News Releases

Two New Researchers Join Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing

August 12, 2002

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing has announced the appointment of two new faculty researchers, further advancing the School's research initiative.

Mary R. Haack, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been appointed associate professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health and Elias Vasquez, PhD, NNP, PNP, FAANP, has been appointed assistant professor in the Department of Child, Women's and Family Health.

Dr. Haack, whose research focuses on substance abuse and mental health issues among court involved families, holds both doctoral and master's degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Under a contract from the United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration/Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (SAMHSA/CSAT), Dr. Haack helped develop family drug courts in Miami, Kansas City, Mo., and Manhattan, N.Y. She is currently funded by SAMHSA/Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to select and implement an evidence-based family intervention for parents charged with child abuse and neglect in the New Jersey Superior Court System. In addition, Dr. Haack is co-investigator on a three-year, $349,000 grant, "Reimbursement Policy for Online Substance Abuse Treatment," funded by the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Substance Abuse Policy

Research Program. She also has a one-year planning grant from the RWJ Foundation to plan and develop nursing interventions that address the disparity in primary care services for court-involved parents with substance use disorders and children in foster care. Dr. Haack joins the School of Nursing from her previous position as associate professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey's College of Nursing.

Dr. Vasquez holds both doctoral and master's degrees from the University of Arizona. His expertise is in providing primary care and developmental assessments to HIV and drug-exposed infants and children. Dr. Vasquez is a pioneer in innovative approaches in nursing practice, education and research for one of society's most challenging problems - mothers with substance use disorders and their children. He is currently president of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a Fellow with the RWJ Foundation in Developing Leadership and Reducing Substance Abuse. Dr. Vasquez also comes to the School from his previous position as assistant professor at Rutgers' College of Nursing.

"We are pleased to have these two exceptional professionals join our cadre of distinguished nurse researchers," said Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean of the School of Nursing