Paola Marra, the 53-year-old from London who took her own life at Dignitas in Switzerland on Wednesday, has urged the public and politicians to help change the law on assisted dying in a posthumous video. In a clip filmed before she flew to Zurich this week, Marra, who had had terminal bowel cancer since 2021, said: “As you watch this, I am dead. But you watching this could help change the laws around assisted dying.”
Increased home visits not a solution: social workers
Taipei Social Workers Union vice chairperson Shen Yao-yi (沈曜逸) presented the unions’ five demands: conduct a comprehensive review of the case instead of using social workers to mend rifts in the social safety net; invite social worker representatives to join the ministry’s review meetings; revoke plans to increase home visitations; enhance social workers’ occupational safety; and ensure reasonable salaries and working conditions for social workers.
Huge allocations for housing, addiction, homelessness promise to help Oregon combat its crises. Will your town benefit?
Lawmakers allocated $4 million for five Oregon universities to boost their behavioral health workforce education programs, which educators say is critical to help the state meet the urgent need for more workers in the field. Portland State University, which will receive a third of that funding, will use the money to hire faculty, develop new courses, support community agency workers who will supervise students and provide tuition support, according to Dr. Junghee Lee, interim dean of Portland State’s School of Social Work (above).
Feeling apathetic? There may be hope
“We have developed a method that can help people develop greater persistence and belief in their ability to achieve their goals,” says Professor Hermundur Sigmundsson at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU’s) Department of Psychology. The key is to tap into our hidden innate potential.
RideKC bus is a lifeline for many Kansas Citians. Now is no time to drop Zero Fare | Opinion
I ride the bus each morning to my social work position at a local hospital. I experience the inconvenience and frustration of late or entirely absent RideKC buses frequently, and I see the negative impact that our infrequent, unreliable bus system has on my poor clients’ ability to make appointments, access services and fulfill basic tasks every day.
Tennessee Lawmakers Want More Oversight of Juvenile Detention. The Department of Children’s Services Is Pushing Back.
Tennessee officials repeatedly documented the use of seclusion at the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center in Knoxville, but the detention facility faced few consequences.
Oklahoma social workers face barriers in getting licensed, a bill could help them get to work faster
The University of Oklahoma’s Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work, located on its Norman campus. OU has one of two accredited master’s programs for social workers in the state, with the other being Northeastern State University.
Oranga Tamariki amendment bill
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour continues to back her decision to introduce the bill to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, which requires the organisation to take into account the Treaty of Waitangi. But she plans to continue devolving resources to iwi to help with their children.
Horrified Netflix viewers speechless after watching ‘vile’ documentary
Uploaded to the streaming service this week, the four-part series The Outreau Case: A French Nightmare documents one of ‘the biggest scandals in French history’. Nearly 20 people were charged and underwent trials after being accused of abusing children
Homelessness ‘only touched on’ by half of universities delivering social work courses, research finds
The findings come from a project examining if and how multiple exclusion homelessness is integrated into social work qualifying courses in England, which was led by the Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit (HSCWRU) at King’s College London.
Breathe, don’t vent: Turning down the heat is key to managing anger
Venting about a source of anger might feel good in the moment, but it’s not effective at reducing the rage, new research suggests. Instead, techniques often used to address stress — deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga or even counting to 10 — have been shown to be more effective at decreasing anger and aggression.
What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living
Researchers are documenting a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind.
Semaglutide Shows Promise as a Potential Alcohol Use Disorder Medication
Finally, a Path Toward “Modern Housing” in 2024
Political movements for dignified housing forced many European nations, such as England, Germany and the Netherlands, to invest in what Catherine Bauer (above) termed “modern housing”: non-speculative, affordable homes with adequate space, light, ventilation and community space. These modest dignified homes provided a sharp contrast to the speculative spree of development dominant in 1920s America.
Dean of professor suspended from Hebrew University opposes her return if she doesn’t recant
Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian said in the Makdisi Street podcast that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. She also cast doubt that there was sexual violence on October 7. She added, “Zionism is a crime, and only through its cancelation/erasure will we be able to continue.” The university administration announced her temporary suspension from teaching by arguing that “her statements take freedom of expression and academic freedom to an extreme and make cynical use of them, to the point of division and incitement”
Heart of Worcester college students protest at Redditch campus over closure of social work course
The students have been told their course will be moving to Birmingham City University (BCU) and the news has left them distraught.
Missouri University researcher receives funding for prison improvement program
Dr. Kelli Canada, from MU’s School of Social Work, received $2.8 million from Arnold Ventures to lead the project. Arnold Ventures is a philanthropic organization that provides funding to researchers working to improve infrastructure in fields related to criminal justice, higher education and public finance.
Warning Glasgow health and social care cuts will make ‘atrocious situation worse’
As well as job cuts, proposals to deal with the deficit include reducing services, with access to social care support potentially restricted to those deemed as “critical need only”.
Proposed licensure changes aim to ease Michigan’s social worker shortage
Robert Sheehan, Executive Director of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan
Rigid rules at methadone clinics are jeopardizing patients’ path to recovery from opioid addiction
A STAT investigation shows that many of the nation’s methadone clinics rely on controlling and punitive strategies that make it harder, not easier, for patients to maintain their recovery. There is little evidence to support many of the clinics’ practices. Some clinic staff participating in medical decisions have no training in medicine. Above: A lockbox containing take-home doses of methadone in a patient’s home.
Social work students walkout for internship compensation as part of national movement
UC Berkeley Master of Social Work, or MSW, students participated in a walkout Tuesday, demanding compensation for required internship work as a part of their National Week of Action. The Payment for Placements, or P4P, a student-led Berkeley chapter, protested at Haviland Hall and Sproul Plaza for social work students to receive payment for degree-required internships.
Obituary: George Appleby, PhD, 82
George was the consummate educator and for most of his career worked as a professor of Social Work, specializing in public policy and research in the School of Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). He completed his tenure at SCSU as the Dean of Health and Human Services.
“Nothing short of catastrophic”: Plans to restrict access to social care support and cut jobs in Glasgow
Around 150 jobs could be cut as health and social care services in Glasgow face a budget deficit of over £36 million
Whither the trained social work profession?
Conversation in a family:
Daughter: “Mum/Dad, I want to be a social worker”.
Mother: “What in the world is that? If you do not want to be a doctor or a lawyer, consider taking up speech and language therapy or psychology! At least you’ll get a job and serve the community.”
As More States Target Disavowed ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis, Police Groups Push Back
Verdell and William Haleck have pushed for lawmakers to rein in how the “excited delirium” term is used in Hawaii, where their son Sheldon died in 2015 after he was pepper-sprayed, shocked, and restrained by Honolulu police. In a civil trial that the Halecks lost, officers blamed his death on excited delirium.
Yes, Trump Really Is Dangerously Dehumanizing Migrants
Contrary to some headlines, Donald Trump didn’t threaten immigrants with a “bloodbath.” But he did say some immigrants are “not people” — and the last five months in Gaza have shown us where this kind of rhetoric about “human animals” can lead.
2U at risk of being removed from Nasdaq
The company’s stock value has dropped below $1 per share for 30 straight business days, putting it out of compliance with Nasdaq’s Global Select Market’s requirements. As of Monday, the stock price closed at $0.32. To remain listed on Nasdaq, the company must boost its closing share price to $1 or more for 10 business days in a row. It has until Sept. 10 to comply.
Here’s the Unsealed Report Showing How Harvard Concluded That a Dishonesty Expert Committed Misconduct
Harvard Business School’s investigative report into the behavioral scientist Francesca Gino was made public this week, revealing extensive details about how the institution came to conclude that the professor committed research misconduct in a series of papers.
From adversity to inspiration: Chyone’s remarkable journey
Chyone, 31, will receive an associate’s degree from the Bermuda College in May and is already at work on his bachelor’s. Social work is his long-term plan, as he gets a lot of joy out of helping others.
Tributes to mountaineer who was a towering figure within BASW
‘Charming, imaginative and thoughtful’ campaigner for human rights Dennis Gower is remembered
AHRQ’s Unique Effort to Advance Care for People Living with Long COVID
Long COVID is a generation-defining health challenge. According to the CDC, in 2022, at least 9 million people throughout our country were struggling with post-COVID-19 infection effects, and over 18 million people have ever experienced Long COVID, including nearly one million children.
Patients, Advocates Push Biden to ‘Reclaim Medicare’ From Privatized Medicare Advantage
Patients on Medicare Advantage spoke out against the privatized plans this week as part of a coordinated campaign to shed light on the program’s care denials, treatment delays, and overbilling—and to pressure U.S. President Joe Biden to rein in the insurance giants raking in huge profits from such abuses.
Indiana Enacts Law to Allow State Child Services to Investigate More Abuse Claims at Youth Centers
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that aims to curb abuse at youth treatment centers for those 18-21 years old. It comes after a ProPublica-IndyStar investigation into employees at Pierceton Woods Academy.
Older Adults Now Able to Receive Additional Dose of Updated COVID-19 Vaccine
CDC Director Mandy Cohen endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for adults ages 65 years and older to receive an additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose. The recommendation acknowledges the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults, along with the currently available data on vaccine effectiveness.
Colorado librarians are now front-line crisis workers, managing homeless patrons, mental illness, book-banners
While library districts often provide training to their staff around homeless outreach, de-escalation, mental health resources and beyond, at the end of the day, most public librarians are not social workers, yet they are often confronted with scenarios that require those skills. Above: Friends read together at the Denver Public Library’s Central Library
Terrance Ruth Announces Plan to Run for Raleigh Mayor This Fall
Raleigh voters will see a familiar name on their ballots this fall. Dr. Terrance (Truth) Ruth, 41, an Asst Professor in NC State University’s School of Social Work and community activist, will run for mayor once again after narrowly losing to Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin in the race for the office in 2022.
The magic of the mundane
Goffman realised that behaviours of this kind, much as they might feel like it, are not the results of idiosyncratic anxieties, of excessive self-consciousness or awkwardness. Instead, they are sensible responses by people appropriately attuned to the complexities of the social world. Goffman’s ‘microsociology’ reveals that even the most incidental of social interactions is of profound theoretical interest.
Ukraine receives 200 electric scooters for social workers from Japan and UN Development Programme
Social workers will be provided with vehicles to use while working and increase their mobility. The procurement of 200 scooters and their delivery to Ukraine were made possible by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the funding of the Japanese government.
Where Have All the Volunteers Gone?: Behind the Decline of After-College Service
Past and present (front row) Jesuit Volunteers gather at the Ella Baker House in New York City.
How meth became an epidemic in America, and what’s happening now that it’s faded from the headlines
Rural America has long suffered from an epidemic of methamphetamine use, which accounts for thousands of drug overdoses and deaths every year. Above: Police detectives sort through evidence after raiding a suspected meth lab.
‘Working-Class People Aren’t Lazy, They’re Fed Up,’ UAW Leader Tells Senate
“But the truth is, working-class people aren’t lazy, they’re fed up. They’re fed up with being left behind and stripped of dignity as wealth inequality in this nation, this world, spirals out of control,” he continued. “They’re fed up that in America… three families have as much wealth as the bottom 50% of citizens in this nation. That is criminal. America is better than this.”
Vermont Senator introduces four-day workweek bill
Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who twice ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, introduced a bill to establish a four-day US working week…. “Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea,” Sanders said on Thursday. “Today, American workers are over 400% more productive than they were in the 1940s.
Elena Botts: Goddard College’s very existence is threatened
To jeopardize Goddard’s future is to deny countless individuals the opportunity to engage in transformative learning experiences that challenge conventional wisdom and inspire social change.
Trying to stay alive in a town of despair
S, who grew up in Blackpool, has survived a life of addiction and is now helping others get clean
Who bears the risk?
Under the guise of empowerment and freedom, politicians and business are offloading lifethreatening risk to individuals. Above: London’s Dreadful Visitation: A Year of Weekly Death Statistics during the Great Plague (1665)
OPINION: Social workers are also heroes
The author, Dr. Dana P. Damron is a physician at Alaska Native Medical Center and Providence Alaska Medical Center. Above: Social worker Tanya Vandenbos
What my mother’s sticky notes show about the nature of the self
I’m caring for my 98-year-old mother Joyce, who’s had increasingly debilitating memory problems for many years. For a decade or two, she managed to compensate for these problems with amazing effectiveness. To a significant extent, her life was arranged to make it possible to function as she remembered less and less. The process – not atypical of people with memory problems, I’m told – indicates that the mind palace is more than imaginary. As she lost the internal structure of memory, the galleries of her mind became literal and external. First systematically, then chaotically, Joyce Abell has used her home here in rural Virginia as her memory.
Social Distortion
On the fourth anniversary of the pandemic, a look at how America pulled apart as the rest of the world pulled together
Book bans in US schools and libraries surged to record highs in 2023
More books were banned in 2023 in US schools and libraries than any other year for which records have been kept, the American Library Association (ALA) reported on Thursday…. The group documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, which was more than the previous two years combined: 2,571 in 2022 and 1,651 in 2021. There was a 65% spike in 2023 over 2022.
Should you confront your worries or try to banish them?
In a recent study in Science Advances, Anderson and the paper’s first author Zulkayda Mamat taught 120 people how to suppress worrisome thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The people who did so reported less worry and improved moods after the training, and felt less depressed three months later.