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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 12
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The new Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA has been signed by President Obama! Formerly known as "No Child Left Behind" or ESEA, this legislation includes a term known as SISP, or Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, previously referred to as pupil services personnel or related service providers, including school social workers. This term (SISP) more clearly explains the roles and functions of those individuals who support student learning, using effective, evidence-based interventions to insure that students benefit from their education.
ESSA is a bipartisan replacement of the unpopular NCLB which expired in 2007 and, while still requiring standardized testing in grades three through eight and in high school, gives states more authority. The new bill recognizes school-based mental health services as a targeted intervention strategy, requires consultation with SISP in the development of local and state plans, and mandates comprehensive learning supports for at-risk students. ACSSW is hopeful that this improved legislation will improve school and student outcomes for all. Read How Will Every Student Succeed for more things to consider.
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Increasingly, professionals in the United States have begun conceptualizing children's mental health (CMH) through a public health lens. In contrast to medical practice, where intervention happens at the individual level, public health practice focuses on the population level. Public health approaches to children's mental health emphasize promotion and prevention for all , not just for those who are sick. These approaches focus on interventions that are interdisciplinary and inter-professional in order to make use of many types of research, theories, and best practices. They rely on identification of determinants-factors that enhance or detract from health and well-being. And, importantly, they are driven by thoughtful engagement of communities in order to understand mental health issues as people define them-one size does not fit all. Using this public health lens helps us draw connections between CMH and SEL and also identify potential changes in practice that could strengthen children's outcomes. Full article.
As the holidays and end of the year approach, many experience the recurrence of grief as they remember happy times with a deceased loved one. Loss and grief are among the most powerful emotions we can experience. When grief recurs, particularly in relation to the pain of holidays, it can be confusing and overwhelming. Dur ing the holiday season, symptoms of grief that have previously relented might suddenly return, and it can seem as though one is actively grieving again. This experience is known as an "anniversary reaction" or "anniversary grief." Continue.
The prevalence of trauma exposure among youth is a major public health concern, with a third of adolescents nationally reporting that they have been in a physical fight in the past twelve months and 9% having been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. Studies have documented the broad range of negative sequelae of trauma exposure for youth, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other anxiety problems, depressive symptoms, and dissociation. In addition, decreased IQ and reading ability, lower grade-point average (GPA), more days of school absence, and decreased rates of high school graduation have been associated with exposure to traumatic events. Evidence suggests that youth exposed to trauma have decreased social competence and increased rates of peer rejection. ...Schools can be an ideal setting for mental health professionals to intervene with traumatized students, by supporting both their trauma-related psychological problems and their ability to learn in the classroom. More. |
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Mindfulness encourages you to be aware of the present moment, and to let go of distractions and your physical and emotional reactions to what people say to you. When you're not mindful, you can be distracted by your own thoughts and worries, and fail to see and hear what other people are doing and saying.
Communication expert Rebecca Shafir suggests that the average person can remember only 25 percent of what someone has said, just a few minutes after a conversation. The goal of mindful listening is to silence the internal noise of your own thoughts, so that you can hear the whole message, and so that the speaker feels understood. Learn more.Given all [the] listening we do, you would think we'd be good at it! In fact most of us are not, and research suggests that we remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear. That means that when you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers or spouse for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation. This is dismal!
Turn it around and it reveals that when you are receiving directions or being presented with information, you aren't hearing the whole message either. You hope the important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent, but what if they're not? Continue here.
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...Stress is a pervasive problem for teens. A recent APAStress in America Survey released in 2014 revealed that teens in the United States perceive higher levels of stress than adults, with many reporting that they feel tired due to stress (36%), overwhelmed (31%) or depressed (30%) during the school year. Furthermore, these experiences are associated with unhealthy eating, sleeping, and exercise patterns that may harm their physical and mental health in the future. It is not surprising then that the incidence of many forms of psychopathology spikes during adolescence, with 22.2 % of adolescents experiencing psychiatric disorders with severe impairment and distress (Merikangas et al., 2010). Overlooked at a broad scale but suggested as playing a critical role in the significant changes in adolescents' stress and risk is the onset of puberty. Research article.
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Open Call for Journal Submissions - deadline 12/15/2015
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Open Call for Submissions
Advances in School Mental Health Promotion
Special Issue on School Mental Health and Teacher Education
With student learning frequently conceptualized as achieving at high levels on standardized tests, and effective teaching measured by student performance on these tests, teacher education programs narrowly focus on curriculum and instruction. However, current research speaks to the importance of preparing teacher candidates to address a broader range of students' needs, including those needs stemming from mental health problems (Phillippo, 2013). When teachers navigate these student needs in the classroom, they often feel unprepared to handle the mental health concerns of their students (Hoagwood et al., 2007; Koller & Bertel, 2006; Reinke et al., 2011)...
The aim of this special issue is to feature research that illuminates the ongoing work of professionals to build capacity across the teaching workforce in areas of School Mental Health. Specifically, we are seeking original, empirical research that will bring new understanding to the status of mental health capacity-building efforts in one or more of the following areas: 1. Pre-service teacher preparation 2. In-service teacher professional learning 3. Local and federal teacher preparation or teacher education policy 4. Teacher and mental health practitioner collaboration
Authors who plan to submit a manuscript for the special issue must submit a letter of intent by December 15, 2015. More details.
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The Community-Partnered School Behavioral Health Modules
~ Free Training Series and CEUs Offered ~
www.mdbehavioralhealth.com
Signs of Suicide Program & Gatekeeper Training Module 1.5 CEUs. Free.
from Teachers College Press. A hard copy will be mailed to you. Free.
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Recommended Read for December
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Belonging and Becoming: The Power of Social and Emotional Learning in High Schools
"Despite growing attention to the importance of grit and other character traits for achievement, developing them in students rarely finds its way into secondary school curricula. Authors Barbara Cervone and Kathleen Cushman investigate the exceptions, telling the stories of five high schools with a national reputation for infusing rigorous academics with social and emotional learning, which results in demonstrable benefits for students.
Based on extensive interviews and on-site visits, the book identifies six elements that all of these schools have in common, including advisories and other structural supports for students and teachers; rituals and other means for establishing an intentional, reflective, and respectful community as well as a firm commitment to restorative justice; and a broad and engaging curriculum that includes service learning."
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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Schools and districts across the country will be surveyed about the services provided by their CSMHS (Comprehensive School Mental Health System). This national census in critical to gain a full picture of school mental health structures and services.
It is essential that school social workers, as leaders in school mental health, be at the table as one of the team members who assists in completing the survey. You can also insure that family and community representatives are included in the process in order to get a complete picture on this important issue. Be involved. Be a leader. It may impact your practice in the future. Learn more.
from the Thomas B Fordham Institute
More than twelve million American students exercise some form of school choice by going to a charter, magnet, or private school-or opting for homeschooling-instead of attending a traditional public school. Countless others use district-wide lotteries, attendance waivers, or interdistrict transfers to attend public schools other than the ones in their neighborhoods. But some cities are significantly more "choice-friendly" than others...and some are downright hostile.
Using nearly fifty markers of "choice friendliness," this report shows which of thirty American cities are the best and worst for school choice.
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School Social Work Positions
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Continued - listed by state abbreviation
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Archived by SAMHSA & KSOC-TV
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4th Quarter Deadline: December 31, 2015
Grants of up to $500 are available for "innovative programs, events, or projects" from the Meemic Foundation for Michigan, Wisconsin or Illinois. 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 ends December 31st. Grants are up to $500. Recipients will be notified by February 15th.
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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