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Making Sense of Tragedy and Finding Ways to Help
| In response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that claimed 26 lives, USC School of Social Work faculty who specialize in school violence and trauma response are spearheading efforts to help those affected. An interdisciplinary group of school violence prevention researchers, practitioners and organizations led by Professor Ron Avi Astor wrote a position statement that lays out what it feels are the most important issues behind the recent acts of violence in Newtown, including the possible involvement of severe mental illness. Clinical Professor Marleen Wong, who recently received a four-year, $2.4-million grant for the Trauma Services Adaptation Center to combat such violence, has been invited to meet with state and local law enforcement and community and school district officials in Connecticut to provide direction on long-term recovery. She will also join U.S. Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan for a discussion on how to prevent gun violence in schools.
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| Health care in the United States is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The re-election of President Barack Obama has solidified the likelihood that his landmark health care reform legislation will endure, with lasting implications for the field of social work. What new opportunities may arise depends on how quickly social workers can highlight their expertise, says Dean Marilyn Flynn. Read more
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| Associate Professor Maria Aranda presented findings from an Institute of Medicine report commissioned by Congress on the state of the geriatric mental health and substance abuse workforce at a Capitol Hill briefing. The report underscores the largely unknown and growing crisis of providing services and professionals properly trained to treat older patients. Read more
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| | Outer space isn't exactly the first setting that comes to mind when considering the role of social workers, but Professor Lawrence Palinkas is taking the profession to new frontiers with a $724,525 grant from NASA. He is leading an effort to examine effects of communication delays between astronauts and mission control on the performance and behavioral health of crew members in space. Read more |
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