Publications

Book Chapters

LaPierre, Tracey A., and Jennifer Babitzke. 2026. “Family Demography: Continuity, Change, and Emerging Trends in the United States and Canada," pp. 55-101 in Family Health Care Nursing: Theory, Practice, and Research (8th Edition), edited by Melissa Robinson and Paul S. Smith. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis. Book Link

Stuber, Donna, Kristina R. Thielen, Jennifer Babitzke, and William Alan. 2010. “Alumni in the Classroom (and Beyond).” in Promoting Student Engagement: Programs, Techniques and Opportunities. Vol. 1. Book Link

Journal Articles

Wendel, Carrie, Darcy Sullivan, Jennifer Babitzke, and Tracey LaPierre. 2025. "’They seemed to forget about us little people’: The Lived Experiences of Personal Care Attendants during the COVID-19 Pandemic." Frontiers in Sociology 10:1460307, DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1460307. Article Link

LaPierre, Tracey A., Carrie L. Wendel, Jennifer Babitzke, Darcy Sullivan, Lora Swartzendruber, Danielle Olds. 2024. “Experiences with Care Coordination and Backup Plans in Home and Community Based Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kansas”, Disability and Health Journal. DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101677. Article Link

Wendel, Carrie L., Tracey A. LaPierre, Darcy L. Sullivan, Jennifer Babitzke, Lora Swartzendruber, Tobi Barta, and Danielle M. Olds. 2022. "’Anything that benefits the workers should benefit the client’: Opportunities and Constraints in Self-Directed Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic." Journal of Applied Gerontology 2(4), DOI: 10.1177/07334648221143604. Article Link

Technical Reports and Policy Briefs

Wendel-Hummell, Carrie L., Kelsey S. Goddard, Jennifer Babitzke, Miranda McKenzie, Whitney Grube, Linda Heitzman-Powell, Chris Engler, Lora Swartzendruber, Yujin Oh, Nathan Jones, Zhiqi Li, and Jason Dailey. 2025. Kansas DSW Training Project: Final Report. Prepared for Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). University of Kansas, Kansas Direct Support Workforce Development.

Babitzke, Jennifer, Yujin Oh, Carrie Wendel-Hummell, Whitney Grube, and Nathan Jones. 2025. Training Supplemental Report A: Direct Support Workforce Baseline Training Survey Results. Supplemental Report Prepared for KDADS. University of Kansas, Kansas Direct Support Workforce Development.

Babitzke, Jennifer, Carrie Wendel-Hummell, and Miranda McKenzie. 2025. Training Supplemental Report B: Direct Support Worker (DSW) Post-Training Survey Results. Supplemental Report Prepared for KDADS. University of Kansas, Kansas Direct Support Workforce Development.

Wendel-Hummell, Carrie L., Kelsey Goddard, Patricia Oslund, Carlos Zambrana, Jennifer Babitzke, Jason Dailey, Miranda McKenzie, Lora Swartzendruber, and Whitney Grube. 2025. Kansas DSW Career Ladder Project: Final Report. Prepared for Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.

Heggeness, Misty, Jennifer Babitzke, and Lilly Springer. 2025. Report: “The Economics of Child Care and Child Care Licensing in Kansas.” United Women’s Empowerment: Kansas City, MO.

Wendel, Carrie, Tracey LaPierre, Darcy Sullivan, Jennifer Babitzke, Lora Swartzendruber, and Daniell Olds. 2024. “After Aspera: Informed by Pandemic Lessons, Building the HCBS System Kansans Deserve.” Center for the Advancement of Health for Everyone, University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. Lawrence, KS.

Manuscripts Under Review

Babitzke, Jennifer, Carrie Wendel-Hummell. “Supporting and Advocating for Kansas Direct Care Workers: A State-Partnered, Community-Based Applied Research Initiative. In preparation for presentation at the 2026 Midwest Sociological Society conference in March 2026. Submission to care work and applied research journals estimated Fall 2027.

LaPierre, Tracey A., Carrie L. Wendel, Jennifer Babitzke, Darcy L. Sullivan, and Danielle M. Olds. “Vaccination Behaviors and Beliefs of Home Care Workers and Clients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” In preparation for submission to Frontiers in Public Health. Estimated submission date Fall 2026.

Editorial Articles

Babitzke, Jennifer. 2025. “Editorial Introduction to the Volume: Social Dis Order”. Social Thought and Research 37 (February). Article Link