Andrea Kalvesmaki
About Andrea
Kalvesmaki's research focuses on caregiving, disability, and long-term outcomes related to education, health, and well-being. Overarching themes in Kalvesmaki's writings are raising awareness of young caregivers under the age of 25, their roles in supporting family members with disabilities, and the strength and resilience they have, even when they have their own disabilities. Kalvesmaki serves on the national Caregiving Youth Research Council, the Utah Caregiving Roundtable, and is developing projects to support young caregivers in education through her role at WGU.
Contributions
Publications
Describes the need to include "caregivers" as a unique social determinant of health in understanding the needs of persons receiving care.
Illustrates an interdisciplinary process to analyze a large body of qualitative data in response to a Request for Information on Veteran suicide. Discusses how results were used to inform a national public health strategy and campaign to reduce suicide for all citizens.
Takes a systems approach to understanding and addressing the School to Prison Pipeline, and offers strategies rooted in disability rights laws to support young people to have improved outcomes that keep them in school and out of juvenile systems.