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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Social Work E-News
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Issue #79, June 12, 2007
EDITOR'S EYE
Dear Social Work Colleagues,
Welcome to Issue #79 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.
It's summertime! Many schools of social work have just had graduation or are preparing to do so. Congratulations to all the new social work graduates out there! You are entering an exciting and important profession, and you have so much to contribute to your clients, communities, and agencies. I wish you well.
This coming Sunday is Father's Day, so an item I saw in my e-mail this morning caught my eye
. The headline was "Postpartum Depression: A Risk for New Dads, Too." I was alerted to this story through the IASWR listserv announcement (see http://www.iaswresearch.org for more information about this organization). The gist of the story is that about 10% of fathers in a study of more than 5,000 two-parent families suffered from moderate or severe postpartum depression, but the issue of PPD in fathers "typically isn't on clinicians' radar." Seems like an important issue for any social worker who works with parents. See the full story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070609/hl_hsn/postpartumdepressionariskfornewdadstoo
This issue of the E-News features an article on working with LGBT elders by social work student Hérman Carrera, as well as a variety of news items. Should we ask clients about their sexual orientation? Read what Carrera has to say and what he did about it in one agency.
Reminder-the Spring 2007 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine is available now, and the Summer issue is coming soon. You can read articles from the Spring issue on our Web site at http://www.socialworker.com, and download the full issue in PDF format FREE at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/TheNewSocialWorkerVol.14No.2(Spring2007)/ . (NOTE: This is a new address, as we have changed to a new download system.)
CONTINUING EDUCATION 15% DISCOUNT NOW AVAILABLE! As announced previously, CE credit is now available for all issues of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER from Winter 2006 to the current issue, through our collaboration with CEU4U (http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw). Just go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/ to download the available back and current issues. Then, go to http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw to register and take the post-tests. Follow the above links to CEU4U and you will automatically receive a 15% discount on ALL courses you take on the site.
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.
The Social Work E-News now has more than 23,000 subscribers, and thousands of social workers (and people interested in social work) visit our Web sites. If you like our Web sites and the Social Work E-News, tell a friend or colleague! 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
On Our Web Site
In Print
Newsletter Necessities
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WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS
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Powerful Coaching for Social Workers... A Special Webcast on Wednesday, June 27th, will give you the chance to learn about the skill set that is being adopted quickly by social workers across the country. Why? Not only is coaching a complementary and powerful skill set to add to your present training and expertise, but it can also help you establish a private practice generating fees from $150&$300 per hour while working predominantly with clients that want to reach new heights and partner with you to get them there. During this webcast, you'll get all your questions answered, from how coaching compares to therapy, what are the credentialing requirements, what is the Core Energy Coaching process, and much more.
Go to http://www.CoreEnergySeminars.com/powerful_coaching to learn more and register. There is NO fee for this webcast; however, the number of attendees is limited, so please register early.
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NEW GERONTOLOGY BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
Now available: 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. Find the table of contents of this and other books in this series at http://www.daysinthelivesofsocialworkers.com or go directly to http://www.whitehatcommunications.com/store to order securely online. This book will be available nationwide in bookstores this September, but you can order it now directly from the publisher.
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FEATURES
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No Se Habla LGBT: Helping Elders, Agencies, and Professionals Embrace Diversity
By Hérman Carrera, MSW
One of my most rewarding and challenging jobs has been advocating for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Latino elders at a Senior Center in San Francisco, where most participants were assumed to be of heterosexual orientation. Initially, I experienced anxiety, fear, and intimidation on the job. I was afraid the heterosexual participants would find out I was an openly-gay male and refuse my help. I struggled as I challenged my own cultural upbringing in the Latino community, which taught me that being gay is not accepted and that it is "abnormal" or "sinful". Yet the one thing I was certain of---and would not compromise---was my own individuality and my commitment to the LGBT community that embraces who I am as a person. As a gay Latino male, I felt the need and responsibility to advocate for the rights of LGBT elders.
As I adjusted to my new job responsibilities, I began to notice during the intake process that some members of our staff were not asking elders the question of "sexual orientation," even though it was part of the intake form and the overall process; they just skipped over it. In my mind, asking such an important question was critical on two accounts: 1) conveying to clients that diversity was honored at the agency; and 2) as a consequence, making sure all clients were being served, especially since there were elders who identified with the LGBT community. I also noticed that the negative value judgments I struggled with based on my own cultural upbringing were also evident in how other staff, many of whom were also Latino, refused to acknowledge homosexuality. I chose to always ask about sexual orientation during the intake process, per the established procedure; however, it did not take too long before a staff member brought it to my attention and proceeded to explain that such a question was not necessary. "We've never asked that question before," I was told by the co-worker. After several one-on-one conversations and uncomfortable exchanges with staff members, I discovered that they themselves were not comfortable asking such an important question of the elders they were assisting. The lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity to diversity was so evident that it made me want to pursue the issue further. I took it upon myself to research old files to see how far back I would need to go to find a file with an intake form with a box being checked for sexual orientation. In the end, I could not find a single file that showed signs that the question had ever been asked.
This experience only encouraged me more to continue asking clients their sexual orientation during the intake process, so that I could better serve them and show staff that LGBT seniors do exist and were being served at the Center. I discovered that during the intake process, I had to learn various ways to ask "the question" in a culturally sensitive manner. This was no easy task for me. Tradition and conservative values were so evident within the Latino elders that they did not know how to identify when asked their sexual orientation. This reaction in itself conveyed a lot about their upbringing and socialization. It also informed my approach to make the intake less invasive and more culturally sensitive. I found myself educating them and offering alternative words and phrases so that they could relate to the question and understand what it was asking. Soon I would hear responses such as, "Oh, I'm normal," or "Well, I'm married and always liked women," or I would hear, "Ay, Dios mio"-as if they were asking their higher power for forgiveness in engaging in such a conversation. There were also those elders who had no problem letting me know by pointing silently to the box labeled gay/lesbian and offering a gentle smile.
The ultimate change was not limited to making sure the question was asked by staff; the agency climate was affected as well. There was hesitation and discomfort from some staff members who found it to be invasive and irresponsible on our part to ask such a personal question of elders. Because of their lack of awareness, they did not see the need for it. Some were afraid they would lose their clients by offending them. To mediate this concern, during staff meetings, I advocated for the implementation of cultural diversity trainings to address these concerns. Despite these unaware staff members, the agency itself was very open to diversity and supported staff development. Within a couple of months, I found myself in a room with staff discussing why the question of sexual orientation was important in the intake process. My intent was to bring awareness and cultural sensitivity to the issue, while at the same time, help staff to recognize the inequality of service delivery that was taking place. It was also important to me to help my co-workers recognize and value their gay clients for who they are as individuals in this heterosexual society. Having this discussion with staff members helped bring awareness and sensitivity in working with our LGBT elders. It also helped them to understand the needs of this underserved community and to critically consider new ways of working with this vulnerable population. With this open discussion, I had shown my supervisor, staff, and management the need for diversity trainings.
Changes were evident at the agency. Staff members became more relaxed and comfortable with the intake process, and had gained an understanding and awareness of LGBT issues. A dialogue had begun, and it made me very proud to have initiated a break-through in my colleagues. However, one change in one agency is not enough. More work needs to be done to educate agencies about ageism, existing homophobia, and the need for diversity and cultural sensitivity trainings. By addressing these kinds of barriers, we will improve how services are provided at our agencies to the elderly regardless of their sexual orientation.
One of the biggest lessons learned in this process is that agencies need to be held accountable when they say they serve "ALL" seniors regardless of sexual orientation. During my two years working with the elderly, I met some of the most amazing, courageous, and brave people. I felt a responsibility to advocate for them and ensure that programming caters to diverse communities. At the end of the day, at least I have planted the seed in co-workers' minds to become curious and interested in increasing their own cultural awareness. The growth and increased awareness that diversity trainings offered staff was invaluable. As a result of my experience working with elders, a good start is being able to take risks with clients as well as with staff. Agencies and their staffs should consider working together to limit ignorance and address issues of ageism, diversity, and homophobia that affect our most vulnerable clients.
Hérman Carrera, MSW, is an immigrant, farm worker, and Mexican American with a strong passion for working with the elderly population. His drive to pursue a career of activism, advocacy, and service in gerontology and social work is what excites Mr. Carrera. He graduated from Columbia University School of Social Work in May 2007 with an MSW and a concentration in aging. He is also a 2005-2006 New Ventures in Leadership (NVL) Partner, a program of the American Society on Aging, and the 2006-2007 Hochfeld Fellow.
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Have you downloaded The New Social Worker's free Social Work Toolbar yet? Do so, and you'll never be more than one click away from our SocialWorker.com and SocialWorkJobBank.com sites. Go to http://SocialWork.ourtoolbar.com to get your own unique Social Work Toolbar for your Web browser!
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JOB CORNER
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INTERIM HEALTH CARE-SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA
Busy South Bay (Santa Clara County, CA) home health agency seeks part-time per diem MSW/LCSW to join our interdisciplinary team. Flexible schedule and competitive compensation. Contact Shelley Sansbury at ssansbury@interimhealthcare.com, phone 408-292-5680, fax 408-292-5685.
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LOW INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE-SEATTLE, WA
The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) provides affordable housing to very low income persons including individuals and families that have been homeless and may have special needs. LIHI makes housing-based supportive services available to residents in their properties that require assistance in stabilizing their housing.
The Director of Supportive Services is responsible for the overall quality of services. Provides administrative oversight of service programs to ensure contract compliance and responsible program and fiscal management. Maintains effective working relationships with partner organizations and is responsible for planning and developing new services in response to residents' needs. E-mail resume to Pam at pams@lihi.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 (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 today, there are 110 jobs currently posted on this site.
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NEWS
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GIVE AN HOUR
Give an Hour is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to "[develop] a national network of volunteers to respond to acute and chronic needs within our society. We are currently establishing a national network of mental health professionals and reaching out to our first target population, the U.S. troops and families affected by the current military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The mental health professionals who join us will give an hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families."
To find out more about Give an Hour, or if you are a licensed social worker or licensed mental health professional and would like to volunteer, visit http://www.giveanhour.org
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PROJECT GENESIS
Project Genesis is a grassroots community organization in Côte-des-Neiges that defends people's social rights (right to housing, welfare, pensions, and so forth). Its volunteer advisors provide information, referral, and advocacy services at a busy drop-in center, teaching people about their rights and helping them gain access to programs, services, and resources that can improve their living conditions. If you are interested in volunteering for a weekly 4-hour shift, contact Claire for more information at 514-738-2036 ext. 407 or Claire@genese.qc.ca . Full training is provided.
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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):
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/
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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 will be 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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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Award up to $2.2 million in Second Round of Advancing Recovery Grants
Proposals Sought for as Many as Six Sites to Receive up to $360,000 Each
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has released a call for proposals for up to $2.2 million in grants by Advancing Recovery: State/Provider Partnerships for Quality Addiction Care, the Foundation's national initiative that improves the quality of alcohol and drug addiction treatment in the United States by promoting the use of evidence-based practices.
Six state-provider partnerships will be chosen to be part of a learning network that will give participants technical assistance and coaching to improve the delivery of addiction treatment. Grants of up to $360,000 for each of up to six sites will support a two-year process by states and providers to adopt proven addiction treatment practices.
"By supporting innovative partnerships between providers and single state agencies, Advancing Recovery seeks to increase the use of proven practices those partnerships can provide," said Jane Lowe, Senior Program Officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Our goal is to give these partnerships opportunities to change the way they work together, so consumers have access to more proven practices and experience better treatment outcomes as a result."
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 23 million Americans age 12 and older need treatment for substance use disorders and addictions. Yet less than 10 percent of them actually receive treatment and among those who do, very few have access to quality treatment services.
This is the second time the Foundation has awarded grants through Advancing Recovery. In 2006, six state-provider partnerships were selected to participate in the initiative, including Delaware, Florida, Kentucky River Community Care (partnering with the state of Kentucky), Maine, Missouri, and NRI Community Services (partnering with the state of Rhode Island).
The application deadline for this second round of Advancing Recovery grants is August 16, 2007. Successful applicants will be notified in September 2007 and the awards will be in effect from February 1, 2008, through January 31, 2010. Visit http://www.advancingrecovery.net for application instructions.
Informational calls for the second round will take place on June 28, July 11, and July 30 from 1:00&2:30 p.m. CDT (2:30&3:30 PM EDT). To participate in the call and learn more about Advancing Recovery and the application process, dial: 1-877-326-0011 and enter passcode: *6185935* (include the asterisks)."
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RESOURCES
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Cancer Survival Toolbox® Available FREE Through iTunes
Editor's Note: June 3 was National Cancer Survivors Day. Read below about a resource that you and your clients can use to cope with cancer survival.
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship's (NCCS) premiere patient tool, the Cancer Survival Toolbox, is now available FREE on iTunes (www.itunes.com). The Toolbox is a FREE self-learning audio program created by leading cancer organizations to help people develop important skills to better meet and understand the challenges of their illness.
The Toolbox features 10 modules that cover basic skills and topics including communication, finding information, negotiating, making decisions, solving problems, standing up for your rights, topics for older persons, finding ways to pay for care, caring for the caregiver, and living beyond cancer. While created primarily for people who have been recently diagnosed with cancer, the Toolbox can help anyone who is facing hard decisions and changes in life due to cancer. Family members and caregivers may also find the Toolbox helpful.
"The First Step to Cancer Survival is educating yourself through credible and accurate resources. At NCCS, we are trying to make the Cancer Survival Toolbox easily accessible to everyone," said Ellen Stovall, 34-year cancer survivor and NCCS's president and CEO. After recognizing the need to teach cancer survivors how to seek information, make the best possible decisions about their care and interact effectively with their health care team, insurers, and employers, NCCS, the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), and the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) collaborated to develop and launch the first edition of the Toolbox. To date, NCCS has distributed more than 600,000 Toolboxes (tapes and compact disc sets) to cancer survivors, their families, and caregivers, and thousands more have read the transcripts or listened to the modules online at http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org.
To order the Toolbox in English, Spanish, or Chinese (transcript only) call the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship at 1-877-TOOLS4U. You can also read, listen, or download MP3 files of the modules online at http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org.
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ON OUR WEB SITE
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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's Web site at http://www.socialworker.com includes the full text of many articles from past issues of the magazine. The current issue is featured on the site's main page. 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 now online include:
A Social Worker Grandfather Thinks About Global Warming
Private Practice: When It's NOT For You
How to Snag a Job in International Social Work
Considerations in Writing a Literature Review
Rape Crisis Response: Before and After
Toward a Guide to Distance Education in Social Work
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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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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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS-SPRING 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, in full text, online at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve
The Spring 2007 edition is available online now.
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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IN PRINT
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SUMMER ISSUE OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER COMING SOON!
Highlights of this issue will include:
Student Role Model: Susannah Bourbeau
Spiritual Resources During Time of War
Poem: These Shoes
The First Clinical Supervisory Experience
Pretty or Pity? Women, Are You Oppressed?
Reflective Practice in Child Protection
Rewards and Opportunities in Developmental Disabilities
and more!
See our Web site at http://www.socialworker.com for more details and full-text articles from this and previous issues, and to download this issue free of charge in PDF format.
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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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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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