Hospital social worker plan protested

Journalist:  Sandy Kleffman                   

Date:  October 22, 2007

Summary:  Social work positions within a psychiatric unit have been changed from employing licensed social workers to unlicensed social workers.  The change was made because of the difficulty filling these positions with licensed social workers.    

Relevance:   Licensing has implications for social workers and their ability to practice social work.  

Questions: 

1.      What do the licensing laws in your State suggest about unlicensed social workers practicing social work?

2.      What are your thoughts about employing unlicensed social workers?

3.      What protection do clients have when receiving services from an unlicensed social worker?

 

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‘Take Back the Night’ raises awareness of sexual assault

Journalist:  Cassandra Morrison                  

Date:  October 22, 2007

Summary:  This article describes a community’s response to ‘Take Back the Night’.  The “Clothesline Project” was also a part of the program.  These activities were used to raise awareness of sexual assault.

Relevance:   Social workers often work with victims of sexual assault.

Questions: 

1.      What is the “Clothesline Project”?

2.      Why did one individual express a dislike for the word ‘survivor’?

3.      Should issues of sexual assault be a component of domestic violence month? Why or why not?

 

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Social work grads get active

Journalist:  Katie Howerton                 

Date:  October 19, 2007

Summary:  This article describes the efforts of social work graduate students to implement a campus-wide awareness project.  Each month students will select a social problem and raise awareness of the problem.  The project will continue throughout the year.

Relevance:   Social worker students can use their skills to increase awareness about social problems and implement macro initiatives.  

Questions:

1.      What topics do you think are important to address during a month long awareness initiative?

2.      What social work skills could be used to develop and implement an initiative such as this?

3.   What resources would be required to develop and implement an initiative such as this?

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A profile of domestic violence

Journalist:  Unknown                 

Date:  October 17, 2007

Summary:  This article describes the experiences of a domestic violence victim to illustrate why some women stay in abusive relationships and why some women leave.

Relevance:   Social workers often work with victims of domestic violence.

Questions:

1)      What factors hinder women from leaving abusive relationship?

2)      What factors help to facilitate women leaving abusive relationship?

3)      Would personal experience with abusive relationships be useful for social workers? Why or why not?

 

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Social work education slights the political right

Journalist:  Caroline Mojonnier                   

Date:  October 15, 2007

Summary:  A report published by the National Association of Scholars (NAS) indicates that social work education emphasizes a political leftist stance in course lectures and that this stance is supported by the NASW Code of Ethics.

Relevance:   The NASW Code of Ethics outlines ethical conduct for social workers.  Sanctions can be enforced for code violations.  

Questions:

1)      What are your thoughts about The NASW Code of Ethics and political advocacy?

2)      Do social workers have an obligation to assist disadvantaged and oppressed groups?

3)      What are your thoughts regarding the report and examples provided in this article?

 

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Students support Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Journalist:  Unknown                 

Date:  October 16, 2007

Summary:  A group of students including those from a social work club collaborated with the Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) to increase awareness and to honor domestic violence victims.  Their activities included showing a film and facilitating a discussion about domestic violence awareness and prevention.

Relevance:   Social workers often work with victims of domestic violence.

Questions:

1)      When is domestic violence month?

2)      What other activities might social work students and social workers use to address issues of domestic violence and prevention?

3)      Do other cities have “Take back the Night”? What is it?

 

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Townsend: It’s breast cancer awareness month

Journalist:  Unknown                  

 

Date:  September 27, 2007

 

Summary:  A Breast Cancer hotline staffed by social workers and volunteers who provide

telephone support can be useful for guiding callers to community resources. 

   

Relevance:   Social work services include the provision of telephone support in addition to face-to face meetings. 

Questions:

1)      Can you identify the strengths of providing telephone support through a hotline? 

2)   Can you identify the limitations of providing telephone support through a hotline?

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Jena 6 panel urges change, action

Journalist:  Erin Fults                  

 

Date:  October 5, 2007

 

Summary:  A School of Social Work hosted a conference focused on mobilizing community action to have a dialogue, and develop concrete steps that could be used to continue to momentum created by the rally held in Jena, La.

       

Relevance:  Social workers become involved in many types of efforts that mobilize community action.

Questions:

1)      How might social work community organizing skills be useful to plan and implement an event  such as this?

2)   How might community organizing be skills be helpful for the next steps involved in the process?

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Social work crisis puts children at risk

Journalist:  Amelia Hill                  

 

Date:  October 7, 2007

 

Summary:  This article describes a nationwide shortage of qualified children’s social workers social workers in Britain.  Social workers are needed who can work with very complex child abuse cases, children in care, children with severe disabilities and child protection services.  Efforts to recruit qualified social workers including traveling to the United States and hiring 14 child social workers are described.

 

       

Relevance:  This article suggests that staff turnover and low recruitment for these children’s social work positions are due to the emotional stress involved in child social work practice and low salaries.

 Questions:

1)      In addition to the initiatives described in the article, what other initiatives do you think would be successful for recruitment?

2)      Do you think that some efforts should also be given to changing the work environment?  What would you recommend?

3)      Why do you think that this area of social work practice is finding it difficult to recruit and retain social workers?

4)      How would you compare the issues faced by Britain with the U.S.?

 

 

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Students simulate poverty: Fake money, food stamps were used to purchase goods

Journalist:  Jessica Husek                 

 

Date:  September 27, 2007

 

Summary:  Approximately 76 students participated in a poverty simulation exercise in which they were assigned a role in a family of four living at or near the poverty line.  Students were provided with fake money and food stamps that were used to purchase goods in a simulated town.  Students reported their experiences and perceptions after the exercise and described how hard it is to live on little income and the need for a support group.

       

Relevance:  This article sheds light on the realities of living in poverty while making too much for government benefits but not enough to meet basic family needs.

Questions:

1)      How might the poverty simulation exercise described in the article help social work students to work with clients living in poverty?

2)  Why would it be important to discuss your feelings and perceptions after participating in the poverty simulation exercise?

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