Associate Professor
Contact Information
Email: lpcheatham@ua.edu
Office: 3007 Little Hall
Phone: (205) 348-4655
Areas of Interest and Expertise
- Child Welfare
- Disability Issues
- Transitions to Adulthood
- Youth Aging Out
Education
- JD, Yeshiva University
- PhD, Florida State University
- MSW, Florida State University
- BS, Florida State University
Bio
Leah P. Cheatham is an assistant professor of social work and enjoys teaching policy and research courses. Her research focuses on the convergence of disability issues and child well-being. Drawing upon her legal and social work training, she approaches research with a particular interest in identifying practices and policies that promote social justice.
Selected Publications
Cheatham, L. P., Randolph, K., Boltz, L.* (2020). Youth with Disabilities Transitioning from Foster Care: Examining Prevalence and Predicting Positive Outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 110,doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104777
Cheatham, L. P., & Randolph, K. (2020). Education and Employment Transitions among Young Adults with Disabilities: Comparisons by Disability Status, Type and Severity. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2020.1722073
Cheatham, L. P., Smith, S., Siler, M., Johnson, K., Turner, C., Wilkes, S., Shah, A., Johnson, L., Swails, P., Lopaczynski, L.* (2020). “Own Your Vote”: A Novel Approach to Teach Social Workers about Voting Rights. Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education, 23(2), 55–60.
Beech, H. B.*, Sutton, A.*, & Cheatham, L. P. (2020). Parenting, privilege, and pandemic: From surviving to thriving as a mother in the academy. Qualitative Social Work (Special Issue, Reflections on a Pandemic: Disruptions, Distractions & Discoveries) 20(1-2), 625–631.
Laklija, M., Milić-Babić, M., & Cheatham, L. P. (2020). Institutionalization of Children with Disabilities in Croatia: Social Workers’ Perspectives.Children & Youth Services, 41, doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2020.1752170
Shah, A., Jeffries, S., Cheatham, L. P., Creel, M., Nelson-Gardell, D., … Hasenbein, W. C.* (2019). Partnering with parents: Reviewing the evidence for MI in child welfare. Families in Society, 100, 52–67.
Milić-Babić, M., Tkalec, S., & Cheatham, L. P. (2018). Right to education for children with disabilities from the earliest age. Croatian Journal of Education, 20, 233–263.
Schelbe, L., Randolph, K. A., Yelick, A., Cheatham, L. P., Groton, D. B. (2018). Systems theory as a framework for examining a college campus-based support program for the former foster youth. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 15(3), 277–295.
Randolph, K. Cheatham, L. P., Keller-Weiss, U., & Williams, J. M. (2018). Exposure to parent and peer alcohol use and the risk of drinking onset and escalation among adolescents. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 35(2), 97–106.
Kim, H., Abell, N., Cheatham, L. P., & Paek, I. (2017). Development and initial validation of the Attitudes toward Education for Older Adults (AEOA) Scale.Educational Gerontology, 43, 341–355.
Cheatham, L. P., Abell, N., & Kim, H. (2015). Development and validation of the social worker’s attitudes toward disabilities scale. Journal of Social Work Education, 51, 379–397.
McPherson, J., & Cheatham, L. P. (2015). Evaluating human rights impact in social work education: The Million Bones example. Journal of Social Work Education, 51, 47–57.
Radey, M., & Cheatham, L. P. (2013). Do single mothers take their fair share? FAFSA completion among aid-eligible female students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 6, 261–275.
Cheatham, L. P. (2012). Effects of Internet use on well-being among adults with physical disabilities: A review. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 7, 181–188.