Malena Hicks

Hicks completed her undergraduate degree in social work with an emphasis on substance use treatment training and early intervention care for children. Additionally, she has worked with severe mental illness during the first year of her doctoral program at a locked inpatient facility. Her primary focus in pursuing this education is to expand treatment options and prioritize minority voices regarding accessibility to mental and behavioral health care. Hicks is a member of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and intends to expand mental health care accessibility for this population and prioritize research on resilience factors correlated to community connectedness.