Chicago police sergeant faces termination over raid of social worker Anjanette Young’s home
Chicago Tribune
A Chicago police supervisor now faces firing for his role in the wrongful raid of social worker Anjanette Young’s home a few years ago. Sgt. Alex Wolinski faces dismissal for eight different Police Department rule violations — ranging from bringing discredit to the department and failing to promote its efforts to disrespecting a person and incompetency — according to city records filed last week to the Chicago Police Board.

Charles Palmer was a member:
Charles Palmer, who led Iowa Department of Human Services for 16 years, dies at age 82
Des Moines Register
Charles “Chuck” Palmer, who was director of Iowa’s Department of Human Services for 16 years, died Sunday. He was 82 and lived in Des Moines. The job Palmer held is one of the highest-profile positions in state government because it involves the care and protection of hundreds of thousands of Iowa’s most vulnerable residents.

Michigan agencies seek strategies to address child welfare worker shortage
The Pink Report
Michigan’s child welfare workers have served on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, doing what they can to build families’ resiliency, keep children in their homes, guide juvenile offenders on the right path, and connect children in greatest need to foster families and adoptive parents. However, the state is currently facing what one industry leader described as a “critical shortage” of child welfare workers. “COVID has put a huge added stress on the workers on the frontlines, but child welfare workers have received very little public or governmental recognition or hazard pay,” says Duane Breijak, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers’ Michigan chapter. “When they make home visits, they are putting themselves in harm’s way.”

Cassie Peck is a member:
Telehealth: Improving access to behavioral health care for Idahoans
KIVI
Therapist Cassie Peck, a licensed clinical social worker who is part of Optum Idaho’s network, practices in Sandpoint, a town in Idaho’s mountainous Panhandle region. Her 20 or so family clients reside in the surrounding rural areas and most are Medicaid participants. The families are often physically and socially isolated. “I work with families who have very limited support. They may not have family in the area. Or they have family that they are estranged from. Or they are families who do not have close friends. Other than talking to me, they might not really have anyone to talk to,” Peck says.

Micki Grimland is a member:
Expert explains psychology behind crowd surge
abc13.com
The volatile scene killed nine people and injured more. Many attendees told ABC13 they waited months, if not years, for the event. The COVID pandemic canceled last year’s concert. There was pent-up demand for the experience. Micki Grimland is a licensed clinical social worker with Southwest Psychotherapy and Associates. Grimland said the so-called “COVID factor” might explain why people seemed more hyped than in previous years.

Greg McGann is a member:
Workers may finally have some leverage with employers
Gainesville Sun
Don’t believe the narrative that workers are staying home because they are lazy or looking for a handout. After decades of stagnated wages and little bargaining power, workers may finally have some leverage with employers. That’s why we’re seeing all those “Help Wanted” signs. It may mean minor delays for consumers; for workers it is a sign that fairer treatment may finally be possible.

Jill Johnson-Young is a member:
11 Mental Health Resources For the LGBTQ+ Community That Will Help You Feel Seen
Yahoo
Therapy is especially important if you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness. However, you don’t want just any therapist – Jill A. Johnson-Young, LCSW, CEO and co-owner of Central Counseling Services in California, recommends choosing someone who identifies as LGBTQ+, if possible. “The LGBTQ+ community needs mental health resources specifically identified for them because there is so much harm that can be done even in an initial meeting with a provider if that provider is still biased and living in the belief that they can ‘choose’ to ‘accept’ the client’s sexual orientation, family, marital status, or gender,” Johnson-Young explained.

‘It’s past crisis point’: Kentucky social workers demand action as hundreds leave for better pay
WLKY
Dozens of social workers gathered Tuesday in Frankfort to call on lawmakers to increase pay for state social workers in the next budget cycle. Officials with the Department for Community Based Services say they’ve lost more than 500 staff workers just this year. Many of them are leaving for better pay and working conditions. Brenda Rosen is the executive director of the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. She and members of the group met with Gov. Andy Beshear Tuesday morning to discuss ways to address the worker shortage.

Monica Faulkner is a member:
[Audio] Social workers say the Texas abortion law further harms victims of rape or incest
NPR
Monica Faulkner is a social worker in Austin who works with sexual assault survivors. She says being unable to terminate the pregnancy will make recovering from an assault even harder. MONICA FAULKNER: “The impact of finally coming forward and then being told there’s no options for you is devastating.”