Las Vegas police change how they handle runaways

Journalist:   Antonio Planas   

Date:  February 21, 2009

Summary:  This article describes a new initiative, the High Risk Runaway Detail that changes how law enforcement in Las Vegas responds to runaway youth.  Three detectives are assigned to the Detail which investigates why chronic runaways ran away from their homes.  This represents a change from previous procedures where police officers returned runaway youth to their homes without investigating the reasons why youth ran away.

Relevance:  Numerous opportunities exist for partnership between law enforcement and social services agencies. 

Questions:

1) What are some common assumptions that are made regarding run away youth? Why are these assumptions often incorrect? 
2) How many cases of runaway youth did the Detail investigate within an approximately 6 month period? Categorize the various classifications of youth who were investigated.
3) Describe two case illustrations that demonstrate the experiences of runaway youth.

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Budget cuts will close youth jail

Journalist:   Eric Frazier  

Date:  February 21, 2009

Summary:  This article describes the budget cuts that will impact a community.  Many of the cuts involve mental health services, community support services including domestic violence services, social services, and human resources, among others. A youth jail will also be closing and the youth will be transferred to adult facilities in other communities.

Relevance:  The recession will impact budgets and services in many communities. 

Questions:

1)  How important is mileage reimbursement, training/travel funds, printing and office supplies to your work? If these items were reduced how will it impact your work? Will your work with clients be impacted? If so, how?  
2) Describe the type of mental health services that will be cut. Describe the range of social services that will be cut.  How will reducing the ability to expand services to new clients impact communities?
3) What impact might decreasing the ability to offer conversational Spanish to employees working with Latino clients have?
4) Can you design a research project to investigate whether youth will be placed at greater risk of joining the adult jail population later in life? What type of data would be needed?

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Hospital study will offer drug counseling to patients

Journalist:   Mary Ann Roser 

Date:  February 22, 2009

Summary:  This article describes a research project that involves trauma patients who have drug and alcohol problems.  The patients are referred to drug and alcohol services and approached to participate in a research project focused on reducing the problems that are associated with alcohol abuse.  Previous studies investing alcohol interventions have shown a 47% reduction rate in return visits to trauma centers.  The project described in the article examines an intervention provided to individuals who abuse drugs.

Relevance:  Social workers should be informed of interventions that are evidence-based.

Questions:

1)  Describe some of the problems associated with alcohol abuse.  Why will the research project also seek to reduce the risk of HIV infection?
2)  Describe the intervention that will be provided to the trauma patients who have drug problems.
3)  What are evidence-based interventions?  What are your thoughts about evidence-based interventions?

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State tops nation in homeless veterans

Journalist:   Bryony D. Stocker

Date:  February 17, 2009

Summary:  This article reports that Louisiana has a higher percentage of homeless veterans than any other state in the country.  The rate is four times higher than the national average, and the Veterans Administration indicted in a 2006 report that Louisiana has 150 funded beds while the homeless population is estimated at 9,950.

Relevance:  Social workers provide a variety of services to veterans and their families.

Questions:

1)  Describe the unique needs of female veterans. 
2)  Why are veterans overrepresented among the homeless?
3)  Based on studies using samples of Vietnam veterans how long can it take between military discharge and becoming homeless?
4)  Summarize the findings of the 2007 Congressional Research Service report.

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Ex-inmates hope for help after leaving prison

Journalist:   Tamara Lush

Date:  February 16, 2009

Summary:  This article describes the impact of the recession on individuals who are released from prison.  The future and funding for the Second Chance Act, signed by former President Bush in April 2008, is questioned due to the recession.

Relevance:  Social workers provide a variety of services to former prisoners.

Questions:

1)  What obstacles do individuals face when released from prison?
2)  What is the purpose of the Second Chance Act? Why has funding for the Act been questioned?
3)  How will grant money from the Second Chance Act be used?
4)  Summarize the experiences of two individuals described in the article who were recently released from prison.

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Fewer care facilities use restraints for elderly residents

Journalist:   Julie Appleby and Jack Gillum

Date:  February 16, 2009

Summary:  This article describes the reasons for the decrease in the use of restraints among the elderly living in care facilities, the reason why restraints are used, the impact of using restraints on the elderly, and practices that can be used when avoiding restraints. 

Relevance:  Social workers provide a variety of services to the elderly and their families. Being informed about the use of restraints can be valuable information social workers, the elderly and their families.  

Questions:

1)  Why were physical restraints widely used in nursing homes?
2)  Based on the USA TODAY analysis of self-report data provided to Medicaid by nursing homes what percent of nursing home residents receive physical restraints?  Describe the trends reported in 1991, 2003 and 2007. What are the advantages and disadvantages of self-report data?
3)  What impact does immobilization have on nursing home residents?
4)  Describe three findings from the data analysis conducted in 2007.
5)  What changes can be made to prevent falls other than the use of restraints?

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Catholic Charities celebrates 50th anniversary in Salina

Journalist:  Gary Demuth

Date:  February 8, 2009

Summary:  This article describes one Catholic Charities agency that is celebrating its 50th anniversary within a community.  The history of the agency is described is as well as the changes in services and clients that has occurred over time.

Relevance:  Catholic Charities is the largest social service network in the country.

Questions:

1) How many branches of Catholic Charities exist nationwide? Doe your community have a branch of Catholic Charities?
2) How long has the Catholic Charities organizations existed?  What types of services are generally provided by Catholic Charities?
3) Describe the staffing patterns of the Catholic Charities agency described in the article.
4) What goal does the Catholic Charities agency hope to achieve by 2020?

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Finding work is tough job for unemployed in WNY

Journalist:  Maki Becker

Date:  February 8, 2009

Summary:  This article describes the impact of the recession on a community that was thought to be “recession-proof” and the experiences of individuals who are seeking services from an employment and training center, including a social worker.  The unemployment rate within the community is increasing. 

Relevance:  The recession impacts social workers as well as clients who receive social work services.

Questions:

1) What is the unemployment rate within the community described in the article?
2) What types of services are provided by the employment and training center?
3) Describe the experiences of at least four participants at the employment and training center.
4) Do you think that the recession will impact your employment career goals? Why or why not? If so, in what ways will your career be impacted?

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Hub human-service nonprofits hiring

Journalist:  Adam Smith

Date:  February 9, 2009

Summary:  This article describes the hiring of workers in nonprofit social service agencies within a state.  Charities, foundations and social service providers comprise a notable portion of the economy within the state.  The article also describes the sources of income for nonprofits and how nonprofits may benefit from the economic stimulus plan proposed by President Obama.

Relevance:  This article describes the experience of nonprofits within one state during the recession.

Questions:

1) Why are nonprofit organizations within this state hiring and continuing to grow despite the recession?
2) How many workers in the state are employed in the nonprofit sector? What percentage of the workforce does this represent both within the state and nationally?
3) Describe the sources of financial support for nonprofits and describe the percentages.
4) Is it always true that workers in nonprofit organizations receive less pay than workers employed in for-profit organizations? State why or why not using information obtained from the article.

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Juvenile offenders, parolees face social work

Journalist:  Unknown               

Date:  January 30, 2009

Summary:  This article describes a proposal made by the Japanese Justice Ministry to make individuals convicted of crimes and juveniles who break the law provide social services and other tasks such as cleaning public facilities in parks and provide care to the elder in nursing homes.  These tasks will be provided while individuals are completing their parole and probation sentences.

Relevance:  Communities are exploring different ways to deal with individuals on probation and parole.  This article highlights an approach proposed in Japan. 

Questions:

1. How many individuals in Japan were placed on probation in 2007?
2. What are the aims of the proposals?
3. What do you think about this proposal? What do you think about the proposal to cancel parole if individuals refuse to perform social work related tasks?
4. Do you think that these individuals on probation and parole are performing social work? Why or why not?
  
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