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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 24
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In today's organizational development process there is a major step that needs undertaking if an association is to remain viable and responsive. The needs and well-being of members and potential members are primary and must be considered in the planning of an organization's sustainability.
To that end, ACSSW is developing a brief survey that will go out to our current and past members as well as those who have an interest in the field of school social work. It is our hope that the response rate will be high.
The social and political climate of the country is in turmoil. Children can be affected directly and indirectly. We, school social workers, are tasked with providing services and resources to children at risk. By the same token, it has been noted that the numbers of school social workers may not be sufficient to meet those needs. We must strengthen our profession.
So, stay tuned! And, when the time comes, please do respond to the survey. It is needed to support the profession as viable and current.
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from Liana Lowenstein
According to the National Association of Children of Alcoholics more than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics. This statistic doesn't include other addictive substances. When a parent struggles with substance addiction (alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescription drugs), the impact on children crosses all areas of their life, including social, emotional, and academic. Read more regarding impact.
The goal of this technique is to help the child utilize an appropriate strategy to release and express angry feelings. Learn the technique.
Early Onset Schizophrenia (EOS, onset of symptoms prior to age 18 years) is the diagnostic classification, identifying children and adolescents experiencing delusions (having beliefs not based on reality), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that do not exist), disorganized or incoherent speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior or negative symptoms such as lack of emotion...Of special significance to school psychologists is the finding that schizophrenia is associated with, among others, impaired language, motor and social skills as well as creative thought...Given that these skills and abilities are crucial to effective school functioning, it is imperative that school psychologists are familiar with EOS and able to provide effective support services, in an educational context, to students struggling with this disorder. Moreover, school psychologists who are able to identify EOS are better suited to facilitate early intervention and to offer insight regarding academic planning based on the needs of the student which can have a profound and positive effect on developmental trajectories...This is best accomplished through collaboration with educators, parents and other professionals to provide an optimal learning environment for the student and to address EOS from a developmental psychopathology perspective. Full article.
Resources from the Coalition to Support Grieving Students (CSGS) #7
The CSGS continues to share mini-papers on the concepts of death and grieving in children. Guilt, Shame and Grief: Understanding Common Reactions in Students is this week's series of articles. Use and share these papers as you wish. They are designed to be used by practitioners for in-service training, as reference, as guidance for parents, and many other avenues.
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Change efforts are an expedition, a sometimes perilous journey that must be collaborative. And in our 'always-on' society, where the pace of change has accelerated to a point where we as humans can barely cope, our old metaphors of burning platforms and melting icebergs are becoming irrelevant. Change is becoming a constant.
As such, we as change leaders must build a foundation, a capability of continuous change for our organizations. It is important to note that Change Management and Change Leadership are two very different roles for people to play in any organization, but both are important and so have found a home in my Five Keys to Successful Change™ framework. Learn more.
[An] online survey polled 1,120 employed U.S. workers, 616 of whom manage employees in the workplace. Among those in leadership positions, more than a third (37%) admitted to being uncomfortable giving direct feedback to an employee if they believed that person would respond in a negative way.
But they don't just shrink from potential bad behavior. One in five managers said they have trouble giving praise for a job well done, and another 16% have difficulty crediting others with good ideas. Continue.
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Abstract: Animal-assisted therapy could be used in schools as a supportive intervention provided by school social workers. The purpose of this project was to explore how animal-assisted therapy in schools, specifically using dogs, could be a complimentary and supportive form of intervention provided by social workers in a school setting. Using a qualitative design, five
school social workers and three therapy dog handlers were interviewed regarding their
perceptions on using therapy dogs in schools and how the therapy dogs may impact students. The data was analyzed using the content analysis method in which themes were developed from participant responses, integrating the perceptions of the school social workers and the therapy dog handlers, and then were linked to previous literature. The findings indicated that using therapy dogs in schools could benefit students by serving as an intervention and helping students learn skills that result in better connection and relationships, and skills that can assist with self-regulation
and self-control. In addition, objections to using therapy dogs in schools were addressed and countered in participants' responses. These findings emphasize the potential benefit of using therapy dogs in school social work practice as a supportive intervention. Access study.
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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 March
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Current models do not address the complexity of achievement gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups. As the National Task Force on Minority High Achievement and current assessment data show, children of color, even those who are not poor, often score lower on achievement tests than whites who are poor. Culture trumps poverty in its impact on achievement. Culture defines what children will focus their attention on, how they interpret the world to give it meaning, what background knowledge they bring to learning, and how they will value that learning. The focus of our interventions to close the achievement gap must therefore be to attend to the culture of the learner. This book shows how to build the necessary supports to move classrooms from the traditional, Eurocentric model to one that respects and incorporates the cultures of the learners. Review.
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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The federal schoolyard-policing plan is intended to "combat religious discrimination in schools and other educational settings," Vanita Gupta - head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division... "These efforts will help us combat discriminatory backlash against Muslim students and students perceived as Muslim. But they will also benefit children of every background and every religion," she said in a speech at the Interagency Roundtable on Religious Discrimination in Education in Newark, New Jersey, on March 8.
"This initiative will allow us to expand our ability to investigate and remedy complaints; to lead robust community outreach; and to develop critical guidance for federal prosecutors," she said. More.
StopBullying.gov has launched a free online bullying prevention and response training course. This professional development tool provides guidance on how to take a public health approach to bullying prevention through long-term, communitywide prevention strategies. The self-directed training allows stakeholders to test their knowledge on the latest research, statistics, and best practices on bullying prevention and response and to earn continuing education credits. Access training.
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School Social Work Positions
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Understanding Childhood Trauma: The School's Role
Please join Screening for Mental Health (SMH) for a FREE webinar on Monday, April 25 at 1PM EST that will help schools understand the impact of trauma and steer them to the right resources. It will feature SMH Youth Programs Manager Meghan Diamon; Riverside Trauma Center Clinical Services Director Joanna Bridger, and from the Los Angeles Unified School District we welcome the Coordinator of Special Education Program Joshua Kaufmann and Psychiatric Social Worker Elida Mena. The webinar will include information on the following topics:
- Childhood trauma basics, including prevalence and how it impacts youth
- The link between trauma and suicide risk, including trauma-informed assessment
- Classroom behaviors/manifestations related to trauma
- How schools can support students with trauma history
- Resources schools can access through the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network
- How the SOS Program addresses trauma
- Case studies/Examples
The webinar will also include time for questions from the audience. Register.
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.
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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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