Photo courtesy of the Jewish Daily Forward.

Social worker Dianne Matthew goes to senior citizen centers and country clubs throughout south Florida, preaching about the value of safer sex to the elderly. Her campaign was recently covered in this article in the Sun Sentinel.

Americans over the age of 50 are one of the fastest growing demographics for new HIV infections. That age group is also experiencing higher infection rates of other venereal diseases such as syphilis, the article said.

Elderly Americans are getting more chances to have sex because they are living longer and drugs such as Cialis improve sexual performance in men. However, Matthew said many have missed the lessons on safer sex practices that younger people received.

“You think you’re not going to get pregnant, so why do you need to use condoms?” said Matthew, who is clinical director at Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service west of Boca Raton. ”After 50 years of marriage, you’re not used to this.”

To learn more about how social workers help improve the lifestyles of elderly Americans visit the National Association of Social Workers “Help Starts Here” Seniors and Aging Website by clicking here.

Maria Randall. Photo courtesy of Memphis Daily News.

Cheers to the Daily News in Memphis, TN for this profile of National Association of Social Workers member Maria Randall, who says passion is the overarching theme of her life.

Randall is social services director at Hope House, a daycare center for children whose parents or guardians are HIV positive or who have died from AIDS related illnesses.

A third of the mothers of children in this program contracted HIV through a sexual assault and some of the children have seen people  shot to death.

“These children have faced more in their two and three years than I’ve faced in my 52 years,” Randall said. “So, what do we do? We love them. That’s what they need — to be nurtured.”

To learn more about how social workers help young people overcome life’s hurdles visit NASW’s “Help Starts Here” Kids & Families Website by clicking here. “Help Starts Here” also has articles on how social workers assist people living with HIV/AIDS. To read those articles click here.

Jay Elbrecht. Photo courtesy of OregonLive.com.

Cheers to OregonLive.com for this article on social worker Jay Elbrecht, who provides services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day on Dec. 1 brought more attention to the disease. Still, the article talks about how there are fewer sleeping bags, toiletries and other items to help the growing number of clients Elbrecht serves at the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon HIV Day Center.

Still Elbrecht, who was named social worker of the year by the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers two years ago, is dedicated to his clients.

“The thing I always find so compelling about Jay’s work is that he will always do absolutely whatever it takes to help a client, whether that’s helping them move, or getting them a ride to the doctor, or finding them a Christmas tree,” program manager Lindsay Ross-Hunt.

The National Association of Social Workers wants to use the opportunity of World AIDS Day to remind the public that HIV/AIDS remains a crucial global health issue. To learn more click here to visit NASW’s World AIDS Day 2010 Web page.

Darrell Wheeler at the White House conference on black men and HIV/AIDS.

Darrell Wheeler of Hunter College School of Social Work recently attended a White House Office of National AIDS Policy conference on HIV/AIDS among African American men.

Wheeler, PHD, MPH, is associate dean for research and community partnerships and an associate professor at the social work school. He is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers.

“It was an honor to be invited, and even more so when during the course of the presentation my research was cited and I had an opportunity to speak at the microphone,” Wheeler said via email. ”The entire program is very illuminating and might be of interest to you.”

CSPAN covered the four-hour conference. To watch it click here. Wheeler’s research is cited at minute 18:35 and he addresses the panel at 1:46:00.

To learn more about HIV/AIDS and how social workers help clients with the disease visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” HIV/AIDS Web pages by clicking here.

Michael Melendez. Photo courtesy of Simmons College.

Cheers to New England’s Bay Window newspaper for this article about AIDS activist, social worker and National Association of Social Workers member Michael Melendez.

Melendez, PHD, MSW, LICSW, a social work professor at Simmons College in Boston, for years has been at the forefront of educating the public about HIV/AIDS and providing medical and mental care for people afflicted with the disease.

Melendez was diagnosed with HIV 16 years ago. Although the disease is more manageable today it is not easy to live with, he said. People with HIV and AIDS must deal with not only physical ailments but the shock of discovering they are infected, depression, and rejection, he said.

“This fight is nowhere near over, not with 56,000 new infections every year,” he said.

NASW is committed to social justice for all. To learn more visit the NASW’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Web page by clicking here. Social workers also help people with HIV/AIDS. To read more visit NASW’s “Help Starts Here” HIV/AIDS Web page by clicking here.

National Association of Social Workers

Brooks, who is vice president of the Justice Resource Institute in Boston, is a well known activist who has been HIV positive for 20 years. As a member of the council Brooks will give President Obama advice and recomendations to reduce the HIV infection rate and increase access to care.

Click here to read the full Boston Globe article on Brooks.

To learn more about how social workers help people living with HIV/AIDS click here to visit NASW’s “Help Starts Here” HIV/AIDS Web page.

Rachel Maddow photo courtesy of New York Daily News.

Cheers to political commentator and MSNBC television host Rachel Maddow for giving the National Association of Social Workers  a plug on her program.

Maddow, who is openly gay, did a segment on proposed Ugandan legislation that would imprison people who are gay and even execute those who are gay and HIV positive.

Maddow said American conservatives are in Uganda promoting the theory gays can be cured, fueling support  for the bill. Maddow said several major organizations, including NASW, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have long debunked the ex-gay movement. 

Maddow’s segment is still online. To watch it click here. NASW is mentioned around minute 3:25.

To read more about NASW’s position go to its Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Web page.

Suzanne Wenzel. Photo/Brian Goodman.

University of Southern California School of Social Work Professor Suzanne Wenzel received almost $2 million in federal stimulus funds to study risky sexual behavior among homeless men.

Homeless men are at a higher risk of getting and spreading sexually transmitted diseases. And 83 percent of women  with HIV/AIDS were infected by men.

“Our study will move the field forward by shedding light on heterosexual HIV risk factors in a population that is among the most vulnerable and stigmatized in the United States and that has suffered from a dearth of attention from the scientific community,” Wenzel said.

To read more about Wenzel’s upcoming study click here.  And to find out how social workers help those with HIV/AIDS visit the National Association of Social Workers’ HIV/AIDS Spectrum Project Web page and “Help Starts Here” HIV/AIDS Web Page.

Photo Courtesy of wildaboutmovies.com

Social Workers Speak! has received more than 100 comments about  ”Precious,” a harrowing film about an abused teen girl. The movie features pop diva Mariah Carey as her social worker, Ms. Weiss.

Comments have been mixed. Some social workers were put off by Carey’s portrayal while others had no problem with it. Some said the movie was exploitative while other social workers said the film put a needed spotlight on some ugly social ills, including domestic violence, illiteracy, and HIV/AIDS.

The comments from social workers reflect how the film is playing in larger public. Here’s a brief list of who is giving ”Precious” a thumbs up, thumbs down, or neutral review:

THUMBS UP: Mark Blankenship of the Huffington Post probably wrote the most sensitive take on the role of Ms. Weiss. Ms. Weiss helped Claireece finally break the cycle of abuse, he said.

“That’s where the system really works. It’s too late for Precious, but because of the system’s support, she takes an action that might free her son from his mother’s miserable fate. She sets him on a path toward self-confidence and love.”

THUMBS DOWN: Juan Williams in this Wall Street Journal column says “Precious” is  just the latest iteration of “ghetto lit” — lurid escapist art for the black middle class.

NEUTRAL: The New York Times story “To Blacks, Precious Is ‘Demeaned’ or ‘Angelic,’” looks at why the movie is dividing the African American community. Some experts said the film demeans blacks while others say it is a powerful story that should be told.

THUMBS UP: Baltimore Sun critic Michael Sragow called the film “cathartic and exhilarating.” He also praised the role of the social worker Ms. Weiss in the story. “…Carey shows the catalytic strength of a social worker who completely honors her profession,” he said.

THUMBS DOWN: Respected New York Press critic Armond White said “Precious” is the most demeaning image of African Americans put on the screen since “Birth of a Nation” almost a century ago. “Shame on Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey for signing on as air-quote executive producers of ‘Precious,”" he wrote.

THUMBS UP:  Boston Globe critic Wesley Morris in his review said the film is sensational but does not exploit or condescend. But is colorism at play? Why are all the good characters, including social worker Ms. Weiss, light skinned?

THUMBS UP: The New York Times’ Richard Bernstein called “Precious” a modern-day Cinderella story. Ms. Weiss and Blu Rain, the teacher who helps Claireece learn to read and escape her horrid surroundings, are fairy godmothers.

Do you want to hold a discussion group about “Precious”? Lionsgate Studio offers this excellent discussion guide that includes statistics on many of the social issues the movie addresses:  Precious Discussion Guide

The film “Precious” puts a spotlight on many issues social workers confront, including family violence, child abuse, HIV and AIDS and teen pregnancy.

Social workers also play an important role in the gut-wrenching film, which premieres Friday Nov. 6. In fact, pop singer Mariah Carey sheds her diva image to portray “Mrs. Weiss,” a social worker who tries to help the troubled teenager Claireece “Precious” Jones.

But is the film’s portrayal of social workers fair? Do you handle some of the some issues depicted in the movie? “Social Workers Speak” urges you to see “Precious” and let us know what you think. You can post your comments below.

And we can tell you how to reach out to your community and local media to let give them your opinion on “Precious” and its depiction of social work.

How to React to Film:
Are you pleased with how the film “Precious” portrayed social workers or are you upset? If you want to contact your local newspaper, radio or television station to voice your opinion about the gut-wrenching movie, contact Greg Wright at the National Association of Social Workers (GWright@naswdc.org). Greg can give you tips on how to get involved.

How to Find Film:
According to the press, Lionsgate studios will give “Precious” a limited theater release. Is the film playing near you? Go to www.precioustickets.com to find theaters showing the movie and buy tickets.