Rocky Lucas is a member:
Coming out for Cougs like him
Washington State University
Before Rocky Lucas had ever set foot in Pullman or had a clue what it meant to be a Coug, he was a fan of former Washington State University football great Drew Bledsoe. It didn’t have as much to do with the rocket arm, accuracy, records, or the 90s playoff runs in the NFL, for Lucas, a 12-year-old boy staring through a TV in rural Kentucky, the New England quarterback was his first crush. “He’s the first one I can remember,” said Lucas, now a licensed clinical social worker at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Cori Bush proposal would put $10 billion behind social work, public health alternatives to policing
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush on Monday introduced sweeping legislation to overhaul public safety by spending $10 billion to grow emergency response programs led by health officials, social workers and community groups, providing alternatives to police and prisons. Bush’s “People’s Response Act” would establish a new federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tasked with treating crimes such as gun violence and drug abuse as public health concerns. The goal, according to the bill, is to address “root causes of those issues rather than imposing criminal punishment.”

Erica Egeto is a member:
As air travel starts up again, emotional support animals get left behind
Salon
As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), LeAnn Egeto is passionate about training her miniature pinscher, Habibi, to serve as an emotional support animal. Professionally, Egeto has seen clients connect with animals after recalling a traumatizing event from their past. Personally, she’s experienced the benefits of having the comfort and support of an animal. Before she got Habibi — right before the pandemic shut down the country — she had Willie, a rescue mutt. Before Willie passed away, he and Egeto used to fly between Boston and Florida together. He’d sit on her lap and provide support during the flight, and during her visits with her family.

NASWNJ: Mental health crisis: Community needs can’t be met
Insider NJ
“Daily, we field dozens of calls and emails from social workers with degrees who have passed the licensing exams and completed all necessary steps for licensure, but who cannot get a response from our licensing board,” said Jennifer Thompson, MSW and Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers New Jersey (NASW-NJ).

Lori Osachy is a member:
Experts urge those suffering trauma from condo collapse images to address feelings
News4Jax
“The truth is we’re all going through these feelings looking at these horrible pictures and coming together as a country,” said Licensed Clinical Social Worker Lori Osachy. Osachy said for those living or working in condos or high-rise buildings, it’s important to address any feelings of anxiety. “It’s very important to realize that this is an isolated event, try to talk back to the fear and realize there are millions and millions of condos that did not collapse,” said Osachy.

Ruby Mehta is a member:
Questioning Your Relationship with Alcohol? Here’s What to Do Next
Healthline
You might not think about alcohol as a glaring problem in your life, but it’s still a great idea to assess your relationship with alcohol from time to time, says Ruby Mehta, LCSW, director of clinical operations at Tempest, a digital recovery program. “Ask yourself, is alcohol interfering with the way you want to live or the things you want to do? It can be helpful to think about the effects of alcohol on the four major quadrants of your life,” Mehta advises.

Antonio Ruberto is a member:
Harm-Reduction Services To Get Federal Funding—And That Could Save Lives
Well + Good
As overdoses surge amid the pandemic, harm-reduction services that distribute clean syringes and other supplies intended to protect users are gaining much-needed support from the federal government. With backing from President Joe Biden, Congress allocated money for harm-reduction services for the first time, a policy move that will save lives, says Antonio Ruberto, LCSW, senior director of behavioral health at New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Robyn Stern is a member:
‘A bully in your brain’: What it’s like to live with body dysmorphic disorder
ABC News
Robyn Stern, a licensed clinical social worker in New York, has missed weeks and months of her life due to body dysmorphic disorder, an illness in which a person is overly worried about imaginary or minor physical flaws. “I missed a semester in college because I couldn’t leave my house for a month,” Stern told “Good Morning America.” “I’ve had three to four medical leaves of absence [from my job] because I couldn’t function optimally.”

Angelise Shelby is a member:
Social Work Program Sees Record Low in Infant Deaths
UMB News
Shania Kerina was pregnant — and homeless — when at least once a week she received a call from Angelise Shelby, MSW, LGSW, a social worker with B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB), the outreach program operated by the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s (UMSSW) Promise Heights initiative.