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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Social Work E-News
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Issue #70, September 13, 2006
EDITOR'S EYE
Dear Social Work Colleagues,
Welcome to Issue #70 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.
Monday night, I attended a program in observance of the 5-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks that changed our country forever. A small group gathered to reflect on memories of 9/11 and to look to what the future might hold. Many social workers in direct practice are still working with families who were directly affected by the terrorist attacks, and will continue to do so for a long time to come. I recently heard from two of these social workers, whose stories I have included in this E-News. I salute these and all the social workers who are doing this difficult work.
It is back-to-school season, and I have included some news stories related to issues that may affect the school students that you work with if you are a school social worker or work with adolescents in other settings.
Share your experience and wisdom with others who may be interested in gerontological social work! I am excited to be working on a new book project with Dara Bergel Bourassa, assistant professor of social work and director of gerontology at Shippensburg University. You may be familiar with my earlier books, Days in the Lives of Social Workers and More Days in the Lives of Social Workers. This new edition will focus on days in the lives of gerontological social workers. If your work involves direct or indirect practice with or on behalf of older adults, please consider submitting a narrative about what you do on a day-to-day basis. Please see the call for submissions in this issue of the E-News, under the "News" heading.
Selected articles from the Summer issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER are now online! Go to http://www.socialworker.com to read articles from the Summer issue. You can still read the posted articles from the Spring issue (and previous ones, too). Just follow the links. The Fall issue will be posted shortly! Watch our site for the new issue.
The Social Work E-News now has more than 21,700 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
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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Do you need social work books, office supplies, equipment, gift items? For your convenience, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER offers an online shop where you can find books and other items quickly, easily, and securely. Visit http://shop.socialworker.com/shop today.
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FEATURES
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9/11 Listserv
Since September 2001, social worker Arnie Korotkin has maintained a free and confidential "9/11 list-serv."
The "9/11 list-serv" distributes daily e-mails containing newspaper articles and other relevant information of interest to 9/11 families, 9/11 organizations, and interested individuals.
The events of 9/11/01 prompted Korotkin to reach out to help others.
"In 2001, I was the Director of Community Development for a New Jersey community-based United Way and became their 9/11 contact person following the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01," he says. "In this capacity, I contacted local families that had lost a loved one on September 11. In the course of this outreach, I spoke with many family members who were in a state of shock and finding it difficult to understand or accept their loss."
While talking with a mother of four young children who had lost her husband on 9/11, Korotkin learned that she had stopped reading the daily newspaper or listening to radio and television news reports in the days following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. To keep her informed, he began sending her e-mails containing articles and information relevant for her access to services that had been established after 9/11.
He then expanded this concept and created the "9/11 List-serv," through which he still sends daily e-mails containing newspaper articles and other relevant information about 9/11 issues of interest to a growing list of 9/11 families, organizations, and concerned individuals. Although he has since left employment with the United Way, he continues this initiative as part of his daily routine.
The value and importance of the 9/11 list-serv has been acknowledged by several organizations, including the Families of September 11th, the Voices of September 11th, the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, the World Trade Center Families for Proper Burial, the Family Steering Committee for the 9/11 Independent Commission, the Pentagon Memorial Fund, the National Air Disaster Alliance/Foundation, as well as members of the media, among others.
To subscribe to this free service, please send an e-mail to amkorotkin@aol.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject box.
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Moving On: Resiliency Among "The Latino Widows"
By Marcela Hoffer-Adou, , LMSW, MS, MA
"You know, my husband used to do everything for me
especially the things at the house. The other day, I found myself changing light bulbs; fixing the toilet
I was so proud of myself. He would have been, also
"
This Monday marked the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Families continue to grieve their losses. At the same time, wives, husbands, children, and siblings are functioning and rebuilding their lives. Some have even found a sense of empowerment in establishing new roles for themselves. This is particularly true of "The Latino Widows," a group of Mexican and Dominican women in New York City who lost their husbands on 9/11 and who meet regularly to share their experiences. This article describes the resilience and courage of the women since the terror of 9/11. Their words reveal an amazing capacity to continue living, to find hope and strength, and to embrace growth in the midst of loss.
When recounting what they went through in losing their husbands to such violent and unexpected deaths, many of the women express a sense of detachment and disbelief that they themselves went through the event.
"I don't know how I went through that. Right now, looking back, I see myself like in a movie. Was that me? And now, here I am
not absolutely happy but not so bad either
"
Often, the women seem surprised at their own strength. On days prior to September 11th, when they had let themselves imagine what life would be like without their husbands, they pictured a different outcome-one in which they were helpless to survive in a world without their partners. This seems especially true for some of the Mexican women who had moved to the United States not long before September 11th. In addition to the trauma of the attacks, they also were faced with language and immigration barriers and other challenges of integrating into a new culture.
"Yes, it is me. It is unbelievable that I was able to go through such a terror and such a loss. Looking back, I remember that I was a mess, devastated, disoriented, didn't know who I was anymore
now, here I am
going on with my life
"
"Each day, I can resolve something
"
The Latino Widows are rebuilding themselves and their lives. Resiliency is often described as the ability of adults to maintain relatively stable, healthy levels of psychological and physical functioning after experiencing a traumatic event(s) or the ability to bounce back from adversity. Even though the women miss their husbands, the Latino Widows are redefining themselves and their roles, and are mastering new tasks. Many are tackling chores or responsibilities that they viewed as "manly" before. They are also embracing the joy of new experiences. Some have started new businesses and learned new languages. Often, remembering happy moments from their time with the deceased assists grieving individuals in their bereavement. The Latino Widows often talk with each other about the especially silly and funny moments they shared with their loved ones. Together, these strong women are finding they are capable of smiling in spite of their losses. Amidst their pain, they continue to embrace life. That's resiliency.
Marcela Hoffer-Adou, LMSW, MS, MA, is the Mental Health Coordinator of the Early Head Start Program and a Senior Social Worker at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. She organized the Outreach and Clinical Assistance Program for Latinos affected by the events of 9/11. She works in the Resiliency Program, which provides services to mediate the mental and behavioral consequences of 9/11 for adults, children, families, and communities. The program offers free services in both Spanish and English, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy, workshops, and consultation and support to professionals working with victims of 9/11. The author wishes to thank Elizabeth Fuller, MPH, for editing this article.
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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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CASA* 2006 Teen Survey Reveals: Teen Parties Awash in Alcohol, Marijuana, and Illegal Drugs -- Even When Parents Are Present
One-third of teens and nearly half of 17-year-olds attend house parties where parents are present and teens are drinking; smoking marijuana; or using cocaine, Ecstasy, or prescription drugs, according to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XI: Teens and Parents, an annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
CASA's survey also reveals that teens who say parents are not present at the parties they attend are 16 times likelier to say alcohol is available, 15 times likelier to say illegal and prescription drugs are available, and 29 times likelier to say marijuana is available, compared to teens who say parents are always present at the parties they attend.
"Teen drinking and drugging is a parent problem. Too many parents fail to fulfill their responsibility to chaperone their kids' parties. They have no idea how drug- and alcohol-infested their teens' world is," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA's chairman and president and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. "The denial, self-delusion, and lack of awareness of these parental palookas put their children at enormous risk of drinking and using illegal and prescription drugs."
Parental Blinders
The survey also found:
80 percent of parents believe that neither alcohol nor marijuana is usually available at parties their teens attend. BUT 50 percent of teen partygoers attend parties where alcohol, drugs, or both are available.
98 percent of parents say they are normally present during parties they allow their teens to have at home. BUT a third of teen partygoers report that parents are rarely or never present at the parties they attend.
99 percent of parents say they would not be willing to serve alcohol at their teen's party. BUT 28 percent of teen partygoers have been at parties at a home where parents were present and teens were drinking alcohol.
Only 12 percent of parents see drugs as their teen's greatest concern. BUT twice as many teens (27 percent) say drugs are their greatest concern.
"Parents need to wake up and smell the pot and beer," Califano said. "If your teen is having a party at your home, you should not only be there, but be aware of what is going on. And if your teen attends a party at someone else's home, confirm that the parents will be present and that alcohol and drugs will not. The reality is that even when parents are present at a party, some kids will try to sneak in substances."
CASA's eleventh teen survey finds that teens attending three or more parties a month are at two and one half times the risk for substance abuse compared to teens that do not attend parties.
The Dangerous Divide: Age 13 to 14
The transition from age 13 to age 14 is a particularly risky time for American teens.
Compared to 13-year-olds, 14-year-olds are:
Four times likelier to be offered prescription drugs;
Three times likelier to be offered Ecstasy;
Three times likelier to be offered marijuana; and
Two times likelier to be offered cocaine.
The CASA survey also reveals that, compared to 13-year olds, 14-year olds are almost three times likelier to attend parties where parents are present and teens drink alcohol; two times likelier to attend parties where parents are present and teens smoke pot; and four times likelier to attend parties where parents are present and teens use other drugs.
The Age of Rude Awakening: 17
By the time a teen reaches age 17:
One in four (26 percent) will personally know someone their age who was the victim of gun violence, and 27 percent will have personally witnessed drug sales in their neighborhood;
Seven out of 10 will have been offered an illegal drug; and
Almost half (46 percent) will have attended a party at which teens were drinking alcohol, smoking pot, or using cocaine, Ecstasy, or prescription drugs while a parent was present.
QEV Analytics conducted The National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XI: Teens and Parents from March 9 to April 30, 2006. The firm interviewed at home by telephone a nationally representative random sample of 1,297 12- to 17-year-olds (591 boys, 706 girls) and 562 parents (84 percent of whom were parents of teens surveyed). To compensate for under-representation of Hispanic and African American teens, an over-sample of these groups was obtained by surveying in counties with high concentrations of the target populations (40 percent or more Hispanic or African American). Sampling error is +/- three percent for teens, +/- four percent for parents.
CASA is the only national organization that brings together under one roof all the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all types of substance abuse as they affect all aspects of society. CASA is the creator of the nationwide initiative Family Day & A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children -- the fourth Monday in September & the 25th in 2006 -- that promotes parental engagement as a simple and effective way to reduce children's risk of smoking, drinking, and using illegal drugs. For more information visit http://www.casacolumbia.org/.
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Number of Uninsured Kids Declines as Enrollees in State Health Insurance Programs Increase
Report shows 31 percent increase in kids enrolled in public programs, 5 percent decline in children being insured through private coverage
Even though the total number of Americans without health insurance is on the rise, a new study analyzing government data suggests good news for the nation's children. The percentage of uninsured kids in America has decreased by 20 percent since the government-funded State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was approved by Congress in 1997.
The State of Kids' Coverage was released August 9, 2006, by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to kick off the Covering Kids & Families' Back-to-School Campaign, a nationwide effort to enroll eligible children in public health coverage programs during the back-to-school season. The report shows that the number of uninsured children has decreased by 2 million since the creation of SCHIP and recent expansions in public programs. In the same period, the number of uninsured Americans has increased by nearly 5 million people. States with the biggest decline in the percentage of uninsured kids are Arkansas (-60 percent), Maine (-50 percent), Alabama (-47 percent), South Carolina (-46 percent) and North Dakota (-44 percent).
The report also shows that fewer children are receiving private health insurance, which is supplied mostly through their parents' employer-sponsored health plans. The percentage of children who have private health insurance has fallen by five percent since 1997-98. That means 1.4 million fewer kids have private health insurance. States with the biggest decline in percentage of children having private health insurance include New Mexico (-23 percent), Mississippi (-23 percent), Alaska, (-23 percent), Oklahoma (-19 percent) and Wyoming (-17 percent).
"The decline in the number of uninsured kids is a rare piece of good news for our nation's health care system," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "The success of SCHIP and other public programs has provided a much-needed safety net for our nation's children, especially as fewer children are receiving employer-sponsored coverage. Congress was right to have the foresight in 1997 to authorize these programs. Our nation's leaders must continue to make health coverage for all children a top priority."
The reports shows that even though the number of kids with private insurance is declining, public coverage programs have expanded, resulting in more kids being insured. The percentage of kids enrolled in public health coverage programs has increased by 31 percent since SCHIP programs began-meaning at least 5 million more kids now have public coverage. States with the greatest increase in percentage of kids enrolled in public coverage (e.g., SCHIP or Medicaid) since 1997-98 are Alaska (+139 percent), Maryland (+139 percent), Indiana (+132 percent), Wyoming (+114 percent) and Arkansas (+109 percent).
Despite the success of public programs, millions of children remain uninsured. The latest Census data show that nearly 8.3 million children remain uninsured nationwide. Experts say that more than 70 percent of these children are likely eligible for low-cost or free health care coverage through SCHIP or Medicaid, but have not yet enrolled. Programs exist in every state and the District of Columbia. Eligibility varies by state and is based on family size and income. Parents can call toll-free 1 (877) KIDS-NOW to find out if their uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.
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A Back-to-School Essential for Social Work Students: Publication Manual of the APA
By Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW
As social work students return to campus this Fall, they will need to buy books that are required for their coursework. One book that may be required or recommended is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 5th Edition.
I was first introduced to the APA manual in undergraduate school at the University of Georgia, where I was a music therapy major. Dr. Richard M. Graham made sure that we were well-versed in APA style, as he expected us to be able both to understand the journal articles that he required us to read and to be able to submit articles to professional journals, adding to the sparse literature of the then relatively new profession of music therapy.
I know that some students (and practitioners and academicians) don't particularly like APA style. Regardless of whether you like it or not, you'll have to learn to use it and to understand it, sooner or later. It is the style that is used in all major social work journals and is required for social work research papers for undergraduate and graduate courses.
To me, APA is a simple style that makes sense. It provides a clear cut way to cite references and list them at the end of an academic paper (although much has changed with the introduction of electronic sources), but it goes far beyond that.
A few years back, I had the opportunity to do some freelancing as an APA style editor for some psychology journals. I thought, at the time, that I was pretty good at APA style. What I found out was how much I DIDN'T know about it! Besides making sure every reference and citation was formatted exactly correctly, I learned how to make sure that every reference in the reference list was actually cited in the text of the article. I learned that there are NUMEROUS rules about numbers, and there are many exceptions to these rules. I learned to replace "while" with "whereas" (unless it was referring to time), and to replace "relationship" with "relation" under the correct circumstances.
Are you confused? Did you think APA was just about references? To the contrary, it is a complete style, and it's not just for "dry" and "boring" journal articles, either. In fact, when used correctly, it can help you make your writing very clear and easy to read.
Here are some resources to help you with APA style:
Publication Manual of the APA, 5th Edition:
http://shop.socialworker.com/shop.php?k=1557987912&c=BooksGeneral
Concise Rules Of Apa Style (Concise Rules of the American Psychological Association (APA) Style):
http://shop.socialworker.com/BooksGeneral-1000-1591472520-Concise_Rules_Of_Apa_Style_Concise_Rules_of_the_American_Psychological_Association_APA_Style.html
Writing with Style: APA Style for Social Work:
http://shop.socialworker.com/BooksGeneral-1000-0534621821-Writing_with_Style_APA_Style_for_Social_Work.html
Buy these and all your social work books at: http://shop.socialworker.com/shop
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JOB CORNER
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Clinical Social Worker
Mission-driven, vibrant Petaluma Health Center seeks Clinical Social Worker with a passion for providing outpatient psychotherapy to the underserved, dedication to excellence, integrity, respect, and collaboration. Work with 3 other LCSWs, psychologist, psychiatrist, 8 physicians, and 6 mid-level providers. Some case management and limited integrated behavioral health.
* MSW and current CA LCSW license.
* 2 years broad range experience with anxiety, depression, and substance-related disorders, psychoactive meds, children and families.
* 1 year case management.
* Spanish or commitment to proficiency.
* Familiarity with Sonoma County resources.
* Multicultural, multi-income clients.
Competitive salary/benefits. EOE.
http://www.phealthcenter.org
Please submit letter of interest and resume by FAX or email to:
Nancy Colvin
FAX (707) 559-7540
Email: nancyc@phealthcenter.org
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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 in Weddle's Recruiter's and Job Seeker's Guide to Employment Web Sites 2004 and 2005/2006.
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NEWS
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Days in the Lives of Gerontological Social Workers
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline for Submissions: December 1, 2006
Linda May Grobman and Dara Bergel Bourassa are planning a new gerontology edition in the DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS book series. The editors are seeking social workers in a wide variety of roles within the gerontology field. Please pass this call for submissions along to colleagues, alumni, and others who may have a unique story to contribute to this exciting new collection.
Background: The book DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS, now in its third edition, is a collection of narratives focusing on "typical" days in the lives of social workers. This book serves as a career resource for social workers, students, and those considering entering the profession, and is used as a textbook for Introduction to Social Work and other courses. Each chapter is written by a professional social worker with a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree in social work. Chapters are written in first person, describing a day in the writer's life as a social worker.
The gerontology edition: The editors are seeking submissions for a new book, tentatively titled DAYS IN THE LIVES OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORKERS, which will follow the same first-person narrative format, featuring professional social workers whose work is with or on behalf of older adults. If you work in or have experience in direct or indirect gerontological social work practice and are interested in submitting a chapter about your work, please e-mail linda.grobman@paonline.com for the guidelines.
The submission deadline is December 1, 2006.
We want to hear from you! For further information, contact: Linda Grobman: linda.grobman@paonline.com or Dara Bergel Bourassa: dpberg@ship.edu
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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 and current issues of the magazine. The current issue is featured on the site's main page, with links to several current full-text articles. Click on "Print Edition" under "Main Menu" to find Tables of Contents of the current and back issues, and click on "Feature Articles Archive" to find full-text articles.
Current articles now online include:
Ethics: Challenging Heterosexism: Six Suggestions for Social Work Practice
Field Placement: Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Could It Be Me?
Avoiding the Tendency to Medicalize the Grieving Process: Reconciliation Rather Than Resolution
An American Social Worker in London
A Black Woman's Journey Toward Healing From Childhood Sexual Abuse
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 the Social Work Bookshelf at http://www.socialworker.com, and go directly to http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw for continuing education offerings.
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Order our practical publications on social work and nonprofit management. See http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store to order securely online.
Need books? Find ALL your social work textbooks, professional reading material, and office items at our online shop, in association with Amazon.com, at http://shop.socialworker.com/shop.php
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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS-FALL ISSUE AVAILABLE 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 Spring 2006 edition is available online now, and the Fall issue will be posted 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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FALL ISSUE OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER COMING SOON!
The Fall issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine is almost here. Highlights include:
Culturally Competent Social Work Practice With Latino Clients
Team Supervision in Field Education
Racism-The Challenge for Social Workers
My Civil Rights Journey
The Inherent Value of Social Work
Building Your Social Work Portfolio
and more!
See our Web site at http://www.socialworker.com for more details and full-text articles from this and previous issues.
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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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