Dr. Joe Squillace

Joe Squillace, Ph.D., MSW, is an Associate Professor and Director of the MSW Social Work program at the University of Saint Mary of Leavenworth, Kansas, and has been in Social Work higher education for over 20 years. He is the author of numerous scholarly and advocacy publications covering social work education, health care access and Medicaid, and dental and mental health care for children. Most recently, he authored the book The Untold History of the First Illinois State Hospital for the Insane, which received a Certificate of Merit in 2021 from the Illinois State Historical Society, and was an Award Winning Finalist in the “History: United States” category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest. He is also author of the book A History of the Poorhouse and Farm in Morgan County, Illinois, which received a Certificate of Excellence in 2018 from the Illinois State Historical Society. His latest research and writing is forming the publication, Over the Hills to Saint Louis’ Poverty Hill: A Short History of How Three City Institutions Served the Poor and Mentally Ill 1819-1923: The Poor House, The Insane Asylum, and the Female Hospital.

Between 2011 and 2020, he was the Director of the BSW Social Work department at MacMurray College. He received the Dewey Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017 from MacMurray College. In 2011 and 2008, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the BSW and MSW student associations at Saint Louis University, where he taught from 2001-2011. In 2001, he received the Missouri Association for Social Welfare Advocate of the Year Award, St. Louis Chapter, and a Health Care Financing Administration Beneficiary Services Certificate of Merit in 2000. He received his BA in Philosophy from Fordham University, the MSW from Saint Louis University, and his Ph.D. in Public Policy Studies from Saint Louis University.

 As a practicing social worker, he has been a policy analyst, advocate, lobbyist, nonprofit manager, and direct service practitioner. He drafted the Comprehensive Children’s Mental Health Services System legislation that passed the Missouri legislature in 2005, as well as legislation to prevent the relinquishing of child custody for mental health services, and for the provision of oral health care services delivered by dental hygienists in public health settings. His media advocacy on these issue areas has been covered by Time magazine, the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Kansas City Star, and many other media markets.