Bradley Bogdan is a member:
Virus forebodes a mental health crisis
Roll Call
Bradley Bogdan, a clinical social work supervisor at Texas A&M University’s Department of Psychiatry, said he has already seen increases in patients anxious about COVID-19. “We have had a marked increase in terms of folks calling and looking to receive services for anxiety symptoms, and a lot of them will explicitly say this is related to the pandemic,” said Bogdan.

Seniors isolated amid coronavirus measures find help through new chat and crisis line
Daily Pilot
Kimberly Lewis had planned to launch the GoldenTalk senior chat and crisis line May 1. Then the COVID-19 coronavirus happened. Now, while people of all ages are socially isolating to try to contain the virus, senior citizens remain among the most vulnerable to serious effects — both from the virus and from isolation…. She also has trained employees from Verizon’s corporate social responsibility department, students from USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and members of the Red Cross’ AmeriCorps program.

Paula Scatoloni is a member:
[Audio] Embracing Distance: Coping With The Lack Of Physical Touch During COVID-19
North Carolina Public Radio
On this episode of Embodied, a series about sex, relationships and your heath, host Anita Rao talks to Paula Scatoloni, a licensed clinical social worker and somatic experiencing practitioner in Chapel Hill, and Tiffany Field, research professor and director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Kathy Douglas is a member:
[Audio] COVID-19 Is Creating Another Public Health Crisis: Domestic Violence
North Carolina Public Radio
The weeks of stay-at-home orders have created space for some families to spend more time together than ever before. This could mean more bonding, family meals and joyful activities. But for others it makes for a dangerous situation…. Plus, licensed social worker Kathy Douglas talks about how she is navigating the move to telehealth and the struggles of connecting her clients to services. Douglas is the owner of Stepping Forward Counseling Services in Lincolnton.

Nancy Watson is a member:
Real-time advisory sessions that support students’ social-emotional health
eSchool News
“It’s so important for mental health experts and educators to come together right now, but I think it’s even more critical to hear directly from students — how they are coping, what’s on their minds, and how we can best support them.” said Nancy Watson, LCSW, CADC and school social worker at Lake Forest Country Day School. “That’s been the approach from The Social Institute, and #WinAtSocial LIVE is the culmination of those findings.”

Annie Miller is a member:
6 Strategies to Reduce Your Screen Time During Social Distancing
Clever
Structuring your day can be incredibly helpful in keeping track of how much time you spend online. “Schedules help ground us, and a daily routine gives us an anchor; it allows us to feel like we have a sense of control in a situation when we feel out of control,” says Annie Miller, MSW, LCSW-C, LICSW, a practicing psychotherapist. “We are going to be on screens more right now, that’s a given. But aiming for screen time at specific points in the day, and setting limits on it, will allow you to feel like you have more control.” Netflix may be tempting, but plan to watch 45-minute episodes each day rather than bingeing an entire season.

Ashton Sanchez is a member:
Ashton Sanchez: A Letter to Social Work Students During COVID-19
Miami’s Community Newspapers
We will grow from this situation. It will teach us how to adapt to changes. It will teach us how to manage stress and frustrations. This is a time to reflect on all that is important to us. This is a time to realize not to take anything for granted. Take the time to practice self-care. FaceTime loved ones that you are always too busy to see. Take the time to appreciate the simplicity of being able to go to a restaurant or the beach. In addition, take some time to explore the NASW-FL website – http://www.naswfl.org/home.html – for Resources for Social Work Education during COVID19.

Mental Health Providers Are Struggling, Too. Here’s How They’re Supporting Each Other
Yes!
Washington state, the first U.S. epicenter of the pandemic, has enlisted several professional organizations to keep records of therapists available and trained to work with other first responders: the National Association of Social Workers, the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy in Washington and the Washington State Society for Clinical Social Work.

Katherine Hill is a member:
Katharine Hill Named Director of School of Social Work
University of Saint Thomas
I am pleased to announce Dr. Katharine Hill has accepted the offer to become the next Director, School of Social Work. In this capacity, she will have oversight and strategic responsibility for the BSW, MSW, and BSW programs. Hill will join the Morrison Family College of Health as the Director of the School of Social Work and start her role on July 1, 2020.

Opinion: Remember to take care of your mental health during the coronavirus
The Colorado Sun
Luckily, there’s plenty you can do right now, from home, to take care of yourself. While writing this piece, I reached out to friends of mine in the mental health field who helped me compile the following recommendations. I’m very grateful to Rick Ginsberg, Ph.D., President of the Colorado Psychological Association and Felicidad X. Fraser-Solak, LCSW, Colorado Chapter President of the National Association of Social Workers, for their suggestions and willingness to help during this time.

‘Suffering in silence’: Coronavirus is a major challenge to NJ’s child protection system
northjersey.com
Experts say child abuse is hidden even in the best of times. They are concerned about children who could be abused for months before schools reopen and life returns to something resembling normalcy. Then, they anticipate a flood of calls. “The system is going to be deluged with reports whenever we start getting back to normal” and children return to child care centers and to school, said Angelo McClain, the CEO of the National Association of Social Workers. “Some of those undetected issues will be detected in a two-to-four-month window, and that’s going to put stress on the child welfare system.”

DeAnn Collins is a member:
Health First Offers Free COVID-19 Stress Support Line During Coronavirus Threat
Space Coast Daily
At any given time, life might not go according to plan. A variety of unexpected changes can happen, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic that’s causing stress and anxiety. However, enduring this uncertainty alone isn’t your only option. Health First’s Senior Behavioral Wellness team is here to support and give helpful advice through the COVID-19 Stress Support line. It’s an idea that came to DeAnn Collins one morning while engaging in her daily prayer and mindfulness practices.

Cathy Schueler is a member:
Sheltering can get on people’s nerves
Albuquerque Journal
There’s an old adage that “familiarity breeds contempt.” That’s what many people describe when talking about the self-isolation imposed to stay safe from the COVID-19 coronavirus. “They’re sheltering in place and getting on each other’s nerves because they’re not used to being together so much,” said Cathy Schueler, executive director of Bosque Mental Health.

Dennis England is a member:
Altered Lives: Therapist finds new ways to help people navigate the new normal in a world without handshakes and hugs
Tulsa World
For Dennis England, the human touch is an important part of the work he does. “I’m a hugger by nature, and I’ve always believe that some kind of physical connection is therapeutic in some way,” said England, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who has been in private practice for the past decade.

Danielle Fazio is a member:
For Mainers in recovery, isolation presents a unique challenge
Penobscot Bay Pilot
Dani Fazio, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, works for herself in private practice at Therapy For The People in Portland, as well as at Crossroads, a behavioral health agency in Scarborough. Three days a week, she facilitates an intensive outpatient program for women with substance use disorder, providing a space for these women to be “in community” with each other when they may otherwise have no one.

Deidra Ashley is a member:
Deidra Ashley: Reduce your anxiety by taking care of you
Jackson Hole News
As the reality of COVID-19 hits us locally as well as spreads across the nation, many individuals are understandably experiencing increased anxiety and stress. Those who are already struggling with mental health issues may be triggered even more so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put together “community mitigation strategies” to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They include suggestions for what we, as a community should be doing to slow the spread of the virus in order to avoid overwhelming the health care system.

Heather Evans is a member:
COVID-19: Anxiety in our children
WFMZ
Licensed clinical social worker and counselor Dr. Heather Evans, whose practice is in Coopersburg, says we need to be careful to coach our kids through this trying time. “Children absolutely need space to express their fears and emotions. We need to validate those, and don’t consider them disrespectful or say they are complaining. Say ‘I know, this is difficult.’  They’re grieving too. They’re facing uncertainty as well,” Dr. Evans said.