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Biography

Karen Goldrich Eskow, Ph.D., LCPC, OTR/L was the founding chairperson for the Department of Family Science. She served as program director/chairperson for that Department and Graduate Program Director for the graduate certificate in Family-Professional Collaboration from 2001-2016. Currently, she is the Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Eskow received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland School of Social Work, her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Towson University, and her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pennsylvania. She has clinical licensure in counseling and occupational therapy and was actively engaged in mental health practice for 26 years working primarily with children and adolescents. Dr. Eskow has been a faculty member at Towson University since 1987. Her position is currently in the College of Liberal Arts with affiliated status in the College of Health Professions. She spent 18 years as a faculty member in the Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science, College of Health Professions.

Dr. Eskow has been engaged in research related to family quality of life and family-professional relationships since 1994. Her family quality of life research focuses on understanding the day-to-day lives of families who have children/youth with complex neurodevelopment disabilities. For the past 20 years the emphasis of this research has been related to autism, with a focus on the impact of autism waivers on child/youth outcomes. Her research has been supported through federal and state grant awards and resulted in numerous publications and presentations.

Select Scholarship

Grants
2021-2022

• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): $49,978. Title: Autism Waiver and Child/Youth Outcomes: Ongoing Research Collaboration. Role: Principal Investigator Status – Awarded June 28, 2021 – June 27, 2022.

2019-2024

• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): $444, 812. Title: Autism Waiver and Child/Youth Outcomes. Role: Principal Investigator Status – Awarded July 2019 through January 31, 2024.- Funding suspended on April 2020 secondary to COVID 19 and economic restrictions.

2017-2019

• School of Emerging Technology, Towson University (SET): $27,218. Title: Fostering Awareness and Resiliency on Topics of Mental Health and Wellbeing in College Students: A Joint Initiative between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs.Role: Principal Investigator. Status - Seed Funding Proposal awarded for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019.

2017

• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): $24,847. Title: Autism Waiver and Child/Youth Outcomes: Ongoing Research Collaboration. Role: Principal Investigator Status – Awarded for the period of April 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017.

2012-2016

• National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research: Field Initiated Project (NIDRR): $600,000 @$200,000/year x 3-year project. Title: State Utilization and Impacts of Medicaid HCBS Waiver Services for Families and Children with Autism. Role: Principal Investigator. Status: Funded for three years beginning October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2015.

2011

• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): $18,913 Title: Phase II: Autism Waiver and Family Quality of Life. Role: Principal Investigator Status – Awarded for the period of June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012.

Journal Publications

• Evans, L.M., Lockwood, M.I., Turchmanovych. N., Chasson, G.S., Hopkins, Bates, S. Iniguez, C., and Eskow, K.G. (Under Review) Psychometric Properties of the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale in Families of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Child and Family Studies.
• Chasson, G.S., Eskow, K.G., Summers, J.A., and Dreher, T.M. (July 2020) Characterization of Family-Directed Care Coordination and Involvement in Behavioral Treatments in an Autism-Specific Medicaid Waiver. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
• Eskow, K.G., Chasson, G.S., and Summers, J.A. (May 2019) The Role of Choice and Control in the Impact of Autism Waiver Services on Family Quality of Life and Child Progress. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 
• Eskow, K.G.and Summers, J.A. (August 2018) Family Perceptions of the impacts of a home and community-based services waiver: Making family life possible. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12518
• Eskow, K.G.,Chasson, G.S., Mitchell, R.C., and Summers, J.A. (March 2018) Association between Parent-Teacher Partnership Satisfaction and Outcomes for Children and Families with Autism. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12221
• Miller, N.A., Merryman, M.B., Schockly, E., Eskow, K.G.,and Chasson, G.S. (2016) State Design and Use of Medicaid 1915(c) Waivers and Related Benefits to Provide Services to Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Eskow, K.G.,Chasson, G.S., and Summers, J. A. (2015) A Cross-Sectional Study of Child and Family Improvement in a Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Autism Waiver Program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45 (3): 626-635. Published online 2014 Sep 3. DOI:10.1007/s10803-014-2217-4.
• Merryman, M.B., Miller, N.A., Schockly, E., Eskow, K.G.and Chasson, G.S. (2015) State adoption of Medicaid 1915 (c) waivers for children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Disability and Health Journal, 8: 3, 443-451, DOI:http://dx.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2015.03.003.
• Demchick, B.B., Eskow, K.G., and Crabtree, L.A. (2014) Autism and transitioning youth: A pilot study of sensory processing and family quality of life. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, and Early Intervention, 7:1, 54-6, DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2014.898492.
• Eskow, K.G., Summers, J. A., and Pineles, L.  (2011) Exploring the Effect of Autism Waiver Services on Family Outcomes. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities.Vol 8, No1.

Recent Presentations- Refereed

• Herman, N.C., Chasson, G.S., and Eskow, K.G. (2023) Covid Pandemic, Waiver Services, and Outcomes for Children/Youth with ASD and their Families (Poster Session) - accepted for August 2023, American Psychological Associate, Division 33 – Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Girio-Herrera, E, Mattanah, J.F.,Eskow, K.G., Riesing, G., & Ferrick, K. (2019, May).  Addressing the mental health crisis on campus: A multidisciplinary approach to implementing a mental health curriculum to increase student mental health awareness and coping.Conference symposium presented at the annual meeting of the American College Health Association, Denver, CO. 
• Girio-Herrera, E, Mattanah, J.F., Eskow, K.G., & Herman, N. (2019, March).  A cross-disciplinary mental health awareness program for college students:  Exploring attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. Poster presented at the bi-annual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
• Garlington, A., Hennessey, A. Eskow, K.G., Girio-Herrera, E., & Mattanah, J. Curriculum Approach to Addressing Mental Health & Stigma on College Campus (Conference Session)25^th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Virtual.
• Girio-Herrera, E., Eskow, K.G., Mattanah, J., & Reising, G. (May 2019) Addressing the Mental Health Crisis on Campus: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Implementing a Mental Health Curriculum to Increase Student Mental Health Awareness and Coping– (90 minute General Session). American College Health Association, Denver, CO.
• Demchik, B.B., Eskow, K.G., Summers, J.A. (2016). Families of Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum: Resilience, Advocacy and Family Quality of Life– (Short Course). American Occupational Therapy Association, Chicago, Il.
• Leslie, L., & Eskow, K. G.(2015, September). Study of a Large, Statewide Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Autism Waiver Program. Presentation at the 2015 National Home and Community Based Services Conference, Washington, DC. 
• Eskow, K.G., Demchick, B., and Summers, J.A. (2015)Interviewing for Qualitative Research - (Workshop). American Occupational Therapy Association, Nashville, TN.

Licenses

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, State of Maryland #LC0482
Licensed Occupational Therapist, State of Maryland #402297

Book Chapters

• Merryman, M.B., Eskow, K.G., and Demchik, B.B. (2015). Mental health and emotional needs in transition. In M.L. Orentlicher, S. Schefkind, & R.W. Gibson, Transitions across the lifespan: an occupational therapy approach (pp.191-212). Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
• Eskow, K.G.and Merryman, M.B. (2010) Health promotion for families. In M.E. Scaffa; S.M. Reitz; M. Pizzi (Eds.) Occupational Therapy in the promotion of health and wellness. F.A. Davis Company.

Courses Taught - Selected
Undergraduate:

• OCTH 213 Small Group Dynamics
• FMST 101: Introduction to Family Studies
• FMST 301: Family Relationships
• FMST 397: Internship in Family Studies
• FMST 490: Capstone Experience in Family and Human Services

Graduate:

• FMST 601: Applied Family Studies
• FMST 610 Family Professional Collaboration
• FMST 620: Project in Family Focused Program Development
• OCTH 613: Research Methods in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH 781 Seminar in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH 880 Project in Occupational Therapy