March 16, 2026
When Bobbie Justin entered the Ph.D. program in Social Welfare, she already had more than a decade of experience working directly with patients as a medical social worker. In her roles at NYU Langone Health hospitals, she conducted psychosocial assessments of patients and families, developed care plans and interventions, and advocated for patients and their relatives as they navigated the hospital system.
Justin also had personal experience with the challenges of caring for older adults, particularly those with disabilities. As a caregiver for her sister — an older adult with a disability who lives in North Carolina — she has had to coordinate that care, often from a distance, while managing the demands of her own work. Justin, a 2026 Stone Center Junior Scholar, is also an adjunct lecturer at Silberman School of Social Work and the College of Staten Island, and an assistant adjunct at Long Island University and SUNY Old Westbury.
She entered the Ph.D. program determined to focus her research on improving care for older adults with disabilities. “There’s a definite need for more intervention and more care for this population, which is going to be one of our largest in the years to come,” she says. “There’s also a need for interdisciplinary teams that work across departments and support patients from the moment they arrive until they return safely to their communities.”
Before coming to the Graduate Center, Justin earned master’s degrees in economics and in international community development. She also spent years working in medical clinics around the world, including in Malawi, Rwanda, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Belize. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, she was working at a clinic in Lebanon. She returned to New York to assist at NYU Langone. “I saw the same problems everywhere,” she says. “The context may be different, or the resources available may vary, but older adults with disabilities are facing many of the same issues and have the same need for better care.”
Justin was drawn to medical social work from the start. The role allowed her to support patients in complex situations that often extended far beyond medical treatment. “There have been so many cases that are dear to my heart,” she says. “We celebrated one patient who was with us on her 104th birthday. I had a patient from New Jersey who was unhoused and stayed with us for seven months. The hospital had to obtain guardianship just to maintain his care because he didn’t have anyone else. We worked through the hospital red tape, insurance issues, and the challenge of finding available beds. It was difficult, but it was very rewarding to get him the care he needed.”
Despite how much she values one-on-one work with patients, Justin decided to pursue a doctoral degree so she could contribute to broader changes in the U.S. healthcare system. “There’s a lot that we need to do in terms of policy to make the healthcare system deliver more patient-centered and person-centered care,” she says. In patient-centered care, the healthcare team focuses on the patient’s medical needs and provides treatment accordingly. Person-centered care involves including an individual’s family and community to help providers better understand that person’s support system and help with a safe return to the community. “I believe all healthcare teams should involve patients in decisions about their health and make sure their preferences are heard during treatment. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. With my Ph.D., I’m hoping that I can help identify ways for older adults with disabilities to have a greater voice in their healthcare.”
Her doctoral research also examines issues related to chronic pain among older adults. “Especially when it comes to older adults, people often assume pain is simply a normal part of aging,” she says. “Many people aren’t familiar with what chronic pain really means. I’m currently researching and writing a manuscript focused on key issues affecting older adults, including chronic pain.”
Justin has also encountered broader misunderstandings about disability throughout her career. “I think people sometimes shy away from really understanding what disability means,” she says. “If we want to support individuals with disabilities more effectively, it’s important that we’re able to talk about it openly.”
Alongside her research, Justin teaches research methods to psychology students at SUNY Old Westbury, and in the master’s programs at the Silberman School and SUNY Old Westbury. She also serves as a field advisor for social work students at Silberman School of Social Work. She contributed two chapters to the Research Handbook on Social Work and Societies, published last year: a solo-authored chapter on international community development and a coauthored chapter on social work practice with older adults.
As she looks ahead, she hopes to keep teaching and mentoring future social workers while expanding her research and writing. “My goal is to engage in research and scholarship that inform practice and policy,” Justin says. “I am also committed to advocating for policy change in areas where I believe reform is needed. Social workers are uniquely positioned to advocate for and support older adults. In a perfect world, I would still be involved in hospital-based work in some capacity. I want to remain connected to the hospital setting, even as I continue to determine the role that best aligns with my long-term goals.”
