Kristie Seelman is a member:
Study finds transgender college students at higher risk for suicide attempts after denial of access to bathrooms, appropriate housing
San Diego LGBT Weekly
Transgender university and college students are at a significantly higher risk for suicide attempts when their campus experience includes being denied access to bathrooms and gender-appropriate campus housing, a Georgia State University study finds. “An alarmingly high proportion of the transgender individuals participating in this study – 46.5 percent – had a history of attempted suicide,” said Kristie Seelman, assistant professor of social work in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. The rate of attempted suicide was even higher among those who had been denied access to bathrooms (60.5 percent) or gender-appropriate campus housing (60.6 percent), which were significant differences, she said. This risk holds true even after controlling for other forms of victimization, Seelman said.

Johanna Byrd is the executive director of NASW-PA:
Another budget stalemate looking likely; human service agencies worry
abc27.com
“That means if you were licensed in another state and got your license revoked because of malpractice, you can cross the border into Pennsylvania and open up a private practice like nothing ever happened,” said [Johanna] Byrd, executive director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Earlier in the day, professionals who help those with intellectual disabilities filled the same staircase.

Allan Wachendorfer is the director of public policy NASW-MI
Social Workers Continue Boots-on-Ground Work in Flint
Public News Service
The national spotlight on Flint may have dimmed, but the city’s water crisis is far from over. And that’s why social workers in Michigan are continuing their boots-on-the-ground work to assist residents. Allan Wachendorfer, director of public policy with the Michigan chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), explains that the lead in the water has caused extensive infrastructure damage and human injury, along with social and personal disruption.

Fatima Salman is a member:
Republicans, Democrats Urged to Stand Against Anti-Muslim Bigotry
Voice of America
Fatima Salman, who calls herself a “proud” Muslim resident of Michigan in the north-central U.S., said she was always comforted by the fact that her state was “well-integrated,” with people standing “side-by-side.” Salman is a social worker in a Detroit suburb, helping local residents in some of the poorest neighborhoods build leadership capacity “because I firmly believe in the potential of people to create change.” She said all it took was one city council meeting she recently attended to shatter these feelings of peace. The town where she lives, West Bloomfield, was going to vote on becoming a designated “welcoming city.”

Linda Topinka is a member:
Are you a mentor?
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Mentors don’t have to be perfect or possess superhuman qualities to have a positive impact on a young person. The two primary qualities of a good mentor, the group agreed, are commitment and compassion. Mentors must be willing to listen. They must care about their mentee and be willing to meet them where they are. Instill confidence and encourage self-identity,” says Linda Topinka, a retired social worker and mental health practitioner. “Be willing to share your shortcomings.”

Terri Ann Naughton is a member:
These Elite Troops Spent 15 Years At War. This Program Tries To Prepare Their Minds And Bodies For The Next 15.
The Huffington Post
There’s a stigma attached to admitting weakness and acknowledging you need help, said Terri Ann Naughton, a licensed clinical social worker on the behavioral health team at the Army’s 10th Special Forces Group. SOCOM surveys indicate, for instance, that about 14 percent of special operators have high or moderate post-traumatic stress. But Naughton said, “I don’t think we see even that percentage until they are off or moving off the team. They get by with intestinal fortitude, keeping it together until it’s time they can’t.”

Lou Larkspur and Anne Anderson are members:
Super social workers
Hawaii Tribune Herald
In observance of National Social Workers Month in March, Hospice of Hilo took the time to honor and celebrate its own social work team and their efforts to uplift lives in the community. Team members include intern Heather Heinz, Judy Rossbach, Lou Larkspur, Amy Ray, Kevin Iwasaki and Anne Anderson.