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Editor's E-Note
Generally, social media use has mental health implications for its users, especially those who are adolescents. Furthermore, adolescents with preexisting chronic mental health conditions may be affected differently, which impacts how they interact with such platforms. This month’s exclusive explores the implications of such interactions, highlighting ways in which social workers can better understand and aid this population.
I’m excited to receive your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. While you’re at it, visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, like our Facebook page, and follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Enjoy the newsletter.
— Josh Hildebrand, editor |
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| In This E-Newsletter
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Adolescents With Mental Health Conditions Use Social Media Differently Than Their Peers, Study Suggests
Young people with a diagnosable mental health condition report differences in their experiences of social media compared with those without a condition, including greater dissatisfaction with online friend counts and more time spent on social media sites.
This is according to a new study led by the University of Cambridge, which suggests that adolescents with “internalizing” conditions such as anxiety and depression report feeling particularly affected by social media.
Young people with these conditions are more likely to report comparing themselves with others on social media, feeling a lack of self-control over time spent on the platforms, as well as changes in mood due to the likes and comments received.
Researchers found that adolescents with any mental health condition report spending more time on social media than those without a mental health condition, amounting to an average of roughly 50 minutes extra on a typical day.*
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Federal Grant Cuts Impact Schools
The Department of Education, in its letter to Heritage University and Educational Service District 105, states that the university’s Safer Communities Act of 2022 no longer aligns with the current administration’s priorities. The Safer Communities Act of 2022 was designed to address shortages of mental health providers in schools.
Nova Scotia Social Workers Need Support
Social workers in Nova Scotia (NS) are demanding government accountability after a teenager fatally stabbed a child. NS social workers are overworked and burnt out, CBC reports.
Improving Outcomes for Foster Care Youth
Guardians appointed to represent foster children in various legal proceedings may improve outcomes, according to Florida Atlantic University.
Increased Visits for New Zealand At-Risk Youth Are Needed
A New Zealand watchdog group says that despite government figures, visits to at-risk youth should be higher. High workloads for social workers make this difficult, reports RNZ. |
"Navigating Family Estrangement: Helping Adults Understand and Manage the Challenges of Family Estrangement"
Family estrangement and the stigma attached to it are complex phenomena affecting a great number of people in various ways. In response, Navigating Family Estrangement offers a deep dive into the reality of being estranged in contemporary society.
This practical guide looks at how to effectively help estranged adults achieve better outcomes from a variety of perspectives. The author explores the difficulties of working with estrangement, including professional roadblocks such as the six biases that prevent connecting with a client's experience. He delves into the unique seven-step Estrangement Inquiry Model that aims to provide important insight into a client's family history, map out the present estrangement dynamic, and highlight the types of interventions to support their needs. Combining research from a range of different fields with the author's decade of clinical experience, the book is supplemented with five comprehensive case studies to demonstrate the practical strategies that address estrangement challenges.
This book offers a clear and collaborative approach to a topic that will be relevant for a range of professionals, including psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, and social workers. Learn more »
UTA-Backed Research Tackles Health Challenges Across Ages
Genevieve Graaf spent years as a mental health social worker specializing in children and youth with complex behavioral health needs. Many had to travel to other states or hundreds of miles from family to access adequate medical care. Drawing on her experience, Graaf, an assistant professor of social work at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), has continuously sought ways to improve community-based support programs and ease the burden on families.
She will build on that work with her latest research through UTA’s Center for Innovation and Health Informatics, which recently received funding from the Raj Nooyi Endowed Research Award Fund. Graaf’s project was one of two selected for inaugural seed grants from the award. The other project, led by Salman Sohrabi, an assistant professor of bioengineering at UTA, focuses on healthy aging.
The seed grants were made possible by a $5 million gift from Raj Nooyi (’78 MS, Industrial Engineering) and his wife, Indra, to position UTA at the forefront of the growing health informatics field. Learn more » |
The nation's top employers and recruiters of social workers advertise in Social Work Today magazine and post their job openings on AHCJobBoard.com. Check out the most recent opportunities that have been submitted by employers across the country!
Featured Employers
California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS)
Clinical Social Worker
Tehachapi, California, United States
Clinical Social Worker
Stockton, California, United States
Clinical Social Worker
Norco, California, United States
Clinical Social Worker
Delano, California, United States
Clinical Social Worker
Blythe, California, United States |
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Defense Health Agency
Social Worker (Clinical) 2025-8687
Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, United States
Social Worker (Family Advocacy Program Treatment Manager (FATM)) 2025-8622
Goose Creek, South Carolina, United States
Social Worker (Clinical) 2025-8619
Ft Sill, Oklahoma, United States
Supervisory Social Worker (Clinical) 2025-8599
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Social Worker (Clinical) (GS-12) 2025-8707
Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri, United States |
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COVER STORY
Keeping the Balance
Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is essential to reduce social worker burnout.
FEATURE
Navigating Ambiguous Loss
Social workers can help patients and families navigate this unique form of grief.
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