Dr. Frances Law

flawhk@hku.hk
(852) 3917 5940
CJT-518
 HKU Research Hub
 Google scholar

Prof. LAW Y.W. Frances

Associate Professor

Frances YW Law is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on developing viable community-based solutions accessible to and demanded by vulnerable groups, particularly those at risk of suicide and self-harm and drug abuse, poverty and ill-housing, bullying and cyberaggression. Before becoming an academic, Frances had accumulated extensive experience as a social worker and social service manager in various local and international NGOs. Owing to her unique background in both practice and research, she has been examining the effects of different community-based solutions to fill service gaps for hard-to-reach groups, who often go unnoticed in the existing healthcare and social service systems. Frances employs mixed-methods approach including randomized-controlled trials to investigate the role of social connectedness in addressing at-risk individuals through a combination of intervention components. These include community-based social work interventions, personal human connections and technology-assisted, and competency-based self-help. Her research has demonstrated how social connectedness can drive changes to improve service quality and people’s wellbeing. She is Principal Investigator for a few significant longitudinal research studies. These studies, based in the community, are carried out in strategic collaboration with cross-sectoral stakeholders. Recently, she’s interested in examining human services’ organizational functioning in leading to non-profits’ performance, and their social values. Frances has authored or co-authored about 100 academic peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters, with an emphasis on topics related to evidence-based practice models. She has become Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Social Work in 2024. Frances now serves as Program Director for the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Social Service Management (SSM), Associate Director of the HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, and Senior Equal Opportunity Advisor, HKU. In 2024, Frances is the awardee of the “Rosie Young 90 Medal for Outstanding Young Woman Scholar”, a prestigious award to recognize outstanding research and scholarship, and distinguished contribution to the University and the community.

Publications

  • Yip, P. S. F.*, Caine, E. D., Yeung, C. Y., Law, Y. W., & Ho, R. T. H. (2024). Suicide prevention in Hong Kong: pushing boundaries while building bridges. The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific, 46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101061
  • Chiang, B., Law, Y. W., & Yip, P. S. F*. (2024). Using Discrete-Event Simulation to Model Web-Based Crisis Counseling Service Operation: Evaluation Study. JMIR Formative Research, 8, e46823. https://doi.org/10.2196/46823
  • Law Y.W., Lok R., Chiang B., Lai C., Tsui S., Chung P., Leung S. (2023). Effects of community-based caring contact in reducing thwarted belongingness among postdischarge young adults with self-harm: randomized controlled trial. JMIR Form Res 2023;7:e43526, DOI: 10.2196/43526
  • Wei, X & Law Y.W.* (2023) Quality of life of services users in psychotropic drug treatment and rehabilitation services: a qualitative study from service user and provider perspectives, Social Work in Health Care, DOI: 10.1080/00981389.2023.2238008
  • Wei, X., Wang, W., Law Y.W., & Zhang, H. (2023). The Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence on Postpartum Depression: An Updated Meta-Analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231188068
  • Peng, C., Law Y.W.* (2023). How Do Consumption Patterns Influence the Discrepancy Between Economic and Subjective Poverty?. J Happiness Stud 24, 1579–1604 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00651-5
  • Luo, T., Law Y.W.* & Lai, C. (2022). Coping strategy, Well-being, and bullying perpetration in primary schools: a longitudinal mediation model. Current Psychology (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03376-5
  • Law Y.W.*, Lok, H.T.R., Wei, X.Y., Luo, T. (2021). Formation of Programme Evaluation Guidelines for Evidence-Based Practice of Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation for Psychotropic Drug Abusers in Hong Kong: A Delphi Study. Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong. https://www.nd.gov.hk/en/research_reports.html
  • Deng Z., Law Y.W.* (2020) Rural-to-urban migration, discrimination experience, and health in China: Evidence from propensity score analysis. PLoS ONE 15(12): e0244441. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244441
  • Law Y.W. (2020). Roads less taken: Pathways to care before near-lethal suicide attempts. International Social Work, 63(4):473-485. doi:10.1177/0020872818796135
  • Law Y.W., Kwok, R., Chan, P.Y., Chan, M., & Yip, P.S.F. (2019). Online Engagement and Empowerment for Young Internet Users: A Quasi-experiment. Journal of Affective Disorders. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.02.061
  • Law Y.W., Yeung, T.L., Ip, F.W.L., & Yip, P.S.F. (2019). Evidence-based suicide prevention: Collective impact of engagement with community stakeholders. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work. doi: 10.1080/23761407.2019.1578318

Externally funded research

  • 1. 2024-2027 Evaluating impact of Sew Sheung Wan through a continuum – from information sharing to empowerment – Caritas HK (0.3M).
  • 2. 2024-2028: An evaluation study of organizational functioning and capacity building for small non-profit agencies - Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (43M).
  • 3. 2023-2026: A Mixed-Method Study on Anti-bullying Intervention among School-aged Children and Adolescents in Hong Kong– Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (7.6M).
  • 4. 2023-2025: Evaluation study for SKHWC project for substance abusers and their families. Commissioned by the HKSKH Welfare Council (0.4M).
  • 5. 2023-2024: Self neglect, maladaptive behavior, clutter accumulation and household-management competency among low-income families in subdivided housing units (HKU Seed Fund for Basic Research)
  • 6. 2023-2025: Collating evidence of good practices for drug treatment and rehabilitation in Hong Kong: a mixed-method study - Beat Drug Fund, HKSAR - Developing a generic intervention model for individual drug abusers based on a systematic review with multiple synthesis methods of drug treatment and rehabilitation projects in Hong Kong (2.5M).
  • 7. 2022-2025: Evaluation study of quality of life among children and their families living in the Hong Kong sub-divided housing units – Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (3.28M).
  • 8. 2022-2023: Online disinhibition effect and mental wellbeing in cyber environment- HKU Seed Fund for Basic Research
  • 9. 2022-2024: Pathways to Harm Reduction Drug Policy in Hong Kong and East & Southeast Asia: Principles, Process and Practices (Co-PI) (Research Impact Fund Ref. R7031-21) (3M).
  • 10. 2022-2023: Testing a competency-based theory of change for suicide risk among young male Internet users with societal masculinity (GRF Ref. 17618921) (0.7M).
  • 11. 2023-2024: Development of a hepatitis C infection care model for prisoners: a pilot program for micro-elimination of hepatitis C infection in Hong Kong - Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF Ref. no.: 20211881) (PI: Mak Lung Yi)

Honor

  • I.HKU Peng, C.H., Yip, P.S.F., & Law, Y. W.* (2018). Intergenerational earnings mobility and returns to education in Hong Kong: A developed society with high economic inequality. Social Indicators Research. doi: 10.1007/s11205-018-1968-2 2019 Research Output Prize (Faculty of Social Sciences)
  • II.The HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (PI: Paul S.F. Yip, YW Law, Q Cheng) https://www.ke.hku.hk/research-impact/honours-and-awards/ke-excellence-award2017 Knowledge Exchange Excellence Award, HKU

Key Community Services

  • Member, Professional Development Committee of Hong Kong Social Workers Association (2023-2025)
  • Chair, Research Advocacy Committee of Boys and Girls Clubs Association (BGCA) (2022-2024).
  • Member, Service Development and Management Committee of Boys and Girls Clubs Association (BGCA) (2019-2024).
  • Member, Executive Committee of Boys and Girls Clubs Association (BGCA) (2017- 2024).
  • External Examiner (Bachelor of Social Work), St Francis University (2021-2026)
  • Editorial Board Member, Hong Kong Journal of Social Work (2021-2024)
  • Assessment Panel Member, Social Work Registration Board (2021-2027)