Melissa E. Dichter, PhD, MSW, is a Professor in the School of Social Work, College of Public Health, at Temple University and Core Investigator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Healthcare Evaluation, Research, and Promotion (CHERP). Dr. Dichter is also a CVP Affiliate. Her research focuses primarily on individuals’ experiences with, and system responses to, intimate partner violence (IPV) and she collaborates on several projects with Dr. Ashlee Murray.
Melissa E. Dichter, PhD, MSW, is a Professor in the School of Social Work, College of Public Health, at Temple University and Core Investigator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Healthcare Evaluation, Research, and Promotion (CHERP). Dr. Dichter’s research focuses primarily on individuals’ experiences with, and system responses to, intimate partner violence (IPV).
Her work has examined healthcare system identification of and response to patient experience with IPV; IPV survivor experiences with criminal legal system intervention; health and social impacts of IPV experience; IPV survivor engagement in social services, social relationships, and advocacy; and IPV experiences of women military veterans. Dr. Dichter’s work has also focused on identifying and meeting the health and psychosocial needs of women military veterans and of gender and sexual minority populations.
Dr. Dichter collaborates with Dr. Ashlee Murray of CVP on several projects related to IPV identification and response in healthcare settings, including focusing on survivors’ expertise for improving healthcare services in response to IPV. These projects include videos featuring individuals who have experienced IPV sharing guidance for healthcare clinicians and staff and development and testing of a feedback tool for patients or caregivers to report back to healthcare clinicians and staff about their experiences with IPV assessment and response.
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, US Department of Veterans Affairs, 12009-2011
PhD, University of Pennsylvania (Social Welfare), 2009
MSW, University of Pennsylvania (Clinical Social Work), 2002
BA, Tufts University (Child Development), 1998
Affiliate, Center for Violence Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Professor, School of Social Work, College of Public Health, Temple University
Excellence in Community Service and Advocacy Award, Temple University School of Social Work, 2023
Alumni Hall of Fame, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice, 2021
Excellence in Research Award, Society for Social Work and Research, 2020
Hal Levin Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student, University of Pennsylvania, 2005