Dr. Jim Harris

Assistant Professor/MUIBHC Director
Prichard Hall 314
304-696-3814

Biography

Dr. Jim Harris serves as the Director of Marshall University’s Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work. He has had several roles in health and human services as an early interventionist, parent educator, educational consultant, university instructor, and behavioral health therapist.  Dr. Harris has presented at various conferences from the local to the international level on behavioral intervention, parenting, positive behavior support, trauma-informed practices, organizational change, and more.  He has also worked with multiple public and private entities, including the Fred Rogers Company, the United States Department of Education, and the United States Department of Justice. Dr. Harris uses his practical approach to complex topics to help people better understand themselves and the people they support in their lives.

Ed.D, Marshall University, 2016
Ed.S., Marshall University, 2009
MSW, University of Kentucky, 2003
BSW, Morehead State Univeristy, 2001
Head Start Outstanding Volunteer Award
Ohio Child Welfare Training Program Rising Star Award
Commitment and Dedication Award- National Alliance Drug Endangered Children
Honored Speaker- WV Handle with Care
John Marshall Leadership Fellow
Community Dedication Award- Chesapeake
Teaching: Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Comorbid Disorders, Clinical Practice
Research: Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS), Mult-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Resilience
Professional: Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), School-Based Mental Health, Organizational Change, Program Development Parenting Education, Trauma-Informed Practices
Hollstein, M., Harris, J., & Bolaji, I. (In process) Acting Up: Fostering Joyful Teaching as Resistance in the American South and Appalachia “Be Like Water: Teaching Future Appalachian Teachers about Controversial Environmental Issues.”
Harris, J. (2025). TEDxMarshallU: Beyond Borders [Invited Speaker]. Marshall University, Huntington. WV. https://www.marshall.edu/news/2025/02/tedxmarshallu-announces-speakers-for-7th-annual-event-beyond-borders/
Hollstein, M., Kaka, S., & Harris, J. (2025) Stories of resilience: Middle-level educators and trauma, Middle School Journal, 56:1, 23-41.
Harris, J. (2008) Elementary teacher perspectives regarding student behavior: Exploring training, prevalence, and resources. Eastern Education Research Association, Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Harris, J. (2008) Understanding the Appalachian in the modern world. Appalachian Studies Association, Huntington, West Virginia.
NASW - National Association of Social Workers