Social Work E-News #85, December 12, 2007

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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Social Work E-News
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Issue #85, December 12, 2007

EDITOR'S EYE

Dear Social Work Colleagues,

Welcome to Issue #85 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.

December is a month filled with holidays, bringing the year to an end and welcoming in the new year. I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season! A couple of December observances that are not talked about as much in the general media as others are World AIDS Day on December 1 and Jane Addams Day on December 10.

Please note that the Fall 2007 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine is now available online. Go to http://www.socialworker.com to read the articles from this issue in Web format. You can also download this issue (and others) of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine in PDF format FREE at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/TheNewSocialWorkerVol.14No.4(Fall2007)/

You can now 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.

Additionally, our online journal, the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics, added a third edition this year. This Winter 2007-08 edition is now online and available free of charge at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve. Click on the link for the Winter 2007-08 edition on the left hand side of the page.

Do you have a story to share with our readers? If so, send it to me at linda.grobman@paonline.com.

The Social Work E-News now has almost 24,000 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, tell a friend, student, or colleague! And if you're looking for a social work job (or to hire a social worker), be sure to check out SocialWorkJobBank at http://www.socialworkjobbank.com .

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 & Resources
On Our Web Site
In Print
Newsletter Necessities

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WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS

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SPECIAL: DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS--3-BOOK SET

Special Holiday Offer! For a limited time, receive all three "Days in the Lives of Social Workers" books for one low price of $45. This offer includes: Days in the Lives of Social Workers, More Days in the Lives of Social Workers, and Days in the Lives of Gerontological Social Workers. Each book contains first-person accounts of what a social worker does in a "typical" or "not-so-typical" day on the job. This 3-book set includes 133 stories of social work, each in a different setting or role! It makes a great gift for a student, graduate, or anyone thinking about a social work career. Order this special gift set at: http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/ccp51/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?pg=prod&ref=23&cat=7&catstr=

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NEED BOOKS/GIFTS? Go to http://shop.socialworker.com/shop -- browse through our convenient store, place items in your cart, and your order will be processed by Amazon.com when you check out. While you're there, pick up a new cell phone (http://shop.socialworker.com/Phone-Phone.html) to keep in touch while you're at school or in the field!

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Licensure deadline coming up soon? Read THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and get CE credit. See http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Continuing_Education_Program/ for details, or go to http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw to take our courses (and any other course listed on the site) at a 15% discount.

Get CE credit for reading selected articles from the JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES & ETHICS. See http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/57/52/ for more information.

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FEATURES

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A Social Work Student's Response to George Will
By Steven Kempster

Editor's Note: This article was written in response to George Will's column about social work, which ran in the Washington Post and other newspapers in October. You can find George Will's column at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101202151.html

In a column published in the October 14 Washington Post, columnist George Will vented his mistrust of social work academia. Schools of social work and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, he opined, enforce a particular agenda at the expense of a pluralistic student body.

His article came out amidst the current atmosphere of political pandering for potential voters. A time when Americans have stopped listening to claims of missing Wile E. Coyote boxes of dynamite in the Middle East. A time when Americans are frustrated by a national economy that reflects the increasing disinvestment in our nation's public schools, social systems, and infrastructures. A time when President Bush's disapproval ratings, according to the most recent Gallup polls, are at a staggering 64 percent.

Right-wing pundits like Will are aghast that a socially responsible president may enter in a year's time, and these pundits are at their mud-throwing finest as they attack anything remotely ideologically liberal. Through his interpretation of the NASW Code of Ethics and scant anecdotal evidence of a statistically insignificant fraction of the social work student consortium, Will builds a straw man out of hasty generalizations. His dialogue is littered with scary terms alluding to gay rights and the redistribution of wealth. This is "Reefer Madness'' 2.0.

The University of Michigan School of Social Work is germane to both the NASW Code of Ethics as well as the historical role of social workers. Namely, the curriculum pays "particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.'' This is reflected in the attention to PODS -- privilege, oppression, diversity, and social justice. That this focus matches a liberal agenda, as Will attests, speaks more toward the ill state of conservative politics and social apathy than it does rampant liberalism in the code and social work higher education.

But Will does bring up a relevant point pertinent to graduate programs in the U.S. -- the danger of conformity and group-think in our classrooms. For the most part, these notions do not go unchecked at U-M's School of Social Work. Here, professors regularly challenge students to examine issues critically and multisystemically. Because of the very nature of social sciences, and the inception of new paradigms and new lenses of viewing the world, our field must refuse any inclination toward conquering pre-existing dominating paradigms with new ones. And when new paradigms seek to dominate, they must be challenged and debated vigorously.

An example of conformity gone awry can be found here in Detroit. Henry Ford promoted his own great society of like-minded people by having ethnic employees step into a melting pot, where their own cultural garb would magically turn into blue jumpers built specifically for mass-production and apple pie. Sidestepping Ford's gaffes, schools of social work would benefit from the metaphorical Mario Savio middle finger, replete with free speech, free thinking, and non-dominating paradigms.

Will would have you believe that my classmates and I are being conscripted in an Orwellian conspiracy by a collusion of social liberalists. There is no collusion. No hidden tome exists espousing anti-conservative rhetoric. Will needs to understand that schools of social work across this county are comprised of compassionate people with a depth of experience, personal beliefs, and nuanced political ideologies.

Steven Kempster is a 2008 MSW candidate at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, where he is a Child Welfare Fellow. He lives with his family in Ann Arbor, MI.

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NASW Celebrates Jane Addams Day
Social Justice Pioneer and Progressive Era Advocate Remembered

Washington, D.C. &The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) celebrated Jane Addams Day earlier this week, on December 10. This anniversary showcases the achievements of the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and a leader of the 19th and 20th century progressive movement in the United States.

"Jane Addams' devotion to those in need and to their achievements as founder of Chicago's Hull House mirror the commitment and dedication found throughout the field of social work," NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, said. "NASW is pleased to honor Jane Addams, an advocate who embodies the ideals held by our profession."

Jane Addams helped found the Settlement House movement in the United States. With a community-focused approach, settlement houses emerged as a center for social reform activity and served as sanctuary for those in need. As one of the most prominent leaders in the country's progressive era, Jane Addams pioneered community-based initiatives as a means to achieve social justice.

Her achievements are commemorated in schools and programs throughout the social work discipline. The ideals held by Jane Addams can be found in NASW's current mission to reinvest in community advancement initiatives, and to promote the contributions of the profession to a wider audience.

"It is with great pride that we acknowledge this special day within the field of social work as we honor a woman who helped shape this country's position on social issues," Dr. Clark said. "NASW will pursue its goals to advance the profession with the same commitment and dedication as practiced by Addams in her pursuit of social justice as an attainable ideal."

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New VA/University of Michigan study yields key findings on veterans, depression, and suicide

ANN ARBOR, MI -- The largest and most up-to-date study of suicides among depressed veterans, published on October 30, finds that the predictors of suicide among veterans in depression treatment differ from those seen in the general American population, with younger, white, non-Hispanic men having the highest risk among the veterans.

Veterans with substance abuse issues, and those who had been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons in the year before their depression diagnosis, also had a higher suicide risk. Surprisingly, older veterans who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in addition to depression had a lower overall rate of suicide than those without a PTSD diagnosis, perhaps because they were more likely to receive care through Veterans Affairs PTSD programs.

Although the study did not directly compare populations of veterans and non-veterans receiving treatment for depression, the study does confirm that suicide rates were very high among depressed VA patients during the study period of 1999 to 2004, reinforcing the need for the VA's recent initiatives to prevent suicide (http://mentalhealth.va.gov).

The study, conducted by researchers from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Health System and U-M Depression Center, appears in the December American Journal of Public Health issue focused on veterans' issues.

The researchers analyzed comprehensive data from 807,694 veterans of all ages diagnosed with depression and treated at any Veterans Affairs facility nationwide between 1999 and 2004. The data are from the VA's National Registry for Depression, developed and maintained by the Serious Mental Illness Treatment Research and Evaluation Center at the VA Ann Arbor's Health Services Research and Development Center of Excellence.

In all, the researchers found that 1,683 of the depressed veterans committed suicide during the study period, representing 0.21 percent of the depressed veterans studied. They then analyzed the characteristics of all the depressed veterans who committed suicide, and calculated suicide hazard ratios and suicide rates per 100,000 person-years for each subgroup.

"Doctors learn about patient characteristics that might increase risk of suicide," says first author Kara Zivin, Ph.D., a VA investigator and assistant professor in the U-M Department of Psychiatry. "Typically, these are older age, male gender, and white race, as well as depression, and medical or substance abuse issues. But our study indicates that among veterans in depression treatment, the predictors of suicide may not be the same. We hope our findings will help guide physicians in understanding suicide risk among currently depressed veterans."

Zivin and senior author Marcia Valenstein, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at U-M and leader of this study, note that these data are but the first of many findings that will likely emerge from analysis of the VA data.

"We are also examining whether there are specific periods during depression treatment when veterans are at higher risk and might need higher levels of monitoring," says Valenstein. "In addition, we are examining whether different types of depression treatments, such as different antidepressants or sleeping medications, are associated with different rates of suicide."

The study divided veterans into three age groups: 18 to 44 years, 45 to 64 years, and 65 years or older. It did not assess whether they had served in combat during a particular conflict, although the existence of a disability connected to military service was considered.

Interestingly, the depressed veterans who did not have a service-connected disability were more likely to commit suicide than those with a service-connected disability. This may be due to greater access to treatments among service-connected veterans, or more stable incomes due to compensation payments.

For their analysis, the researchers included all veterans who had received at least two diagnoses of depression during the study period, or had received both a diagnosis of depression and filled a prescription for an antidepressant. Veterans with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders were not included because of their different prognoses compared with people who have "unipolar" depression. In all, the analysis included data from 807,694 of the 1.5 million veterans diagnosed with depression since 1997.

When the researchers calculated suicide rates over the entire 5.5 year study period, they were much higher for men (89.5 per 100,000 person-years) than for women (28.9), and higher for whites (95 per 100,000 PY) than for African Americans (27) and veterans of other races (56.1). Veterans of Hispanic origin had a lower rate (46.28 per 100,000 PY) of suicide than those not of Hispanic origin (86.8). Adjusted hazard ratios also reflected these differences.

Difference in rates among depressed veterans of different age groups were striking, with 18-44-year-olds committing suicide at a rate of 94.98 suicides per 100,000 person years, compared with 77.93 for the middle age group and 90 for the oldest age group.

The initial findings revealed a suicide rate of 68.16 per 100,000 PY for depressed veterans who also had PTSD, compared with a rate of 90.66 for those who did not. This surprising finding led the researchers to dig deeper and look at whether specific subgroups of depressed veterans with PTSD had higher or lower suicide risk. Further examination demonstrated that the "protective" effect of having PTSD in addition to depression was strongest among veterans in the two older age groups.

The authors say their study does not reveal a reason for this "protective" effect, but they theorize that it may be due to the high level of attention to PTSD treatment in the VA system and the greater likelihood that patients with PTSD will receive psychotherapy. More study is necessary, they say.

In addition to Zivin and Valenstein, the study's authors are Myra Kim, Ph.D., John F. McCarthy, Ph.D., Karen Austin, MPH, Katherine Hoggatt, Ph.D., and Heather Walters, M.S., all of the VA, Ann Arbor, the U-M Medical School, or the U-M School of Public Health. Zivin, Valenstein, and McCarthy are members of the U-M Depression Center. The study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Reference: American Journal of Public Health, Dec. 2007, Vol. 97, No. 12
Written by Kara Gavin

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The New Social Worker's Holiday Shopping Guide for Social Workers

By Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW

I'm not really much of a shopper myself. I'm just not one of those people who love to shop 'til they drop. However, December is a time when shopping seems to be on everyone's mind. Is it on yours?

I like to take a social work approach to shopping. Assess the situation: What does the person want (or need)? What gift will have a meaningful impact and express something of value to the recipient? Develop a plan of action: How can I best obtain the best gift? Can I efficiently visit local stores, or can I accomplish more online? Will the person appreciate a physical gift, a gift card/certificate, or something less tangible, such as a gift of my time or services? Implement the plan: With list in hand, begin the quest for those perfect gifts!

Sometimes shopping is easy, and sometimes it's more of a challenge. For some situations, I have found that I personally prefer online shopping. I can put one gift "on hold" while I search for others, thus avoiding having to go all the way back to the other end of the mall to look at that one thing that looked "sort of" interesting. There are no crowded stores and parking lots. I don't have to "fight" traffic, and I save on gas, thus helping save the environment. Plus, I can find unusual or unique items (including social work-related ones!) that I would never see in a local store. Andat the end of the shopping trip, I simply have to wait until the packages arrive at my door (or I can have them shipped directly to the "giftees").

I have been thinking of some online shopping tips based on my experiences and observations. So, here goes:

1. Be progressive: There are many Web sites that offer progressive shopping opportunities. One that I came across recently is Donelly/Colt Progressive Resources Catalog (http://progressivecatalog.com/catalog/core.shtml). This sounds like a gigantic corporate structure, but Donelly/Colt is actually a small family-owned business that sells progressive merchandise, including gift baskets; t-shirts; posters; and other items with messages of peace, social justice, human rights and other issues. Another similar site is Northland Poster Collective (http://northlandposter.com/), where you can buy posters, buttons, calendars, notecards, t-shirts, and other items with messages of grassroots organizing.

2. Be fair: Fair trade is defined as "a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers -- especially in the South. Fair Trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising, and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade," according to FINE, a network of fair trade organizations. One example of fair trade shopping can be found at Ten Thousand Villages (http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/).

3. Travel the Amazon: One of my favorite online places to shop is Amazon.com. I love bookstores, and Amazon has developed into a very nice place to browse for almost any book (or other items, for that matter). Besides being able to find almost any book (or various other items) that you might be seeking, you can also find customer reviews, product descriptions and photos, excerpts (in many cases), and lots of other useful information to help you make a buying decision. To get started on your Amazon quest, go to http://www.amazon.com/?tag=newsocialwork-20 By following this link (and others listed below) to Amazon.com, you will also be supporting The New Social Worker, as we will receive a small commission on your purchase.

4. Be charitable: Many charitable organizations have gift items for sale on their Web sites. Support your favorite cause by making a donation in your honoree's name or by buying a t-shirt, mug, jewelry, or other item that says you care. CharityVillage.com offers a shopping guide with links to Canadian charities that sell goods online: http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/marketplace/holidaygg.html. Some other examples of charitable gift ideas can be found at: Lance Armstrong Foundation (http://www.store-laf.org/), American Red Cross (https://www.redcrossstore.org/), Broadway Cares (http://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/index.html), and Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org).

5. Go posters: I have found some wonderful posters with a variety of motivational messages at allPosters.com. Topics include: diversity, challenge, self-esteem, tolerance, attitude, bullying, leadership, and others. The New Social Worker has developed a store with some hand-picked social issues posters at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Poster_Store/ Again, I will disclose that we get a small commission on these sales, so shopping here supports The New Social Worker. I really like these "issues" posters, and allPosters also has a wide variety of posters on ALL subjects. You can get many them by themselves, framed, or laminated.

6. Follow the muse: Music can sometimes express an emotion better than words can. So, why not give a gift of music? Some of my favorites in the singer-songwriter category are: Anne Hills (a social worker/singer-songwriter-http://shop.socialworker.com/Hills-Music_of_Anne_HillsSocial_WorkerFolk_Singer.html ) and Vance Gilbert (folk singer- http://shop.socialworker.com/Gilbert-Music_of_Vance_GilbertSingerSongwriter.html). I have many other favorites, too, and your tastes (or those of your loved ones) may be totally different, of course!

7. Go eBay: eBay is another of my favorite online shopping spots. If I know the item I am looking for, I can often go to eBay and find it for less. Be sure to check out the feedback ratings of the seller, and read the item description, shipping policies, and other information carefully when ordering on eBay. Go to http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-3/1?aid=2202641&pid=2733277 to get started. The New Social Worker will get a small commission from your purchase here, as well.

8. Get certified: If you don't know what else to get, or you know that the person really likes to shop for him/herself, a gift certificate always comes in handy. You can get Amazon.com gift cards at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00067L6TQ/ref=nosim/&tag=newsocialwork-20 or go to http://www.giftcertificates.com for a wide variety of gift certificates.

9. Go healthy: A gift geared toward health or fitness is often appreciated. If you have a runner on your gift list, check out GPS devices (http://www.amazon.com/dp/ B000CSWCQA/?tag=newsocialwork-20) that keep track of distance, speed, heart rate, and other info, for example.

10. Get social work: If you are shopping for a social worker (or looking for something to put on your own wish list), consider a social work book. The "Days in the Lives of Social Workers" books edited by "yours truly," although sometimes used as supplemental textbooks, are written in jargon-free (mostly), non-academic language. They are simply collections of stories written by social workers, describing what they do on a day-to-day basis. These books are sold through our online store at http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store, and you can currently buy all three of them as a "gift set" at a discounted price. Orif you are looking for social work "novelty" items, try http://www.cafepress.com/socialworker.

Well, I hope I've given you some ideas, so you can implement your plan and reach your goal. Happy shopping, now or any time of year!

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8 New Year's Resolutions for Nonprofit Executives

by Gary M. Grobman, Ph.D.

Editor's Note: The new year is on its way! The following ideas, originally written for nonprofit executives who are not necessarily social workers, may also apply to social workers in management and other roles, as well! This article is reprinted from Pennsylvania Nonprofit Report.

It's January, and another year has slipped by. Replacing calendars on the wall is often an excuse for introspection. I've made some New Year's resolutions of my own, and it's not too late for you to do so if you haven't. Let me make a few suggestions.

1. Become an exemplary, ethical individual, every minute, every day. Don't use organizational resources for personal use, and don't tolerate others in your organization who do. Consider whether you are creating conflicts of interest with your decisions. Be honest on your expense account. Register your organization with the Department of State's Bureau of Charitable Organizations if you are required to do so. Consider registering with that agency and disclosing information, even if you are not required to do so because your fundraising is under the threshold requirements. Be honest with your board and staff (most boards are much more tolerant of mistakes made than they are of lying about it, anyway!). Your standard of ethics reflects not only upon you and your organization, but also upon the nonprofit sector as a whole. The public is becoming more cynical about how charities operate. Don't be someone who adds to this sense of cynicism. It's also easier to sleep at night when you know you didn't do something dishonest or questionable during the day.

2. Make sure you have a healthy, vibrant personal life. It is so easy running an organization to become consumed by the pressures, challenges, and demands that accompany leadership and neglect your health, family, hobbies, and vacation needs. If you are one of those who find it impossible to leave the office to take a vacation, remember that even the President plays golf and takes vacations, and he's a really busy executive! If your organization is such that it can't survive with you away for a few days, then that is a sign that something is unhealthy with either you or the organization. Fix it. And then go take a hike (on the Appalachian Trail).

3. If your organization can afford it, consider making a voluntary contribution to a local government or a foundation established to support local governments. There is some legitimacy to the view of local governments that charities use their services and do not pay for them, and this places a strain on their ability to function. There is also legitimacy to the nonprofit sector's view that as charities, we should be exempt from taxes or involuntary monetary payments. Yet, many in our sector recognize that we have a partnership with local governments to make society better. One way to do so is to help our local governments, on a voluntary basis, when we can. If your organization cannot or will not provide money, then offer services.

4. Be sensitive to the legitimate concerns of small business. Small business people are not the enemies of charities. They serve on nonprofit boards. They provide nonprofits with valuable products and services. They purchase nonprofits' products and services. How would you feel if you invested not only your entire life savings but your entire emotional capital in a business, and a local charity used its profits as venture capital to establish a commercial business (i.e., designed not to serve any charitable mission but to generate net revenue) to compete head-to-head with yours, and had the advantage of not paying taxes, paying cheaper postage rates, had volunteers, access to capital, and the public relations value that comes from being a "charity"? There is clearly a role for charities to generate revenue to fund services for the community. But there is a right way and a wrong way of doing this. The hospital that markets its laundry service to the general public may be paying unrelated business income taxes on its revenue, but this style of marketing creates tensions within the small business community, and for good reason. Should my public library be offering best-sellers and videos for fees that undercut existing small businesses? A gray area, and we could argue that one for a long time. But my point stands: Before establishing or expanding a commercial business under the aegis of charitable tax-exempt status, even if it is not violating any unfair business competition provisions of state law, think twice. There are ways to generate income by providing services and products that don't step on toes.

5. Join and support a state advocacy association. The nonprofit charitable community faces problems and challenges that are too big for any individual to face alone. There are associations whose job is to identify these problems and challenges, devise a strategy to meet them head on, and coordinate advocacy. Many of these organizations are starved for membership and resources because it is easy for a charity to avoid its responsibilities and let the burden fall on the "other guy." There is strength in numbers, and if you run an agency that thinks it can save a few dollars by not making an investment in its future, you're being short-sighted. And while you are at it, join a professional organization, as well.

6. Get some continuing education to improve your ability to manage your organization. Whether it is in the grants writing, computer, management, strategic planning, time management, or board/staff relations areas, virtually every nonprofit organization manager can benefit by some outside training. Taking a course also offers a break from the office routine and brings you in contact with peers from other disciplines. It's good for networking, good socially, good for your brain, and, best of all, many organizations will pay all of the costs!

7. Take advantage of the Internet, and add an e-commerce Web page that hawks your products and services. The communications revolution shouldn't leave you and your organization behind. An online store can be established and maintained for surprisingly low cost and effort. And, believe it or not, it's lots of fun. Read the book by Grobman and Grant, Fundraising Online: Using the Internet to Raise Serious Money for Your Nonprofit Organization available from http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store or from your favorite online bookstore, for ways to generate substantial online income for your organization.

8. Invite your local legislators to visit your agency and/or meet with your board. Whether at the City Council/County Commissioner, General Assembly, or Congressional level, the decisions made by our elected officials affect organizations, clients, volunteers, board members, and us. There are many benefits in establishing a relationship with these officials before you need something from them. This is especially important if your agency is the recipient of government funding, or hopes to be in the future.

Gary M. Grobman, Ph.D., teaches nonprofit management and ethics at the graduate level. He is the author of several books on nonprofit management.

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JOB CORNER

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INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCES
INDEPENDENT LIVING TRAINING COORDINATOR
Details at http://www.ilr.org

Coordinate community training, lead STEPS initiative to train people with disabilities who employ personal care assistants, and offer related workshops and one-on-one mentoring.
FTE: 1.0 (37.5 hours per week)
Compensation: $13.08 - $15.69 - Plus Benefits
Regular Hours: 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week, some overnight travel may be required.

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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.

As of this morning, there are 137 jobs currently posted on this site.

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NEWS & RESOURCES

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BPD Summer 2008 Policy Fellow Application

The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) invites BSW students who are currently enrolled or who have completed a policy course(s) to apply for the Summer 2008 Policy Fellow Award sponsored by BPD, in collaboration with the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR). 2008 BSW graduates may apply.

This BSW Policy Fellow experience will provide the opportunity for an undergraduate social work student to spend the summer of 2008 in Washington D.C. to gain experience in the areas of political advocacy, lobbying, and participating in policy change efforts at the national level.

The selected Fellow is expected to spend 10 weeks in Washington, D.C. under the capable supervision of the Executive Director of IASWR. The Fellow will have office space at IASWR, which is housed at the NASW Headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C.

The stipend amount awarded is $5,000, which can be used any way the Fellow deems necessary to assist in covering expenses. The Fellow is responsible for arranging his/her own housing.

Students applying should have an interest in addressing social work issues through policy change at the national level and have an understanding of the policy changing process. The student must be willing to perform administrative, organizing, writing, and research activities. Basic computer skills are expected, including the ability to do Internet research.

The applicant must submit a resume, a current transcript (unofficial copy), two letters of reference (only one from a social work faculty member), which specifically address the applicant's ability to work as an advocate on social work relevant policy issues.

In addition, the applicant must submit a personal statement of approximately 1,000 words that addresses the following questions: (1) Based on your area of interest and knowledge of the policy making process, how would you envision using your social work policy knowledge to contribute to policy change? (child welfare, mental health, health care, etc. ). (2) What are some of your professional goals that would complement this policy fellow experience? (3) What experiences have you had that prepared you for this opportunity?

The recipient of the Fellow Award must also commit to attend the March 2009 BPD conference in Phoenix, Arizona to present his/her Washington experience. (BPD will pay for air travel and one night's lodging for the student selected). The recipient will also be required to write an article on the experience for publication.

Deadline for receipt of the application material is February 18, 2008. Applications will be reviewed by the BPD Advocacy and Outreach Committee members who serve as the Selection Committee. Finalists will be interviewed by telephone. Please send four (4) copies of the personal statement, resume, letters of reference, and transcript to:

Dr. Susan Kosché Vallem, Chair
BPD Policy Fellow Selection Committee
Department of Social Work
Wartburg College
Box 1003
Waverly, IA 50677-0903

The Chair of the Selection Committee will e-mail or call each applicant within seven days after receiving the application to confirm that the application was received. If the applicant has not received a receipt confirmation within seven days, please notify Dr. Vallem by e-mailing her at susan.vallem@wartburg.edu, or calling her at 319-352-8250.

The winner of the 2008 Summer Policy Fellow Award will be announced by March 31, 2008.

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National Network for Social Work Managers
www.socialworkmanager.org

Mark Moses Distinguished Fellowship Award

The National Network for Social Work Managers has announced the creation of the Mark Moses Distinguished Fellowship in Social Work Management. The Fellowship Award will be awarded for the first time at the 2008 Annual Institute, to be held in Los Angeles, from April 10-12. Nominations are being requested for the following awards:

1. One from academia -- college level faculty currently teaching a social work management related course (see Leadership and Management Practice Standards) in a program committed to social work management.
2. One social work management student.
3. Two social work managers practice -- current practitioners in a supervisory or management level job, with a BSW or MSW, in a program/agency providing social services

Fellows will receive: (1) a travel stipend of up to $500 to attend the Institute in Los Angeles, (2) a waiver of the registration fee for the Institute, (3) a one-year membership to the National Network for Social Work Managers, including a one-year subscription to the Journal Administration in Social Work, and (4) access to the Members Only section of the Web site.

Fellows will be expected to attend the Institute, including the Awards Luncheon, and write a brief article on a management topic to be determined, in consultation with the Network's Editorial Committee.

This is an exciting opportunity for social work managers in academia and practice to be recognized for their outstanding performance and to be introduced firsthand to the exciting work being done by social work managers.

Nominations should be made by e-mail to Laurie Perlini, the Administrator of the National Network, at: nnswm.org@gmail.com. The nomination should be no longer than 1,000 words and should include a clearly articulated rationale for the individual's nomination as a Distinguished Fellow. A letter of reference from some other senior level practitioner or faculty member is required and should be attached to the email nomination. The deadline for nominations is January 25, 2008.

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15% Discount Now Available on THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Continuing Education Program
YOU DESERVE CREDIT! Now you can get it. Keep up with your profession (and get credit for it) with THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER.

We have partnered with CEU4U (http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw) to provide online testing, so you can receive continuing education credit for reading your favorite magazine. Take THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER courses or ANY courses at http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw and automatically receive a 15% discount.
Continuing education credit is available for the following issues of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER (2 hours/credit per issue):

Fall 2007
Summer 2007
Spring 2007
Winter 2007
Fall 2006
Summer 2006
Spring 2006
Winter 2006

All of these issues can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/
If you prefer, print copies (for issues up to Spring 2007) are also available for purchase ($4.95 each) at http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store

Go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Continuing_Education_Program/ for complete details on THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's Continuing Education Program.

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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES & ETHICS CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics, a free, online, peer-reviewed journal published by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, now offers continuing education credit. Beginning with the Spring 2007 issue of the journal, you are able to read selected articles and then take an online exam and receive continuing education credit. See http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/57/52/ for complete details of this program.

CE credits for the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics are offered in cooperation with CE-Credit.com. To see a complete listing of the 600+ courses that CE-Credit.com offers, go to http://www.socialworker.com/cecredit.html

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ON OUR WEB SITE

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The Fall 2007 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is now available to download in PDF format at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/TheNewSocialWorkerVol.14No.4(Fall2007)/

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. 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 magazine is also available for FREE download in PDF format.

Current articles from the Fall 2007 issue now online include:

Confidentiality and the Duty to Warn-- http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Ethics/Confidentiality_%26_the_Duty_to_Warn%3A_Ethical_and_Legal_Implications_for_the_Therapeutic_Relationship/
Making Friends With the Impostor-- http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Professional_Development_%26_Advancement/Making_Friends_With_the_Impostor/
Making the Most of Field Seminar-- http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Field_Placement/Making_the_Most_of_Field_Seminar/
A Bad Feeling Can Be a Good Thing-- http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/General/A_Bad_Feeling_Can_Be_a_Good_Thing/
10 Things I've Learned From Clients-- http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Professional_Development_%26_Advancement/10_Things_I%27ve_Learned_From_Clients/

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).

Be sure to check out http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw for online continuing education offerings, including courses based on reading THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine. Receive 15% discount on all courses you take at http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw.

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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS-WINTER ISSUE AVAILABLE NOW!

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 (with occasional special issues), in full text, online at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve

We have just published the Winter 2007-08 edition, and it is available online now. This edition is in addition to the two regularly scheduled editions, already published this calendar year.

Editorial Comment: From Our October 2007 Editorial Board Meeting
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/72/54/

Letters to the Editors Winter 2007-2008
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/71/54/

What is Sacred When Personal and Professional Values Collide?
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/69/54/

Promoting Ethical Research
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/68/54/

The Ethics of Social Work Practice in a Nursing Home Setting: A Consultants' Dilemma
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/67/54/

Social Work Values in an Age of Complexity
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/66/54/

Ethics and Decision Making for Social Workers
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/70/54/

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.

Get continuing education credit for reading selected articles from the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics. See http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/57/52/ for details.

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SHOP ON OUR WEB SITE

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* 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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IN PRINT

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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 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.

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, edited by Linda May Grobman

HOW TO ORDER

All of our books are available through our secure online store at http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store
For mail or fax orders, use our printable order form at http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/whmailorder.htm

If you wish to order these books from Amazon.com, follow these links:

Days in the Lives of Social Workers series of books:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=days%20in%20the%20lives%20of%20social%20workers&tag=newsocialwork-20&index=na-books-us&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325

Social Work Graduate School Applicant's Handbook:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1929109148/?tag=newsocialwork-20

Field Placement Survival Guide:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1929109105/?tag=newsocialwork-20

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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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News: Please send brief social work-related news items to linda.grobman@paonline.com for consideration.

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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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