Tonya Hansel, PhD, LMSW
Associate Professor
Elk Place, Room 338
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Biography
Tonya Cross Hansel is a social worker with expertise in research, statistics, disaster mental health, trauma, and maximizing outcomes for social service agencies. Dr. Hansel’s interest in research began as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer, where she helped coordinate research addressing the social problems associated with transmission of HIV and AIDS in the Gambia West Africa.
Following her service, she attended Tulane University, completing her PhD in Social Work and broadened her research to include terrorism and its impact on divorce rates. Dr. Hansel joined the faculty of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Department of Psychiatry in 2007 and held the titles of Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Evaluation and Research. Her research efforts center on evaluation of general trauma services, disaster response work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and towards a better understanding of technological disaster following the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill.
Together these experiences have allowed her to focus on measuring traumatic experiences and implementing systematic recovery initiatives that are effective at reducing negative symptoms, but also at emphasizing the importance of individual and community strengths that contribute to recovery. Dr. Hansel is currently an Associate Professor with the Tulane University School of Social Work.
Areas of Expertise
- Adolescent Development
- Behavioral Health
- Chronic Mental Illness
- Climate Change and Mental Health
- Collective Trauma
- Community Organizing and Advocacy
- Development Across the Life Course
- Disaster Mental Health
- Ecological/Ecosystemic Risk & Protective Factors
- Health Disparities / Health Equity
- International Social Work
- Macro Social Work and Community Development
- Program Development and Evaluation
- Public Health
- Research
- Resilience
- School Social Work
- Social Determinants of Health
- Social Stress
- Substance Use and Substance Use Treatment
- Trauma and Trauma-informed Care
- Wellness/Well-being
Education
- PhD from Tulane University School of Social Work
- MSW from Tulane University School of Social Work
- BSW from University of North Texas
Highlights, Honors & Awards
- 2022 Tulane University Research Synergy Award
Selected Publications
- Godshall, K. & Hansel, T.C. (2024). Exploring Teen Suicide Rates Through the Lens of Macro Risk Factors. Social Work in Public Health.
- Saltzman, L.Y., Hansel, T.C. (2024). The Profile of Resilience Under Chronic Stress: Impact of Civil Infrastructure and Human Strength. Frontiers in Psychology.
- Hansel. T. C., Saltzman, L. Y., & Melton, P. (2024). Provider wellbeing and administrative priorities: Retention of the healthcare workforce in medically underserved communities prone to disaster. American Journal of Public Health.
- Hansel, T. C., & Saltzman, L. Y. (2023). Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout: The Role of Mental Health, Work Experience, Loneliness and Other Trauma in Compassion Fatigue in the Healthcare Workforces. Traumatology.
- Terzis, L., Saltzman, L. Y., Whatley, H*., Logan, D., Hansel, T.C. (2023). Attitudes and perception towards public health safety measures during global health crises: Social and personal consequences. PlosOne.
- Hansel, T. C., Saltzman, L.Y., Robinson, T*., & Figley, C. (2023). First responders in COVID-19: The impact of compassion fatigue. Journal of Emergency Management. 21 (3).
- Saltzman, L.Y., Hansel, T.C., Ferreira, R.J. (2023) Climate change and health equity: Expanding our reach using technology. PLOS Climate 2(7): e0000242.
- Saltzman, L., Lesen, A., Henry, V., Hansel, T., & Bordnick, P. (2021). Covid-19 Mental Health Disparities. Health Security, 19.
- Saltzman, L., Terzis, L., Hansel, T., Blakey, J., Logan, D., & Bordnick, P. (2021). Harnessing Technology for Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Diary Study Protocol. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20.
- Chaudhry, S., Weiss, A., Dillon, G., O’Shea, A., & Hansel, T. (2021). Psychosis, Telehealth, and COVID-19: Successes and Lessons Learned from the First Wave of the Pandemic. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 1-12.
- Fuchs, R., Glaude, M.W., Hansel, T. C., & Osofsky, H. (2020). Adolescent Substance Use, Posttraumatic Stress, Depression and Resilience: Innovative Considerations for Disaster Recovery. Substance Abuse.
- Saltzman, L. Y., Hansel, T. C., & Bordnick, P. S. (2020). Loneliness, isolation, and social support factors in post-COVID-19 mental health. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S55-S57.
- Hansel, T., Saltzman, L., & Bordnick, P. (2020). Behavioral Health and Response for COVID-19. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 1-7.
- Hansel, T., Osofsky, H., Speier, A., & Osofsky, J. (2019). Postdisaster recovery and resilience: The mediating influences of mental health and environmental quality of life. Traumatology.
- Brymer, M., Hansel, T., Steinberg, A. M., Speier, A., Osofsky, J. & Osofsky, H. (2019) The Louisiana Spirit Hurricane Recovery Program: Addressing the Needs of Children and Adolescents after Catastrophic Hurricanes. Journal of Family Strengths, 19(1).
See more publications in Dr. Hansel's CV or on her page at ResearchGate.
Selected News & Media
- What's more contagious than the delta variant? Pandemic anger. (2021). NOLA.com.
- How Social Workers and Mental Health Providers Can Help Clients Adjust to the Pandemic. (2021). SWHelper.
- Tips to transitioning to the ‘new now’ in work and school. (2021). Tulane Today.
- Trauma Is Probably The Reason You're So Tired Right Now. (2021). HuffPost.
- COVID cases down, New Orleans families face new challenge: overflowing social schedules. (2021). NOLA.com.
- How Social Workers Can Help Disaster Mental Health Preparedness. (2021). Social Work Today.
- El impacto en la salud mental de los niños migrantes que cruzan solos la frontera: un trauma del que muchos no conseguirán reponerse. (2021). Univision.
- Tulane study looks at effectiveness of telehealth therapy during pandemic. (2021) Tulane Today.
- When Staying Informed Is Stressing You Out, Try These Simple Tips. (2021). Healthline.
- Dr. Tonya Hansel: Inside a 20-Year Career in Social Work. (2020). TSSW Blog.
- In politically divisive era, families prepare for dissent on Thanksgiving menu. (2020). NOLA.com.
- Crowd control during the COVID pandemic has been a challenge in New Orleans. (2020). WWL-TV.
- Repairing stressed, strained relationships following the election. (2020). Fox 8.
- Dealing with post-election anxiety and stress. (2020). WGNO-TV.
- Done with election drama? Here are some ways to pass the time as results roll in Tuesday. (2020). NOLA.com.
- No Rest for the Weary: 2020 Insomnia is Real. (2020). On Good Authority Podcast.
- Suicide Prevention and COVID-19's Impact. (2020). Psychiatric Times.
- Loneliness and 6 Components of Well-Being and Self-Care. (2020). Psychology Today.
- New Orleans woman shares her journey of being pregnant during a pandemic. (2020). WDSU-TV.
- Expert says mental health challenges remain as lockdown lifts. (2020). Tulane Today.
- Maintaining Traditions and Spirituality During Social Distancing. (2020). Tulane School of Social Work News Release.
- Social Worker Well-Being in the Time of COVID-19. (2020). Social Work Today.
- Coronavirus stressing you out? Here's how to relax and stay mindful during quarantine. (2020). NOLA.com.
- How the rise of virtual drinking will change the way we socialize. (2020). Matador.
- Workers grapple with unemployment while mental health concerns rise. (2020). Fox 8.
- Advice to parents with kids at home: Embrace screen time, stay calm amid coronavirus. (2020). NOLA.com.
- How To Keep Calm And Carry On — And Laugh — According To A Tulane Expert. (2020). New Orleans Public Radio.
- So which activities are safe for healthy people amid coronavirus? A Tulane expert weighs in. (2020). Gambit Weekly.
Selected Funding
- 2023-2027 Bayou Bridges
- $2,500,000 Funded through Health Resources & Services Administration
- Role: Co-Investigator
- 2022-2025 Project RETAIN: Resilient, Empowered, Trained, and Invested Network Project
- $2,271,503 Funded through Health Resources & Services Administration
- Role: Primary Investigator
- 2018-Present Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
- Program Evaluation and Research Fee for Service Contract
- Role: Consultant, $15,000
- 2017-2018 Prenatal and Perinatal Behavioral Support for Maternal and Infant WellBeing
- Funded through the Institute of Mental Hygiene
- Role: Program Evaluator, $80,000
- 2017-2018 Development of an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Clinic without Walls: A NOLA Family and Community Pilot Project
- Funded through the Institute of Mental Hygiene
- Role: Program Evaluator, $67,000
- 2016 - Terrorism and Disaster Center for Child and Family Resilience
- Funded through National Child Traumatic Stress Network by Substance Abuse Services and Mental Health Administration
- Role: Program Evaluator, $2,999,184
Community Involvement
- Traumatology, Editorial Board Member
- Junior League of New Orleans, Sustaining Member
