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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 19
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The National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (NASISP) is planning another NASISP week in April. This organization, comprised of national associations representing student support personnel (including, for example, art and music therapists, and AOTAs) stays abreast of legislation that affects all of us. Stay tuned for celebratory plans!
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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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Genetic changes stemming from the trauma suffered by Holocaust survivors are capable of being passed on to their children, the clearest sign yet that one person's life experience can affect subsequent generations.
Schools rely on school-based mental health professionals to identify and respond to emotional and behavioral problems, provide psychoeducation to students and parents, deliver trainings to teachers and other staff members, and address barriers to social-emotional learning that might occur at multiple levels...Increasingly, this means understanding and using social media to identify and address suicide risk...
Think of technology not as a magic wand, but rather as a fork. You can eat salad with a fork, or you can stab someone in the leg. Much like a fork, technology can be part of the problem or part of the solution...
My co-author, Dr. Terri Erbacher, a school psychologist and national expert on school-based responses following a suicide death (aka "postvention"), points out that technology has made it hard for schools to "control the message" following a suicide death. She recently texted me (no irony intended), "A decade ago, if I heard of a suicide, I could take my time to plan a crisis response. Now, students are finding out on social media before I do, and there is no way to ensure that the information they are getting is accurate". Full article.
More from the Coalition to Support Grieving Students
The Coalition to Support Grieving Students continues to share mini-papers on the concepts of death and grieving. This weeks mini-papers are on Connecting with Families and include:
- 9 Goals for Communicating with Grieving Families;
- School Staff Play a Special Role with Bereaved Families; and
- What to Tell Parents: Guidance for Bereaved Families. Access all here.
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Lead from the middle. It is the new, new principle of leadership. Think of middle children - they are usually the ones who bring siblings together, managing relationships diplomatically and effectively. Think of middle states (i.e., the Midwest) - farmers, small towns, and expansive prairies that instill grounded, simple values of what is possible. Think of the middle of an Oreo cookie - it is what holds things together and brings out the flavor in base ingredients. The middle is full of value! Here are the key 9 principles of leading from the middle. Learn More.
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Existing studies have found a high correlation between adolescent abuse and becoming a problem drug user in adulthood; therefore, it can be inferred that many problem drug users start abusing drugs at an early age. Additionally, accidental and intentional fatalities that are associated with drug and alcohol use represent one of the leading preventable causes of death for the 15 to 24-year-old population. Alcohol and other drug use in the adolescent population carries a high risk for school underachievement, delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and depression.
Preventative science postulates that negative health outcomes, including those resulting from substance abuse, can be prevented by reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors 3. The general framework used in this article is based on research presented by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and emphasizes the strategy of targeting modifiable risk factors and enhancing protective factors through family, school and community prevention programmes. More.
Abstract: This study uses a functional perspective to examine the reasons young people cite for using psychoactive substances. The study sample comprised 364 young poly-drug users recruited using snowball-sampling methods. Data on lifetime and recent frequency and intensity of use for alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD and cocaine are presented. A majority of the participants had used at least one of these six drugs to fulfil 11 of 18 measured substance use functions. The most popular functions for use were using to: relax (96.7%), become intoxicated (96.4%), keep awake at night while socializing (95.9%), enhance an activity (88.5%) and alleviate depressed mood (86.8%). Substance use functions were found to differ by age and gender. Recognition of the functions fulfilled by substance use should help health educators and prevention strategists to make health messages about drugs more relevant and appropriate to general and specific audiences. Targeting substances that are perceived to fulfil similar functions and addressing issues concerning the substitution of one substance for another may also strengthen education and prevention efforts. Full access.
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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 |
How Fears of Deportation Harm Kids' Education
Educators, advocates, and community and elected leaders are questioning the untold hardship on schoolchildren as America limps along with seemingly complex, confusing immigration laws and regulations. . . A study by the advocacy organization Human Impact Partners published the same year, "Family Unity, Family Health," found that the deportation scares take a mental and physical toll on undocumented immigrants' children. Researchers linked the threat of detention and deportation to poorer educational outcomes, concluding: "U.S.-citizen children who live in families under threat of detention or deportation will finish fewer years of school and face challenges focusing on their studies." Access here.
Amy Gamez knows, perhaps better than most, that it takes more than a teacher for a child to be successful in school. It takes the whole community.
Gamez' work as a social worker in Forsyth County Schools brings the community - teachers, home life, organizations and resources - together for the sake of her students. Some people may not realize the depth of a school social worker's role. Someone who makes sure students aren't suffering at home. Someone who finds them a meal when their family can't afford dinner the night before. Someone who finds them a place to sleep when their parents get evicted after losing a job. Beyond all that, Gamez has gone a step further in providing for her students. Learn about Amy. |
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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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