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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 5, Issue 6
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Through the years, ACSSW has encouraged school social workers to stay abreast of current issues and trends that affect education. To that end each month features a book that has some relationship to education and the practice of school social work. Sometimes it is researched based or evidence informed (ex: October's School Bullying: New Perspectives on a Growing Problem), sometimes a memoir that features a specific viewpoint that school social workers would appreciate (Jeanette Walls' The Glass Castle), and sometimes it is directly applicable to practice (School Violence in Context: Culture, Neighborhood, Family, School and Gender). The list of recommended books is located on our website.
This month we are asking you, the reader, to send us your list of books that have impacted you and/or your practice. The books can be academic or fiction and can cover any issue or topic that school social workers might encounter (including how to handle difficult people!). Please forward your recommendations and watch for them to be featured in the coming months. Click here to send your list. Please put "Books" in the subject line.
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Have you been thinking of joining the American Council for School Social Work but have been putting it off? Trying to decide what professional organizations meet your needs? Decide now. If you've enjoyed the direct services of ACSSW (for example, this newsletter or one or more of the many professional development offerings) or have benefited from articles on the website or responses to your emailed questions, it's time to decide how much you value those services--and how much you believe in expanding your professional knowledge and growth. Take a stance for school social work--a stance for yourself--and join today!
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Standing Up for Children's Mental Health in Schools
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
January 26-27, 2015
ACSSW 4th National SSW Institute on Mental Health
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from naswil
Based on recent incidents like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, there has been particular focus on the mental health providers' duty to warn. This has also been a source of litigation. The Illinois Supreme Court has held that a therapist has a duty to warn under the following conditions: (a) the patient makes specific threat(s) of violence, (b) the threat(s) are directed at a specific and identified victim, and (c) there is a special relationship between the victim and the doctor or the victim and the patient.
Litigation for disclosing information can also extend to other aspects of your practice. For example, in the case of Albers v. Breen, a school social worker was sued by the parents of a student after the social worker disclosed information to the principal that the social worker learned from the student about him being bullied. The parents sued on the basis that the social worker violated the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (IMHDDCA). More.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID was introduced as a new diagnostic category in the recently published DSM-V. The ARFID diagnosis describes individuals whose symptoms do not match the criteria for traditional eating disorder diagnoses, but who, nonetheless, experience clinically significant struggles with eating and food. Symptoms of ARFID typically show up in infancy or childhood, but they may also present or persist into adulthood. Continue.
"ReMoved is an award-winning video on a child's experience with complex trauma and journey in foster care that is now available to watch on-line. You can't help but be moved. This could be a great training resource, as it shows how adults who try to help and support this child unwittingly trigger the child's trauma response." Learn what it's like to be a child in the foster care system. Read more and view film.
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It's impossible to respect, value and admire great leadership if you can't identify what makes a leader great. Because of this, the identity crisis I have written about that exists in today's workplace is something that women leaders in particular have been facing for much too long. While the tide is changing and more women are being elevated into leadership roles, there is still much work to do. As of July 2013, there were only 19 female elected presidents and prime ministers in power around the globe. In the business world, women currently hold only 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions and the same percentage of Fortune 1000 CEO positions. As women continue their upward trajectory in the business world, they have yet to be fully appreciated for the unique qualities and abilities they bring to the workplace. Continue.
The Social Age: 3 Ways to Adapt Your Leadership Style
Although written for business leaders, this article has implications for school social work leaders.
... Many leaders have realized that their management style and personal brand must change with the times, but some still haven't fully embraced the changes brought about by social media. Babbitt, who authored "A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive" (AMACOM, 2014) with Switch and Shift co-founder Ted Coiné, said that there are three types of leaders who haven't adapted their tactics: the doubter, the broadcaster and the superior. Learn more.
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Abstract: The high prevalence of ADHD continues to present a challenge, particularly in high poverty urban schools. Low-income children of color are both more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder and more likely to be under-treated compared to their Caucasian peers. While significant attention is paid to what teachers across a variety of school settings know about ADHD, little is known about school social workers knowledge of ADHD. In addition, little is also known about the collaborative processes by which school social workers support teachers in addressing ADHD in urban schools. Utilizing a mixed-methods survey design, this study explored urban elementary school social worker knowledge of ADHD and inter-disciplinary collaboration processes between school social workers and teachers. Findings indicated that urban elementary school social workers N=43 had strong knowledge of ADHD causes and symptoms. No significant differences were observed when compared to their suburban elementary school colleagues N=24 as measured by The ADHD Belief and Attitudes Scale (Johnston and Freeman, 2002). A directive content analysis of responses for N= 43 urban
elementary school social workers further revealed key findings. First, school social workers were able to identify a number of behavioral and instructional strategies applicable to students with attention related difficulties. Secondly, while collaboration between teachers and school social workers may occur during participation in interdisciplinary school teams and informal discussions, time constraints and teacher receptiveness presented as major barriers for consistent and effective collaboration. Given the limited resources of many urban school settings, it would benefit schools to promote the role of the school social worker and collaborative practices with teachers in addressing ADHD and similar disruptive behavior disorders within the classroom. Complete study.
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Recommended Read for November
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MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership
by John Baldoni
Leaders today need to be mindful of their circumstances as well as mindful of their own strengths and shortcomings. They need to have the disposition to succeed as well as the inner resourcefulness to persevere. Leaders must be willing to do things differently but also draw on tried and true traits, such as courage and gumption.
Moxie is a concept that the modern leader is wise to adopt-one part courage, one part can-do spirit, and one part recognition. In Moxie: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership, author John Baldoni uses concrete, tried-and-true steps to bring out the inner leader in everyone. For management and employees alike, Moxie provides a roadmap to inspire innovation and effective leadership. Whether you're already at the helm of your organization or still looking for a way up the ladder, Moxie is the leadership tool you can't do without. Built on the MOXIE framework, leaders learn how Motivation, Opportunity, an "X" factor, Innovation, and Engagement work together for success. Learn More.
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This toolkit assists high schools and school districts in designing and implementing strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health. It includes tools to implement a multi-faceted suicide prevention program that responds to the needs and cultures of students. Toolkit.
Free 1.5 CEUs for School Social Workers
ACSSW is very pleased to offer an opportunity for any school social worker to earn 1.5 FREE CEUs due to ACSSW's sponsorship of an excellent program:
Plan, Prepare, Prevent: The SOS Online
Gatekeeper Training Module
The SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program is an award winning, nationally recognized program designed for middle and high school-age students. The program teaches students how to identify the symptoms of depression and suicidality in themselves or their friends, and encourages help-seeking through the use of the ACT® technique (Acknowledge, Care, Tell). This course is available free to school social workers. With sponsorship from ACSSW, all learners will receive 1.5 contact hours upon completion. Click to Learn More. To register call 781-239-0071 or email SOS Registration and mention that you'd like to register.
Columbia University Teachers College Press published 4 guides geared to support teachers, administrators, student personnel staff, and parents. For a limited period, and as supplies last, TCP has agreed to provide FREE copies of the guides to social workers and educators working with military kids in schools including: teachers, school administrators, PPS workers, and military parents. School social workers should be aware of this wonderful, time-limited, FREE offer from TCP. Many school social workers will benefit from these guides.
The process is simple. Each individual desiring a free book would need to click on the link, select the type of book s/he desires, and fill out name, mailing address, etc. on the Qualtrix form after selecting the book desired. The book will be mailed in a few weeks.
Helping Traumatized Children Learn, vol. 1 & 2, are available for purchase or free download on the website. Click here to learn more about this.
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School Social Work Positions
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Continued - listed by state abbreviation
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The shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School certainly raised the issue of violence in schools. But there is help for students at every school who feel they have no place to turn.
Statistically, one-in-five people suffers from mental illness. It's no different in high school.
At Chief Sealth High School in Seattle, there is a full time social worker to help students dealing with anything from homelessness to domestic violence to foster care, and anyone feeling stressed out or sad.
As public school students settle into the school year, they can't seem to shake off a bit of inaccurate national attention: The belief that New Orleans has the country's first all-charter school system.
That's wrong on two counts. The city still has a handful of traditional public schools, and the array of more than 70 charter schools can hardly be called a system, though that's beginning to change.
With the larger of the city's two educational oversight agencies now consisting of only charters, and the other with a majority of charters, few would dispute that traditional schools are almost an afterthought when discussing public education in the city. Full article.
Feds Warn Schools on Bullying of Kids with Disabilities
In response to an increasing number of complaints, federal officials are reminding the nation's schools of their responsibilities to ensure that students with disabilities are not subjected to bullying.
The U.S. Department of Education said in a "Dear Colleague" letter to educators Tuesday that schools are obligated under federal law to step in immediately when bullying of students with disabilities is suspected and act to halt attacks and prevent any recurrence.
The guidance comes amid what education officials called a "troubling trend" of "an ever-increasing number of complaints" related to bullying of kids with disabilities in recent years. Since 2009, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights said it has received more than 2,000 complaints stemming from issues at public schools across the country. More.
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Part 2 - Cancer in the Classroom: Reintegration into the Classroom
Monday, November 3rd, 3 - 4:30 ET
On October 22 and November 3, CureSearch for Children's Cancer will host two webinars for school social workers and other school personnel on how to care for a student with cancer in the classroom. The goal of these webinars is to provide practical information from clinical experts on how to support a students and family during treatment, strategies for reintegrating a student with cancer into the classroom, and helping staff and families work together to support children. We invite school social workers, school nurses, teachers, and families to join us in learning how to provide compassionate and constructive classroom support when a child has cancer. More information.
Archived
The CSMH and the IDEA Partnership presented a webinar, School Mental Health: A Federal Perspective, on January 30, 2014. Following the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, the President put forward a number of initiatives aimed at making schools and communities safer and to increase access to mental health services in his plan, Now is the Time. As he said, "We won't be able to stop every violent act, but if there is even one thing we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation, all of us, to try." This webinar provided an overview of federal efforts that have already been put in place, as well as those that have been proposed for the upcoming years. Presenters David Esquith, Director for the Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS) Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), U.S. Department of Education, and Ingrid Donato, Branch Chief, Mental Health Promotion, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provided participants with information about other existing federal initiatives to prevent youth violence and promote positive student outcomes. Strategies that support students, schools, and communities as well as the importance of cross-system partnerships were highlighted. The webinar recording is available as well as the PowerPoint. Access here.
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Sodexo: Steven J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship
Deadline: December 5, 2014
The Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships recognize and reward students who have made a significant impact in the fight against hunger. The scholarship recipients each receive $5,000 for their education as well as a matching grant in their name for the hunger-related charity of their choice. The Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship is named for the Sodexo Foundation's founder and former president, who was an unstoppable champion in the fight to end hunger. Thanks to Steve's efforts, which made these scholarships possible, an emerging generation of leaders will be cultivated in the fight against hunger. Criteria and application.
4th Quarter Deadline: December 31, 2014
Grants of up to $500 are available for "innovative programs, events, or projects" from the Meemic Foundation. Apply online using their easy application that takes less than 30 minutes to complete. These grants are open to any employee of a K-12 public or private school. Universities and colleges may also apply. Fill-in-the-blank application.
Grants are accepted year round, but the fourth quarter cycle ($500 max per grant) ends December 31st. Funds will be available in February-March.
The foundation says it supports "basically anything that supports teachers and enhances the student's educational experience" - from field trips to books to behavior modification programs; science, music, or art equipment to professional development.
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