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School Social Work Now!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership & Applied Research
April 2013 - Vol 3, Issue 26 |
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Greetings! | |
Cuts and reductions resulting from the federal Sequestration are beginning to manifest themselves. The National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (NASISP; formerly NAPSO), of which ACSSW is a member, is requesting stories of cuts or reductions so that they can be shared with the federal policy and decision makers. If you have a story or if you know of someone or a district with a story, please contact me. If you are uncomfortable with releasing your name or that of your district, we can keep that confidential. Please send them now!
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Sarah Wettenstein, a student at Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, MA, is conducting a research study about how school social workers practice and the different types of interventions they use. In particular, she is interested in looking at the barriers to participation in different kinds of school social work practice.
This is yet another opportunity to inform the school social work and related educational communities about the profession! It costs nothing but your time--which often is in short supply. But original research about what we do and how we do it is so very important. Please assist in this research by learning about the project or, for more information, email Sarah or call 860-604-1204.
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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.
Green ribbon pins and Talking Points sheets are still available so, please contact us NOW if you want pins for May, Mental Health Awareness Month. 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. Be a leader in School Mental Health. Please show your support today.
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An interesting resource for you, personally, and the students and families you serve is the Health Care Blue Book. Both those with and without insurance may find it helpful. I can't attest to its accuracy but it's another tool for the school social work toolkit!
Judith Kullas Shine
President |
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Recommended Read for April | |
"This is quite an unusual book. It's not a practical guide to handling day to day issues with Autism, nor is it a dry clinical description of Autism. It's essentially a book promoting a new paradigm, (a whole new outlook) on Autism. It provides you with an understanding of some key positive concepts and then goes on to show how they can be put into practical use on a daily basis. . .
Make no mistake, these aren't ten baby concepts which will only hold true for a small part of your child's life. They're adult ones, mantras for living - and they apply forever. . .
You'll notice that every one of these ten things is open-ended. Each topic contains a lot of important discussion material. I won't say that I agreed 100% with everything but the later chapters put all of my minor niggles to rest.[The author] makes it clear at the beginning of the book that all children are different and that not everything here will apply to every child." -- Gavin Bollard
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Professional Development | |
*** New listings into Fall 2013 *** |
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Come on . . . Follow Us!! | |
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Practice Points | 
...P articipants are taught arousal management skills such as deep breathing, imagery, and relaxation. These skills aim to reduce the physical tension and to increase the likelihood that participants will think through the event in a more calm and rational manner (Feindler & Engel, 2011).
CBT AM interventions also aim to teach participants adaptive information processing and coping skills; deficits and distortions in social information processes are thought to influence the form of expressed anger and aggression (Down et al., 2011). Cognitive restructuring strategies are used to help participants identify their distorted thinking styles and help them to develop alternative causal attributions and a nonaggressive perspective that will allow them to solve problems effectively (Feindler & Engel, 2011). These strategies are incorporated mainly through the ABCD model in the proposed curriculum. Read more. Download curriculum
This document identifies several issues that could negatively impact students with disabilities in states with approved ESEA Flexibility. It should be noted that not all issues pertain to all states that have won approval of their state-developed accountability plans. However, disability advocates are encouraged to use this as a roadmap to help identify issues specific to their state's accountability plan, formulate questions regarding specific issues within their state's plan, and pursue their concerns with district and state officials. Read more.
The Next DSM
After a 14-year revision process and a lot of contentiousness, the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) debuts May 22... The updated DSM incorporates new findings while taking into account mental health professionals' need for consistency, says Chris Hopwood, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University. "There's been a tension between the desire to move ... toward more evidence-based models on the one hand and the need to not disrupt clinical practice as it stands," says Hopwood.
While the American Psychiatric Association isn't revealing all the changes until the new manual is out, here are some of the previews the association has already shared ... Read more.
Experiencing Discrimination Increases Risk Taking, Anger and Vigilance
Experiencing rejection not only affects how we think and feel - over the long-term it can also influence our physical and mental health. New research suggests that when rejection comes in the form of discrimination, people respond with a pattern of thoughts, behaviors, and physiological responses that may contribute to overall health disparities...
Based on previous research, [it was] hypothesized that people would react differently depending on whether they were rejected by members of their in-group or by members of an out-group. Specifically, they predicted that people who experienced perceived discrimination - rejection from someone of another race - would show responses characteristic of approach-orientation, including anger, increased blood flow, greater vigilance, and more risk-taking behavior. Access article. |
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Leadership News | 
To better understand the leadership dimensions of crisis situations, the Center for Creative Leadership convened a forum with formal and emergent leaders who played a role in Katrina. Using an array of facilitation techniques, we overlaid this conversation between crisis leaders with the perspectives of discussants with expertise in disaster, terrorism, public health, and leadership.
What we found is that when crises such as Katrina overwhelm the capacity of formal systems and structures, new leadership systems take shape and emergent leaders step into the void, playing critical and improvised roles in rescue and rebuilding efforts. The dialogue at the forum also indicates that leadership in mega-crises requires a systemic response that extends beyond the leadership capabilities
of any individual or single organization.
[While the crisis forming the basis for discussion was Katrina, the lessons learned and leadership principles observed in action can be applicable to crises found in schools.] Learn more. |
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Research Highlights | 
Abstract: This study uses a social capital and collective socialization lens to examine nonacademic factors in middle school that predict students' failure to complete high school, and focuses on youth who engage in adolescent problem behaviors of smoking cigarettes, sexual intercourse, delinquency, marijuana use, and alcohol use. Our area of interest was the extent to which these variables were predictive of dropping out of high school measured 6 years later and beyond the traditional variables of school performance and school engagement, which are the target of many dropout prevention programs. Analyses use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to follow a nationally representative sample of children from middle school through the end of the high-school years. Results indicate that engaging in regular smoking and sexual activity during middle-school years predict high-school dropout independent of school performance during middle school. Acts of delinquency during middle school in the context of poverty (i.e., mothers' receipt of welfare was proxy for poverty) are also predictive of high-school dropout. These findings suggest the importance of factors that reach beyond school performance and school engagement as possible targets for dropout prevention programs. To access full article, click here then scroll down to PDF link. |
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In the News |
The psychiatric illnesses seem very different - schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, major depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Yet they share several genetic glitches that can nudge the brain along a path to mental illness, researchers report. Which disease, if any, develops is thought to depend on other genetic or environmental factors. Read more.
Children who are bullied often carry the scars of their experience into adulthood and suffer from anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, a new study indicates. Even bullies themselves are at risk for psychological problems when they grow up, the researchers added. And children who have been both perpetrator and victim suffer the worst as adults.
"There has been a lot of research into how bullying affects children short-term. We followed kids into their early 20s to see if there was any kind of lasting effects of having been bullied," said study author William Copeland, an assistant clinical professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
"We found kids that had been just bullied in childhood seemed to be at an elevated risk for a number of different anxiety disorders when they were adults," he said. "Kids that had been bullied and also bullied other kids seemed to be in the worst lot. Continue.
The budget President Barack Obamas unveiled Wednesday includes money for a host of new education initiatives, but readers of this blog may be particularly interested in new money for mental health initiatives, school security, improvements to school climate, and school kitchens. If some of these seem familiar, it's because they were in the president's "Now Is the Time" proposal regarding gun control and school safety from January. More. |
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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 | |
Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools
In collaboration with the IDEA Partnership, the Quality and Evidence Base Practice (QEBP) Practice Group will host a webinar on Wednesday April 17 from 1:00-2:30 ET titled "Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools" that will feature two presentations.
The first presentation will feature Nic Dibble from the WI Department of Public Instruction who will share how WI is building on existing mental health initiatives to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework to help schools support students affected by trauma.
The second presentation will feature Erin Butts from the University of MT Institute for Educational Research and Service who will discuss secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout, and self-care.
Unlocking the Development of Children Exposed to Violence
On April 18, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention-funded Safe Start Center will present the 1-hour Webinar Unlocking the Development of Children Exposed to Violence." Panelists will discuss the impact of exposure to violence on child development and offer ways schools and the child welfare system can better respond to trauma. Click here to register.
Autism Webinars
Join the IDEA Partnership staff and organization leaders in learning about Using the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Collection. A webinar on Using the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Collection will be offered every Thursday during the month of April. All are welcome. Go to the IDEA webinar page to register. All sessions will be on Thursdays at 1:00 P.M. ET. The webinar will be limited to 50 participants. When you get to the registration page just click on the date you will attend: April 18 or April 25, 2013.
Interconnected Systems Framework: Integration of District and Community Leadership
The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) is a structure and process for blending education and mental health systems through a multi-tiered structure in schools. The ISF promotes a prevention-based continuum of mental health promotion and supports embedded in all 3 tiers of multi-tiered systems of behavioral support in schools. This webinar will be held Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 1 P.M. ET. For more information & access codes click here.
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.
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:
- supporting 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,
- designing professional development opportunities that address current issues and real job challenges. Watch for details to come.
- staying on top of national educational reforms and trends.
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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