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E-Newsletter • September 2025 |
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Editor's E-Note
Domestic violence remains a pressing issue. Roughly 41% of women and 26% of men have experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Being able to identify the signs of intimate partner violence is crucial in stopping it, along with teaching healthy communication styles. Social workers have the unique ability to meet the victims of intimate partner violence where they’re at—this month’s exclusive dives into the efforts of the University of Texas at Arlington to thwart digital harassment in cases of domestic violence. As it becomes easier to connect with people online, so too does the risk of being cyberstalked or threatened, but there are ways to combat such attacks.
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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UTA Fights Digital Abuse in Domestic Violence Cases
An interdisciplinary research team at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is working to combat technology-facilitated abuse, a form of digital harassment that is common among survivors of domestic violence.
The Mavericks Ending Technology-Facilitated Abuse Project—known as MAVS ETA—brings together faculty and graduate students from the School of Social Work, the College of Engineering, and the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts. Their shared expertise spans intimate partner violence, cybersecurity, and digital communication.
Technology-facilitated abuse (TFA), also called technology-assisted abuse, involves the misuse of digital tools to harass, threaten, exploit or control another person. Common tactics include sending abusive messages through text or social media, tracking someone’s location with GPS-enabled devices, surveilling conversations through email or shared phone accounts, monitoring online activity, or exerting financial control through digital banking platforms.
“Through the project, we’re building on-the-ground knowledge of current TFA tactics, allowing us to identify emerging trends and associated intervention approaches from cybersecurity and public health perspectives,” says Morgan PettyJohn, an assistant professor of social work and clinic director of MAVS ETA. “Social workers are able to spot and respond to victimization within the field, and computer scientists are able to offer technical support and build safer technology from the ground up.”
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Engaged on Homelessness
A professor from the University of Arkansas is looking for members of that community to establish an “interest group” to interact with and advocate for individuals experiencing homelessness. Those interested are encouraged to reach out to John Gallagher at jmgallag@uark.edu.
School Social Work Research Grant
A grant for $200K will support a study on the impact school social workers have on the students at the University of Connecticut. Those assigned to the study will evaluate how NASW standards are applied as well as how the social workers handle adversity.
Improving Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
According to assessments by the Care Quality Commission in the United Kingdom, the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, designed to protect “disabled and older people,” often fail those populations. Organizations are calling for an overhaul.
Social Workers Supporting Employees
A social worker started a program, Beam, to offer support to construction employees to provide support for hardships they may be facing in their professional and personal lives. |
Securing the Future: What Behavioral Health Providers Need to Know About AI and Data Security
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into behavioral health care, ensuring that AI technologies are secure, ethical, and appropriate for sensitive-use cases is critical. In this webinar, we’ll dive into what it truly means for an AI product to be “secure” in a behavioral health context. It goes beyond encryption to include responsible data handling, model transparency, bias mitigation, and compliance with HIPAA and other privacy standards.
Experts in behavioral health technology and data security will break down the core principles of AI security and share practical guidance for providers evaluating new tools. You’ll learn the red flags to watch for, what meaningful certifications or benchmarks to ask about, and which questions every behavioral health provider should ask their AI vendors before adoption.
What you’ll learn:
- Understand the unique risks and requirements for using AI in behavioral health settings.
- Learn what defines a secure and trustworthy AI solution.
- Get a practical checklist of questions to ask AI vendors so the technology meets your ethical and compliance standards.
- Explore how to navigate the balance between innovation and patient safety.
Presenters include Amber Childs, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; Kay Nikiforova, PhD, head of clinical and research at Violet; and Christine Sublett, security advisor at MettaHealth Partners.
Penn State Extension to Offer Webinar Series on Substance Use Education
Penn State Extension will present a free, four-part webinar series this summer, fall, winter, and spring to help community members, families, and professionals address substance use in rural communities, support youth well-being, and learn strategies for assisting individuals affected by substance use disorder or opioid use disorder.
Titled the “Substance Use Education Series,” the program will be moderated by Kristina Brant, an assistant professor of rural sociology in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Each session will feature an expert speaker and focus on a specific aspect of substance use prevention, treatment, or harm reduction.
The webinars, all scheduled from noon to 1 PM, will include the following:
- “Prevention Starts With Us: How Adults Can Make a Difference” on November 7, 2025. Karen Orner, drug and alcohol prevention supervisor at the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, will share practical tools for parents, grandparents, educators, and other caring adults to talk with young people about substance use. The session will highlight prevention strategies making an impact in Pennsylvania schools. Register here.
- “An Introduction to Harm Reduction in Pennsylvania” on February 11, 2026. Barbara Vanaskie, special projects manager at West Branch Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission, will explain harm reduction principles, tools to prevent overdose, and ways individuals can support loved ones. The webinar will also spotlight harm reduction efforts underway in Lycoming and Clinton counties. Register here.
- “Opioid Use Disorders: Treatments and Challenges” on May 6, 2026. Sarah Kawasaki, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Penn State College of Medicine, will discuss treatment options for opioid use disorder, the impact of fentanyl in the illicit opioid supply, and barriers to accessing care. Register here.
Penn State Extension offers these events at no charge, but registration is required to receive the link to access each webinar. The series will be held annually, with four different webinars offered each year.
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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
Defense Health Agency
Social Worker (Clinical) - 0185 - GS - 12
Fort Drum, New York, US
Clinical Psychologist (Behavioral Health Consultant)
Fort Wainwright, Alaska, US
Clinical Psychologist (Behavioral Health Consultant)
Fort Richardson, Alaska, US
Clinical Psychologist (Behavioral Health Consultant)
Eielson AFB, Alaska, US
Clinical Psychologist (Behavioral Health) GS-0180-13
Bethesda, Maryland, US |
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