Dr. Amanda M. Keys

Biography

Dr. Amanda Keys is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at Missouri State University, where she has been a faculty member since 2014. She served as the BSW program coordinator from 2014-2019 and transitioned into the role of MSW coordinator in 2019. Prior to starting at MSU, she spent three years developing a BSW field education program for a private liberal arts university. She teaches courses across the MSW curriculum.

Keys completed her PhD at University of Missouri-Columbia and her undergraduate studies at Missouri State. She is a licensed clinical social worker who practiced for more than a decade in child welfare. Her research interests lie in the area of child welfare and social work education. She has more than a decade of experience as a presenter and academic researcher. She has also co-authored a book titled, “Social Work and Family Violence.” Keys presently serves on the Springfield Area Social Workers Committee and is actively involved in providing educational supervision to students in the Springfield area.  

Details

Education

• PhD, Social Work, 2013, University of Missouri-Columbia
• MSW, Social Work, 2005, Missouri State University
• BSW, Social Work, 2001, Missouri State University 

Certification

• Clinical Social Worker License

Teaching

• SWK 710 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals
• SWK 746 Advanced Generalist Social Work Research
• SWK 750 Advanced Generalist Practice with Individuals
• SWK 760 Advanced Policy Practice

Professional experience

• Assistant Professor/MSW Program Coordinator, School of Social Work, Missouri State University, Present
• Assistant Professor/BSW Program Coordinator, School of Social Work, Missouri State University, 2014-2019
• Family Resource Development Specialist, MBCH Children and Family Ministries, 2014-2015
• Director of Field Education, Southwest Baptist University, 2011-2014
• Assistant Director of Community Based Services, MBCH Children and Family Ministries, 2007-2011
• Family Foster Care Supervisor, MBCH Children and Family Ministries, 2005-2007
• Licensed Counselor of Social Work, Greater Ozarks Counseling, 2006-2008
• Residential Coordinator of Specialized Teams, Missouri Children's Division, Regional Office, 2003-2005
• Career Plus Worker, Missouri Children's Division, Greene County, 2002-2003
• Alternative Care Worker, Missouri Children's Division, Greene County, 2001-2002

Professional affiliations

• North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2016-present

Publications

• Keys, A. M., Daniel, T., Jennings, M., Havlin, T., Russell, R., & Korang-Okrah, R. (2017). Who are Christian foster parents?  Exploring the motivations and personality characteristics associated with fostering intentions. Social Work & Christianity, 44, pp. 67-82.
• McClennen, J. C., Keys, A. M., & Day, M. (2016). Social work and family violence:  Theories, assessment, and intervention (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
• Keys, A. (2016). Foster parent overview. Springfield, Missouri: Author.
• Keys, A.M. (2015). Family engagement in rural and urban head start families: An exploratory study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43, 69-76. doi: 10.1007/s10643-014-0643-8.
• Jennings, M., Ford, H., Daniels, T., & Keys, A. (2015). The story of abused and neglected children and the people that serve them in Greene County, Missouri. Springfield, Missouri: Authors.
• Keys, A. M. (2011). Book review “valuing children: rethinking the economics of the family by Nancy Folbre.” Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education, 14, 48.

Research and professional interests

• Foster parent retention and motivation
• Students’ experiences leading IEP meetings
• Family engagement with the Head Start program
• Social work students' investment in social activism
• Social connectivity of students to social work programs
• Weight stigma

Additional resources

• Curriculum Vitae

Area of expertise

Media appearances

A Guide to MSW Degrees and Social Work Careers
U.S. News & World Report
02/17/2020
Social work expert Dr. Amanda Keys weighs in on a Master of Social Work degree.

Child social workers at 80% turnover rate in Missouri
KOLR10
10/22/2019
Social work expert Dr. Amanda Keys explains why there's a high turnover among social workers in child welfare.