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School Social Work Now!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership & Applied Research
February 2013 - Vol 3, Issue 21 |
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| Greetings! | |
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Judie Shine, Steve Hydon, Dr. Marleen Wong |
The ACSSW New Orleans Conference is now history. And exciting history it is! After reviewing the evaluations, our expert keynotes, Dr. Marleen Wong (University of Southern California, renowned trauma expert!) and Steve Korr (International Institute for Restorative Practices expert) were major hits bringing with them not only their expertise but also their personal experiences.
 | | Steve Korr |
The conference also boasts "high marks" for its many presenters who came from across the country! Again, evaluations were excellent and participants were enthusiastic in their bids for more in the future. ACSSW wishes to publicly thank those who gave so generously of their talents in bringing their work to practitioners. It is so necessary in light of today's challenges--and so appreciated.
ACSSW also wishes to thank Interim Director Daphne Cain, PhD, and Anne Williams, MSW from Louisiana State University School of Social Work--soon to celebrate it 75th Anniversary!!--and Dean Ronald Marks and Heather Gillis, PhD, from Tulane University School of Social Work--soon to be hosting an event for the Dalai Lama--for all of their strong encouragement and assistance. Their support helped to make this conference a success. The many presenters from each university enriched the conference content immensely. Stay tuned for exciting new developments in Louisana school social work!
At the New Orleans conference ACSSW begn a national campaign:
Wear the Green
We are encouraging school social workers to wear a green ribbon to promote mental health services in schools provided by school social workers and other mental health providers. Every student deserves access to supportive mental health servies! If you are interested in more information or green ribbon pins, please contact us. More to come.
National School Social Work Week is fast approaching. As in many other service professions, we aren't often recognized for the work we do--nor do we seek it. But March is social work month and March 3-9 is School Social Work Week. ACSSW has put together a number of ideas regarding ways to celebrate and share the importance and joy of school social work. The ACSSW 2013 School Social Work Week Poster is now available for you to download. School Social Work Week Celebration Ideas are also ready. Plan now to celebrate and highlight the profession! You'll be surprised how many people will be happy for you.
Judith Kullas Shine
President |
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Recommended Read for February | |
 The Immortal Life ofHenrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
Non-fiction
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose [cancer] cells--taken without her knowledge in 1951--became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, but her family didn't know and received no money for this. She remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. Read more. Book trailer.
Another review ...
Henrietta Lacks died eight months after her diagnosis, leaving behind five small children, including a one-year-old daughter, Deborah. The family, still oblivious to the fact that her cells were thriving in vitro after her death, buried her in an unmarked grave on their land in Virginia, too poor to even buy a headstone.
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Come on . . . Follow Us!! | |
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Practice Points | |
DSM-V Changes: A Continuation
. . . Reading this link will provide quite a bit of information on the upcoming changes to the DSM. I have to wonder if our society is becoming too focused on a diagnosis and pharmacare.
"After the American Psychiatric Association (APA) approved the latest version of its diagnostic bible, the DSM-5, psychiatrist Allen Frances, the former chair of the DSM-IV task force and current professor emeritus at Duke, announced, "This is the saddest moment in my 45-year career of practicing, studying and teaching psychiatry."
That statement alone says it all especially coming from a psychiatrist. Learn more.
Child Trends
Research shows that approximately one in five adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder, a leading cause of disability among this age group. In January 2013, Child Trends issued three briefs in its Adolescent Health Highlights series focusing on adolescent mental health.
Mental Health Disorders
This brief presents the warning signs of mental disorders; describes the types of mental disorders and their prevalence and trends; discusses the consequences and risk of mental disorders; presents treatment options and barriers to accessing mental health care; and provides mental health resources.
Access to Mental Health Care
This brief describes barriers to treatment of adolescent mental health disorders; discusses the connection between insurance status and access to mental health treatment; and explains funding for adolescent mental health services.
Positive Mental Health: Resilience
This brief presents key research findings on characteristics that are associated with resilience; describes program strategies that promote resilience; discusses links between resilience and avoidance of risk-taking behaviors; and provides helpful resources on the topic of resilience.
RTI Should Not Delay an Evaluation
A special ed teacher asks, "When a parent asks for a special ed evaluation, our district makes the child go through RTI - even when the team sees strong evidence of learning disabilities. When a parent asks the school to evaluate, what are their rights?"
A parent asks, "When we asked the school to evaluate our child, the school advised that they could not evaluate until our child goes through RTI. If we do not agree to RTI, they wlll not evaluate or provide any services. This is causing long delays in getting an IEP. Is this legal?"
School districts should not use RTI to delay, or worse, to not evaluate children who are suspected of having specific learning disabilities. Pete Wright answers questions about using RTI to delay and deny evaluations. Watch here. |
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Leadership News | |
Leadership and Teamwork in Social Work
Leadership, teamwork, management, structure of an organization; these are not typical words used in social work or any helping profession from the professionals themselves as they are often very focused on the clients, patients, clientage and recently I heard the term service user (from workers in the UK). Personally and professionally I find the term service user to be extremely impersonal. Client can be used in any profession and patient tends to have a medical basis to it.
I have come across a lot of information, articles and discussions lately that have to do with leadership, management, teamwork and coaching. I soaked it all in and then reflected. I thought of past jobs both in the social work field and otherwise and further reflected.
Ask, listen and talk -- 3 basic words that hold so much leverage and potential in them. Continue.
Cultural Narratives of Academic Leadership at the Dawn of the 21st Century
What interests me are two key terms in circulation: "leadership" and "management." I am going to explore the proposition that the terms are gendered: men lead and women manage. Aye, there's the rub. Leaders provide vision; managers implement a vision. "Followers want leaders who can not only capture their hearts, minds and spirits, but who can also change the way things get done--for the better (HBR On Point, advertising blurb for "choosing the Right Leadership Style"). In the words of John Kotter: "Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of action ... Both are necessary for success" (38). (2) He adds, "Management is about coping with complexity ... Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change" (39-40) and "setting direction" (42). "Management controls people by pushing them in the right direction; leadership motivates them by satisfying basic human needs" (47). How well the two mesh depends on the ability of both the leader and manager to negotiate, because all modern organizations are increasingly interdependent (43). Kotter notes that one often ends up with "overmanaged and underled corporations." Learn more.
No Name-Calling Contest
In your capacity as school change leaders, you can make a difference in the lives of students. Words can hurt. A Creative Expression Contest is open to students to submit poetry, essays, music and artwork centered around experiences with name-calling in schools. Contest deadline: March 1. |
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Research Highlights | 
Restorative Practices in Schools: Research Reveals Power of Restorative Approach
As an increasing number of schools worldwide adopt restorative practices as a means of dealing with discipline and improving school culture, school leaders are beginning to analyze the impact of restorative methods. The numbers tell a powerful story: Schools implementing restorative methods have seen a drop in disciplinary problems, decreased reliance on detention and suspension, and an improvement in student attitudes. Gathering such data is important, both for evaluating the effectiveness of restorative methods and garnering funding support for restorative programs.
(Instead of zero tolerance and authoritarian punishment, restorative practices provides high levels of both control and support to encourage appropriate behavior, and places responsibility on students themselves, using a collaborative response to wrongdoing. The philosophy underlying these practices holds that human beings are happier, more productive, and more likely to make positive changes in their behavior when those in positions of authority do things WITH them, rather than TO them or FOR them.) Read more.
Psychological First Aid: An Evidence-Informed Approach for Accute Disaster Behavioral Health Response
This paper will discuss the origin of PFA, identify eight core concepts of PFA, review current research and evidence-informed practice inDisaster Behavioral Health Response, and direct the counselor towards
further training and utilization of components of PFA.
Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed model utilized in disaster response to assist those impacted in the hours and early days following emergency, disaster, and terrorism. The Medical Reserve Corp Psychological First Aid Field Operations Training Manual (National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2006) stresses that PFA is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events, and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. According to the manual, the principles and techniques of PFA meet four basic standards, including: (a) PFA is consistent with research evidence on risk and resilience following trauma; (b) PFA is applicable and practical in field settings; (c) PFA is appropriate to developmental level across the lifespan; and (d) PFA is culturally informed and adaptable. At the most basic level, counselors who utilize the concepts of PFA will assist, through these early contacts, in helping alleviate survivor's painful emotions and promote hope and healing. Complete paper. |
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In the News | |
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
OSERS released final regulations for IDEA Part B on parental consent to access public benefits or insurance, such as Medicaid, to pay for special education services. The regulation was published in the Federal Register on February 14th and will go into effect on March 18, 2013. One page summary.
Read or download the regulations. Q & A Document.
courtesy Education Week
Armed Educators a Reality in Some Schools, Debated in Others
While many national organizations have rejected the idea [of arming teachers], it is now being seriously weighed by some school boards and state lawmakers across the nation. The action wouldn't be without precedent: In Utah, school employees have been able to carry concealed weapons onto campus for about a decade--without telling a soul--and at least four Texas school districts are known to have granted select employees permission to take concealed weapons to school. Read more.
Affordable Care Act Will Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits and Parity Protections for 62 Million Americans
The Affordable Care Act builds on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to extend federal parity protections to 62 million Americans. The parity law aims to ensure that when coverage for mental health and substance use conditions is provided, it is generally comparable to coverage for medical and surgical care. The Affordable Care Act builds on the parity law by requiring coverage of mental health and substance use disorder benefits for millions of Americans in the individual and small group markets who currently lack these benefits, and expanding parity requirements to apply to millions of Americans whose coverage did not previously comply with those requirements. Read or download the brief.
Connecticut School Shooting National Position Statement
Nine school violence prevention researchers and practitioners nationwide have developed a position statement in response to the tragic acts of violence at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This position statement has been endorsed by more than 200 professional organizations, including ACSSW, and nationally recognized researchers and practitioners, including the Center for School Mental Health. The driving force behind the statement is to communicate scientifically informed principles and recommendations for practitioners, policymakers and the public at large. The co-authors' goal is to help build consensus on a course of meaningful action. Read statement. |
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Survey Completion Request |
You are invited to participate in a brief 20 minute anonymous survey. The Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine is conducting this survey (a) to understand the barriers to engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment, and (b) to develop best practices for engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment. Mental health professionals who provide school-based mental health services are invited to complete this survey. Participation involves completing a 20 minute online survey of mental health professionals' experiences with engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment. Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. In addition, your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. If you decide to participate, you may discontinue participation at any time, or if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you may choose "skip" as the answer or you may leave the text box blank. By completing the survey, you are providing consent to participate in this evaluation. Please contact Dr. Nicole Evangelista Brandt at nbrandt@psych.umaryland.edu or 410-706-0980 with questions. Thank you in advance! Go to School-Based Mental Health Survey. |
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Webinars | |
Improving Outcomes for Homebound/Alternative Education Students with Online Learning Registration
Friday, February 22nd, 2-3 ET
In this webinar, Kim Spencer, senior manager of the K12 Homebound Education Program, will outline the unique logistical, educational and emotional obstacles that homebound students face as they attempt to balance academics and recovery. She will also discuss how she is currently working with districts across the country to help their students overcome these obstacles and stay engaged and on-track with school work, while partnering with the school district to operate an online program at a lesser cost than their traditional program. Learn more and register.
ARCHIVED & AVAILABLE
This session focused on strategies for preventing bullying, with a focus on enhancing overall school climate to minimize bullying behavior. In addition, participants explored practical approaches for recognizing the signs of potential bullying onset, risk analysis, support and interventions when such behavior does occur. Best practice guidelines for a comprehensive approach to addressing this issue were also explored. This Webinar is most appropriate for school administrators, professional and certified staff, guidance counselors, school climate team and social workers. Access Webinar. Presentation slides.
Understanding the Developmental Needs of Young Families Experiencing Homelessness
Young families who are homeless often have unique needs based on both the challenges of trauma and homelessness and their developmental stage. A developmental perspective is essential to tailoring services to meet the needs of this population. During the first session of this course, we will provide an overview of development from birth through young adulthood; child and adult brain development; expected behaviors and responses at each stage; and the impact of trauma on development. Register to access.
Understanding the Impact of Trauma in the Lives of Displaced Children and Families
The prevalence of traumatic stress in the lives of displaced children and families is extraordinarily high. Experiences of trauma can have a significant impact on how families interact with each other and with service providers. In this webinar, participants will learn about the connection between traumatic stress, displacement, and homelessness; the mind-body response to stress and trauma; factors that influence our responses to trauma, particularly cultural factors; and the impact of chronic trauma on all areas of functioning. Register here to access.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center is pleased to announce that the course, Large Events Emergency Management at Schools (K-12 population) is now being offered to provide emergency management training for schools. This course focuses on enhancing emergency management planning efforts throughout districts and schools by providing guidelines, checklists, and specific action items for school officials to consider. For more information and to access this course series, click here. |
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Calls for Proposals - STILL TIME TO SUBMIT! |
Special Issue on School Social Work and Military-connected Schools: New Directions in Practice, Research, Policy and National Leadership
Deadline: February 28, 2013
Guest Editors: Ron Avi Astor, University of Southern California Schools of Social Work and Education & Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
Children & Schools will publish a special issue on the needs of public schools serving military-connected students. These students experience multiple deployments, family separations, and other stressful life events that their non-military-connected peers do not undergo. Recent studies have shown that supportive schools can shield students from intense depression, conduct problems, feelings of alienation, anxiety, and school failure; however, for schools to serve as protective settings for military-connected students, school personnel need to be aware of both this population's presence and its particular needs. . .
School social workers can take a national leadership role developing and implementing practices and policies that address the needs of military-connected students. . .
The overarching goal of this special issue will be to present articles that describe the current state of school social work knowledge and best practices in military-connected schools and provide insights and implications that will help teachers, principals, school social workers, and other staff better serve military-connected students in the future. Manuscripts examining the perspectives of school staff, students, and parents in military-connected schools and outlining best practices for such schools are encouraged. More information and to submit. |
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Grants & Funding | |
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Accepting Minigrant Applications
Established by children's book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation is accepting applications from public schools and public libraries anywhere in the United States and its territories for program or event mini-grants of up to $500. The mini-grants program is intended to support projects that foster creative expression, collaboration, and interaction with a diverse community. The funding program provides an opportunity for educators, whose efforts are often inadequately funded or recognized, to create special activities outside the standard curriculum and make time to encourage their students. For more information and application, click here. Deadline: March 15, 2013
NEA Foundation-Nickelodean Big Help Grant
Sponsored by Nickelodeon and the NEA Foundation, NEA Foundation-Nickelodeon Big Help Grants provide up to $5,000 to K-8 public school educators in the United States. The Big Help Grants program is dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas, techniques, and approaches to addressing four key concerns - environmental awareness, health and wellness, students' right to a quality public education, and active community involvement. The grants target these four concerns as areas of great promise in helping students in the twenty-first century develop a global awareness that encourages and enables them to make a difference in their world. Applicants must be practicing U.S public school teachers or public school education support professional. The application process is the same as for the NEA Foundation's Student Achievement grants. Applicants should specify that their request is for the Big Help Grants program in their application. Application deadline is June 1, 2013. Link to RFP. |
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ACSSW Activities | |
ACSSW's present activities include:
- increasing research projects and their application within the school environment;
- developing a national school social work role framework paper;
- establishing a National Center for School Social Work Practice, Leadership and Research, a long-term goal,
- presenting the 4th National School Social Work Research Summit. Watch for details to come.
If you have interest in participating in any of these activities, contact Judie Shine. ACSSW strives to be inclusive and transparent in all of its activities and welcomes, whether lengthy or short, the participation of its members. |
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