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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 31
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Are you finding the pace hectic right now? The demands coming from all angles? This is a tremendously busy time of year for school social workers.
While you are taking care of all of the tasks that need to be completed before the end of the year--and doing them well, I might add--be sure to pay attention to yourself as well. Students and staff need you. Take a minute or two each day to pause and breathe. You'll feel better--and provide better service--if you do.
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...The principles of Trauma-Informed Care, a growing and powerful national movement in the human services system, hold great potential for helping people to recover from the effects of adverse childhood experiences (5). Their application in schools can help to create supportive school environments with positive relationships that empower trauma survivors to flourish and learn to their potential. These changes can help schools to support all children in the development of healthy coping strategies and resilience in facing future struggles.
Learn how the principles of Trauma-Informed Care complement the primary ideas behind PBIS, and how insights from Trauma-Informed Care can be applied to schools implementing PBIS systems to become more trauma-sensitive. Click here.
...Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the least understood mental health diagnoses. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill provides a fact sheet about BPD. It is a complex and often misunderstood diagnosis. It can be frustrating for clients and their families to manage the symptoms, which are mostly difficulties with mood regulation and often manifestations of self-harm. Further complicating this is a mental health system that is often not designed for people with BPD, despite its prevalence among people who present for mental health care (Gunderson, 2011).
This complex constellation of symptoms can be frustrating to clinicians, as well. Click here for more.
Resources from the Coalition to Support Grieving Students (CSGS) #12
Social Media and Grieving Children is the publication this week. Use and share this and previous papers to help children through loss. They are designed for practitioners, for in-service training, as references, as guidance for parents, and many other avenues. Share these articles freely and tell us what you think.
...Mindfulness means living in a state of raised consciousness, knowing how our minds have been programmed to work, and then making healthy, long-term decisions about how we choose to conduct our lives. This includes mindful eating, mindful relationships, mindful speech, mindful livelihood, etc.
And here we can enunciate a distinction between Basic Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, and Mindfulness. Learn more.
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..."six layers of knowledge" [that] can be uncovered in an ethnographic interview, a framework that can be applied to any conversation in which a questioner (such as a leader or coach) is seeking to help another person (such as an employee or client) identify and clarify what they know. Access article.
...A leader who doesn't share his or her vision, influence, and momentum with others will see all three diminish over time...It is absolutely essential for any leader to find capable women and men to mentor and invest in for the future! But that raised an important question in several comments...how do you know whom to invest in as a leader?...So what should you look for when you're recruiting people to your side? Here are the five key areas I believe you should focus on. Learn more. |
The ongoing impact of divorce on elementary school-aged children has been associated with lower academic achievement, behavioral problems, relational issues, depression, and risk of developing short-and long-term mental health symptoms. School-based divorce support groups are one way children may receive support to cope with ongoing stressors associated with growing up in divorced or separated families. The purpose of this project was to explore elementary school social workers perspectives regarding what services they are able to provide to children who come from divorced, separated, or never married households and at what frequency. If divorce groups were offered in an elementary school setting questions were asked regarding what makes an effective group, and if groups were not run questions were asked regarding what services school social workers can provide. Access study.
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by Peter A. Levine
In this culmination of his life's work, Peter A. Levine draws on his broad experience as a clinician, a student of comparative brain research, a stress scientist and a keen observer of the naturalistic animal world to explain the nature and transformation of trauma in the body, brain and psyche. In an Unspoken Voice is based on the idea that trauma is neither a disease nor a disorder, but rather an injury caused by fright, helplessness and loss that can be healed by engaging our innate capacity to self-regulate high states of arousal and intense emotions. Enriched with a coherent theoretical framework and compelling case examples, the book elegantly blends the latest findings in biology, neuroscience and body-oriented psychotherapy to show that when we bring together animal instinct and reason, we can become more whole human beings.
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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11th Annual Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
July 14-16, 2016
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Nevada Hiring Army of Social Workers to Fight School Bullying
A sweeping statewide initiative to curb bullying in Nevada schools has crossed a major milestone after the Clark County School District, the state's largest, filled all of its more than 100 new social worker positions.
Statewide, 139 social workers and supervisors are in place as of early May, and 25 positions remain unfilled. Officials said the new staff members have so far led workshops on how to identify unhealthy relationships, taught anger management techniques and helped students who are returning to school after time in a mental health institution.
"I can't imagine not having them now just because of the positive impact they've had," said Robert Mars, principal at Silverado High School in Las Vegas, which brought on two social workers about two months ago. "It's better than what I expected." More.
What's the Difference Between Mindfulness, Mindful Meditation and Basic Meditation?
...Mindfulness means living in a state of raised consciousness, knowing how our minds have been programmed to work, and then making healthy, long-term decisions about how we choose to conduct our lives. This includes mindful eating, mindful relationships, mindful speech, mindful livelihood, etc.
And here we can enunciate a distinction between Basic Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, and Mindfulness. Learn more.
...Research has been divided over whether or not bullying has actually gotten worse in U.S. classrooms. In May 2015, the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics reported that bullying among students aged 12-18 dropped to 22% in 2013. According to their data, between 2005 and 2015, bullying rates hovered between 28% and 32%. That could indicate that federal, state and local anti-bullying efforts could be making a difference.
Having an established protocol can definitely help. In July 2015, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network produced a study that found while every single U.S. state now has anti-bullying laws on the books, only 18 prohibited specific behaviors. That's often a key part of effective policies. Continue.
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School Social Work Positions
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ESSA: Meeting Students' Needs Under Title IV
August 25, 2016 - 3 - 4 pm ET
Rather than continuing to authorize individual programs that support a well-rounded education, ESSA creates a block grant that provides formula funding to states and districts. Districts that receive funds under this block grant must spend at least 20 percent of their allocation on a well-rounded academic activity and 20 percent on an activity that supports safe and healthy students, and they may use some funds to expand the use of technology. This means that, although discrete funding streams will no longer be available to support programs such as physical education, district leaders can allocate funds from the block grant according to their schools' needs, without the hassle of applying for a myriad of grants to support various activities. Learn more and click on "add to calendar."
Webinar To Discuss Preventing Bullying and Discrimination of Muslim Youth
Educators and Counselors Prevent Bullying of Muslim Youth
May 23, 2016 - 2 - 3:30 pm ET
Presenters will discuss civil rights bullying and harassment, cultural competence 101, behavioral health implications of bullying, and resources for protecting America's Muslim youth. Register.
The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps
The University-Based Child and Family Policy Consortium, in collaboration with the Society for Research in Child Development, hosted "The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps" webinar on February 16, 2016. Based on an SRCD Social Policy Report written by James Garbarino and colleagues, and the Social Policy Report Commentary by Ann Masten, this webinar will discuss the research on the effects of children's exposure to terrorism. Access webinar. Approx. 1 hr.
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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2ne Quarter Deadline: June 30, 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 second quarter cycle ends June 30th. Grants are up to $500. Recipients will be notified by August 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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