[Audio] School Hopes Talking It Out Keeps Kids From Dropping Out
NPR
Peer mediation is used as a prevention tactic to stop conflicts before they get too serious. But if a fight is about to break out or already has, that’s when Margaret Rohr, who runs the conflict-resolution room, uses “restorative justice.” “Restorative practices basically establish a complete paradigm shift from traditional discipline,” Rohr says.

Learning How To Die
Huffington Post
As I celebrate the last birthday before 70, I have reason to be thinking about this process. I am old enough now to have watched my parents die, as well as a dear friend, a lifelong mentor and parental surrogate, and a couple of patients from my psychotherapy practice. Each loss has advanced my place in line. Each has taught me something about suffering, living with pain, and the ubiquitous fear of death.

This Week in Poverty: The Older Americans Act and US Seniors
The Nation.
“I happen to believe that if 100 million people were watching this panel today, there would be overwhelming support for this program and significantly increasing funding,” said Sanders. “So I urge and ask people all over this country to stand up for seniors right now, stand up for cost-effective government.”

Barbara Schifter, clinical social worker
Washington Post
Barbara Schifter, a clinical social worker with a private practice in Mount Airy, died June 8 at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She was 58. The cause was colon cancer, her sister Judith Alter said. Ms. Schifter had lived in Mount Airy since 1983 and established her social-work practice 18 years ago. She continued to counsel individuals and families until March.

UTSA documentary featured in Council of Social Work Education Film Festival
UTSA Today
Through Sept. 6, social work educators nationwide can view the film with their students as an educational resource. “The main relevance of this documentary for social work instructors is that it provides a transformational learning experience that simply cannot be found in a classroom,” said Robert Ambrosino, senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work. “The students are afforded the opportunity to gain knowledge about policy advocacy through a compelling real-life experience.”

Elder abuse
Marion Star
Ronnie Henson, an independent social worker who provides services for the Council on Aging, said she’s “sure there are many more cases of abuse than we see or hear about.” “I just got off the phone with somebody about elder abuse, about emotional abuse, but the older adult is not willing to do anything to stop the abuse,” Henson said. “They’re cognitively sound so if they make that choice there’s nothing you can do to help them or support them, so I see more of that kind of thing.”

The Great Divide: Young and Isolated
The New York Times
In a working-class neighborhood in Lowell, Mass., in early 2009, I sat across the table from Diana, then 24, in the kitchen of her mother’s house. Diana had planned to graduate from college, marry, buy a home in the suburbs and have kids, a dog and a cat by the time she was 30. But she had recently dropped out of a nearby private university after two years of study and with nearly $80,000 in student loans. Now she worked at Dunkin’ Donuts.

Program to address need for social workers
The Garden City Telegram
Scanlon said statistics indicate one of every three people in the U.S. will benefit from the work of a social worker at least once in their lifetime. He noted that social workers are involved in helping people ranging in age from children to adults and people entering long-term care.

Buffalo’s newest immigrants celebrate World Refugee Day
Buffalo News
He fled to the United States in 2006 and now balances his work as a translator with a master’s curriculum at the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work. His life is better now, but when he got here, he felt conflicted. “I’m selfish, because I left my country and my people dying day by day,” said Kadhum, who becomes a U.S. citizen next month. “But at the same time, I want to do something here.”

NBA Star Metta World Peace to Speak at USC about Mental Health Experiences
Imperial Valley News
Los Angeles, California – Professional basketball player Metta World Peace will speak at the 7th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health gala dinner about his personal struggles with mental health issues during childhood and how psychiatric counseling has helped him cope with life.