Juan Ramos MSW

’60

Juan Ramos is a leader in mental health research, with an outstanding career as a practicing social worker as well as a scholar, working with leadership in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to advance the priorities of the profession.

Ramos spent 35 years at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Washington, D.C., and was part of the senior executive service. His main efforts were in the development of social work research pertinent to mental health and mental illness, development of research and research training initiatives, and facilitating clinical and research training and mental health services pertinent to minority populations with an emphasis on promoting the establishment of local, state and national organizations to address mental health issues. Ramos facilitated the organization and development of multiple international epidemiological studies on the incidence and prevalence of mental disorders, and physical and mental disabilities, particularly in Spanish speaking countries.

He was a faculty member for 11 years at the School of Social Work, University of Maryland, teaching mental health policy. He has been a long-standing advocate for the implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Ramos played an influential role in the Social Work Research Initiative, an effort initiated by the NASW to secure fiscal support from NIMH for social work research at five universities. His significant dedication to and knowledge of social work scholarship was vital in moving the initiative forward and ensuring the landmark project was successfully achieved. The result was the creation of a central organization to advance social work research nationally.