Amelia Mueller-Williams

Dr. Mueller-Williams is an assistant professor with the FSU College of Social Work. The scope of her research includes mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention, with a focus on vulnerable populations, including American Indian/Alaska Native communities and Black youth and young adults. Her work utilizes both community-based and culturally responsive approaches, encompassing the study of suicide prevention programs, firearm safety and substance use interventions. Building on this focus, Dr. Mueller's work advances the understanding of how social determinants and community conditions can shape mental health and inform prevention and intervention strategies. She earned her PhD in Social Work from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Areas of Focus

• Health and Health Disparities
• Behavioral Health
• Mental Health
• Substance Use and Misuse
• Population Sciences
• Intervention Research
• Community Engagement

Education

• T-32 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Addiction Center
• PhD, 2023, University of California - Los Angeles, Social Work
• MPH, 2012, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Public Health
• MSW, 2012, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Social Work
• BA, 2008, Macalester College, Anthroplogy/Biology

Selected Publications

Ju, X., Mueller-Williams, A.C., Kocher, A., Pena, S.E., Waljee, J., Bicket, M., Kidwell, K.M., Blow, F., Walton, M., & Fernandez, A.C. (2026). High-risk alcohol, drug, and polysubstance use among elective surgery patients. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Accepted for publication.

Wexler, L., Shaw, J., Leys, M., Porter, K., Portugal, J., Moje, A., Moto, R., G., Zhong, Mueller-Williams, A., Apala Flaherty, A., Goldstick, J., Carter, P. (2026). 'Are you worried someone in your household is at risk of suicide?' Piloting ways to acceptably and feasibly increase safe firearm storage in rural Alaskan homes. In press.

Sokol, R., Mueller-Williams, A.C., Porter, K., Leys, M., Flaherty, A. A., & Wexler, L. (2025). Developing and testing the predictive validity of household firearm storage measures: insights from rural Alaska. Injury Prevention. doi.org/10.1136/ip-2024-045470

Mueller-Williams, A.C., Coughlin L.N., Goldstick, J.E. (2024). Unpacking firearm access and firearm violence exposure among American Indian or Alaska Native and Black Adults. JAMA Network Open. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.0020

Mueller-Williams, A.C., Ilgen, M.A., Hicks, B.M. (2024). Characteristics of People Who Report Firearm Suicidal Ideation in the United States. Injury Prevention. doi.org/10.1136/ip-2024-045341

Boyd, D., Jones, K. V., Hawthorne, D. J., Quinn, C. R., Mueller-Williams, A. C., Ramos, S. R., ... & Wilton, L. (2024). Examining developmental assets of black gay and bisexual young adults in preventing suicidal behaviors. Journal of Psychiatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.035

Selected Grants and Funded Awards

Mental Health, Substance Use, and Social Media Use among a Sample of American Indian and Alaska Native Youth and Young Adults
University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry T-31 and Research Track Scholar Award October 1, 2024 – October 31, 2025 ($8,900)
Role: Principal Investigator, Amelia Mueller-Williams
This project collaborates with American Indian Health & Family Services of Detroit to screen American Indian and Alaska Native young people at powwows across the state of Michigan for suicide and substance use risk and investigate associations with social media use and experiences.