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Social workers serve vast numbers of veterans throughout the country, and schools of social work have incorporated curricula relevant to veterans, active service members, and the family members of both into their programs to prepare them to do so.
But veterans are not only a population to be served and to learn about; they are also a population that seeks to become social workers themselves. The same schools incorporating military social work into their curricula are also recruiting veterans to become students.
In addition to recruiting, they are also offering resources—financial and otherwise—that will encourage veterans to become successful students. Read this month’s E-News Exclusive about the efforts of schools of social work to recruit veterans and to offer them the resources they need to succeed.
We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.
— Marianne Mallon, editor |
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Bringing Veterans to Schools of Social Work
By Sue Coyle, MSW
For years, veterans have been recognized as worthy and in need of the highest quality social work services. After all, few if any return from deployment unchanged. Many are affected by trauma, posttraumatic stress, and other impacts of combat and war. When they return, they are faced with the difficult task of transitioning home.
“There’s a dance that family members have with veterans when they return,” says Michael G. Rank, PhD, a clinical associate professor of the Virtual Academic Center at the University of Southern California (USC) Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. “Veterans have been a part of the military culture and now they come back into the family culture. There’s a clash of cultures,” Rank says.
“The military experience changes your life forever. It reshapes your personality. When you lump upon that the combat experience—that changes you even more,” he says.
With that in mind, schools of social work throughout the country have begun incorporating curricula specific to veterans, active service members, and the family members of both into their programs.
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New Administration’s Domestic Policy Advisor
Supports Gay Conversion Therapy
The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration has named Ken Blackwell, who has made anti-LGBT statements for years, including that homosexuality is a sin and gay people can be rehabilitated, to head domestic policy.
Sibling Relationships Good for Our Health
According to NPR, research has shown that the lengthiest relationships in life—with siblings—can promote health and happiness.
Great Britain Sets Example in Training Police
to Deal With Mental Health Crises
USA Today reports that some police departments in Great Britain are experimenting with Street Triage, a pilot program that puts nurse practitioners in police cars to help respond to calls involving a mental health crisis.
Virtual Reality Helping Patients With Dementia and Depression
According to The Washington Post, a physician’s company is using virtual reality to help her mother as well as many of her patients with dementia and depression. The physician has received testimonials from patients’ relatives and caregivers who said the relaxing effects of the virtual-reality sessions have lasted for weeks. |
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Bibliotherapy—The Healing Power
of Words
Reading and writing is allowing some social workers to help their clients make progress in therapy when something more is needed. Read more »
Supporting Families of People
Living With Dementia
Millions of families are in need of support as they face caring for a family member living with dementia. Social workers can be a valuable source of comfort, guidance, and resources. Read more » |
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What Molecules Left on Your Phone
Reveal About Your Lifestyle
We leave behind trace chemicals, molecules and microbes on every object we touch. By sampling the molecules on cell phones, researchers at University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences were able to construct lifestyle sketches for each phone’s owner, including diet, preferred hygiene products, health status, and locations visited. This proof-of-concept study, published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could have a number of applications, including criminal profiling, airport screening, medication adherence monitoring, clinical trial participant stratification, and environmental exposure studies.
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