Child psychiatry groups condemn efforts to link mass shootings with mental health issues
WITF
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and about 60 other national groups that focus on children’s mental health are voicing “deep concerns about false and harmful attempts to link mental illness and gun violence” after recent mass shootings. The statement from organizations including Mental Health America, the National Association of Social Workers and dozens of others comes days after a 21-year-old man killed seven people and wounded dozens during a Fourth of July parade in Illinois.

Charges Dismissed Against 4 Social Workers in Gabriel Fernandez Case
Daily Beast
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Thursday dismissed charges against four social workers accused of child abuse and falsifying records related to the torture death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. The social workers were accused of failed their “legal duty” to protect Gabriel, who died after months of abuse by his mother and her boyfriend who believed Gabriel was gay. Prosecutors alleged the social workers also falsified documents related to his case.

Social Workers Leaving Hospice, Health Care in Record Numbers
Hospice News
Hospices have lost social worker employees at a faster rate than any health care setting in the care continuum. Social workers have left the health care field at record-high rates during the pandemic, according to data from the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation Health System Tracker. As of October 2021, attrition rates exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 35%. As far back as 2006, the hospice industry saw more social workers leave than any other health care sector, according to a study from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University of Albany.

Susan Lager is a member:
How Healthy Couples Handle Tough Times
PsychCentral
Tough times are a reality for every couple. Couples may face major life transitions, such as a new baby, new job or retirement, said Susan Lager, LICSW, a psychotherapist and relationship coach in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They may face ongoing stressors, such as a spouse’s ill health or a negative work environment, she said. They may face losses, such as the death of a friend or family member, or a financial crisis. While tough times affect us all, they can pile on additional stress to your romantic relationship.

Laura Reagan is a member:
A Powerful Exercise for Moving Past Regret
PsychCentral
And you regret it. And you keep thinking about these regrets—these bad moments, these bad decisions—over and over and over. You play out various scenarios. You play out different decisions you could’ve made. “We all have regrets about decisions we make that didn’t go according to plan,” said Laura Reagan, LCSW-C, an integrative trauma therapist in private practice outside of Baltimore. “Mistakes are how we learn.”

Lori Osachy is a member:
Pandemic still taking a toll on students’ socio-emotional development, new data shows
News4Jax
Schools are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic. According to federal data released this week, nearly 90% of U.S. public schools say the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the socio-emotional development of their students. News4JAX asked Licensed Clinical Social Worker Lori Osachy how the pandemic could affect the way a child behaves in the classroom. “Well, I think the pandemic has affected all of us and it’s been very stressful for everyone. Usually, the way kids handle their feelings of stress is by maybe acting out or having other behavioral issues,” said Lori Osachy, LCSW.

Frederick Streets is a member:
Opinion: Religion, sex and ending the stigma for people with AIDS
Shelton Herald
Faithful and active members of religious congregations include people infected and/or affected by HIV and AIDS. Many years ago, I saw that members of the clergy had fears about HIV/AIDS. One pastor told me that “HIV/AIDS is a taboo! I think if I open the debate I will be fired.” Ministerial colleagues told me that they would stand out in the hall of the room in the hospital when they went to visit a parishioner who had AIDS. They were afraid they would catch the disease if they touched or were near the congregant they were calling upon.

A 63-Year-Old Transgender Woman Is Caught in Montana’s Birth Certificate Dispute
KHN
Cathryn Oakley, state legislative director and senior counsel for the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said taking away someone’s opportunity to change a birth certificate denies the person the “ability to be a full, complete member of society.” “It disregards all modern medical knowledge about what it means to be transgender and goes against the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the National Association [of] Social Workers, who say that affirming someone’s gender identity is in their best interest from a health standpoint,” Oakley said.

Adams, Courtney Introduce Bill to Codify and Build on Overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
U.S. Congresswoman Alma Adams
“The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Connecticut Chapter strongly supports Congressman Courtney’s introduction of the Simplifying and Strengthening PSLF Act. Social workers are essential workers, who qualify for public service loan forgiveness,” said Steve Wanczyk-Karp, LMSW, Executive Director, NASW CT Chapter. “In Connecticut, social workers provide approximately two-thirds of all mental health services. For over two years these social workers have been on the front lines of mental health delivery in the pandemic. PSLF loan forgiveness will offer much needed financial support to the social work workforce who struggle to pay off student loans. There is a dramatic need for social workers in Connecticut and this bill supports both the current workforce and makes it feasible to expand the social work workforce.”

Whitmer Highlights Bipartisan Budget Investments in Public Health and Public Safety
Governor Gretchen Whitmer
“Michigan has been long overdue for serious investments in the behavioral health workforce, and COVID has only heightened the critical need for enhanced mental health services across our state. This year’s budget shows a serious bipartisan effort to address these vital services in settings from schools, to hospitals, to our community mental health system,” said Duane Breijak, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter.

Robert Piccolo is a member:
[Video] A look at Montana’s gambling habits
KTVH
To gain insight on how the MCPG works to help problem gamblers, MTN spoke with Robert ‘Bob’ Piccolo, a licensed clinical social worker in Helena who is contracted by the non-profit to provide treatment. Piccolo confirmed that he has been working with problem gamblers that are referred to him for treatment by the MCPG for nearly 20 years, and from his perspective everything appears to be operating as it should.

Chamin Ajjan is a member:
28 Examples Of Gaslighting + Phrases To Look Out For, From Relationship Experts
Mind Body Green
Gaslighting can happen in relationships, within families, and even in the workplace—but it can also be hard to spot in the moment. So, we asked experts what gaslighting really looks like so you can identify when it happens, see some concrete gaslighting examples and phrases, and know how to respond.

Jennifer Sparrock is a member:
[Video] Grieving Omaha family advocates for more suicide prevention measures
WOWT
“Our brains aren’t done developing yet when we’re that age. And I think there are lots of pressures that our young folks have that maybe weren’t the same as you had or certainly not the same that I had, where there are lots of influence from the outside,” said Jennifer Sparrock, a licensed clinical social worker. In mourning, one of Gracie’s brothers said he returned to the bridge and thought of doing the same. That’s why her family, especially Gracie’s mother, hopes some restrictions are added to the bridge, like safety nets or higher barriers. Sparrock, who is also on the board of directors of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Nebraska chapter. And she supports efforts that help restrict or deter suicide attempts.

Rachel Kaplan is a member:
How to Spot Manipulation
PsychCentral
A lack of exposure to emotions as a child can mean you never learned how to mimic these emotions, explains Rachel Kaplan, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist from New York City. Modeling behavior or imitating others is one of the main ways children learn about the world. Eventually, as an adult, you may be unable to identify, acknowledge, or respond to your own emotions or your partner’s.