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February is Eating Disorder Awareness Month and this month’s e-exclusive addresses binge eating disorders. Acknowledging that what propels bingeing is not simply food but often underlying trauma such as (but not limited to) sexual abuse is important in understanding and treating binge eating disorders. Clinicians who work with clients who binge are working with individuals who are experiencing a loss of control just as they may have experienced with a past traumatic event. Eating disorder expert Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA, encourages clinicians “to consider that an eating disorder may be the client’s way of re-enacting or restorying their trauma.” Accordingly, clinicians must help clients find new tools to replace the food. We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, join our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter. — Marianne Mallon, editor Understanding Binge Eating Disorders By Lindsey Getz Treating trauma and treating binge eating disorders may seem like two entirely separate entities, but often a disorder such as binge eating is a coping mechanism. Research shows that many individuals with eating disorders have had a prior history of sexual abuse. Since binge eating is centered on consuming food, it would appear that food is the problem. Not the case at all, says Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA, founder and president of Advanced Psychotherapy Training and Education, Inc. in the Baltimore area. “One of the key elements I want clinicians to know when treating clients with binge eating disorder is that food is just the symptom,” says Ferentz. “If someone is bingeing, there is probably a deeper pain narrative underneath that is trying to be managed with food.” While certainly not all cases of eating disorders are linked to a past history of trauma, Ferentz says that the literature reveals many are—and that can’t be ignored. In fact, in many cases that trauma history is at the core of why the binge eating is happening in the first place. Full Story » The Value of Person-Centered Care A person-centered approach in social work looks at each individual’s history and circumstances. In Eden at Home, caregivers are trained in how to apply this philosophy so that each client receiving care is able to have a meaningful experience. Read more » Ethical Challenges in the Technology Age Social work has come a long way from the days of Jane Addams. Time and technology have created dilemmas that could not have been imagined. The right call isn’t always the easy one. Read more » Social Workers in the Spotlight Read about the chosen finalists in our Fifth Annual 10 Dedicated and Deserving Social Workers. Many readers nominated colleagues, coworkers, and mentors by writing inspiring essays. Read more »   Understanding Binge Eating Disorders The Value of Person-Centered Care Ethical Challenges in the Technology Age Social Workers In the Spotlight Pediatricians View Youth Marijuana Use as a Public Health vs. Criminal Justice Issue Mental Health Research Takes a Different Direction Los Angeles County Program Called Nation's Most Promising to End Homelessness Organization Supports Students With Mental Health Challenges Letter to the Editor Tech & Tools Monitoring of Internet Use by Parents Can Lead Adolescents to Increase Risky Online Behavior Parents who very closely monitor their children’s Internet use in an attempt to reduce unsafe online behavior may actually be achieving the opposite effect, according to a new study conducted by University of Haifa researchers. Learn more » Pro-Marijuana ‘Tweets’ On Rise Analyzing every marijuana-related Twitter message sent during a one-month period in early 2014, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that the “Twitterverse” is a pot-friendly place. In that time, more than 7 million tweets referenced marijuana, with 15 times as many pro-pot tweets sent as anti-pot tweets. The findings are reported online January 22 in the Journal of Adolescent Health and will appear in its February print edition. Learn more » A Secure, Anonymous Résumé Bank Job Alerts Sent to Your E-mail

Social Work Today's CE program offers social workers the opportunity to earn CEs from the comfort of their homes or offices. Visit www.SocialWorkTodayCE.com today and join the thousands of professionals from across the country who already have taken advantage of this great program. Simply read an issue of the magazine and complete the online exam or the printed exam published in the magazine, and most issue exams will earn 2 CE credits! PLUS, you have the opportunity to earn CE credits from past issues, too! See what all the talk is about. Visit www.SocialWorkTodayCE.com today for more information! Pediatricians View Youth Marijuana Use as Public Health vs. Criminal Justice Issue NPR reports the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending the decriminalization of marijuana. Mental Health Research Takes a Different Direction According to this The New York Times op-ed piece, the National Institutes of Mental Health are embarking on a new research mission that is no longer diagnosis-driven. Los Angeles County Program Called Nation's Most Promising to End Homelessness The Los Angeles Times reports on an initiative that uses county Department of Health Services money to subsidize rents for the very sick among the county's 39,000 homeless people. Organization Supports Students With Mental Health Challenges According to USA Today, Active Minds is effectively helping college students with mental health conditions. (In response to the January e-News Exclusive, “Program Promotes Aging in Place Model Community”) Dear Editor, I think most everyone agrees with the concept, and it is proven to be the most satisfying and economical help in most cases. Yet, as with so many things, it too often still comes down to what people can afford. The wealthy can usually get what they want/need to stay in their homes safely. The very poor have a (limited) network of assistance/support, if they qualify. Florida has a new Medicaid structure that offers LTC [long term care] services in the community, if people qualify for Medicaid first, and there is always a long waiting list. Too often, historically, people are pushed into (very expensive) nursing homes because it is the only 24/7 care they qualify for under Medicaid after their savings are exhausted. Most people cannot afford the premiums for LTC private insurance, prior to need. I do not have better answers; it again seems to come down to what people can afford and/or what family is willing/available for. I see it every day. Plus, I took care of my mother in her home and an aunt in her home until they each died. I have “been there” with no outside help. We were in the middle ground: having too much to qualify for any help but not enough for support and supplies you would like to have. Louise McEachern, MSW, CRC Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital Social Work Case Manager   The nation's top employers and recruiters of social workers advertise in Social Work Today magazine and post their job openings on AlliedHealthCareers.com. Check out the most recent opportunities that have been submitted by employers across the country! Clinician—Meridian Behavioral Health, Florida Social Worker—Humboldt Hospital, Nevada Have a product, service, or educational program you want to market to social work professionals, or an open position that you need to fill quickly? Social Work Today offers many flexible advertising programs designed to maximize your results. From print advertising to e-newsletter sponsorships, website advertising to direct mail opportunities, Social Work Today helps achieve your goals. E-mail our experienced account executives today for more information or call 800-278-4400! Coming up in our March/April 2015 issue is our Annual Education Guide. E-mail a sales representative to be part of this unique advertising opportunity. AlliedHealthCareers.com is the premier online resource to recruit social work professionals. Post your open positions, view résumés, and showcase your facility's offerings all at AlliedHealthCareers.com! Social workers care about their clients, but rarely do they have time to care about themselves. Show yourself a little appreciation with field-inspired gear from our Gift Shop. We've got the perfect item for every situation from busy days in the office to at-home visits. Check out our secure online shop today or call toll-free 877-809-1659 for easy and fast ordering.