|
Dear Social Work Colleagues,
Hello! Welcome to Issue #125 of the Social Work E-News! Thank you for subscribing to receive this e-mail newsletter, which is brought to you by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, SocialWorker.com, SocialWorkJobBank.com, and other social work publications.
April marks the observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Autism Awareness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, Minority Health Month, and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month, among others. Child Welfare Information Gateway has some great resources for Child Abuse Prevention Month at http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth.
Coming in May: Arthritis Awareness Month, Mental Health Month, and more.
I am happy to tell you that the Spring 2011 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available NOW! Highlights of the Spring issue include the riddle of good leadership, knowing when to report or not report, clincial work outside of sessions, what to do if you fail the social work exam, tips for new graduates and job searchers, how to use technology appropriately when doing school assignments, book reviews, and more!
You can download this issue (and others) of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine in PDF format FREE at http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Downloads/. This download page simplifies the download process, so you can download an issue in just one click. Please allow time for the download to complete.
Individual articles from this issue are also available on our Web site in Web format. Just go to http://www.socialworker.com and start reading!
IT'S ALSO IN PRINT! THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is now available in a limited print edition. The Winter and Spring 2011 issues, as well as all back issues from 2010 and some from 2009, are available now at http://newsocialworker.magcloud.com. You can purchase them individually, or purchase all four 2010 issues in one perfect-bound volume. MagCloud also has an iPad app that allows you to view magazines on your iPad and then purchase them directly from the app, if you choose to do so.
You can also go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Subscribe/ and subscribe (free) to receive an e-mail reminder and table of contents of each issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine when it is available. If you are a subscriber to the E-News (which you are reading now!), this does NOT mean that you are automatically subscribed to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine. They are two different publications! Subscribe to both to get the most advantage.
The Social Work E-News has 28,000+ subscribers, and thousands of social workers (and people interested in social work) visit our Web sites. If you like our Web sites, The New Social Worker, and the Social Work E-News, please help us spread the word! Tell your friends, students, or colleagues to visit us at http://www.socialworker.com, where they can download a free PDF copy of the magazine, become one of our 10,000+ fans on Facebook, participate in discussions, and lots more.
Until next time,
Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW
Publisher/Editor
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER®
Networking:
(Be sure to click the “like” button on Facebook or “follow” on Twitter.)
|
NEED BOOKS OR GIFTS? The publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER has some great books that make great gifts for yourself or someone else. Give the gift of Days in the Lives of Social Workers, The Social Work Graduate School Applicant’s Handbook, or our other social work and nonprofit management titles.
Of special interest is our NEWEST social work book: IS IT ETHICAL? 101 SCENARIOS IN EVERYDAY SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: A DISCUSSION WORKBOOK, by Thomas Horn, MSW, RSW. This small book asks some big questions about situations social workers face every day. It is a great tool for students or for more seasoned social workers.
Let a social worker know you care with social work notecards. The front of the card says: “Social Work! An Awesome Profession.” The inside of the card is blank, so you can write your own note. Congratulate a new grad, thank a field instructor, send a gift to your favorite social worker, or wish someone a happy holiday or special occasion. Available in packages of 10 cards (including envelopes) for $10.
All of our books and products are available through our secure online store at:
You can also download our catalog in PDF format at:
*****************************************************
**Get your textbooks!** Support The New Social Worker while you shop. Follow this link to Amazon.com for all your textbook and supply needs. Join Amazon Student and get free shipping.
|
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 at http://jobs.socialworkjobbank.com/r/jobs/post/index.cfm?site_id=122 for job posting options and SPECIAL offers. Our audience of professional social workers is active and engaged in the job search, receiving more than 440,000 e-mail job alerts last year and actively applying to open positions. Your jobs will gain additional exposure to our social networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Also, please note that SocialWorkJobBank.com is now part of the Nonprofit Job Board Network. You can post your job to SocialWorkJobBank and get exposure on other network sites for a reasonable additional fee.
Job seeker services are FREE—including searching current job openings, posting your confidential résumé/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.
There are 1,064 jobs currently posted on SocialWorkJobBank.com. Check it out today.
|
|
Article Excerpt: Can Clinical Work Continue Outside of Session?
by Meredith Hemphill Ruden, LMSW
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from an article from the current (Spring 2011) issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Read the full article at:
Can clinical work continue outside of the therapeutic session? Can understanding into pervasive and complex psychosocial issues that contribute to a client’s distress deepen without the social worker’s careful listening, affirmations, and guidance? This article explores what happens between sessions, highlighting the therapeutic value of a break from therapeutic exchange for both client and social worker. Drawing from the case study of a man whose partner has advanced cancer, it illustrates the transformative effect of actively engaging the client in discussion of life outside of therapy, as it relates to his presenting problem, and makes recommendations for engagement with other clients.
Social work literature emphasizes the role of the therapeutic relationship in effective treatment (Goldstein & Noonan, 1999; Hepworth, 2005). It says that a relationship based on trust, good will, and respect creates a therapeutic environment that is conducive to client commitment and goal achievement. The social work graduate student is taught specific ways to create this environment within the 40 minutes to one hour that she meets with a client each week. Outside of that time frame, it is hoped that the client’s internalization of therapeutic process is sufficient to maintain a strong social worker/client relationship.
However, the break between sessions can have a more valuable therapeutic function. It does not just preserve therapeutic discourse but can add to it by opening a line of communication with the client’s everyday experience. Interactions, relationships, and experiences are tested within the context of therapeutic discoveries and suggestions. In this way, the physical, psychic, and emotional break from therapy can allow for therapeutic revelations, healing, and restoration. When the client returns to therapy, he may be newly invested in therapy and prepared to take on new risks and challenges that aim to benefit his well-being. When the social worker returns to therapy, she may be more attentive, alert, and creative in her interactions with the client as she experiences the restorative power of this break, as well.
Although I believe in the power of reflective thought and psychic regeneration, I did not always draw from this appreciation as a new MSW. One session would culminate in some greater insight into the issues and life events impinging on the client’s well-being, and the next would begin with review: do you remember what we discovered last time? Needless to say, clients would frequently not remember, and I felt compelled to remind them. Often, clients would be side-tracked. A whole week’s worth of experiences, thoughts, and feelings had occurred outside the walls of therapy, and these were pushed to the side by my one, seemingly innocuous, question.
Read the rest of this article at:
Articles from the Spring 2011 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER include:
…and more!
**************************************
National Association of Social Workers Releases Report: “Supervision: The Safety Net for Frontline Child Welfare Practice”
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we are reminded that a child in the U.S. Dies every day from child abuse and neglect. In many instances, these horrific deaths could be prevented.
Every day, public child welfare employees, many of whom are professional social workers, witness some of the most difficult challenges facing families. They are charged with investigating, and intervening, when children are exposed to drugs, sexual abuse, and countless other forms of family violence and neglect.
No two cases are the same, and no two workers are exactly alike. Yet, policy makers and the public demand immediate and uniform corrective action when the unthinkable occurs, and supervisors are accountable.
According to NASW, child welfare supervisors are expected to be:
-
highly skilled practitioners who can implement ethical and culturally competent practices that result in improved outcomes for children and families
-
mentors to frontline workers, many of whom do not have formal social work training
-
actively involved in their communities
-
skilled at transmitting agency policies and evaluating performance
-
exemplary leaders who help others cope with the stress and trauma of the work
However, real world child welfare practice indicates that it is very difficult to be effective in each of these roles simultaneously, and it is nearly impossible to find all these attributes in one individual.
Experts from all areas of the child welfare system—federal, state, and local leaders; public agencies; as well as private nonprofits—conclude in this report that the lack of program research, consistent tools, adequate workplace supports, and best practice models, coupled with repetitive experiences of trauma, service, and resource gaps, and inconsistent hiring qualifications all contribute to troubling outcomes for children and overburdened foster care systems.
“We have reached an important crossroads in our country,” says Joan Levy Zlotnik, PhD, ACSW, director of the NASW Social Work Policy Institute. “As a society, we have increasingly high expectations of the system, but we do not invest in the very innovations needed to keep up with service demand.”
Recent child death cases in New York, Florida, Oklahoma, and Ohio have made it clear that new commitments to ensure better training and high quality supervision in child welfare are worth larger national discussions.
To watch video presentations from the November 18, 2010, symposium, please click here.
**************************************
Nearly all American adults with untreated alcohol use disorders don’t think they need treatment
|
A new report based on a national survey shows that only 1.2 percent of the nation’s more than 7.4 million adults aged 21 to 64 with an untreated alcohol abuse disorder think they could benefit from treatment. The report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with National Alcohol Screening Day, April 7, highlights the need to raise awareness about adult problem drinking, how to identify when someone has a problem, how to confront a problem drinker, and how to get help.
The report focuses on those who met the diagnostic criteria for either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence as defined by the American Psychiatric Association’s Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Alcohol abuse includes drinking-related behavior that may cause people to physically endanger themselves or others; get into trouble with the law; experience difficulties in relationships or jobs; and fail to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home.
Alcohol dependence is a more serious disorder than alcohol abuse. The hallmarks of this disorder are addiction to alcohol; inability to cut down or stop drinking; and repeated interpersonal, school, or work related problems that can be directly attributed to the use of alcohol. Alcohol dependence can have serious consequences, affecting an individual's health and personal life, as well as affecting society at large. Among the nearly six million Americans aged 21 to 64 with untreated alcohol dependence, only 7.8 percent or 506,000 of them recognized that they needed treatment.
"SAMHSA’s spotlight provides striking evidence that millions of Americans are in serious denial regarding problem drinking," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "Individuals, friends, and family members clearly need help and support in confronting and doing something about the problem. Without help, alcoholism can be fatal. As a nation, we need to ask ourselves why we stand by and allow so many people to self destruct before intervening. National Alcohol Screening Day provides one day to have the conversation we should be willing to have every day until screening for alcohol problems becomes the norm—just like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes."
SAMHSA Spotlight: Most Adults with Alcohol Problems Do Not Recognize Their Need for Treatment was developed as part of SAMHSA's strategic initiative on Data, Outcomes, and Quality. It is based on data from SAMHSA’s 2006-2009 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports. NSDUH is a scientifically conducted annual survey of approximately 67,500 people throughout the country, aged 12 and older. Because of its statistical power, it is the nation’s premier source of statistical information on the scope and nature of many substance abuse behavioral health issues affecting the nation. A copy of this SAMHSA spotlight report is accessible at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/spotlight/Spotlight034AdultsAlcohol.pdf.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has a Web site called Rethinking Drinking at http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/ that has online tools to help people better gauge whether they or someone they care about may have an alcohol problem.
|
|
|
Happy Social Workers
A recent article in the Edmonton Journal reported on a study to find out what makes social workers happy. The research, conducted by University of Calgary social work professor John Graham and his Ph.D. students, consisted of a survey of registered social workers in Alberta. Of the 700 respondents, the researchers looked more closely at the 13 “happiest” social workers to find out what made them happy.
According to the article in the Edmonton Journal, “They found that the happiest social workers reported higher levels of fulfillment in areas such as flexible work schedules, better work-life balance, and a stronger sense of engagement because of behind-the-scenes support they receive to do their jobs well.”
*******************************************
SocialWorkChat.org–A Service of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER and NASW
Connect with other social workers online! THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the National Association of Social Workers have teamed up with the Social Work Forum to bring you SocialWorkChat.org, an online community of social workers offering twice-weekly online real-time chats on a variety of topics. The chats are held on Sunday and Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Susan Mankita is the manager of SocialWorkChat.org.
Registration is free! Chats are at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will last about an hour. Check regularly for chat topics or sign up for e-mail reminders.
Go to http://www.socialworkchat.org to register and participate in the chats and other features of the site. NOTE: SocialWorkChat.org has been experiencing technical difficulties. We will report here when the site is up and running again. Thank you.
***************************************************
Dorland Health Silver Crown Awards
Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW, publisher and editor of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, was recognized in the social work category in the Dorland Health Silver Crown Awards for 2011. These awards recognize top professionals in senior care. Also recognized in the social work category were Corinne Kennedy, LISW-S, CASWCM, of Wellpoint; Louise Kenny, MSW, LCSW, of Avow Hospice, Inc.; and Brenda F. Oakley, MSW, CCM, LCSW, of Park Ridge Home Health.
The Silver Crown Awards were featured in the March 2011 issue of CASE IN POINT magazine.
***************************************************
“Wretches and Jabberers”—Film Debuts During Autism Awareness Month
WRETCHES & JABBERERS is a new film that features the stories of two men with autism. Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonette embark on a global journey to change perceptions and attitudes about autism. The film will be shown in select AMC theaters throughout April, Autism Awareness Month, and a portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Autism Society.
“AMC’s decision to showcase WRETCHES & JABBERERS in some of its most popular mainstream movie theaters echoes the movie’s powerful message of inclusion and AMC’s commitment to improving the lives of all affected by autism,” said Lee Grossman, president and CEO of the Autism Society. “It is a powerful statement by a caring corporation to extend the mission of the movie, which is to challenge public attitudes about autism.”
AMC has been a staunch advocate of autism awareness since 2008 through its partnership with the Autism Society on the AMC Sensory Friendly Films program (www.amctheatres.com/SFF). The auditoriums dedicated to the program show new releases without the pre-show advertisements or movie trailers. The house lights in the auditoriums are turned up, the sound turned down, and guests are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout, or sing as they please. The showings of WRETCHES & JABBERERS will have the same auditorium and programming configurations as movies seen in the AMC Sensory Friendly Films program.
***************************************************
15% Discount Available on Continuing Education
YOU DESERVE CREDIT! Now you can get it. Keep up with your profession (and get credit for it) with THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER.
|
|
Spring 2011 ISSUE OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The Spring issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available now! It is available to download in PDF format at:
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. Past issues can be found under “Magazine Issues” in the right column of the page. For selected full-text articles from issues prior to Spring 2006, click on “Feature Articles Archive” on the left side of the page. The magazine is also available for FREE download in PDF format.
Individual articles from the Spring 2011 issue now online include:
…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 the “Forum” link).
************************
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS FALL ISSUE AVAILABLE!
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 2010 edition is available online now at:
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.
CE credits for the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics are offered in cooperation with CE-Credit.com. New pricing! The basic price per credit hour is $6.97. Buying course credits in multiple-credit packages can give you a significant savings. To see a complete listing of the 800+ courses that CE-Credit.com offers, go to: http://www.socialworker.com/cecredit.html
************************
SHOP ON OUR WEB SITE
************************
|
|
White Hat Communications, publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the Social Work E-News, has published several books about social work. These books make great gifts (for graduation or other occasions) for yourself, or for your friends, students, and colleagues in social work!
Briefly, those currently in print are:
DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS: 54 Professionals Tell Real-Life Stories From Social Work Practice (3rd Edition), edited by Linda May Grobman
MORE DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS:35 Real-Life Stories of Advocacy, Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles in Social Work Practice, edited by Linda May Grobman
DAYS IN THE LIVES OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORKERS: 44 Professionals Tell Stories From Real-Life Social Work Practice With Older Adults, edited by Linda May Grobman and Dara Bergel Bourassa.
IS IT ETHICAL? 101 SCENARIOS IN EVERYDAY SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: A DISCUSSION WORKBOOK, by Thomas Horn
THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK: The Complete Guide to Selecting and Applying to MSW Programs (2nd Edition), by Jesus Reyes
THE FIELD PLACEMENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: What You Need to Know to Get the Most From Your Social Work Practicum (2nd Edition), edited by Linda May Grobman
We also publish books on nonprofit management. Want to start your own agency? Check out THE NONPROFIT HANDBOOK: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization (5th Edition), by Gary M. Grobman.
HOW TO ORDER
All of our books are available through our new secure online store at:
You can also download our catalog in PDF format at:
|
|
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE
Words from Our Sponsors
Job Corner/Current Job Openings
Features
News & Resources
On Our Web Site
In Print
Newsletter Necessities
|
|
Newsletter Necessities
You have subscribed to receive this free newsletter.
To unsubscribe, follow the “unsubscribe” link in this newsletter. To change the address for your subscription, please unsubscribe your old e-mail address and then subscribe your new one.
To see previous issues of this newsletter, go to the public archive page, located at:
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?lindagwhc
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
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.
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.
|
|
Copyright 2011 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
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is a registered trademark of White Hat Communications.
|
|
|
