Lisa Borntrager
Email: borntragerlj@vcu.edu
Pronouns: She/her
Lisa Borntrager is a first-year Ph.D. student at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social work. Her research primarily focuses on suicide prevention and mental health. Other research interests include program evaluation, disparities/social justice, policy reform, LGBTQ+, women and trauma/violence.
Lisa received her bachelor’s in psychology in 2016 and her M.S.W. in 2018, both at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Florida. During her time as a student at UCF, she completed internships at a local domestic violence shelter (undergrad), a child advocacy center (M.S.W. generalist), and a partial hospitalization/inpatient facility (M.S.W. clinical).
After graduating with her M.S.W., Lisa pursued a research position in the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training in the UCF School of Social Work. Lisa has been a program coordinator across multiple SAMHSA-funded grants. Through this work, Lisa has gained experience and an interest in working with state-level mental health systems toward program and policy reform.
In addition to research, Lisa has worked clinically as a unit therapist at an inpatient behavioral health hospital, working directly with those at risk of suicide. She also worked with children and families in homes/schools. These experiences have made her passionate about mental health reform and prevention.
Areas of interest
- Community-Based Participatory Research
- Inequality Poverty and Social Welfare Policy
- International Social Work and Global Issues
- Mental Health and Trauma
- Program Evaluation
- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Suicide Prevention
- Violence Against Women and Children
Education and credentials
M.S.W., University of Central Florida
B.S. in Psychology, University of Central Florida
Work
Selected publications
Vance, M., Gryglewicz, K., Nam, E., Richardson, S., Borntrager, L., & Karver, M.S. (2022). Exploring service use disparities among suicidal black youth in a suicide prevention care coordination intervention. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
Bender, A., Wilson, R., Borntrager, L., Gryglewicz, K., & Karver, M.S. (2022). Evaluating Dialectical Behavior Therapy training with mental health providers. Journal of Personality Disorders.
Gryglewicz, K., Nam, E., Karver, M.S., Vance, M., & Borntrager, L. (2021). Caring transitions: An examination of mental health, suicide-related outcomes, and service use patterns among at-risk youth discharged from crisis stabilization units. Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention.
Professional highlights
Selected presentations
Borntrager, L., Le, K., Kneusel, J., Gryglewicz, K. (2023). Suicide prevention training implementation in healthcare settings. As part of a symposium/workshop titled Innovative Approaches to the Evaluation of Suicide Prevention across Service Sectors presented at Suicide Research Symposium Second Annual Conference, Virtual.
Hussain, F., Borntrager, L., Gryglewicz, K. (2023). Discussing suicide with family and friends: Do gatekeeper trainings affect perceived social norms? Paper presentation presented at Suicide Research Symposium Second Annual Conference, Virtual.
Orr, V.L., Borntrager, L., & Gryglewicz, K. (2023). Why race matters: An analysis of risk factors, warning signs, and protective factors in those at risk of suicide. Research paper presentation presented at the 2nd annual Suicide Research Symposium Conference, virtual.
Vance, M., Borntrager, L., Gryglewicz, K., Nam, E., & Karver, M.S. (2022). Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Service Engagement and Utilization Among Black Youth at High-Risk for Suicide. Paper presented at the Society for Social Work and Research 26th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Borntrager, L., Carmody, J., Gryglewicz, K. (2022). Suicide Prevention and Care Coordination in Hospital Settings: Implications and Lessons Learned. Oral presentation for The Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition Conference, Tampa, FL.
Borntrager, L., Gryglewicz, K., Karver, M.S., & Kersey, S. (2019). Building a ‘safety net’ of community providers: Utilizing the systems of care framework for developing a community resource asset map for suicide prevention within a healthcare setting. Poster session presented at the IASR/AFSP International Summit on Suicide Research, Miami, FL.
Accomplishments
University of Central Florida Alumni Association, 30 under 30 award winner, 2022