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School Social Work Now!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership & Applied Research
March 2013 - Vol 3, Issue 24 |
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Greetings! | |
ACSSW's Green Ribbon Campaign continues to spread. As trained providers of school mental health services, you are strongly encuraged to join the National School Mental Health Campaign:
Every student deserves access to supportive mental health services! Who better to provide them or to help families to secure resources than school social workers? Often, you are the only licensed, trained mental health clinician on the school staff. You can raise awareness about and educate others on school mental health benefits and interventions.
If you are interested in more information or green ribbon pins, please contact us. You may also view a picture and/or download the order form now. Each pin comes with two pages of Mental Health Talking Points that can be discussed or shared with administrators, staff, parents, and so on. Start a campaign in your school and Wear the Green! Good mental health is so essential to positive school and life outcomes. Please show your support today.
ACSSW is happy to announce that member Lori Rueffer from Batavia, IL is the lucky winner of the Color Nook drawing held for new members. Congratulations, Lori!
A colleague requests your help! Steve Whitmore, webmaster of the Michigan Association of School Social Workers (MASSW), is conducting a survey regarding the use of I-pads in School Social Work Practice. To complete the survey of application and/or website use on I-pads, smartphones, Kindles, and other devices, please go to: Tablet & Smartphone App Survey. It will take only a few minutes. Please feel free to pass this survey along to other school social workers. Deadline is March 31, 2013. Questions should be directed to: Steve Whitmore.
Judith Kullas Shine
President |
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Recommended Read for March | |
Learning from Behavior: How to Understand and Help Challenging Children in School
by James E. Levine
Forward by Sophie Freud
Understanding children's problem behaviors in school-seeing beyond the surface actions to reveal and name the root needs fueling those actions-is vital to helping the child. Yet, whether teachers in schools or parents at home, adults often make quick, cursory assessments, then an intervention is sprung. Explanations might be sought from the child, who often resists and becomes more distant. Punishment can occur and things are "taken away," but the behavior worsens. These scenarios and similar occurrences frustrate parents, teachers, and other school professionals alike. In Learning from Behavior, Levine shows us how to observe, question, and think about problem behaviors in such a way that we can understand what is motivating the children to act as they do. Behavior, after all, often represents what the child cannot communicate, due to language limitations, level of psychological development, or traumatic experience. Children think differently; they are not small adults. We need to understand the behavior from the child's perspective before we can intervene to change the behavior. Author Levine shows us, incorporating illustrative vignettes, how to do that. Read more.
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Come on . . . Follow Us!! | |
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Practice Points | |
The Role of a School Social Worker from an Administrator's Perspective
. . . The 1980s and 1990s introduced more changes and recognition for the profession of school social work. Gianesin (1996) stated that school social workers began getting recognition for their use of a "systems approach" and that is the difference from other counseling service providers. Within this recognition it was found that there was a need for adopting and communicating clear professional roles (Tower, 2000). He suggested that school social workers were not greatly valued by school administrators because the administrators do now know what school social workers do. In addition, it must be recognized that school social workers face presenting problems. Read full paper.
An Exploration of the Development of Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries and ethical behavior are fundamental principles in the field of social work,
yet there is great variation in how individual social workers interpret and apply these principles. This review of current literature explores the extent to which personal traits, job duties, and agency policy may contribute to the development, interpretation, and application of professional boundaries.
It is expected that social workers practice by adhering to the code of ethics developed through their professional organizations (Fine & Teram, 2009; National Association of Social Workers, 2008). Two significant factors affect how individual social workers respond to that expectation. First, a comprehensive professional code of ethics was not available until the late 1900s (Reamer, 1998). Second, while the code prescribes standards for many professional behaviors, there continues to be widespread debate regarding personal versus professional values, ethical decisions and client needs, and individual interpretation of the written code of ethics (Landau & Osmo, 2003).
The social work profession has experienced several metamorphoses over time (Reamer, 1998). As a result, it is not unreasonable to expect that individual social workers may have different interpretations of professional responsibilities. More. |
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Leadership News | |
Social Work Leadership Qualities to Focus On
Leadership is very important no matter what the profession. Good leadership equals a good business and happy employees. What makes a leader likeable and successful? Are leadership skills limited to the business domain? I do not think so. This is an area for the profession of social work to shine! Those that have obtained BSW and/or MSW degrees already have many of the needed skills of compassion, advocacy, justice, authenticity, listening, and responsiveness, so it would make sense that they would also make good leaders both within the profession of social work and in the business world. Click here to continue.
The Most Successful Leaders Do 15 Things Automatically, Every Day
Beyond decision making, successful leadership across all areas becomes learned and instinctual over a period of time. Successful leaders have learned the mastery of anticipating business patterns, finding opportunities in pressure situations, serving the people they lead and overcoming hardships . . . here are 15 things you must do automatically, every day, to be a successful leader in the workplace. Learn more.
Everyone who is concerned with the well-being of children and our society will want to read the
report, For Each and Every Child--A Strategy for Equity and Excellence, in its entirety. If all goes well, it will be highly influential. At the same time, it is essential to correct and enhance facets of the work. To this end, what follows is our Center's analysis of and effort to address limitations in the section of the report entitled Meeting the Needs of Students in High-poverty Communities. Specifically, we discuss the need to embed the outlined interventions into a unified and comprehensive framework in order not to repeat past failures associated with strategies for enhancing supports for students and their families. Read the article and send your thoughts to UCLA. |
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Research Highlights | 
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. ADHD is also among the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting school-aged children. The core symptoms of ADHD include inattention, hyperactivity,and impulsivity (1,2). Children with ADHD may experience significant functional problems, such as school difficulties, academic underachievement (1), troublesome interpersonal relationships with family members (3) and peers, and low selfesteem. Individuals with ADHD present in childhood and may continue to show symptoms as they enter adolescence (4,5) and adult life (6-9).
Most of the development and normal function of the cerebrum is dependent on subcortical structures especially the cerebellum and basal ganglia. A failure to develop and or a dysfunction in these areas can affect both the nonspecific arousal system as well as specific transfer of information in the brain. Dysfunction in these areas will usually result in specific motor and sensory symptoms that are commonly seen in children with cognitive or behavioral disorders, especially ADD and ADHD. More.
Modern Parenthood: Roles of Moms and Dads Converge
The way mothers and fathers spend their time has changed dramatically in the past half century. Dads are doing more housework and child care; moms more paid work outside the home. Neither has overtaken the other in their "traditional" realms, but their roles are converging, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of long-term data on time use.
At the same time, roughly equal shares of working mothers and fathers report in a new Pew Research Center survey feeling stressed about juggling work and family life: 56% of working moms and 50% of working dads say they find it very or somewhat difficult to balance these responsibilities.
Still, there are important gender role differences. Continue. |
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In the News | |
Educators, Counselors May Be Barred from Advising Students on Mental Health Issues, Lifestyle Choices
A measure in the works in the Tennessee legislature would bar school personnel from advising students on "mental health issues, 'lifestyle' choices or other conditions or activities outside career and educational counseling" unless they have been licensed as a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
The legislation, which could come up for discussion today, has been filed as an amendment to the Classroom Protection Act, which itself updates the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill that has tied the legislature in knots the past several years. Sponsors say it would ensure that guidance counselors stick to their roles. Learn more.
PTSD Isn't Just a War Wound; Teens Suffer, Too
Though post-traumatic stress disorder is often associated with war veterans, many sufferers have yet to finish high school. According to the National Survey of Adolescents, about 4 percent of teenage boys and 6 percent of teenage girls meet the clinical definition of PTSD. But adolescents can be hard to diagnose. Read, listen to the story.
Influx of School Police Raises Worries
With nightmare visions of a gunman stalking school halls, districts often rush to hire police officers to patrol their campuses after news of a school shooting. Critics of that impulsive response, which has been in high gear nationwide since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December, acknowledge the concern for student and staff safety that drives the addition of school resource officers, as such police are often known.
But they say the rarity of deadly school incidents must be weighed against the likelihood that an influx of officers will raise the stakes on school discipline and funnel students into the juvenile-justice system for matters administrators should handle in-house . . .
"You have to know this officer that you're placing into this school environment. The wrong person in there-they can really do a lot of damage, reflect poorly on your department, and cause the whole community to say, 'We don't want law enforcement in schools,'" said Maurice "Mo" Canady, the executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, based in Hoover, Ala.
"Just putting officers in schools with no training, ... that's a recipe for disaster," he said. "That's where the school-to-prison movement gets some of its momentum." Complete article. |
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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 or 410-706-0980 with questions. Thank you in advance! Go to School-Based Mental Health Survey. |
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Webinars | |
The Heart of Learning and Teaching: Compassion, Resilience and Academic Success
Wednesday, March 20 from 1:00-2:30 EST
Every day in schools across the nation, students arrive in classrooms feeling hungry, tired, frustrated, and alone. They are often impacted by alcohol and other drugs, physical or mental health-related issues, homelessness, abuse, domestic violence, or are struggling with a learning disability and are at risk of dropping out of school. These students frequently lack vital connections to their family, their school, and their community.
In response to these critical student needs, this webinar will review The Heart of Learning and Teaching: Compassion, Resiliency and Academic Success which describes some of the collective efforts necessary to help students overcome trauma, demonstrate resilience, and success physically, emotionally, socially, and academically in the school setting. This publication is available online free of charge to all interested at Heart of Learning Handbook.
The webinar will be presented by two of the publication's authors: Mona M. Johnson, MA, CPP, CDP (Chief School Behavioral Health, US Army Medical Command, Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Health) and Ron Hertel, BA (Readiness to Learn, Compassionate Schools, Mental Health Learning and Teaching Support, Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction).
The webinar is free but requires advance registration because the online meeting capacity is limited to the first 300 individuals. If you have questions please email Dr. Nicole Evangelista Brandt. To register please complete the online survey.
ARCHIVED & AVAILABLE
Keeping Common School Areas Safe presented 3/20/2012 and
Teasing, Taunting, Bullying, Harassment, Hazing, and Physical Aggression: Prevention, Strategic Intervention, and Crisis Management presented 5/11/2012
Teasing, taunting, bullying, harassment, hazing, and physical aggression are persistent problems with children and adolescents in schools across the country. These events typically occur in common areas of the school (i.e. hallways, bathrooms, buses, cafeteria). To help address these problems and provide schools with comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to school-wide discipline, behavior management and student self-management, Project Achieve is providing two online presentations at no cost to view at your own convenience. Each presentation, about 60 minutes long, discusses ways to implement social skills training, peer mediated approaches, a school wide accountability system, school and common school area safety system, and home-school collaboration approaches. Click the links above to access.
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. |
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Grants & Funding | |
Champion Creatively Alive Children
Crayola Creative Leadership Grants 2013
Crayola, in collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, is accepting applications for the 2013 Creative Leadership Grant program. The program will award up to twenty grants of $2,500 to elementary schools working to develop a team of leaders who can help increase arts-infused education within school and beyond. In addition, each program will receive an in-kind grant of Crayola products valued at $1,000.
Applications will only be accepted from principals who are members of NAESP. Every school that submits an application by June 10 will receive a Crayola product Classpack. Click to access application. Deadline: June 21, 2013.
American Psychiatric Foundation: Typical or Troubled?™ Grant
Typical or Troubled? ™ is a school community program designed to educate teachers and other school staff, and parents on the warning signs of emotional and behavioral health issues; how to talk to students who may be experiencing problems and engage family members: and help connect students to appropriate resources within the school or community. To date, the program has been implemented in 35 states, over 500 schools and districts, and connected with over 510,000 students. Importantly, the program has resulted in critical interventions with student in need, ignited positive dialogue and collaboration among the school community, and resulted in establishing or improving referral systems and connections to services within the schools.
For those who work in or with two or more middle or high schools, you are eligible to apply for a grant sponsored by the American Psychiatric Foundation to implement the Typical or Troubled? ™ School Mental Health Education program. Grant awards depend on innovative educational materials, brochures, evaluation tools, technical assistance, and connections with many of your colleagues across the nation. In addition, grant awards depend on the number of schools. For implementation in two to four high schools grant awards in the amount of $1,000 and for implementation in five or more high schools grant awards in the amount of $2,000. The application deadline is March 30, 2013. For more information click here. If you have additional questions email: APF.
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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