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February 2022 Connect with us Facebook Twitter Sign up  |  Archive  |  Advertise
Editor's e-Note
The consequences of bullying can last a lifetime. Heartbreaking stories touch far too many families, leaving many in disarray.

Fortunately, social workers are equipped with the skills to make a difference, stepping into potential volatile situations to prevent tragedy. For many working in education settings, it’s important to get out in front of problems before they escalate.

We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.

— Lee DeOrio, editorial director
e-News Exclusive
Bullying and Suicide:
How Social Workers Can Help


By Elizabeth Drucker

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both bullying and suicide are major public health problems that significantly affect youth in the United States. While the CDC explains that there is not a direct causal link between the two, it is known that they greatly influence each other. The students who are most at risk for both bullying and suicide are youth with disabilities and learning differences. LGBTQ youth are also more frequently targeted in bullying situations and have a higher rate of suicide. Bullying can mean a lot of different things, but the CDC explains that it “includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.”

Suicide is a major concern for social workers of all stripes. The CDC collects data on this emerging public health issue, including among young adults. For example, they found that in the span of one year, “nearly 14% of American high school students seriously consider suicide, nearly 11% make plans about how they would end their lives, and 6.3% actually attempt suicide.” In order to reduce one major risk factor for suicide, bullying, social workers should learn more about the ins and outs of this social problem and how they can use their specialized skills to assist and advocate for young people in their communities.

Full story »
Industry Insight
MercyFirst Appoints Chief Quality Officer

MercyFirst, a social service organization serving the children, youth, and families of Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island since 1894, announces the appointment of Mary Jane Dessables, LMSW, as the agency’s chief quality officer. Dessables will oversee the performance and quality improvement department responsible for the overall information, program and operational quality, compliance, program data tracking, reporting, and quality and performance improvement processes across MercyFirst’s programs and services. She will report directly to the president and CEO.

“We are delighted to welcome Mary Jane to MercyFirst and to have someone with her experience help the agency develop and roll out strategies to further enhance the quality of care for the 3,000 children and families we serve annually,” says Renée Skolaski, MercyFirst President and CEO. “Mary Jane’s vast knowledge of child and family services advocacy on all levels—New York State child welfare regulations and data systems, New York City child welfare regulations and policy, and current family and children research and practice trends—makes her the perfect candidate for this important leadership position.”

“I am thrilled to join MercyFirst and play a role in helping the agency continue making a difference in the lives of struggling children and families,” Dessables says. “I look forward to collaborating with the agency’s dedicated team of experts to carry out MercyFirst’s mission of helping those in need through high-quality programs and services consistent with industry best practices, accrediting bodies, and regulatory requirements.”

Read more »
Products & Services
NYU Launches the Latinx in Social Work Discussion Series

The New York University Silver School of Social Work has partnered with alumna and Sandoval CoLab founder Erica Sandoval to launch the “Latinx in Social Work Discussion Series,” virtual panels featuring authors from Latinx in Social Work exploring themes from the book.

An initiative from workplace wellness and equity consulting firm Sandoval CoLab, Latinx in Social Work is an anthology of personal essays written by 22 Latinx social workers that calls awareness to the racism, bias, and discrimination experienced by social workers. Published by Fig Factor Media, the book is a revolutionary step in creating a movement that is committed to owning Latinx narratives, naming common but unspoken struggles, and driving practitioners’ own healing. The book has been introduced in schools of social work curricula—including the NYU Silver School of Social Work—as a mirror to reflect the experiences of Latinx students and a tool to help students of other backgrounds understand the need for cultural humility in their practice. Latinx in Social Work will soon be followed by a Spanish translation and a second volume.

Read more »
 
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Child Maltreatment Services
Step inside the Nurturing Parenting Program to discover its limitations and successes. Read more »

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Other News
More Than One-Third of Young Adult U.S. Men Involved in Technology-Related Abuse, Study Finds
Researchers at Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan studied how young American men engage in abusive relationships via technology.

Cervical Cancer Kills Black Women at a Disproportionately Higher Rate Than Whites
Black women are more likely to have a late-stage diagnosis of cervical cancer and are more likely to die of the disease than white women, reports NPR.
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