Dr. Rahul JainAssistant Professor | Faculty of Education & Social Work
Email: rjain@tru.ca
Phone: 778-471-8654
Interests
Biography
Dr. Rahul Jain is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work and Human Service at Thompson
Rivers University. He brings many years of professional experience spanning clinical social work, mental
health practice, academic teaching, and applied research across multiple postsecondary institutions and
practice settings in British Columbia.
Prior to joining TRU, Dr. Jain served as an Assistant Professor and Regional Field Coordinator in the
School of Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), where he taught and
supervised undergraduate, graduate (practicum and thesis), and doctoral students. He also serves as an
Adjunct Professor in the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program at Yorkville University. In
addition to his academic roles, Dr. Jain held senior clinical and leadership positions within the BC
public service for over a decade, working as a Team Leader and Mental Health Clinician with BC Ministry
of Children and Family Development across Smithers, Kelowna, Fort St. John, and Kamloops.
Dr. Jain's teaching and scholarship are grounded in clinical practice, equity-oriented frameworks, and
community-engaged approaches, with particular attention to rural, remote, and Indigenous contexts. His
multidisciplinary background has enabled him to teach and mentor students across social work, nursing,
counselling, education, psychology, gender studies, and First Nations studies.
Awards and Honours
Dr. Jain is the Inaugural Recipient of Yorkville University's President's Award for Teaching Excellence
(2025), the highest honour for teaching at the institution. In 2022, he received the University
Excellence in Teaching Award from UNBC, becoming one of only three faculty members in the School of
Social Work to receive this distinction since its inception in 1998. That same year, he was nominated
for the UNBC Research Excellence Award, and in 2023 was nominated for the West Coast Teaching Excellence
Award by the UNBC Vice-President Academic and Provost.
In 2021, Dr. Jain was selected as one of only 24 exam writers from 351 applicants across the United
States and Canada for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Master Level Licensure Exam.
He was the sole Canadian selected in the clinical licensing exam writing category, a role he continues
to hold.
Professional Credentials
Dr. Jain is a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW #12748, in good standing) with the BC College of
Social Workers. As of December 31, 2024, only 240 of 6,184 active BC registrants hold the Clinical
(RCSW) designation,3.88% of the total registered workforce (BCCSW Annual Report, 2024). As an RCSW, Dr.
Jain is formally authorized to assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders using the DSM, and may
practise independently.
Research Interests
Research Interests
Clinical social work; mental health and substance use; rural and remote practice; Indigenous social work
practice; community development; multiculturalism; organizational and systems-level mental health
responses.
Education
Education
PhD-Sociology
LLB-Professional Law
MA-Sociology
BA-Psychology, Sociology, and Public Administration
MSW-Clinical Social Work
Publications
Selected Publications
Jain, R., Margolin, I., Peters, H., & Jain, R. (2024). Experiences supervising social work students
in field placements during COVID-19: Recommendations for future delivery during a pandemic. Practice:
Social Work in Action, 37(1), 3-22. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
Karki, K., Shrestha, A., Jain, R., & Al-Saadi, R. (2024). Mental health and well-being of healthcare
professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: A systematic review. International Journal of
Occupational Safety and Health, 14(2), 268???281.
Jain, R. (2020). The new wave of clinical social work practice in the wake of COVID-19: Challenges and
opportunities. Perspectives, 42(3), BCASW.
Jain, R. (under review). Playing differently: A neurodiversity-affirming approach to understanding and
supporting play in children. Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice.
Public Scholarship
Jain, R. (2026). From sunshine to shadows: Gearing up for seasonal mood shifts. CELT, TRU.
Jain, R. (2025). Holding steady through the winter blues. Invited guest blog, Yorkville University.
Jain, R. (2025). Why language matters in conversations about substance use. Inside TRU.
Jain, R. (2025). Why winter feels heavier for many on campus. Inside TRU.
Research Funding
Principal Investigator, Mental Health Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Indigenous Health Care Workers
in BC. Interior Universities Research Coalition / BC Ministry of Health. $49,996. (Completed)
Co-Principal Investigator, Human Computer Interactions and Health Care Resilience. Interior Universities
Research Coalition / BC Ministry of Health. $19,940. (Completed)
Principal Investigator, TRU Internal Research Fund. Thompson Rivers University. $5,000. (In
progress)
Principal Investigator, TRU Open Access Publishing Grant. Thompson Rivers University. $3,000. (In
progress)
Principal Investigator, TRU Research Accelerate Grant. Thompson Rivers University. $3,000. (In progress)
Courses Taught
Courses Taught
Thompson Rivers University
SOCW 3590 Social Work with Diverse Populations
SOCW 4400 Social Work and Mental Health
SOCW 4660 Addictions and Social Work Practice
SOCW 3040 Social Work Field Practice I
SOCW 4020 Social Work Field Practice II
SOCW 3010 Introduction to Social Work Research
University of Northern British Columbia
SOCW 613 Clinical Social Work Practice
SOCW 673 Mental Illness and Addictions Among Indigenous Children/Youth
SOCW 674 Crisis Work with Indigenous Children/Youth: Restoring Balance
SOCW 672/671-3 Reflections on Practice: Indigenous Children/Youth Mental Health
SOCW 605 Community Work / Politics of Change
SOCW 455 Indigenous Governance and Social Policy
SOCW 441/698 Social Work and Substance Use
SOCW 421/698 Human Growth and Development
SOCW 336 Social Work Philosophy and Ethics
SOCW 302 Social Work Field Education I
SOCW 402 Social Work Field Education II
SOCW 300 Social Work Communication Skills
SOCW 604 Directed Readings
Professional Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW)
British Columbia Association of Social Workers (BCASW)
Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
