement in supporting families affected by abuse.
2. Experiential Learning: The CAST program emphasizes practical, hands-on training to ensure graduates are prepared for real-world challenges. This commitment to quality education includes:
   • Simulation labs at the Tupelo and Oxford campuses that replicate client homes and hospital settings.
   • Mock interviews with actors portraying caregivers to develop assessment skills.
   • Partnerships with the local youth court and Children’s Advocacy Centers to provide students with exposure to legal proceedings and forensic interviews.

Strategic Partnerships for Goal Achievement (SDG 17)

The success of these child welfare initiatives is built upon a foundation of collaboration, reflecting the core principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Multi-Sector Collaboration: The work involves a robust partnership between academia, state government, and federal programs.
• The Mississippi Academic Pathways (MAP) Program: This key initiative is a collaboration among seven public universities and the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services (MDCP).
  • It utilizes federal Title IV E funding to provide scholarships for social work students.
  • It facilitates internship opportunities with the MDCP at no cost to taxpayers, creating a direct pipeline of trained professionals into public service.

Addressing Social Deficits to Promote Well-being and Reduce Inequality (SDG 3, SDG 8, & SDG 10)

The overarching goal of this work is to address systemic challenges in the child welfare system, thereby promoting positive outcomes aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Workforce Development: The programs directly respond to a critical labor shortage. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a deficit of 74,000 social workers annually, highlighting the need to encourage more professionals to enter the field, which supports SDG 8.
• Promoting Health and Well-being: By training professionals to identify and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect, these efforts are fundamental to protecting the physical and mental health of children, a primary target of SDG 3.
• Reducing Inequalities: The focus on providing professional support to vulnerable children and families is a direct action toward achieving SDG 10, ensuring that at-risk populations are not left behind.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article’s central theme is child welfare and the protection of children from abuse and neglect. This directly aligns with SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies and provide access to justice for all. The work of Patricia Digby, the Children’s Advocacy Centers, and the Department of Child Protective Services contributes to building effective institutions that protect children’s rights and safety. The article explicitly mentions the goal of “eradicating child abuse and neglect.”

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article highlights the creation and development of the child advocacy studies (CAST) minor program at the University of Mississippi. This program provides specialized tertiary education and vocational training for students pursuing careers in social work. It focuses on giving students the “knowledge,” “hands-on experience,” and skills necessary to be effective in the field, which is a core component of SDG 4.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • A significant issue discussed is the workforce shortage in the social work sector. The article states that “more professional social workers are needed” and cites a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast of a “deficit of 74,000 social workers each year for the next decade.” Efforts to train and encourage students to enter this profession, such as the CAST and MAP programs, are directly related to promoting productive employment and filling critical labor gaps.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article describes multiple collaborations to achieve child welfare goals. This includes the MAP program, which is a “collaboration of seven public universities,” a partnership between the university and the “Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services,” and the use of “community partners” for simulation labs. These partnerships exemplify the multi-stakeholder approach promoted by SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

   • This target is the primary focus of the work described. Patricia Digby’s entire career has been dedicated to child welfare, and the CAST program she helped develop teaches students to “learn about child abuse and neglect” with the ultimate hope of being able to “make a difference in eradicating child abuse and neglect.”

2. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

   • The CAST program is designed to provide students with relevant, practical skills for employment. The article details how students “gain hands-on experience in simulation labs,” “conduct mock interviews,” visit court, and observe forensic interviews. These activities directly equip students with the vocational skills needed to become “professional social workers.”

3. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

   • The article addresses the employment gap in a critical sector by highlighting the “large backlog of cases” and the national “deficit of 74,000 social workers each year.” The educational and scholarship programs mentioned are direct efforts to increase the supply of qualified professionals to achieve productive employment in the child welfare field.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

   • The initiatives described are built on partnerships. The article mentions the collaboration between seven public universities for the MAP program, the grant-funded partnership with the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services, and the engagement with the “local Children’s Advocacy Center” and other community partners for student training.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for Target 16.2

   • The article implies progress can be measured by the reduction in the “large backlog of cases” of child abuse and neglect in Mississippi. A decrease in this backlog would indicate that the system is becoming more effective at addressing and resolving cases of violence against children.

2. Indicators for Target 4.4

   • An implied indicator is the number of students enrolled in and graduating from the CAST program. An increase in this number would signify progress in providing more adults with the relevant skills for a career in child advocacy and social work.

3. Indicators for Target 8.5

   • The article explicitly provides a key indicator: the “deficit of 74,000 social workers each year.” Progress towards this target could be measured by a reduction in this forecasted annual deficit, indicating that more people are entering the social work profession to meet the demand.

4. Indicators for Target 17.17

   • The article implies that the existence and number of active partnerships are an indicator of success. The text names several collaborations, such as the one between the university and the Department of Child Protective Services, the consortium of seven universities, and partnerships with community organizations for training purposes.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: olemiss.edu