Lynn Videka is a member:
300 Veterans Will Attend NYU’s Social Work School Under Starbucks CEO Grant
DNAinfo
The chairman of Starbucks donated $300,000 to New York University’s Silver School of Social Work to help recruit and train 300 veterans and their family members specifically to help other veterans, the school announced on Wednesday. Starbucks chief Howard Schultz made the donation through the Schultz Family Foundation, which he founded with his wife, Sheri Schultz.… “We strongly believe that they’ll go on to make a difference as mental health counselors, policy makers, and advocates throughout the profession and on behalf of their fellow veterans,” Silver School Dean Lynn Videka said in a statement.

Michigan rally supports University of Missouri students
WNEM.com
A march and rally at the University of Michigan offered a show of support to University of Missouri students whose protests led two top administrators to resign. Hosted by School of Social Work People Of Color Collective, The Michigan Daily reports the demonstration began at the School of Social Work Building, where participants created signs and banners. They chanted “UMich for Mizzou, we support you.”

Nancy Fitzsimons is a member:
For Minnesota’s disabled adults, freedom to be intimate is rare
Star-Tribune [Minneapolis, MN]
The physical and legal barriers are sometimes reinforced by the widely held perception that people with disabilities are “asexual,” or are too helpless to consent to intimacy, advocates say. “We are denying people [with disabilities] a fundamental part of being human — the right to have intimacy and connectedness,” said Nancy Fitzsimons, a professor of social work at Minnesota State University, Mankato. “We do this because it makes us uncomfortable, without ever asking what’s right for them.”

Melissa Hensley is a member:
Habitat for Humanity dramatically improves families’ lives, study finds
Star-Tribune [Minneapolis, MN]
The ability of families to play a role in shaping their own destiny is a key contributor to well-being, said Melissa Hensley, a faculty member in social work at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. “Most individuals want to be engaged in a constructive activity,” she said. “This is something people feel they’re a part of and can be proud of.”

The author, Marni Feuerman, is a member:
Are You Really Ready for Marriage?
About.com
Almost every serious relationship eventually reaches a stage wherein the couple decides on whether to move toward marriage or call it quits. The decision to get married often comes in stages; you don’t typically wake up with an urge to get married and act on it. Furthermore, sometimes the best relationships happen at the most inconvenient times. Regardless of where you are in life, there are still countless factors you can consider when you are trying to figure out if you and your significant other are ready to get married.

Marlene Saunders is the Executive Director of NASW-DE:
Local clergy, leaders: Wilmington ‘not Murder Town USA’
DelawareOnline
Marlene Saunders, executive director for the National Association of Social Workers Delaware Chapter, said her organization supported the community policing model recommended in the commission’s report and said an approach must be taken to address all issues contributing to the violent environment city residents face.

‘Silver tsunami’ of retirees set to change Asheville
Asheville Citizen-Times [NC]
[Teresa] Stephens said there are also plans for offering supportive services at the housing development, including having an onsite primary care office, a community nurse and social worker available and a café where seniors can gather to socialize and also to work if they so desire. “As more people age, we’re going to need more resources for them, more services, more housing,” Stephens said. “To me, developing a project like this is just common sense. Not all folks are ready for assisted living and not everyone can afford assisted living. When you read about demand here, the need is truly great and it’s only going to get greater.”

Marsha Musick is a member:
Douglass alumni group helps Lincoln students stay warm
Kingsport Times-News [TN]
The Sons and Daughters group, alumni of the former Douglass High School that served blacks before desegregation, donated the winter wear items last month for distribution to students who needed them at Lincoln Elementary. The school distributed the items this month to about 60 students; another distribution will occur around the first of December. “The students were so excited they had their coats, hats, and gloves on going home, and I think it was 70 degrees out,” said Marsha Musick, a social worker who is the family liaison at Lincoln, where the principal is Shelia Newland. “They will need them very soon. What a blessing.”

Pam McKown is a member:
Constant Coverage Of Paris Attacks Could Upset Children
KWTX [Waco, TX]
Parents should keep a close eye on their children, who may be traumatized by the constant news coverage of the terrorist attacks in parents, a Waco licensed social worker says. The best way to make sure children haven’t been affected is simply to talk to them, Licensed Social Worker Pam McKown says. “I think when they start to say ‘I’m scared and I don’t know what’s going to happen,’ I think it’s OK for us to say ‘you know I’m a little scared, too,’ because that gives the child enough freedom to feel the way they need to feel and don’t shut down,” she said.