Social Workers Say Leaving a Child Alone at This Age Is Neglect
Newsweek
Leaving a child alone in the home before the age of 12 constitutes child neglect, according to a survey of social workers.… The survey carried out in 2015 was conducted online among members of the National Association of Social Workers. The researchers wrote: “These results suggest the need for guidelines and/or safety laws related to childhood supervision, as well as their uniformity across the country, in order to direct social workers in their evaluation of potential cases of child neglect and to better protect children from harm.”

Pamela Woodman-Kaehler is a member:
DHHR employee named first state foster care ombudsman
Charleston Gazette-Mail
Pamela M. Woodman-Kaehler, a CPS worker in Harrison County since 2015, was appointed by DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch on Monday. The position was created as part of legislation passed last spring to transition state foster care and adopted child services programs into a managed care system. Sam Hickman, executive director of the West Virginia chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and an advocate for having an ombudsman to oversee the transition, said Monday he was encouraged to learn of Woodman-Kaehler’s appointment.

National Academies Study Recognizes Social Workers as Specialists in Social Care
Social Work Helper
“The social determinants of health account for more than 50 percent of health outcomes. It is therefore important to acknowledge the valuable role of social workers in improving the nation’s health. As the study notes, social workers are specialists in providing social care,” said NASW Chief Executive Officer Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW.

Jenny Briton is a member:
High anxiety: What’s driving more teens to seek mental health care?
MinnPost
Two decades ago, when Jenny Britton, LICSW, director of child and family services for Washburn Center for Children, was getting started in her career as a mental health professional, she often felt she had to work undercover. The teens she saw for common mental health concerns like depression and anxiety usually wanted to keep their relationship with her on the down-low.

Courtney Glashow is a member:
When Miscarriage Is a Relief
Glamour Magazine
Following her first pregnancy, Fader had experienced depression after she stopped nursing. She sought out medication and therapy, which set her back on track. The psychosis she was experiencing after her second pregnancy was significantly worse—the hormonal changes of pregnancy and childbirth had exacerbated her OCD and generalized anxiety disorder, she says (which some research suggests can be a common experience). “Any preexisting mental health issues can definitely be escalated during pregnancy and after childbirth,” says Courtney Glashow, LCSW, owner and psychotherapist at Anchor Therapy in New Jersey, who specializes in helping women after miscarriages. “Pregnancy and postpartum are fragile times for anyone, and it’s always helpful to have support, since you can feel heightened emotional issues.”

Randy Guinard is a member:
Rural providers make the best of dwindling resources
Daily Inter Lake (MT)
[Sindy] Filler is many things, but her primary title is practice manager for the office of Randy Guinard LCSW, a private therapy and counseling practice that serves dozens of people across Lincoln County. As practice manager her duties are widespread, but in recent years her tasks have involved brainstorming ways in which the office staff can monitor their own mental health and wellness, such as participating in therapeutic group painting nights.

The Kids Aren’t Alright: How Texas puts its children at risk
Reform Austin
The escalation of children without health insurance only began in 2017, said Will Francis, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers-Texas, in an interview with Reform Austin. “We have seen that declining for years and that to me is a giant red flag because kids without insurance means parents without insurance and that means no access to doctors, no access to primary care physicians, no access to some of the treatments we need,” he said.

Number of social workers a key sticking point in Chicago teachers strike
Reuters
As the Chicago teachers strike enters a sixth school day on Thursday, negotiations are hung up in part on the question of how many social workers the third-largest U.S. school system can afford for its 300,000 students.… [Mayor Lori] Lightfoot said that even if the funds were available to hire the hundreds of social workers to meet the one-per-250-students recommendation of the National Association of Social Workers, Chicago would have a hard time finding enough trained people to fill the jobs.

Jodi Taub is a member:
13 Signs Your Parents Were ‘Medically Irresponsible’ When You Were Growing Up
Yahoo!
Jodi Taub, a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in New York, told The Mighty medical irresponsibility can range from nuances in parenting styles, to cases of medical neglect, which could involve legal ramifications. The reasons a parent might not adequately provide for their child’s medical needs are similarly broad, but common reasons could include lack of education, not understanding the severity of the illness, distrust of medical professionals and being overwhelmed by the healthcare system.

Laura Reagan is a member:
Is It Normal to Miss Your Former Therapist?
Vice
You may not hesitate to reconnect with an old friend with whom you used to talk to regularly, or to update a helpful teacher or mentor on your accomplishments. When it comes to a therapist who you paid to listen to you, though, it may feel more complicated. But missing your former therapist is completely normal, experts say. “Generally I would just tell someone, ‘That makes sense,’” said Laura Reagan, a clinical social worker and trauma therapist in Maryland who hosts the Therapy Chat podcast. “Not having the same ongoing connection and interaction with them that you used to can be hard, and that’s OK.”

Sarah Buino is a member:
New Mental Health News Radio Podcast ‘Conversations with a Wounded Healer’ Puts the Spotlight on People in the Caring Professions
Economy Watch
​Licensed clinical social worker, therapist, professor and CEO Sarah Buino brings her expertise to the topic of self-care for caregivers. Sarah Buino, LCSW, RDDP, CADC, CDWF, hosts new the Mental Health News Radio Podcast Conversations with a Wounded Healer. The podcast’s core mission is to encourage listeners, especially those in the caring professions, to dive into their self-work. The message is that no one is alone in their experience of pain and struggle. Buino is also the founder of Head/Heart Therapy Inc. and an Adjunct Professor of Social Work at Loyola and Fordham Universities.