I’m so grateful for the school and everything I’ve gotten out of it. It was probably the best decision I could have made.
Christina LaRose, ’12, G’14, is often on the front lines of emergency response, but she’s not a police officer or firefighter. Instead, the social worker brings a unique skillset honed during her time at Bridgewater State University.
“I’m so grateful for the school and everything I’ve gotten out of it,” said LaRose, an award-winning community response social worker for Foxboro’s police and fire departments. “It was probably the best decision I could have made.”
LaRose knew she wanted to pursue a career in social work from a young age. As a teenager, she worked at a nursing home and enjoyed conversing with the residents and social services staff. LaRose thought she would always work with seniors, but her Bridgewater education highlighted the field’s breadth.
“Going to Bridgewater really opened up my eyes to all of the opportunities,” she said, particularly praising courses with Dr. Kathy Bailey. “She helped me understand more of what was available and gave me really good skills to go into the work and not burn myself out.”
At BSU, LaRose learned to serve individual clients by meeting them where they are. She also graduated with an understanding of how to create broad change through public policy. And, as a student employee in Central Receiving and Inventory Management, she learned the value of relationships.
After working in elder services for two towns, LaRose became the first social worker for Foxboro’s public safety departments last year. Her appointment comes as a growing number of agencies add social workers to their teams.
LaRose offers a new perspective while responding to emergency calls. She connects people facing mental health crises with the appropriate resources and prevents unneeded hospital stays. Her clients could include a teenager who ran away from home, a domestic violence victim, or a senior coming home from the hospital to a refrigerator with spoiled food.
Her efforts have led to fewer 911 calls from Foxboro’s frequent callers. And her contributions have not gone unnoticed.
LaRose received the Civilian Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement. The association cited her work to improve data tracking, commitment to a job that is not 9-5, and efforts to establish a human trafficking-response team.
She is a “fierce advocate for those who have been affected by both domestic and sexual violence,” the association wrote in an announcement of her award.
LaRose was humbled by the recognition.
“I was blown away,” she said. “I have so much gratitude for the officers who considered me for the award and see the value in this. It was really heartwarming.”
But the real reward comes when LaRose sees a client doing much better.
“Getting them the support they need. ...That’s what keeps me coming back,” she said.
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