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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Social Work E-News
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Issue #76, March 13, 2007
EDITOR'S EYE
Dear Social Work Colleagues,
Welcome to Issue #76 of the Social Work E-News. This e-mail newsletter is brought to you by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, SocialWorker.com, SocialWorkJobBank.com, and other social work publications.
HAPPY SOCIAL WORK MONTH! This month, March, is National Professional Social Work in the U.S. The theme chosen by the National Association of Social Workers for this year is "Hope + Health: Help Starts Here."
How do you celebrate the social work profession? I did an informal survey of employers on our SocialWorkJobBank.com site, and the most common way they reported was with an annual Social Work Month luncheon or breakfast for their social workers. Many outstanding social workers are also being honored this month with awards from the various NASW chapters and other awards. Congratulations to all social workers on the important work we all do!
The New Social Worker kicked off Social Work Month by adding a very exciting new feature to our Web site-the Social Work Podcast by Jonathan Singer! Singer, a doctoral student in social work at the University of Pittsburgh, is providing a fantastic service with this new podcast. Go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Social_Work_Podcast to see (no, make that "hear") what I mean. Jonathan would like to hear your ideas for podcast topics. Please e-mail him at jonathan@socialworkpodcast.com.
I started out Social Work Month by meeting up with Amanda Vos on March 2. As I mentioned in the last Social Work E-News, Amanda is a social worker from Australia. We first met five years ago, after she sent me a short note via e-mail saying that she was traveling around the U.S. Also, as a result of a small blurb in the Social Work E-News, she met many other social workers in the U.S., with whom she made some amazing professional connections and friendships. Amanda now works for the Australian Association of Social Workers, where she is developing a national employment service. Listen to my conversation with Amanda at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Interview_With_Amanda_Vos/
The following day, I attended a Social Work Month event hosted by the Pennsylvania Chapter of NASW. The first part of the event was an excellent workshop on disaster relief work, which was followed by a banquet and awards presentation to the Social Worker of the Year, Public Citizen of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awardee. It was a great opportunity to network with social workers from around the state.
To find more about Social Work Month, see http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/swMonth/2007/default.asp
In addition, last week was National Social Work Week in Canada! The theme is "Social Workers Making a Difference in Children's Lives." For more information about Social Work Week, see http://www.casw-acts.ca/ and click on "Celebrating Social Work."
And to top things off, this year will mark the first ever World Social Work Day, on March 27, with the theme, "Social Work: Making a World of Difference."
It's not too late to check out the Winter 2007 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine! You can read articles from this issue on our Web site now at http://www.socialworker.com, and download the full issue in PDF format at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_details/gid,2/Itemid,136/ today. You will need the free Adobe Reader to read the PDF magazine. (You can get this at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html if you don't already have it on your computer.) The Spring issue will be available very soon, as well.
The Social Work E-News now has more than 23,000 subscribers, and thousands of social workers (and people interested in social work) visit our Web sites. If you like our Web sites and the Social Work E-News, tell a friend or colleague!
Until next time,
Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW
Publisher/Editor
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER®
http://www.socialworker.com
linda.grobman@paonline.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
Words From Our Sponsors
Letter to the Editor
Features
Job Corner/Current Job Openings
News
On Our Web Site
In Print
Newsletter Necessities
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WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS
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Powerful Coaching for Social Workers... A Special Webcast on Tuesday, April 3rd, will give you the chance to learn about the skill set that is being adopted quickly by social workers across the country. Why? Not only is coaching a complementary and powerful skill set to add to your present training and expertise, but it can also help you establish a private practice generating fees from $150 - 300 hour while working predominantly with clients that want to reach new heights and partner with you to get them there. During this webcast, you'll get all your questions answered, from how coaching compares to therapy, what are the credentialing requirements, what is the Core Energy Coaching process and much more.
Go to www.CoreEnergySeminars.com/powerful_coaching to learn more and register. There is NO fee for this webcast; however, the number of attendees is limited so please register early.
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BOOKS FROM THE PUBLISHER OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
Order our practical books on social work and nonprofit management, from the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Titles include: Days in the Lives of Social Workers, More Days in the Lives of Social Workers, The Social Work Graduate School Applicant's Handbook, Field Placement Survival Guide, The Nonprofit Handbook, Fundraising Online, and others. Find info about our books at http://www.socialworker.com/home/Publications/ or go directly to http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store to order securely online.
DISCOUNT COUPON: Use code SWMONTH2007 to receive a 10% discount on your order at http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store from now until the end of March.
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BOOKS, GIFTS, & MORE AT SOCIALWORKER.COM
Where can you find social work books, office supplies, equipment, and gift items? For your convenience, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER offers an online shop where you can find books from a variety of publishers, and other items, quickly, easily, and securely. You can purchase books, music, calendars, and more. Visit http://shop.socialworker.com/shop today.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Editor:
Thank you for this edition and always. Happy new year and may the Lord continue to bless and inspire you the more. Experiences and lessons learned from The New Social Worker Online are helping me to better assist the people we are serving in our community-based social programmes. Please keep it up!
Yours sincerely,
Captain Michael Olatunde, BSW
The Salvation Army Social Services
NIGERIA
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FEATURES
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Domestic Violence Victims/Survivors: The Forgotten
By Jillian Vandenberg, BSW
As a domestic violence advocate and intern at a local domestic violence shelter in Lansing, Michigan, I must bring attention to a part of society I feel is not gaining enough attention and conversation. I am talking about the women, men, and children who are victims/survivors of domestic violence. For the sake of this opinion editorial, I will focus on women and children, because they are the most common victims of domestic violence, although they are not the only ones.
The legal system has and is continuing to fail these individuals. Last session, the bill HB 5267 was introduced and was aimed at changing current Michigan Law to require judges to start with a presumption that joint custody is in the child's best interest. This would require the judge to have to rule by "clear and convincing evidence that a parent is unfit, unwilling, or unable to care for the child." Therefore in contested divorce custody cases, one parent will have to prove the other unfit. This would create problems for victims/survivors of domestic violence who are often seen as disgruntled or uncooperative in the courtroom.
Although not passed, this type of legislation comes up often, and the implications it may have on victims/survivors of domestic violence are not considered. Many legislators/legal persons do not have the proper education on the dynamics of domestic violence. They may not understand that the batterer may use the children as tools to continue to manipulate power and control over an ex-partner. When women are leaving a domestic violence relationship, it is the most dangerous time, so joint custody is an extremely dangerous situation. Not only that, but what kind of father is one who financially, emotionally, physically, and/or verbally abuses the mother? What role model is this serving for the child? Research demonstrates that domestic violence is a learned behavior
so what are these children learning? The American Psychological Association in 1996 pointed out that fathers who batter their children's mothers can be expected to use abusive power and control techniques to control the children, too.
Also something that frightens me is the belief in myths. Many people believe that in contested divorce cases, women receive sole custody. In actuality, fathers are granted sole custody about 70 percent of the time (American Bar Association, 2004). This is a devastating outcome if domestic violence is a factor, and research shows that it is in 25-50 percent of contested custody cases (American Bar Association, 2004).
Joint custody is not appropriate in cases in which domestic violence is a factor, and the legal system needs to do more to protect these victims and the children.
So what does all of my rambling mean
and what is the point of it? Well, my point is to get people talking, get people upset and angry. Maybe you will contact your legislator on this topic or your local domestic violence shelter to see how you can help. Either way, something must be done for this forgotten part of our society...come on fellow social workers!
Jillian Vandenberg, BSW, is a graduate student at Michigan State University pursuing a master's degree in social work.
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Playing Nice, and Other Lessons From the Field: The First 18 Months
By Sandra Fortier, LMSW
In the eighteen months since I earned an MSW degree and began working (for money!) in the field of social work, I have been enlightened, sometimes disillusioned, and, most importantly, educated in the school of the life of a social worker. The lessons I have learned cannot be taught in the classroom, but are vital to one's success as a new social worker. I share them here in hopes of enlightening other soon-to-be social workers and commiserating with fellow new social workers.
Lesson #1: What do you do again?
Upon leaving the protective atmosphere of graduate school and entering "the real world," I discovered that the general population was clueless about the profession I had just entered. When meeting new people, attending social gatherings, and even reuniting with family members, the question "What do you do?" is standard. After graduating, it felt so good to reply, "I am a social worker." I had no idea that I would have to explain so much more! In my short experience, most people have associated my occupation with one of two things: a child protective services worker or a veritable martyr. Many people assumed the term "social worker" meant I worked for county or state child welfare departments, removing children from abuse or neglect situations. However, during the summer after my graduation when I stayed on at my internship working with families with HIV/AIDS, I was often viewed as a martyr. People would say "Wow, how do you do that? It must be so hard!"
Additionally, most people do not realize that a large number of social workers are employed as clinical social workers or therapists. When I began working as a therapist, some people would respond, "Can you do that as a social worker?"
In the past eighteen months, I've learned the importance about being very clear myself about what I do and to develop a short "sound bite" that explains my job to others. "I'm a social worker" just doesn't cut it, so now I add, "I provide therapy to children in foster care." Just adding a few more words improves the public's understanding of our profession by leaps and bounds.
This full article appears in the Winter 2007 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Read the rest of this article at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Professional_Development_%26_Advancement/Playing_Nice%2C_and_Other_Lessons_From_the_Field%3A_The_First_18_Months/
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Have you downloaded The New Social Worker's free Social Work Toolbar yet? Do so, and you'll never be more than one click away from our SocialWorker.com and SocialWorkJobBank.com sites. Go to http://SocialWork.ourtoolbar.com to get your own unique Social Work Toolbar for your Web browser!
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JOB CORNER
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SUMMIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
THERAPEUTIC BOARDING SCHOOL in NW MONTANA NEAR GLACIER PARK SEEKS: A licensed & experienced master's or doctoral trained clinician for a girl's team in a co-ed, relationship based program w/college prep academics. Reqd: Min 4 yrs exp providing ind, group & family therapy w/adolescents. Lic elgbl in MT w/i 1 year of hire. Exp in crisis mgmt, CD treatment, credentialing, prgrm dvlpmnt, crisis mgmt, adventure therapy & love of outdoors prfrd. Req of job incl 4 backpacking team trips per year. Firm salary set at $42,500 to $52,500. Contact: Angie Satter, asatter@summitprepschool.org, 406-758-8100 (phone), 406-758-8150 (fax), http://www.summitprepschool.org
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PRIVATE PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY
If you are looking to start your practice or want a convenient office to work out of in the Catonsville, MD area where referrals are given to you, this may be what you want. You will receive 60% of fees collected and the rest will pay for your office use and billing. If you generate clients, you will receive 70%. Supervision available for negotiated fee. 410-719-7888
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Find more jobs for new grads and experienced social work practitioners at http://www.socialworkjobbank.com, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's online job board and career center. We are proud of the fact that this site was chosen as one of 350 (out of 40,000+ employment sites) to be included (for the third consecutive time) in Weddle's Recruiter's and Job Seeker's Guide to Employment Web Sites 2007/2008.
If you or your agency are hiring social workers, don't forget to post your jobs on SocialWorkJobBank.com. Please check the SocialWorkJobBank "products/pricing" page for job posting options and SPECIAL offers.
All job seeker services are FREE-including searching current job openings, posting your confidential resume/profile, and receiving e-mail job alerts. Please let employers know that you saw their listings in the SOCIAL WORK E-NEWS and at SocialWorkJobBank.com.
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NEWS
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Articles Sought for THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine is looking for social workers to contribute feature articles on ethics, field placement, and practice issues. Articles should be about 1,500-2,000 words in length and should be geared toward social work students and those new to the profession. We are also looking for social workers who would like to review books for us. Please submit articles or queries to Linda Grobman, editor/publisher, at linda.grobman@paonline.com
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation expands Reclaiming Futures, citing success in helping teens break the cycle of drugs, alcohol, and crime
Interested communities encouraged to apply to implement Reclaiming Futures model.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced a national expansion of its Reclaiming Futures initiative, citing the program's success in getting more services to teens in the justice system who are struggling with drugs and alcohol.
The 10 communities that have piloted Reclaiming Futures over the past five years reported significant improvements in the quality of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment services, according to research conducted by the Urban Institute and the University of Chicago's Chapin Hall Center for Children.
The RWJF board approved $6.5 million to support the 10 pilot sites for two more years and to help additional new sites implement the Reclaiming Futures model over the next four years. The expanded effort also will create a national resource center to provide data, case studies, and other information to even more communities seeking to improve drug and alcohol services for justice-involved youth.
"By spreading Reclaiming Futures across the country, we are creating a national movement that can make a vital difference in the health of youth and their families," said Kristin Schubert, RWJF program officer for Reclaiming Futures. "These pilot communities are leading the way."
The Reclaiming Futures model combines system reform, treatment improvement, and community engagement to help teens in the justice system get off drugs and alcohol. Teens who enter the justice system with serious drug and alcohol problems rarely receive treatment, even though research shows that young people who use drugs and alcohol are more likely to end up in trouble with the law, behave violently, or drop out of school.
Key elements of the Reclaiming Futures model include screening and assessing teens for drug and alcohol problems; assembling a team to develop a personal care plan; training drug and alcohol treatment providers in evidence-based practices that work with teens; providing family support; and involving community members as mentors and role models to provide the support teens need.
Beginning in 2002, 10 communities helped create and test the Reclaiming Futures model: Anchorage, Alaska.; Santa Cruz, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; four counties in Southeastern Kentucky; Marquette, Mich.; the state of New Hampshire; the Sovereign Tribal Nation of Sicangu Lakota in Rosebud, South Dakota; Dayton, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle, Wash.
"During the past five years, we have created a new national standard of care in juvenile justice," said Laura Nissen, Reclaiming Futures national program director and associate professor at Portland State University Graduate School of Social Work. "With this new grant, our 10 original pilot projects can refine the model they created, new sites can help test ways to implement this approach, and eventually dozens of other communities can use what we learn to change the way juvenile courts work with teens with drug and alcohol problems."
Nissen said Reclaiming Futures will invite applications from communities interested in participating as one of the new pilot sites. Successful applicants will be selected in the summer of 2007 and will receive technical assistance, on-site coaching, educational materials and invitations to national conferences and workshops. Application forms will be posted on the Reclaiming Futures Web site in late spring.
About Reclaiming Futures
Reclaiming Futures is an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that offers a new approach to helping teenagers caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime. Reclaiming Futures is housed in the Graduate School of Social Work at the Regional Research Institute at Portland State University. To learn more, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.
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RESOURCES
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SAMHSA MULTI-MEDIA RESOURCES
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/multimedia/
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information provides a goldmine of resources for professionals and consumers. Go to http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/multimedia/ to find free Webcasts, chats, e-books, PowerPoint presentations, and audio books on topics such as "Treatment 101," ""Social Service Approaches to Addiction Treatment," "Accommodating Various Learning Styles with Your Prevention Messages," and many more.
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CARL ROGERS SITE
http://www.carlrogers.info/index.html
Carl Rogers' lifetime of work and his Person Centered Therapy have profoundly influenced so many social workers and other mental health professionals. This site presents an extensive bibliography of Rogers' written work, as well as streaming video and audio of his recorded therapy sessions, interviews, presentations, and discussions. I remember watching videos of Rogers as an undergraduate student. If you have never seen them, you have a rare opportunity to observe this master therapist online. The provision of access to them freely via the Internet is a major contribution to professional development. The site also includes related links to other sites.
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BOOKS RECENTLY RECEIVED IN THE OFFICE OF NEW SOCIAL WORKER
We receive a variety of newly-published social work-related books and other items at our office. Here is a listing of some recently received:
Fostering Social Work Gerontology Competence, edited by Catherine J. Tompkins and Anita L. Rosen, The Haworth Press, 2007 -- http://shop.socialworker.com/shop.php?k=9780789034144&c=blended
Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, by Kenneth S. Pope and Melba J. T. Vasquez, Wiley, 2007 -- http://shop.socialworker.com/shop.php?k=9780787994006&c=blended
FormatEase Version 4.0 for Microsoft Word (software), Guilford Publications, 2007 & software for formatting in APA style -- http://shop.socialworker.com/shop.php?k=9781593851347&c=blended
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ON OUR WEB SITE
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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's Web site at http://www.socialworker.com includes the full text of many articles from past issues of the magazine. The current issue is featured on the site's main page, with links to several current full-text articles. The last several issues can be found under "Magazine Issues" on the top right column of the page. For full-text articles from issues prior to Spring 2006, click on "Feature Articles Archive" on the left side of the page. The current issue is also available for free download in PDF format.
Current articles now online include:
Classroom Comes to Life in HIV/AIDS Field Placement
Cultural Competence in a Field Placement as a Victim Witness Advocate
Six- and Seven-Year-Old Children and Their Families
Overhauling the Image of the Social Worker
Tackling the Graduate Admissions Process With a Graduate Education Action Plan (G.E.A.P.)
Playing Nice, and Other Lessons From the Field: The First 18 Months
Handwriting vs. Keyboarding, Fountain Pens vs. PDAs
and more!
Our online discussion forum/message board is a place for open discussion of a variety of social work-related issues. Join in our discussion at http://www.socialworker.com (click on "Discussion Forum" in the left menu).
Be sure to check out http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw for online continuing education offerings.
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SHOP ON OUR WEB SITE
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* Want some meaningful decorations for your office or other area? Browse our hand-picked selection of social issues posters at THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's Poster Store at http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Poster_Store/ or search for your own. (In association with AllPosters.com.)
* Social work specialty items: Visit http://www.cafepress.com/socialworker for our unique social work teddy bears, mugs, calendars, custom postage stamps, and other items.
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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS-SPRING ISSUE COMING SOON
The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is a free, online, peer-reviewed journal published by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. It is published twice a year, in full text, online at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve
The Fall 2006 edition is available online now. The Spring issue will be available soon!
Go to the journal Web site at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve to read this and other available issues. You can also sign up for a free subscription, and you will be notified by e-mail when each issue is available online.
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IN PRINT
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SPRING ISSUE OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER AVAILABLE SOON!
The Spring issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine is going to press this week! Highlights of this issue include:
Student Role Model: Greta Martin
A Social Worker Grandfather Thinks About Global Warming
Considerations in Writing a Literature Review
Rape Crisis Response: Before and After
Self-Analysis
Is a Psychiatric Unit the Right Setting For You?
Private Practice: When It's Not Right For You
How to Snag a Job in International Social Work
Toward a Guide to Distance Education in Social Work
and more!
See our Web site at http://www.socialworker.com for more details and full-text articles from this and previous issues, and to download this issue free of charge in PDF format. (Available very soon!)
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NEWSLETTER NECESSITIES
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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® SOCIAL WORK E-NEWS is published by:
White Hat Communications (publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® magazine and THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® ONLINE)
P.O. Box 5390
Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390
Linda Grobman, Editor
linda.grobman@paonline.com
http://www.socialworker.com
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Advertising: To place a job listing, sponsor this newsletter, or place a banner ad on our Web site, e-mail linda.grobman@paonline.com for rates and further information.
News: Please send brief social work-related news items to linda.grobman@paonline.com for consideration.
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PRIVACY
Your subscription e-mail address will only be used to deliver this e-newsletter and to occasionally inform you of updates from its publisher. Your e-mail address will not be given to anyone else or used for any other purpose as a result of your subscription to this newsletter.
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Copyright 2007 White Hat Communications. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this entire newsletter, with all information intact, by e-mail to social work colleagues, students, and others interested in social work, for personal use only. You may also print out this newsletter for personal use. All other uses of this material require permission from the publisher at: linda.grobman@paonline.com
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