Skip to main content

Dr. Jessica Grace

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Social Work

(940) 369-7095

Email: Jessica.Grace@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, Texas Christian University, 2024
    Major: Health Science
  • MS, University of Texas at Arlington, 2010
    Major: Social Work

Licensures and Certifications

  • Licensed Master Social Worker, Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. (2008 - 2026).

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Health Behavior. (January 2026 - Present).
  • American Public Health Association. (2020 - 2022).
  • Society for Social Work and Research. (2019 - 2020).
  • Leadership Fort Worth. (2018 - 2019).

Development Activities

  • Other (Early Career Mentorship), AIM mini-mentoring program, JHU Center for Global Women’s Health and Gender Equity. Baltimore,MD,United States of America. (October 17, 2025 - September 1, 2026).
  • Faculty Fellowship, R25 Applied IPV Measurement Short Course Training, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Global Women's Health & Gender Equity. Baltimore,MD,United States of America. (July 28, 2025 - August 1, 2025).
  • Workshop (DSI CLEAR Training), EASE: Be More Approachable with Easy DIY Course Videos, DSI CLEAR. Denton,TX,United States of America. (March 26, 2025).
  • Other (HPS Research Faculty Brown Bag Events), Qualitative Research Methods, College of Health and Public Service. Denton,TX,United States of America. (March 18, 2025).
  • Workshop, Faculty Grantsmanship Workshop: Planning and Writing Successful Grant Proposals, UNT. Denton,TX,United States of America. (December 10, 2024).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • SOWK 3525 - Violence in Families, 2 courses.
  • SOWK 3870 - Social Work Research and Practice, 1 course.
  • SOWK 4500 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment II, 5 courses.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • Texas Christian University, SOWO 10833-081 Introduction to Social Work, Fall 2023.
  • Texas Christian University, SOWO 10833-081 Introduction to Social Work, Fall 2022.
  • Texas Christian University, Social Welfare Policy, Spring 2022.

Awards and Honors

  • Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, Texas Christian University. (May 8, 2024).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Dataset

  • Elias-Lambert, N., Leat, S.R., Bolton, K.W., Pond, R.S., Grace, J. (2024). Faculty Bystander Attitude Scale. PsycTESTS Dataset. American Psychological Association (APA). https://doi.org/10.1037/t92726-000

    • Journal Article

  • Yoon, S., Grace, J., Mahapatra, N., Kim, S. (2026). Domestic Violence and Mental health among middle-aged and older adults in the U.S. during COVID-19: The Effects of Substance use and Friends’ Support. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma.
  • Thompson, E.L., Akpan, I.N., Alkhatib, S., Grace, J., Zimet, G.D., Daley, E.M., Luningham, J., Wheldon, C.W. (2025). Implementation of mid-adult HPV vaccination guidelines into clinical practice. Vaccine. 51 126867. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.126867
  • Grace, J. (2025). Patient and Healthcare Provider Factors Influencing Shared Clinical Decison Making for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Vaccination among Adults Aged 27-45 Years Old in the United States: A Systematic Review. Journal of Public Health. Springer.
  • Thompson, E.L., Luningham, J., Alkhatib, S.A., Grace, J., Akpan, I.N., Daley, E.M., Zimet, G.D., Wheldon, C.W. (2025). Testing an HPV Vaccine Decision Aid for 27- to 45-Year-Old Adults in the United States: A Randomized Trial. Other. 45 (2) SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989x241305142
  • Thompson, E., Akpan, I., Taskin, T., Alkhatib, S., Grace, J., Daley, E., Zimet, G., Wheldon, C. (2024). Clinician Perspectives on Implementing HPV Vaccination Guidelines into Practice. Behavioral Medicine. 51 (3) 233-240. Philadelphia, PA, Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/vbmd20
  • Wheldon, C.W., Grace, J.c., Zimet, G., Daley, E.M., Akpan, I.N., Alkhatib, S.A., Thompson, E.L. (2024). Development and evaluation of a decision aid for HPV vaccination among adults aged 27–45 years old in the United States. Computers in Biology and Medicine. 185 109557. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.109557
  • Thompson, E.L., Griner, S.B., Grace, J., Maynard, G., Akpan, I.N., Johnson, K., Webb, N., Alkhatib, S., Kline, N.S. (2024). Online Recruitment of Qualitative Study Participants: Lessons Learned. Other. 7 (3) New Prairie Press. https://doi.org/10.4148/2572-1836.1231
  • Elias-Lambert, N., Leat, S.R., Grace, J., Voth Schrag, R. (2023). Faculty Bystanders: Capturing University Faculty’s Willingness to Engage in Prosocial Behavior. Other. 32 (10) 1374-1392. Informa UK Limited. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2023.2171825
  • Elias-Lambert, N., Leat, S., Bolton, K., Pond, R., Grace, J. (2023). Development of the bystander attitude and behavior scales for gender-based and oppressive violence with university faculty. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. Milton Park, Oxfordshire, Taylor & Francis.
  • Chhetri, S., Gonzalez-Pons, K., Andrews, A., Carlson, E., Grace, J., Thompson, E.L., Spence, E.E. (2023). The Body in Crisis: A Health Needs Assessment among Female Survivors of Interpersonal Violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 38 (1-2) 1970-1989. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605221098393
  • Spence, E.E., Prabhakar, P., Grace, J., Fulda, K.G., Thompson, E.L., Ondersma, S.J. (2022). Development and implementation of tablet-based screening for interpersonal violence in primary care settings. Health Care for Women International. 43 (12) 1503-1509. Informa UK Limited. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2022.2043861
  • Thompson, E.L., Fulda, K.G., Grace, J., Galvin, A.M., Spence, E.E. (2022). The Implementation of an Interpersonal Violence Screening Program in Primary Care Settings: Lessons Learned. Health Promotion Practice. 23 (4) 640-649. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839921989273
  • Elias-Lambert, N., Leat, S.R., Grace, J. (2022). Bystander Intervention Programming with Faculty: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education. Other. 43 (2) 257-275. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-022-00669-0
  • Grace, J., Walters, S.T., Gallegos, I., Thompson, E.L., Spence, E.E. (2020). Use of a Health Advocacy Model for Survivors of Interpersonal Violence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (23) 8966. MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238966

Presentations Given

    Invited Talk

  • Grace, J.C. (Author & Presenter), Virtual Research Roundtable Series, IPV & Sexual and Reproductive Health: Intervention and Advocacy, Reproductive Decision-Making in Abusive Relationships, John Hopkins Center for Global Women's Health and Gender Equity, Bloomberg American Health Initiative, Virtual, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Lunch & Learn Monthly Speaker Series, Addressing the Sexual & Reproductive Health Needs of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, Genesis Women's Shelter & Support, Zoom, United States of America. (2025).

    • Lecture

  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), SOWK 5410: Program Administration and Evaluation Graduate Class, Addressing the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Elias-Lambert, N. (Author & Presenter), HCHS 80533: Scoping Review Methodology, Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) Methodology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America. (2025).

    • Oral Presentation

  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Annual Conference on Crimes Against Women, Addressing the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, Conference on Crimes Against Women, Dallas, Texas, United States of America. (2025).

    • Poster

  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Elias-Lambert, N. (Author), American Academy of Health Behavior 2026 Scientific Meeting, Understanding Reproductive Decision-Making in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis, American Academy of Health Behavior, Austin, Texas, United States of America. (2026).
  • Akpan, I. (Author & Presenter), Weldon, C. (Author), Alkhatib, S. (Author), Grace, J. (Author), Daley, E. (Author), Zimet, G. (Author), Luningham, J. (Author), Engler, J. (Author), Thompson, E. (Author), American Academy of Health Behavior 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting, Examining providers' and stakeholders' perspectives on a patient decision aid tool for mid-adult HPV vaccination, American Academy of Health Behavior, San Diego, United States of America. (2025).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), 2025 Futures Without Violence Conference on Health, Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health into IPV Services: A Survivor- and Provider-Led Framework, Futures Without Violence, San Francisco, CA, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Luningham, J. (Author & Presenter), Maness, S. (Author), Wheldon, C. (Author), Akpan, I. (Author), Alkhatib, S. (Author), Grace, J. (Author), Thompson, E. (Author), AAHB 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting, Concordance between parents’ HPV vaccination intention for themselves and their children, American Academy of Health Behavior, San Diego, CA, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Annual Program Meeting, If you talk about sexual health, I think it could break cycles.”, Council on Social Work Education, Kansas City, United States of America. (2024).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Elias-Lambert, N. (Author), Annual Program Meeting, Let’s talk about sexual health: Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) service providers, Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Grace, J. (Author & Presenter), Spence, E. (Author), Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 23rd Annual Conference, Examining health advocacy as a model to empower victims of interpersonal violence and improve health outcomes, Society for Social Work and Research, San Francisco, United States of America. (2019).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Wagner, T. (Principal), Spence, E. (Co-Principal), Grace, J. (Co-Principal), Stalega, M. (Co-Principal), "Investigating the Role of Literacy in Homelessness and Housing Stability," sponsored by Sid Richardson Foundation, Local, $365000 Funded. (2026 - 2027).
  • Grace, J. (Principal), "Trauma-Informed Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Education for Intimate Partner Violence Providers," sponsored by College of Health and Public Service (HPS), University of North Texas, $1000 Funded. (2025 - 2026).
  • Ackers, S. (Principal), Grace, J.C. (Supporting), "Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach in the School Setting: Exploring Barriers & Facilitators," sponsored by Texas Christian University, Private, Funded. (2025 - 2026).
  • Ackers, S. (Principal), Grace, J. (Supporting), "Examining Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care Among School Professionals within a Texas School District: A Baseline Organizational Assessment," sponsored by Texas Christian University, Private, Funded. (2024 - 2025).
  • Grace, J., "Exploring the sexual and reproductive health needs of intimate partner violence survivors," sponsored by Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences- TCU, Private, $716.8 Funded. (2023 - 2024).
  • Grace, J., "Exploring How Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Service Providers Discuss Sexual and Reproductive Health," sponsored by Texas Christian University, Private, $441.3 Funded. (2022 - 2023).

Service

University Service

  • Committee Member, Assistant Professor Search Committee. (2026 - Present).
  • Committee Member, BSW Program Committee. (December 2025 - Present).
  • Committee Member, HPS Faculty Grievance Committee. (August 2025 - Present).
  • Committee Member, PAC. (February 2025 - Present).
  • Faculty Mentor, BSW Faculty Mentor. (November 2025 - May 2026).
  • Committee Member, BSW Admissions Committee. (October 21, 2024).

Professional Service

  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Health Care Care for Women International Journal. Philadelphia, PA. (July 9, 2025).
  • Judge, CCAW Poster Presentation Judging Committee. Dallas, Texas. (May 22, 2025).
  • Committee Member, Tarrant County Council on Family Violence. Fort Worth, TX. (2016 - 2023).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, BMC Womens Health. (2021).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Texas Public Health Journal. (2019).