Will victims abandon Iowa cities?

Journalist:  Tony Leys and Reid Forgrave      

 

Date:  June 22, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes the factors that contribute to residents leaving a city and those factors that contribute to residents remaining in a city following a disaster.  Among these factors are feelings of connectedness and levels of employment within a city. 

 

Relevance:   Social workers provide a variety of services following a disaster or public emergency, and should be informed about community characteristics that affect residents.   

 

Questions:

 

1.      How many Cedar Rapids residents were forced from their homes by flooding in June 2008?

2.      What is one of the main factors that determine whether residents will stay or leave a city following a disaster?

3.      In transient areas, are residents likely to stay or leave after a disaster?

4.      How does employment affect residents’ willingness to remain in a city following a disaster?

5.      What type of city is more likely to rebound quickly after a disaster?

6.      What position is taken in the NASW Code of Ethics regarding public emergences and social work practice?

 

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Officials: mental health treatment not absent in jail

Journalist:  Kate Thayer    

 

Date:  June 23, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes mental health services that are provided to inmates within a county jail.  It is estimated that between 17 and 19 percent of the county inmates experience a mental illness and are in need of treatment.  Each inmate receives a physical and mental health evaluation upon admission to the jail, and some are referred for a psychiatric evaluation.  Correction officers also receive training in crisis intervention and how to deal with mental illness among inmates.

 

Relevance:   A variety of mental health services are provided to county inmates. Correctional social workers and others who provide mental health services to inmates or former inmates should be informed of the type of services that are available.  

 

Questions:

 

1.      What is the most common mental illness observed among inmates in the county jail?

2.      What types of programs are offered to inmates?

3.      What mental health practitioners are available to inmates?

4.      Are services provided to newly released inmates? If so, what types of services are provided?

 

 

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Falls schools: $1.2 million grant awarded for social work

Journalist:  Caitlin Murray   

 

Date:  June 20, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes the use of a federal grant that will employ school social workers for the first time, and add additional counselors to the school.  The funding will  provide services to young children that focus on prevention interventions intended to address behavioral problems. 

 

Relevance:   Funding issues are a key component to employing school social workers.

 

Questions:

 

1.      What organization provided the grant funding?

2.      What is the duration of the grant?

3.      Why have many elementary students been forced out of the classroom?

4.      What impact are the school social workers and counselors expected to have?

 

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Crisis in care

Journalist:  Allison Bourg   

 

Date:  June 16, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes a 40% turnover rate of direct-care staff in a nonprofit agency that provides services for residents with developmental disabilities.  Reasons are provided describing why salaries are low for direct-care workers and why qualified direct-care workers leave their positions.

 

Relevance:   Low salaries for direct-care workers are a concern among nonprofit social service agencies.

 

Questions:

 

 

1.      What are some of the reasons why direct-care workers’ salaries are low?

2.      What is the average hourly rate for direct-care workers in the developmental disabilities field?

3.      How many developmental disabilities agencies are affected by these issues within one county?

4.      In Maryland, how many developmentally disabled individuals receive services?

5.      How does the median household income level in the county compare with the median household income level of a direct care worker in the developmental disabilities field?

 

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Namibia: Festival against drugs and alcohol

Journalist:  New Era (Windhoek)     

 

Date:  June 17, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes the efforts of social work students in Namibia to organize a TADA (Teenagers against Drugs and Alcohol) choir festival.  The TADA focuses on drug and alcohol abuse prevention education in secondary schools.

 

Relevance:  This article describes the efforts of international social work students.

 

Questions:

 

 

1.      What will be included in the program for the first time?

2.      What organizations will partner with the University of Namibia?

3.      What is the theme of the event?

4.      What International Day will the festival commemorate?

 

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Conversation key to help children avoid – or deal with – abuse

Journalist:  Jodi Heckel and Jon White   

 

Date:  June 17, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes interventions that can prevent child sexual abuse and help an abused child to deal with the abuse.  Key interventions to prevent sexual abuse are to have open and honest conversations with children, and to teach him or her self-respect.  These interventions can also help a child to deal with sexual abuse after it occurs.  Most children are abused by someone that they know and trust, although children are taught a lot about strangers.

 

Relevance:   As mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, social workers need to be informed of issues associated with child abuse.

 

Questions:

1.      What are some of the warning signs of child sexual abuse?

2.      Why do parents need support and someone to talk to when their child is sexually abused?

3.      What do parents experience when a child is sexually abused?

4.      Are children’s questions the same regarding abuse at every phase of the developmental stage?

5.   Is abuse more about violence or more about sex?

 

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Forum aims at traumas of wartime

Journalist:  Jo-Ann Moriarty 

 

Date:  June 8, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes a conference offered by a school of social work.  The aims of the conference are to provide post-traumatic stress and re-entry information regarding Iraq veterans into their communities and families.  The conference will focus on members of the National Guard and Reserve. 

 

Relevance:   social workers provide a variety of services to veterans and their families.  Military social work is an area of social work practice.

 

Questions:

  

1.      What is an outdated term for post-traumatic stress experienced by military personnel?

2.      What types of workshops will be included in the conference?

3.      What makes the Iraq war unique from other wars?

 

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FAU social work students get real-life experience before graduation

Journalist:  Dale King   

 

Date:  June 5, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes a program offered by a children and family services agency and several universities to educate and train social work graduates in the field of child welfare.  The program is possible because of a $6.5 million contract provided by the children and family services agency. 

 

Relevance:  This article describes a program to enhance the education and training of child welfare social work professionals.  

 

Questions:

  

1.      How many social work students participate in this program?

2.      What is the amount of the stipend that social work students receive?

3.      What are the two special courses that social work students take while participating in the program?

4.      In what year was a grant provided that will sustain the program? How long will the program be funded?

 

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Social work week set June 13-19

Journalist: Unknown

Date: June 9, 2008

Summary: This article describes social work week which will be held from June 13-19 in the Philippines. Social work week marks the anniversary of the Republic Act (RA) also known as the Social Work Law that was passed on June 19, 1965. In 2005, social workers from Western Visayas declared June 13-19 as social work week to recognize the role of social workers in building the nation.

Relevance: This article describes international social work activities.

Questions:

1. What is the theme for this year’s social work week celebration?
2. What was the theme for last year’s social work week celebration?
3. What organizations endorsed social work week?
4. What association endorsed social work week?

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Volunteers with no experience in child protection scheme

Journalist:  Rosemary Bennett 

 

Date:  May 31, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes the pilot of a project in the UK that utilizes volunteers who have no experience in social work to provide assistance to families of children who experience problems such as physical and sexual abuse, and neglect.  The model is based on a project that was previously used in California.  The volunteers primarily provide support to parents experiencing stress because they are being investigated for abuse, and their children may be removed from the home. 

 

Relevance:   This article describes the pilot of an approach that provides additional service to families involved with child protection services.

 

Questions:

 

1.      How many volunteers, parents and children are participating in the pilot of this project?

2.      What type of services do volunteers provide to families?

3.      What are your thoughts regarding the use volunteers with no experience in child protection being used to provide support and services?

4.      How much time is required from volunteers?

5.      Why is it wise to pilot this project before fully implementing it?

 

 

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