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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 18
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February is National Black History Month. There is still plenty of time to develop activities for the students you serve and to enlighten yourself on black history. One way to do that is to read about the history and lives of black Americans who have contributed to the culture and growth of the United States in various ways. Highly recommended, for persons of all races, particularly those born after 1968 or 1970, is the featured ACSSW book this month: The Warmth of Other Sons. It is an eye opener for most people. Other recommendations can be found on a booklist from the Racine Public Library. Finding time to read is difficult in our fast paced, technology based modern life. But you won't regret picking something from this list! Do yourself a favor.
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Do you have a leadership practice example you'd like to share with colleagues? A story of how you demonstrated leadership in your work? Do you have ideas on what school social work leadership "looks like" on a day-to-day basis? Send me a short email or contact me to talk about your experience. Just click on my name below. Let's connect!
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21st Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health
Proposals are now being accepted for the 21st Advancing School Mental Health Conference to be held September 29-October 1, 2016, in San Diego. ACSSW is an active participant, representing the voice of school social work in the planning and development of this conference. This is a perfect opportunity for school social workers to highlight their work and experiences to school and community providers and researchers! Demonstrate what school social work leaders do! Click to view the Request for Proposals and to submit an abstract. Deadline for submissions is February 29, 2016.
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Children's Concepts of Death
The Coalition to Support Grieving Students was convened by the New York Life Foundation, a pioneering advocate for the cause of childhood bereavement, and the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, which is led by pediatrician and childhood bereavement expert David J. Schonfeld, M.D. The Coalition has worked with Scholastic Inc., a long-standing supporter of teachers and kids, to create . . . a groundbreaking, practitioner-oriented website designed to provide educators with the information, insights, and practical advice they need to better understand and meet the needs of the millions of grieving kids in America's classrooms.
ACSSW is the first supporting organizational member. Over the next several weeks we will feature brief, practical articles from the Coalition designed to inform and enhance the practice of school social workers and other school personnel. The first of these articles focus on Children's Concepts of Death. They are very brief and can be used in your practice to share with teachers, enhance an in-service on grieving, or to help parents, administrators, or community members understand how children think about death. Click here for the first series.
Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, school-wide approach for promoting socially appropriate behavior among students and creating safe, effective learning environments. Schools implementing PBIS create uniform behavior expectations for all classrooms and building locations, develop systematic procedures for teaching and reinforcing expectations for students and staff, and utilize school teams that employ data-based decision-making to guide implementation. . . Schools implementing PBIS with fidelity have reported reductions in discipline referrals, decreased amounts of administrative time devoted to addressing problem behavior, and improved positive school climates . . . Full article.
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In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) launched a new strategy to bring general and special education into learning partnerships across families, practitioners, administrators and policymakers. The four linked partnerships were designed to build the relationships necessary to accomplish the practice changes in the 1997 landmark amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These changes were called landmark changes because they broke new ground in the education of students with disabilities. These changes are widely accepted and almost commonplace today; however, they were quite controversial at the time. Several of the most prominent changes were:
- Students with disabilities should have access to the general curriculum.
- Students with disabilities should participate in statewide assessments.
- Funding formulas for special education should be placement neutral.
- The connection between behavior and academics was established and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) was introduced.
The potential impact of the issues was significant. The range of stakeholders was huge. Could these groups, that did not hold the same perspective regarding the changes in the law, become allies? Download document.
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Using person-centered language, which avoids labeling people with mental health diagnoses, can reduce stigma and change the way people view mental health issues, according to a study published in the Journal of Counseling and Development.
Person-centered language highlights the person rather than the diagnosis. For example, instead of calling people depressive or saying they are mentally ill, person-centered language advocates for the use of phrases such as "person with depression" or "child experiencing a mental health condition." This language highlights a person's humanity rather than a diagnosis.
. . . To test how language affects perceptions of people with mental health conditions, researchers Darcy Haag Granello, an Ohio State University professor of educational studies, and coauthor Todd Gibbs, a graduate student in educational studies, enrolled three separate groups of participants in their study. Participants included 211 adults from the community, 221 undergraduate students, and 269 counselors and counselors-in-training. Access article. |
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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 February - National Black History Month
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The Warmth of Other Suns - The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
by Isabel Wilkerson
"In this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life.
From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves. With stunning historical detail, Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals..."
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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Propped up in a corner of Dan Coyne's basement is a floor-to-ceiling copy of the front page of theChicago Tribune from Christmas Eve five years ago. There's a picture of Coyne -- a Chicago Public Schools social worker -- dressed as Santa Claus at Pershing East Elementary School above the headline: "The stories that touched us in 2010."
Coyne's story? He had donated one of his kidneys to a relative stranger -- a woman who worked at the Jewel-Osco near his house in Evanston. Initially, it led to Coyne being put on notice by CPS for violating the district's residency rule. But in the end, top officials waived the residency rule.
"(Then-CPS CEO Ron Huberman) said that I was a hero and that our 400,000 kids look at people like me as a model," Coyne recalls.
But in a stark about-face, the Board of Education officially terminated Coyne last week. His last day will be June 24, 2016. Read full story.
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School Social Work Positions
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Continued - listed by state abbreviation
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Free Webinar on Self Injury
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 - 11 am ET
Screening for Mental Health (SMH) is hosting a FREE webinar that will address many of the concerns and questions that school staff have about self-injury among students. They will offer a webinar with self-injury expert Janis Whitlock on National Self-Injury Awareness Day, March 1. Because this topic is in such high demand, [they] have decided to take a unique approach to this webinar. When registering for the webinar, there will be a section in which you are asked to share a specific topic surrounding self-injury about which you want to know more. Responses will be looked at, and Ms. Whitlock will tailor her content around the most popular topics. Ms Whitlock will start with some basics, such as:
- Why some young people engage in self-injurious behavior
- Why self-injury can easily become contagious in a school
- How your school can manage students who self-injure and prevent contagion
- How to advise parents to work with students who self-injure
- New training opportunities available for non suicidal self-injury
She will also answer audience questions. Register here.
Teen Depression Through 3 Lenses: Young Adult, Parent, Clinician A Free Webinar for Teens, Parents, School Counselors and Staff, Youth Workers, and Anyone Interested in Teen Mental Health
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 - 7 pm ET
Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free, 75-minute Teen Depression webinar on Tuesday, March 1st at 6:00 PM CST. The program is designed for teens, parents, teachers, school counselors and staff, youth workers, and anyone interested in teen mental health.
Join us for a live webcast discussion with an expert in teen depression, a young adult who has struggled with depression, and his mother who has both supported him and survived the loss of another son to suicide.
During the webinar, you'll hear - and be able to ask questions - about how to:
- recognize depression in teens
- talk to teens about depression
- get help for a struggling teen
- address challenges such as the refusal of help.
About our Presenters:
- Mary Fristad, PhD, ABPP, is a Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Human Nutrition at the Ohio State University and the Director of Research and Psychological Services in the OSU Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her area of specialty is childhood mood disorders.
- Colin, a speaker in the Families for Depression Awareness Teen Depression program, is a senior in college in Boston. He has depression and also lost his brother, Andrew, to suicide.
- Sheila, Colin's mother, has supported her children with depression and survived the loss of her son, Andrew, to suicide. She is a proponent of depression education for parents of teens.
After the webinar, complete our online evaluation and we'll send you a free set of Depression and Bipolar Wellness Guides for Parents and Teens, in English or Spanish. Can't attend the live webcast? Register today and watch the recorded webinar later at your convenience.
Webisode: Behavioral Health Concerns in Classrooms
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) latest webisode recording with Knowledge Network for Systems of Care TV (KSOC-TV) addresses the topic of identifying and managing behavioral health concerns in elementary school classrooms. The panelists, including Center for School Mental Health affiliate faculty, Dr. Kimberly Becker, provide specific strategies on how students, parents, teachers, and administrators can work together to support positive mental health among elementary school students. Watch by clicking here. Approx. 1 hr.
Webisode: Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
The Child and Family Policy Consortium webinar features presentations on expulsion and suspension policies in early childhood settings. Speakers include Dr. Walter Gillian (Yale University) and Dr. Oscar Barbarin (University of Maryland - College Park). Click here to watch. Approx. l hr.
Archived --
Archived by SAMHSA & KSOC-TV
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1st Quarter Deadline: March 31, 2016
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 first quarter cycle ends March 31st. Grants are up to $500. Recipients will be notified by May 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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