David W. Bond is a member:
Teens Report Surge in Bullying in Wake of Divisive Election Campaign
Truthdig
In recent months, phone calls, texts and instant messages have been pouring into the Trevor Project, a crisis center for LGBT young people, said social worker David W. Bond, a vice president with organization. The day after the election, Bond and his colleagues were deluged with young people seeking help. “The volume has continued to be higher than typical levels for November and December. This is very indicative of a higher level of emotional distress” for LGBT youth throughout the country, he said. “They’re clearly more distressed, so much that they feel the need to reach out for help.”

Gary McDaniel is a member:
ACLU plans bill for school-based mental health centers in WV
Charleston Gazette-Mail
One program in the state already serves as an example for the ACLU’s proposal. In Morgan County schools, clinical social worker Gary McDaniel has developed a system, based on prevention and early intervention, that is funded by grants. Children in Morgan schools are screened for mental health issues, and those who screen positive for risk of issues like substance abuse, anxiety or depression can then be treated in small groups. Children who need additional specialized care are referred to local health providers or treated in school, if the family does not have access to transportation. The program focuses heavily on collaboration and partnerships within the local community, McDaniel said.

NASW-NE is a signatory to the letter:
Letter urges Nebraska’s members of Congress to ‘not go backwards’ on health care law
Live Well Nebraska
Jessyca Vandercoy has faced health insurance uncertainty before, and she doesn’t want it to happen again.… That’s why Vandercoy was at the Health 360 Integrated Care Clinic in Lincoln on Wednesday with a group of people who are sending a letter to Nebraska’s congressional delegation urging them to approve a replacement plan before repealing the ACA, also known as Obamacare. The letter, signed by 28 health care, business, religious, advocacy and other groups and six individuals, was made public during a press conference at the clinic and is addressed to U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse and Reps. Don Bacon, Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith, all Republicans.

Will Francis is Government Relations Director for NASW-TX:
Some Push For Degree Reinstatement For Texas CPS Caseworkers
CBS-DFW
“If you are bringing to the table specific tools that were always meant for this area, you’re going to see better outcomes,” said Will Francis, government relations director for the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. He said research shows that such workers are more effective in developing permanency plans for those in foster care. Experts say the skills learned from a higher education in the field are needed. They also add research shows those with degrees in social work and human services stay at their jobs longer.

Sergio Gutierrez is a member:
[Video] How to recognize symptoms of PTSD in children affected by the storm
WDAM (Pine Belt, MS)
In the aftermath of a traumatic event, such as the tornado that ripped through the Pine Belt Jan. 21, it is important to remember how children might be dealing with their stress. Sergio Gutierrez, a clinical social worker with Pine Grove, listed some of the warning signs for post-traumatic stress in children parents should watch out for. “Some things parents might notice, which is normal, could be increased activity, difficulty with concentration or attention, agitation, problems sleeping or appetite changes,” Gutierrez said. “In adolescents, parents might notice more acting out or increased substance abuse. Some physical signs might be headaches or stomach aches. Parents might also notice children focusing a lot on the tornado, that they want to talk about it a lot. Young children might even want to play tornado games.”

Bonnie Cushing is a member:
Anti-Racism Organizer to Speak at Montclair Synagogue
Baristanet
Bnai Keshet’s Anti-Racism Committee will host a community discussion on Friday, January 28 at 8 pm, about what it means to be Jewish, white and committed to social justice in 2017. The discussion will be led by Bonnie Berman Cushing, a licensed clinical social worker and anti-racist organizer and educator.

Edward Pane is a member:
Overdose death sparks counselor to form support group
Standard-Speaker (Hazelton, PA)
Ed Pane has seen people die from drug overdoses during his long career as a counselor. But the death of a 20-year-old woman Sunday touched him deeply.… He thinks the group can fit into his office and meet there weekly at the start. “We’ll let it find its place,” said Pane, a licensed clinical social worker who directed Serento Gardens Alcohol and Drug Services in Hazleton for 35 years and now is in private practice and writes columns for the Standard-Speaker.

James Lubben is a member:
Isolation Puts Seniors at Risk
New America Media
An estimated 1 in 5 people older than 50 nationwide — roughly 8 million adults — are affected by isolation. The numbers are expected to grow with the explosion of the senior population, making it a public-health threat deserving of more attention and public money, many officials say. “Social isolation is a killer,” said James Lubben, a professor of social work at Boston College and founding director of the school’s Institute on Aging. Often overlooked, chronic isolation and loneliness have been linked to depression, physical decline and even shorter lifespans.

Laura Schmid-Pizzato is a member:
To heal the whole body
rocketminer.com (Rock Springs, WY)
Clinical Social Worker Laura Schmid-Pizzato with SCS said Wyoming has been working to integrate mental and primary health care. “Somebody needs to take care of these people,” Schmid-Pizzato said. “It’s challenging for people at the poverty level to get services.” Acker explained the added services would not cost the county any extra. Client fees would pay for the services SCS provides, Schmid-Pizzato added. The grant would provide $950,000 per year for a three-year period, which would go toward the salary and benefits of all SCS employees, supplies, equipment, overhead and other contractual services. Two additional advanced practice registered nurses and one registered nurse will be added to staff, as well as a chief medical officer who will be under contract with Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

Joy Cheng is a member:
Homeless teen rescued by determination and pastry dough
Quad Cities Online
“After school was the worst time,” says Eric Robinson. At 15, Eric was one of thousands of homeless young people living on their own in the Chicago area. He entered Niles Central High School in Skokie each morning with the other students. But at night? “I would call a bunch of people and try to find a place to stay, or sometimes I didn’t call anybody,” he said. “I would sit up all night. I would just sit there and worry about myself and wait until the next day of school.” Joy Cheng, a social worker at Niles Central, said his story is not all that unusual. “What makes this story unusual is Eric.”

Jonathan Singer is a member:
Feminist scholars wage war on President Trump, pledging not to ‘comply’ with ‘avowed sexist’
The College Fix
“I will not collaborate with those who condone violence towards migrants, refugees, or anyone who is disenfranchised through systemic violence including poor white workers,” said Jonathan Singer, a professor of social work at Loyola University Chicago.… “It was my pledge, not my students,” said Singer, the Loyola professor: “My classrooms are spaces where I welcome and encourage debate and discussion.” Despite their deep-seated dislike and distrust of Trump, the professors suggested they will seek balance when interacting with Trump supporters in class.

Staci McCole is a member:
Everett sues drugmaker, demands it foot the bill for widespread opioid addiction
The Seattle Times
Everett, a city devastated by black-market OxyContin, filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against the painkiller’s manufacturer Thursday, alleging the company turned a blind eye to criminal trafficking of its pills to “reap large and obscene profits,” and demanding it foot the bill for widespread opioid addiction in the community.… “A lot of individuals we are coming across have worked, have had a job, and somehow they were introduced to prescription drugs,” said Staci McCole, one of two social workers recently embedded with the police department to help officers handle addicts.

Gunther Tippman was a member:
Obituary: Gunther Tippman
Atascadero News
Longtime resident of both New York City and Atascadero, Gunther Tippman died at 85 on Jan. 2, 2017, in San Luis Obispo. The cause was pulmonary disease.… Gunther was a clinical social worker at Atascadero State Hospital for over 30 years.