UNC Pembroke students participated in a Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) this week, offering them a greater understanding of the challenges faced by impoverished individuals. Students roleplayed the lives of low-income families facing poverty––from single parents to homeless––and were tasked with providing necessities and shelter on a limited budget.
ARPA bolsters social work in Glens Falls region
A nonprofit helping at-risk youth. An effort to increase mental health training. A project set to chronicle homelessness in the greater Glens Falls region. Those are just a few of the things getting bolstered by a new dose of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Oregon’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law is facing pushback amid the fentanyl crisis
Oregon’s first-in-the-nation law that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs in favor of an emphasis on addiction treatment is facing strong headwinds in the progressive state after an explosion of public drug use fueled by the proliferation of fentanyl and a surge in deaths from opioids, including those of children.
Can little actions bring big joy? Researchers find ‘micro-acts’ can boost well-being
An analysis released Tuesday from scientists behind a research initiative called the BIG JOY Project finds that people who commit daily “micro-acts” of joy experience about a 25% increase in emotional well-being over the course of a week.
New three-tier system to tackle suicide risk among Hong Kong children in pipeline after surge in cases, lawmakers told
Undersecretary for Health Libby Lee said the Health Bureau would work with the Education Bureau and Social Welfare Department to create a “three-tier emergency mechanism” to protect vulnerable pupils. She explained the proposed system allow teachers and social workers to quickly identify pupils with strong suicidal tendencies and provide counselling services.
37 Hong Kong students took own lives this year; health official says trend causes ‘serious alarm’
Thirty-seven Hong Kong students have taken their own lives between the beginning of the year and last Wednesday, according to the city’s suicide prevention experts. In all, 269 students are known to have attempted suicide this year.
Why we are publishing disturbing content from AR-15 mass shootings
Education company 2U and leader Chip Paucek part ways after high profile USC partnership ends
Typically, the start of 2U’s partnerships with top universities are lauded with press releases and promises to provide more students access to higher education. Their end, in contrast, arrives without fanfare.
Priced Out and Fed Up, Tenants Demand a National Renters Bill of Rights
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal rallies with 100 tenant activists who converged on the Capitol this week to brief lawmakers on the Renters Bill of Rights and protest price gouging by corporate landlords.
Silent Suffering: The High Rate of Suicide in Veterinarians
Various stressors are unique to veterinary medicine that make vets more vulnerable. These include the emotional toll, debt and financial pressures, long work hours, high expectations and perfectionism, cyberbullying, and compassion fatigue. Veterinarians are subjected to a unique set of emotional stressors due to their daily interactions with animals in distress and pet owners grappling with the agony of seeing their beloved companions suffer.
Ombudsperson to launch probe of mobile mental health units after Island man’s death
Prince Edward Island has three unmarked vehicles to be used for its mobile mental health crisis units. When the mobile mental health service was launched two years ago, one of the goals was to switch the handling of some wellness checks from police to mental health professionals, including a paramedic and a clinician specializing in social work.
Why Are Academics So Burnt Out?
Bad management is not a trivial issue. In fact, it is often one of the root causes of burnout and of our psychological suffering at work. Bad management kills motivation and engagement and can create toxic working environments. It also has repercussions for the wider economy.
Park University cuts faculty and more than a dozen programs in response to enrollment decline
The university also said it will eliminate three graduate degree programs — master of social work, master of arts in national security studies and master of education in language and literacy — but will allow current students to complete their studies.
Options and obstacles with new RV parking rules in Santa Cruz
City leaders this month encouraged people who live in vehicles of all sizes to use safe parking programs in managed lots. The city offers two overnight parking programs: one where people living in cars can park 24 hours, and one that allows overnight parking.
Most States Ban Shackling Pregnant Women in Custody, Yet Many Report Being Restrained
Medical groups, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, widely condemn shackling pregnant people, which they argue is unethical and unsafe because it increases the risk of falls, hinders medical care, and endangers the fetus.
California Congresswoman Katie Porter Reintroduces Bipartisan Mental Health Justice Act
Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA – above)), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) on Thursday announced the reintroduction of the Mental Health Justice Act of 2023 with 43 of their colleagues. The Mental Health Justice Act would help states, tribes, and localities establish mental health responder units to support individuals in crisis.
Overdose prevention centers did not increase crime in NYC neighborhoods, study finds
The nonprofit OnPoint NYC, which operates the city’s two existing centers in Harlem and Washington Heights, reports that its staff have intervened in more than 1,000 potentially fatal overdoses since opening in November 2021. The study is the first of its kind to examine the impact of the city’s overdose prevention centers on the neighborhoods where they operate, rather than just on the people using the facilities.
Watchdog praises county’s adult social services
Lincolnshire County Council spent more than £234m on adult social services last year
Trinity’s School of Social Work and Social Policy wins European Social Services Award for child-centred research
Through the Eyes of the Child: A Study of Tusla Child Protection & Welfare Intervention was co-authored by Prof. Stephanie Holt (pictured above on left with Tusla’s Cormac Quinlan and Edel Tierney), Prof. Robbie Gilligan, Dr. Louise Caffrey and Dr Eavan Brady on behalf of Tusla. The research engaged with 20 children and young people.
China Will Crack Down on Fentanyl Sent to the US. Worse Drugs Could Fill the Vacuum.
The agreement comes as more than 109,000 Americans died of an overdose in 2022, with over 73,000 deaths linked to fentanyl. The crisis has been whipped into a moral panic by Republicans, with many blaming it on Biden’s “open border,” despite the fact that most people smuggling drugs into the U.S. are Americans.
Protesters Hoped to Plant Trees at Cop City Site. They Were Tear Gassed Instead.
An estimated 500 activists converged from around the country to march this week on the construction site for the police training and militarization facility dubbed “Cop City.” The breach of the Cop City site was planned as a direct rebuke of police and prosecutorial retribution against the movement: a demonstration that organizing will continue despite retaliation against activists; that repression can’t kill the movement. Above: Protesters bearing banners march towards the Cop City construction site on November 13, 2023.
Mayor Adams’ funding plan for mental health clubhouses might force some to close
Prior to becoming health commissioner, New York City health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan served as CEO of Fountain House, (above) the Manhattan clubhouse that originated the model in the 1940s. But some in the clubhouse world say the new requirements are out of touch.
Guest Column: From Pages to Progress, the Library’s Evolution into a Social Work Hub
Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, stands as a pioneer in this movement. The library’s Social Work Department marks its 10-year anniversary, having been the third program of its kind in the nation and the first in the South and Southeast. The department’s success is rooted in its commitment to addressing the unique needs of the community.
‘Violence towards us increases’: Man pleads guilty to threatening to kill social worker in Cork
The social worker, who was employed with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, was involved in obtaining a care order to remove the man’s young relative and put them in care.
How a new identity-focused ideology has trapped the left and undermined social justice
Yascha Mounk explores the intellectual history of the scholarly theories that support this new worldview. He interrogates its plausibility, explains the shifts in social media and news media that have amplified it, clarifies its key commitments and raises the alarm on its likely consequences.
BASW Recognises International Students’ Day
International Students’ Day took place on Friday, 17 November to celebrate multiculturalism, diversity and cooperation among students across the globe.
Cornell University Has an Obligation to Protect Academic Freedom in Extramural Speech
Cornell faces a test of its resolve to protect faculty academic freedom in the current moment of heightened tension and emotions concerning the Israel-Hamas War. At this point, the Cornell administration has fallen short of its obligations. On Oct. 17, President Pollack and Board of Trustees Chair Kraig Kayser issued a joint statement condemning Professor Russell Rickford’s extramural speech at an Oct. 15 rally for Palestinian rights. The Pollack/Kayser joint statement made implicit threats against Professor Rickford’s employment by stating that the University is currently “reviewing [the incident] consistent with [Cornell] procedures.”
Senior Medicare Patrol Fights Fraud. The Winners? U.S. Taxpayers
The case-cracking volunteers are members of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), a federally financed organization in every state and U.S. territory. SMPs devote their time to help Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud
New camp in Nova Scotia looking to give young sexual abuse survivors hope
A new camp in Nova Scotia is aiming to provide a sanctuary for young sexual abuse survivors and their families. The creator of Camp Hope says it offers a safe space for kids to just be kids.
Inside the Children Court – a ‘unique’ part of justice system
Every working day, the Children Court in Smithfield, in the heart of Dublin city centre, deals with youth justice matters within the Dublin area. This court is unique as it’s the only dedicated courtroom in the country for criminal proceedings involving children under the age of 18 years.
New scheme to tackle hospital bed blocking
The Discharge to Assess programme is being rolled out across Oxfordshire, including at the John Radcliffe Hospital
Dumfries and Galloway’s social work services facing budget overspend amid foster carers struggle
Given the unpredictable nature of the work carried out by the social work department in supporting families and children requiring care, the social work budget faces a shortfall most years.
Stranger in My Own Skin: Pete Doherty documentary reviewed by a mental health and addiction expert
Stranger in My Own Skin is a documentary about the life of musician Pete Doherty, who is as well known for his drug use and spells in prison as he is for forming The Libertines and later Babyshambles. From recreational beginnings, through first realising he had a drug problem, Doherty finally ended up consumed by full-blown addiction.
To Hell With Poverty
In his new book, Matthew Desmond argues that abolishing poverty will require an ambitious moral undertaking.
Lake County police social worker program records major milestone in response to mental health-related calls
Since the inception of the program in 2018, COaST has received over 5,000 referrals to the program stemming from law enforcement mental health-related calls for service.
‘Just say no’ didn’t actually protect students from drugs. Here’s what could
For decades, students like Myers have been told to just say no to drugs. The message was repeated in public service announcements and in classroom presentations. But research shows this approach alone doesn’t work. And now, overdose deaths among teenagers have skyrocketed — largely due to fentanyl.
Militarized Police ‘Indiscriminately’ Attack Nonviolent Stop Cop City March With Tear Gas
Police attack #StopCopCity activists with tear gas and other “less lethal” weapons in DeKalb County, Georgia on November 13, 2023.
Mass shootings often put a spotlight on mental illness, but figuring out which conditions should keep someone from having a gun is no easy task
The mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine – the worst in the state’s history – was carried out by a gunman with a known history of mental illness. Maine has what’s known as a yellow flag law. It requires reporting to local law enforcement that a person poses an imminent threat, but it then relies on the police to take the person into custody, order a mental health evaluation and request a court order to have that person’s guns removed. The yellow flag law was not used in Card’s case.
PSPO proposed to cut anti-social activity in town
Part of a town centre could be subject to a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in a bid to quell anti-social behaviour. North Northamptonshire Council wants to place the order in Rushden town centre and surrounding parts where “visible hotspot problem areas” have been identified.
Horrific Death Of A Patient Exposes ‘Inhumane’ Practices In Bulgaria’s Psychiatric Hospitals
“It seems like this is the group that we can most easily abandon. And all we can do for them is to build sheltered housing where they can live shut out and isolated,” one mental-health campaigner noted.
Let’s Honor the Veterans Who Have Turned Against the US War Machine
Hundreds of veterans returned from Iraq ready to fight the horror and injustice of the U.S. military industrial complex.
Assessment: Chicago’s mental health care model has too many barriers
Many care centers aren’t reachable by public transit, wait times are too long, and many couldn’t be reached by telephone, an analysis by proponents of reopening public health clinics shows.
Maine Rarely Sanctions Residential Care Facilities Even After Severe Abuse or Neglect Incidents
The health department rarely imposes fines or issues conditional licenses against the state’s roughly 190 largest residential care facilities, classified as Level IV, which provide less medical care than nursing homes but offer more homelike assisted living alternatives for older Mainers. From 2020 to 2022, the health department issued “statements of deficiencies” against these facilities for 59 resident rights violations and about 650 additional violations — involving anything from medication and record-keeping errors to unsanitary conditions and missed mandatory trainings.
Amid ‘checkout charity’ boom, some Americans are more likely to be impulse givers than others
More than half of the respondents – 53% – said they had given to charity while paying for their purchases in the prior year. People who give this way say they donate about $50 to charities annually – about a dollar per week on average. The most popular form of checkout charity was rounding their total up to the nearest dollar: About 85% of these impulse givers told us that they did that.
What If Psychedelics’ Hallucinations Are Just a Side Effect?
For several years, researchers have understood that the hallucinatory effects of psychedelics can, in theory, be separated from the other ways the drugs affect our mental state and brain structure. But until recently, they have not been able to design a psychedelic that reliably produces only the neurocognitive effects and not the hallucinatory ones. That may soon change.
Mileage Campaign update from SASW
SASW as part of BASW UK is running a national campaign to see fair mileage rates for social workers and social care workers and to match colleagues in the NHS in Scotland.
What makes Mongolia the world’s most ‘socially connected’ place? Maybe it’s #yurtlife
In a new Gallup report for The Global State of Social Connections, people in 142 countries were asked to rate their “social connectedness” – defined as “how close you feel to people emotionally.”
Lawless
Alaska struggles to provide a consistent local law enforcement presence in Kiana, which sits along the Kobuk River, left…. Alaska’s state government settled a 1997 lawsuit demanding equitable funding for village schools after a judge called the state spending system “arbitrary, inadequate and racially discriminatory.” Alaska Native rights advocates contend that funding of public safety remains unfair.
Oregon needs more social workers, but the license application process has created a challenge for some professionals
A recent report from Mental Health America found 27% of adult Oregonians are living with a mental illness. At the same time, Oregon has the fourth-highest rate of unmet mental health treatment needs in the country.