The Challenges and Rewards of Collaborative Community-Based Research for Social Change: Interview with Corey Shdaimah and Sanford Schram

[Episode 82] Today’s episode of the Social Work Podcast is about how to balance the demands of doing good research with the passion that practitioners and advocates have for addressing the social problems that face their communities. My guests are Corey Shdaimah and Sanford Schram, authors of Change Research: A Case Study on Collaborative Methods for Social Workers and Advocates published in 2011 by Columbia University Press.

In today’s Social Work Podcast, Corey and Sandy distinguish between Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and talk why they use PAR rather than CBPR in their work with communities. They give examples of how challenging it is to actually do PAR. They talked about the need to bridge the gap between research and practice and how that was one of their motivations for writing their text, Change Research. Throughout our conversation Sandy and Corey bring up lots of ideas that are perfect discussion points for research classes, both at the masters and doctoral level.

Identifying and Responding to Sex-Trafficking Victims in Social Service Settings: Interview with Rebecca J. Macy, Ph.D.

[Episode 81] In today's social work podcast I spoke with Rebecca J. Macy, Ph.D., ACSW, LCSW. Rebecca is the L. Richardson Preyer Distinguished Chair for Strengthening Families and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the UNC at Chapel Hill School of Social Work.

I started our conversation asking Rebecca how she became interested in identification of sex trafficking victims in human service delivery. Most of our conversation focused on how to identify and respond to victims of sex trafficking. We talked about the interdisciplinary nature of sex trafficking; how it involves representatives from law, medicine, social services, and how social workers can and should take the lead in coordinating efforts to help victims. And, as is the custom, we ended our conversation with resources for social workers, the Polaris project in particular. Rebecca was kind enough to send me a list of references and resources that I have posted to the socialworkpodcast.com website.

Since 2004 there has been a 150% increase in the number of searches for the term "sex trafficking." During the same period, there has been no appreciable change in the number of searches for the terms "modern day slavery" or "labor trafficking."

An Overview of Trauma-Informed Care: Interview with Nancy J. Smyth, Ph.D.

Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast looks at Trauma Informed Care, one of the most promising approaches to working with people without causing additional trauma. And I had the honor of talking about Trauma-informed care with Nancy Smyth, professor and Dean of the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo. There are three reasons why Nancy was the perfect guest for today's topic. First, she understands what it means to address trauma at the micro, mezzo, and macro level. She has worked in both mental health and addiction treatment settings for over 35 years as a clinician, manager, educator, researcher, and program developer. Second, she's what we like to call a “content” expert. She is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress.  Her research, teaching, and practice focuses on trauma, substance abuse, and on working with people recovering from those experiences, including the use of innovative treatment approaches like EMDR and mindfulness meditation. In today's episode, we talked about Nancy's interest in Trauma-Informed Care. She identified the basic assumptions behind Trauma-Informed Care. She clarified the relationship between a trauma-informed approach to working with clients and specific empirically supported treatments for people with trauma histories, and treatment for people with PTSD. She talked about some of the ways that she has translated trauma-informed principles into micro-level treatment practices. We ended with resources for people who are interested in learning more about Trauma-Informed Care, including a bunch of episodes on the inSocialWork podcast series.

Perinatal Loss: Interview with Sarah Kye Price, Ph.D.

[Episode 79] Today's Social Work Podcast is on perinatal loss. Perinatal loss includes ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion (which most people call miscarriage), late-pregnancy loss or stillbirth, and neonatal or newborn death.

In today's episode, I spoke with one of the profession's leading scholars and experts on perinatal loss, associate professor of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Sarah Kye Price.


We talked why it is important to do a thorough assessment of pregnancy and pregnancy-related loss during a biopsychosocialspiritual assessment. She talked about the importance of allowing mothers / parents to tell their story. She pointed out that, although no loss is worse than any other, there are different intensities and needs depending on the loss.  She also noted that families in which there was a perinatal loss, there can also be growth. We talked about the different types of interventions and treatment approaches for individuals and families who experience perinatal loss. We ended our conversation with resources for people interested in learning more.

Social Work Ethics: Interview with Allan Barsky, JD, MSW, PhD

[Episode 78]  Today's episode is on social work ethics. Every social worker knows that our profession has, at its foundation, a Code of Ethics (NASW, 1996/2008) that informs our decisions. Most social workers know what is right and wrong. The greatest ethical challenges arise when there is no clear answer – in other words, there may be no clear right or wrong, or the worker may have to choose between the lesser of two evils. In other words, it’s an ethical dilemma.

To get some clarity on how social workers should go about managing ethical dilemmas, I spoke with Allan Barsky. You might remember Allan from Episodes 76, when I we discussed Social Workers in the Court. You might also recognize him from his ethics column in The New Social Worker online or you might have even heard him talk about Ethical Issues in End of Life Care in that other social work podcast from the University of Buffalo, The inSocialWork Podcast. (It's a fabulous podcast, so I would recommend that you check it out). Finally, you might know Allan from his books, Clinicians in Court or the book that we are going to be talking about today, Ethics and Values in Social Work.

Clearly, Allan is kind of ubiquitous when it comes to ethics, so I figured he's a good person to talk to. In today's interview, we discussed Allan's relational 6-stage model of managing ethical issues. We also talked about dual relationships, role-played an ethical situation, and analyzed the role play. We ended our conversation with a discussion of additional ethics resources for social workers.

If you want to find additional references and resources, as well as a transcript of my conversation with Allan, please go to the Social Work Podcast website at socialworkpodcast.com. If you want to join the conversation about clinicians in court, go to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/swpodcast. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow the podcast at twitter.com/socworkpodcast. And now, without further ado, on to Episode 78 of the Social Work Podcast: Social Work Ethics: Interview with Allan Barsky.

Social Workers and the Media: Interview with Maiken Scott

[Episode 77] Despite the fact that social workers are on the front lines and behind the scenes in nearly every facet of life, we're mostly invisible in the entertainment and news media. And when we do show up in the news, it is rarely good. In order to get an idea of what social workers could do to make a difference, I decided to go to the source - a journalist.

In today's episode of the Social Work Podcast, I speak with award-winning journalist, Maiken Scott from WHYY in Philadelphia. Maiken starts by describing what she does – a day in the life of a reporter. She talks about how she finds experts to interview. We talked about how social workers can combat this misperception that social workers are the same as child welfare workers. She encouraged social workers to become advocates for their own professions. She points out that psychology, medicine, and nursing gets all sorts of information to reporters. Social work does not.  She talked about what she looks for in a "good interview." We ended with Maiken's ideas for how social workers could influence the stories that are heard in the media.

Download MP3 [27:28]

Social Workers in Court: Interview with Allan Barsky, JD, MSW, PhD

[Episode 76] In today’s interview, Allan and I talked about what it means for a social worker to be “court ready,” especially for social workers whose jobs do not typically involve going to court. We talked about the difference between forensic social workers and social workers who have to appear in court. Allan talked about the difference between client confidentiality and client privilege, between being a witness and an expert witness, and between preparing for legal proceedings and disciplinary proceedings. He gave some pointers on how social workers should respond to a subpoena. I asked him about what for many clinicians is the most stressful part of going to court - examination and cross-examination. We talked about how social workers can prepare for it, including some strategies for dealing with “tough questions” during a cross-examination. We ended our conversation with Allan providing some resources for social workers who want to know more. If you want to find additional references and resources, as well as a transcript of my conversation with Allan, please go to the Social Work Podcast website at socialworkpodcast.com. If you want to join the conversation about clinicians in court, go to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/swpodcast. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow the podcast at twitter.com/socworkpodcast. And now, without further ado, on to Episode 76 of the Social Work Podcast: Social Workers in Court: Interview with Allan Barsky.

Proposed Changes in DSM-5: Interview with Micki Washburn, LPC-S and Danielle Parrish, Ph.D.

There’s an old saying, “What’s the fastest way to cure mental illness in an entire group of people? Get rid of the diagnosis.” The proposed changes to DSM-5 get rid of some diagnoses and add others. But that's not all. If you're like me, you have lots of questions about changes to DSM-5. When I posted the question “what would you like to know about the DSM-5” to the Social Work Podcast Facebook page 11 people responded in less than an hour and 20 people responded by the end of the day. So, what did they want to know? Jessica, Shelly, Sandy, Spring, Paul, and Suzannah wanted to know about autism, depression, and personality disorders. Shylah and Jen wanted to know about addictions. Lisa wanted to know what was up with ADHD. Ciarrai and Lyndon posed some great questions about the merits of DSM diagnosis in social work practice.

In today's Social Work Podcast, I speak with Micki Washburn, MA, LPC-S, NCC and Danielle Parrish, Ph.D. about proposed changes in DSM-5. We talked about the cross-cutting dimensional assessment, changes in the organization of the DSM-5, and changes in diagnoses such as ADHD, Asperger’s, Autism, Depression, Substance Use, and personality disorders.  We talked about some of the intended consequences such as greater accuracy for diagnosis, and some of the possible unintended consequences such as loss of funding for diagnostic-specific services.  We end with some thoughts about social work’s role in the new DSM.

Update: DSM-5 was published on May 27, 2013. Social work licensure exams in the USA (ASWB) required DSM-5 starting in 2015.

The Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE) Approach: Interview and Role Play with Shawn Christopher Shea, M.D.

[Episode 74] Today’s Social Work Podcast is an interview with Shawn Christopher Shea, M.D., developer of an approach to uncovering suicidal ideation and intent called the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE) approach. In today’s episode, Shawn takes us through the CASE approach. He explains the value of assessing for suicidal content at different time points and emphasizes that eliciting suicidal ideation and intent is a difficult and sensitive topic. He talks about how moving through the CASE approach to help establish a therapeutic alliance and rapport with suicidal clients. He emphasizes the art of the interview, using validity techniques, and how we use words as central to uncovering suicidal ideation and intent. He talks about how the CASE approach is useful for any mental health provider. Shawn makes the argument that the CASE approach is an ideal approach to for assessing for suicidal risk that doesn’t sound like a pat suicide assessment. He emphasizes that the CASE approach is one-third of a thorough suicide assessment, the other two parts being identifying risk and protective factors, and the final part being developing a clinical formulation.

This figure represents the three components of a thorough suicide assessment. The CASE approach  provides a framework for assessing the information in the red square (ideation, plan, behaviors, desire, and intent).

Shawn has written that a thorough suicide assessment has three parts: 1) Gathering information related to risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs of suicide; 2) Collecting information related to the patient’s suicidal ideation, planning, behaviors, desire, and intent; and 3) Making a clinical formulation of risk based on these 2 databases. He writes that in the “clinical and research literature, much attention has been given to the first and third tasks (gathering risk/protective factors/warning signs and clinical formulation). Significantly less attention has been given to the second task—the detailed set of interviewing skills needed to effectively elicit suicidal ideation, behaviors, and intent. But in many respects, it is the validity of the information from the second component that may yield the greatest hint of imminent suicide.” (Shea, 2009, p. 1).

My interview with Shawn is a single episode in two continuous parts. In Part I Shawn and I talk about the CASE approach, including some of the validity techniques he has developed or uses to elicit suicidal ideation and intent. In the second part Shawn and I do a role play where he uses the CASE approach. 

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI): Interview with Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Ph.D.

Today’s Social Work Podcast looks at the issue of non-suicidal self injury, or NSSI. According to the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, NSSI is the intentional destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned. I spoke with Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, and one of the world’s leading experts in NSSI. In today’s episode, Jennifer and I talked about the definition of NSSI,  the intersection between suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury, and some things that clinicians should and should not do when working with clients who self-injure. We ended our conversation with some speculation on the future of NSSI as a stand-alone psychiatric disorder in the DSM-5.

Psychodynamic therapy with vulnerable and oppressed populations: Interview with Joan Berzoff, M.S.W., Ed.D.

[Episode 72] Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast explores the question of what makes psychodynamic theory a valuable approach for working with vulnerable and oppressed populations.

I was excited to talk with my guest, Joan Berzoff, professor of social work at Smith College, because she's an expert on psychodynamic practice and addresses this very issue in her 2012 edited text, Falling Through the Cracks: Psychodynamic Practice with Vulnerable and Oppressed Populations, published by Columbia University Press. In today's interview I asked Dr. Berzoff, what makes psychodynamic theory a valuable or useful approach for working with vulnerable, at-risk, and oppressed populations? Why should therapists be concerned about that which is symbolic in a client's life? Dr. Berzoff talked about the value of curiosity in psychotherapy; the use of insight; applications of psychodynamic theory to school-based programs; why don't people think of basic social work practice as psychodynamic; and how to conceptualize the role of insight-oriented work with clients whose basic needs are not being met.

Download MP3 [30:15]

VA Benefits and Funding for Accredited Colleges in Social Work

This article was written by June Olsen for the Social Work Podcast. June contacted me and asked if she could write an article for the Social Work Podcast about veteran's benefits. I thought this was a very important issue, having had a very thought-provoking conversation with Anthony Hassan on the role of schools of social work and the military (Episode 68: The Training and Education of Military Social Workers, and Episode 69: Cultural Considerations in Military Social Work). June was kind enough to write a brief summary of current benefits that are available to vets through the VA. There is no audio for this blog post. If you have questions about educational funding for veterans, please contact June at june.olsen80@gmail.com.

---

Providing an education for armed forces veterans returning from service is key to ensuring a smooth transition for vets aiming to transition back to a civilian lifestyle. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or the VA, funds a number of activities that support the educational pursuits of veterans and their dependents that study social work, whether through direct financial assistance or program support at different traditional and online colleges.

In February 2011, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on the educational benefits distributed by the VA to veterans seeking higher education in America. The report found that total educational benefits, including those paid to veterans studying social work, was $9 billion for the 2010 fiscal year. Most of these funds were distributed through scholarship opportunities funded by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Most of these educational benefits are distributed by the VA through partnerships with state approving agencies, or SAAs. SAAs provide review of educational institutions and approve individual colleges and universities as accredited for VA funding. These findings, plus enrollment numbers at approved schools, typically dictate how much aid a school can distribute to students eligible for educational benefits through the VA. During the 2010 fiscal year, the U.S. GAO estimated that VA educational benefits were extended to more than 700,000 individual students.

Educational benefits distributed by the VA through the Post-9/11 GI Bill are sent both to the school to directly cover tuition and other fees and to the student to cover housing payments. Eligible students attending public institutions can receive a maximum reimbursement of all tuition and housing expenses while students attending private schools have their benefits capped at $17,500 per academic year, according to information published on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Veterans who are eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits with at least 10 years of service in the armed forces may request a transfer of their educational benefits to a child, a spouse or a combination of both. The amount of VA educational funding received is tied to the length of service completed by the veteran. Along with tuition and housing, eligible students may receive an annual books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 or a $500 stipend for students relocating to school from rural areas.

Most of the educational benefits provided by the VA to veterans of the armed forces are not typically limited to degree programs in social work. However, the VA does support special programs that offer educational benefits for social workers employed by the department who want to increase their education in social work.

One such program is offered in partnership with the Gerontological Society of America, announced through the VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations. PhD-level social workers employed by the Veterans Health Administration can receive funding for two years of mentored research in the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Scholars Program. Eligible students must have at least one graduate degree from an educational program focused on social work and must be able to prove an interest in health issues related to aging and geriatrics.

Social work students who believe that they may be eligible for educational benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs should visit their school’s Office of Veterans Affairs. Most higher learning institutions which have been approved for VA educational benefits have an office operated by the VA which is responsible for educating students about programs of interest or financial aid opportunities. Representatives at these offices will help students’ research funding opportunities, set up direct deposits for awarded funds or assist with enrollment verification.

If you have questions about educational funding for veterans, please contact June Olsen at june.olsen80@gmail.com.

---

APA (6th ed) citation for this podcast: Olsen, J. (2012, April 16). VA Benefits and Funding for Accredited Colleges in Social Work. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2012/04/va-benefits-and-funding-for-accredited.html

Social Work Podcast wins an 2012 NASW Media Award

Great news! Thanks to all of you who voted, the Social Work Podcast has won the 2012 NASW Media Award for best website. This is a huge honor and it would not have happened without your votes. If you convinced your friends, family members, classmates, colleagues and co-workers to vote, please extend my thanks to them. I am very honored. Thank you!

Best - Jonathan

Download MP3 [3:41]

 

The Social Work Podcast was Nominated for an NASW Media Award! Please Vote!

Exciting news! The Social Work Podcast was nominated for a National Association of Social Workers Media Award! According to NASW, the media award is intended "to recognize media professionals who help raise awareness about social work and social work issues."

It would be such a validation of the Social Work Podcast to win this award. Voting is open through March 31, 2012. Please take a minute to cast your vote.
http://www.socialworkersspeak.org/media-awards-2012-voting-form

• You do not have to be a member of NASW.
• You do have to have a valid email address.
• You do have to vote for one nomination in each category.
• The Social Work Podcast is the second option under Websites.

Thank you in advance for voting. If you want to leave a comment at the end of the ballot in support of the Social Work Podcast, double thanks!
http://www.socialworkersspeak.org/media-awards-2012-voting-form

Download MP3 [3:41]

Religious Child Maltreatment: Interview with Janet Heimlich

[Episode 71]In today's Social Work Podcast, Religious Child Maltreatment, I speak with award-winning journalist and author, Janet Heimlich about her book: Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment published in 2011 by Prometheus Books. I was really interested in talking with Janet because her book focuses on something that is rarely discussed in social work - the role of religion in child abuse and neglect.

In today's interview, Janet defines religious child maltreatment, we talk about religious authoritarian cultures; discuss examples of religiously motivated physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and medical neglect; talk about the laws that are in place that encourage religious child maltreatment, and discuss some ways that social service providers can talk with parents about authoritarian religious communities and religious child maltreatment.

Lonely at the Top: Interview with Thomas Joiner, Ph.D.

[Episode 70] In today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is about loneliness. Since social workers don't talk much about loneliness (we'd rather talk about social isolation or social withdrawl), I spoke with Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Florida State University, and author of Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men's Success, published in 2011 by Palgrave Macmillan.

Cultural Considerations in Military Social Work: Interview with Dr. Anthony Hassan

[Episode 69] Today's Social Work Podcast, Episode 69 – Cultural Considerations in Military Social Work, is the second in a two-part series with Anthony Hassan on Military Social Work. In Part I, Anthony and I spoke about The Training and Education of Military Social Workers.

Any discussion of culture and culturally relevant practice begins with the idea that we are all cultural beings. We see the world differently depending on which culturally-informed lenses we have on. In the United States, where military service is not a requirement, being in the military offers a unique set of lenses.  I got a glimpse of the very practical, day-to-day implications of seeing the world through military lenses when I asked today's guest what I thought was a very straightforward question – a question I ask all my guests before the interview starts – "what do you want me to call you?"

The Training and Education of Military Social Workers: Interview with Dr. Anthony Hassan

[Episode 68] Today's Social Work Podcast, The Training and Education of Military Social Workers, is the first of a two-part series. Part II, is a discussion of Cultural considerations in military social work. I'm doing this two part series because whether you agree or disagree with America n's involvement in what has now become the longest continuous combat engagement in its 235 year history, "There is an urgent need to understand and engage with the military service members, veterans, their families, and their communities in effective [social work] practices…" (CSWE, 2010, p. 2). I hear some of you right now; I'm reading your thoughts: you don't work for the Veterans Administration; you're not contracted by the military to provide services; you don't wear the uniform and serve in the armed forces. And yet, according to my guest, Anthony Hassan, you could still be a military social worker.

National Runaway Switchboard: Interview with Maureen Blaha

[Episode 67] Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is an interview with Maureen Blaha, the Executive Director of the National Runaway Switchboard (http://www.1800runaway.org). So, if you're a social worker and you work in outpatient or inpatient or residential or you're in a school-based setting and you have a client who says I'm out of here. I am running away from home or maybe they don't even say I'm out of here. Maybe they're saying I don't know how I can live with my parents here. So, what do you do? What are some resources for you? If you're in a school setting and you're working with groups of kids, are there curricula that you can get a hold of, free curricula that you can use with your clients?

Coming Out, Coming Home: Interview with Michael C. LaSala, Ph.D.

[Episode 66] Today's Social Work Podcast is about helping families adjust to a gay or lesbian child. According to the website, comingoutcominghome.com, "The discovery that a child is gay or lesbian can send shockwaves throughout a family. A mother will question how she's raised her son; a father will worry that his daughter will experience discrimination. From the child's perspective, gay and lesbian youth fear their families will reject them, and that they will lose financial and emotional support. All in all, learning a child is gay challenges long held views about sexuality and relationships, and the resulting uncertainty can produce, for all parties, anger, resentment, and concern for safety and acceptance." So, how can social workers help families adjust to a gay or lesbian child?

To get some answers, I spoke with Dr. Michael LaSala author of the 2010 book, Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Gay or Lesbian Child, published by Columbia University Press. Dr. LaSala is director of the MSW program and associate professor at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. He has been in practice for more than twenty-five years and he currently treats LGBT individuals and families at the Institute for Personal Growth in Highland Park, NJ. (http://www.ipgcounseling.com/). Dr. LaSala recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Estonia where he investigated the impacts of stigma on Estonian lesbians and gay men. In addition to his book and numerous scholarly publications, you can read his blog on Gay and Lesbian Well-Being on PsychologyToday.com

The Process of Evidence-Based Practice: Interview with Danielle E. Parrish, Ph.D.

[Episode 65] Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is on the process of Evidence-Based Practice. I wanted to do an episode on Evidence-Based Practice because it has been the subject of a lot of debate in Social Work. One of the controversies is over how to define evidence based practice. In order to get some insight into the Process of Evidence-Based Practice, I spoke with one of social work's leading experts on the topic, Dr. Danielle Parrish, assistant professor with the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. In today's interview, Danielle and I talked about the difference between the process of evidence-based practice and evidence-based practices, also known as empirically-supported treatments. We talked about why social workers should use the evidence-base practice process. Danielle identified some of the limitations of the EBP process, resources for social workers interested in accessing the evidence-base, and ways that social workers could support each other in being evidence-based practitioners.

Listeners of the Social Work Podcast, followers of the Social Work Podcast Twitter feed (@socworkpodcast), and fans on the Social Work Podcast Facebook page responded to a request to vote for their preferred definition of Evidence Based Practice. The results were surprising:

  Download MP3 [22:23]

How do you define Evidence-Based Practice?

[Update] Next week I'm posting an episode on Evidence-Based Practice. The interview is really nice and I think you'll really like it. With all episodes I do an intro where I introduce my guest, talk about why this topic is relevant to social workers, and then talk about what is covered in the interview. And so that's all well-and-good. Except that I've struggled with this intro because everyone seems to have a different understanding of what is Evidence-Based Practice.

So, this is where you come in. Twice.

First thing - at the top of this page you'll see that I've posted a poll. Take a minute – literally one minute – and select the definition of EBP you most agree with. I'm going to use the final tally in the introduction.

The second thing is I want to hear from you. I want to know how you use evidence-based practice in your social work practice. There's a very easy way to do this: call and leave a message on the Social Work Podcast answering machine – 215.948.2456. You can either dial the number directly, or go to make the call for free, on the upper right-hand side of the Social Work Podcast website click on the “CALL ME” button and Google will connect you to the answering machine for free. When you call, tell me your first name, where you're from, and what you think. If you can help me out with those two things – the poll and the voicemail, I'll be set for next week.

Thanks so much for listening to the Social Work Podcast, check back next week for the episode on Evidence-Based Practice, and keep on making a difference wherever you are.

  Download MP3 [01:55]

---

APA (6th ed) citation for this podcast:

Singer, J. B. (Host). (2011, March 2). How do you define Evidence-Based Practice? [Update]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2011/03/how-do-you-define-evidence-based.html

Behind the Scenes at the Social Work Podcast: Interview with Jonathan Singer

[Episode 64] Today's Social Work Podcast is a "behind the scenes" look at the Social Work Podcast. Danielle Parrish, social work faculty at the University of Houston, interviews the founder and host, Jonathan Singer, about how the Social Work Podcast started, how he selects his topics and the people that he interviews and how after the interview the podcast is actually produced and then finally how he uses Twitter, Facebook, and Google Voice [215.948-2456] to connect with his listeners.

Adoption Policy and Practice in the U.S.A.: Interview with Ruth McRoy, Ph.D.

[Episode 63] Today's Social Work Podcast is a broad overview of current policies and practices associated with adoption in the United States. According to the Evan B. Donaldson Institute, 6 in 10 Americans have had experience with adoption, meaning you, or a family member or close friend was adopted, adopted a child, or put a child up for adoption. Although most Americans have experience with adoption, as you'll hear in today's interview, the world of adoption is incredibly complex. For example, is it ever acceptable to consider the race of a prospective adoptive family when making placement decisions? For example, you're looking to place an African American child. You have three prospective adoptive families - two African American and one White. Assuming all things are equal, could you use race as an exclusionary criterion? What about if the child was White, Latino, or Native American? If you know the answer - congratulations. If not, keep listening. And even if you know the answer, keep listening.

Concerns of Parents of Lesbians and Gays: Interview with Cynthia Conley, Ph.D.

Risk for suicide among gay youth has caught a lot of attention in the American media as of late. There have been a number of youth who have been bullied because they have been gay or perceived to be gay and who have consequently died by suicide. Dan Savage and friends and colleagues and supporters have put together an amazing project called "It Gets Better" (http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/) focusing on the issue of youth suicide for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, question and queer teens.

Now there is good reason for this. According to the U.S. Government’s Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide, gay and lesbian youth bear an increased risk of suicide, substance abuse, school problems, and isolation because of a "hostile and condemning environment, verbal and physical abuse, rejection and isolation from [peers and family]" (Gibson, 1989). Social worker and pioneer gay and lesbian researcher Caitlin Ryan, found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection (Ryan, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2009).

So, here’s the thing. Families who reject their kids are doing their kids a huge disservice. And that’s the point of today’s podcast. Today I’m talking with Dr. Cynthia Conley about the concerns of heterosexual parents of gay and lesbian youth.

The Wisdom To Know the Difference: Interview with Eileen Flanagan

Eileen Flanagan

We've all heard the Serenity prayer. Even if you don't know what it is called, you'll recognize it by the first few words... "God grant me the serenity..." The serenity prayer is synonymous with Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-step programs that have transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people. And it is only 25 words and three lines long.

Download MP3 [29:31]


Most episodes of the Social Work Podcast take huge topics - like stigma, suicide, and cognitive-behavior therapy, and try to distill them into 30-minute overviews. Today's podcast flips that on its head. Today we're spending over thirty minutes to unpack 25 words. My hope is that listeners learn something about the Serenity prayer - something that they can incorporate into their social work education or practice. In today's social work podcast, I spoke with Eileen Flanagan, author of the award winning book, The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change-and When to Let Go Her book was endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She holds a B.A. from Duke and an M.A. from Yale and teaches at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can read more about her work at her website, http://www.eileenflanagan.com.

And now, on to Episode 61 of the Social Work Podcast: The Wisdom To Know the Difference: an Interview with Eileen Flanagan.

Social Skills Training with Children and Adolescents: Interview with Craig LeCroy, Ph.D.

[Episode 60]Today’s Social Work Podcast is on social skills training with children and adolescents. My guest, Craig Winston LeCroy defines social skills as “a complex set of skills that facilitate the successful interactions between peers, parents, teachers, and other adults” (LeCroy, 2009, 653). Social skills include everything from dress and behavior codes, to rules about what, when, and how to say or not to say something. Social skills training is a form of behavior therapy, and as such focuses on behaviors, rather than thoughts or feelings, as the targets for change. Traditional behavior modification is often thought of in terms of task completion, for example, using star charts to get kids to clean their rooms or do homework. But in social skills training, behavior modification principles are used to teach people skills that help them to be successful in social situations.

Download MP3 [28:42]

Incorporating Religion and Spirituality into Social Work Practice with African Americans: Interview with Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Ph.D.

[Episode 59] Today’s Social Work Podcast is on incorporating religion and spirituality into social work practice with African Americans. Or at least that’s the official title. The unofficial title is, “If my client brings God into the conversation, what should I do?” I spoke with Nancy Boyd-Franklin, best-selling author, multicultural researcher, family therapist and clinical trainer, and recipient of awards from the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists, and the American Family Therapy academy.

When I was a social work intern, I worked with an African American mother who had AIDS and whose 6 children were HIV+. The father of her children had been an IV drug user who had died of AIDS. The mother was in poor health, and rarely sought her own treatment. I had a hard time tracking her down because she spent most of the day, every day, on public transportation with one child or another taking them to and from medical appointments. I remember being on the bus with her one day (because that was only place I could meet with her), listening to her talk about how she had successfully fought hospital administration to get treatment for one of her kids. Being the eager social work student that I was, fully prepared to acknowledge my clients strengths and resources, I told her that I was in awe of her strength. “How do you do it?” I asked her. Her response totally caught me off guard...

So You Want To Work Abroad? An Interview with David Dininio

In today's Social Work Podcast I speak with David Dininio, Recruitment Manager for HCL Social Care International, about how social workers in the United States can work as social workers in other countries. Let’s be honest. You didn’t become a social worker because you wanted to travel the world. Even if you’re someone who has the travel bug – You’re a social worker. You’re not making a whole lot of money? How are you going to finance it? Today’s Social Work Podcast is about how social workers can work abroad.

Communities that Care: Interview with Richard F. Catalano, Ph.D.

[Episode 57] Today's Social Work Podcast is on community-based prevention services for children and adolescents. I spoke with Dr. Richard F. Catalano, who along with J. David Hawkins, developed Communities That Care, a prevention-planning system that promotes the positive development of children and youth and prevents problem behaviors, including substance use, delinquency, teen pregnancy, school drop-out and violence. It is a system for identifying community needs, matching those needs to evidence-based prevention programs, and evaluating the outcomes. The system has been used in dozens of communities around the United States, and has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing problem behaviors and promoting positive youth development.

Download MP3 [30:47]

Suicide and Black American Males: Interview with Sean Joe, Ph.D.

Today’s Social Work Podcast is on Suicide and Black American Males. Why suicide and Black Americans? Well, there is a belief among most Americans, and particularly among African American adults, that Black Americans do not kill themselves (Joe, 2006). When we think of violent death among Black Americans we think of homicide. Suicide is thought of as a “White” problem. While it is true that suicide was not a leading cause of death for African Americans 40 years ago, today it is the third leading cause of deaths among African Americans 15 – 24 years of age. So why Black American Males specifically? Well, among all racial and ethnic groups, the suicide rate is lowest among Black American females. Given that Black American males, particularly youth, are over-represented in social services, social workers need to be aware of the risk for suicide, and prepared to provide potentially life-saving services. One thing that makes social workers professionals is that we are trained to see things that others do not. Most of us have not been trained to see suicide as an important issue in the Black American community. It is my hope that after hearing today’s guest, Dr. Sean Joe, you will be more likely to see suicide among Black American males as an important clinical and programmatic issue.

Sean Joe, PhD, MSW, joined the Brown School in Fall 2014 as the Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development. His research focuses on Black adolescents' mental health service use patterns, the role of religion in Black suicidal behavior (NIMH), salivary biomarkers for suicidal behavior, and development of father-focused, family-based interventions to prevent urban African American adolescent males from engaging in multiple forms of self-destructive behaviors (e.g., suicidal behavior).  When this interview was recorded, Dr. Joe held a joint position as associate professor in the School of Social Work and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan's School of Medicine. He also served as a faculty associate and Associate Director for Research and Training at the Program for Research on Black Americans at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.  Dr. Joe is a nationally recognized authority on suicidal behavior among African Americans. He is the 2009 recipient of the Edwin Shneidman Award from the American Association of Suicidology for outstanding contributions in research to the field of suicide studies and the 2008 recipient of the Early Career Achievement Award from the Society for Social Work and Research. He has published in the areas of suicide, violence, and firearm-related violence.   Dr. Joe served on the board of the Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN USA), the scientific advisory board of the National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide, and the editorial board of Advancing Suicide Prevention, a policy magazine. He is the Founder and Director of the Emerging Scholars Interdisciplinary Network, a national interdisciplinary and mutli-ethnic professional development network for early career social and behavior scientist.

In today's podcast, Sean talks why it is important to look at the suicide rate among Black American males, specifically adolescent males. He talks about how recent research has started to put together a profile for Black American Males most at risk for suicide, and the factors that seem to protect against suicide. He talks about some of the social and historical factors associated with the increase in suicide rates among Black Americans. Sean gives an example of how he talks with Black Americans about suicide and stigma. We talked about recommendations for social workers who are working with Black American males who might be suicidal, including talking about faith, valuing that child, having a vision of that child as an adult, and healthy masculinity. Sean discussed some resources for social workers interested in learning more about this topic. We ended the interview with Sean extending an invitation to social work clinicians and researchers to join him to better understand suicide and suicidal behaviors in Black Americans.


Download MP3 [28:37]




One quick word about today’s podcast: I recorded today’s podcast using a Zoom H2 recorder on location at the Society for Social Work Research (SSWR) annual conference. If you listen closely you can hear the sounds of San Francisco in the background: a clock chiming, buses loading and unloading passengers, and even some pigeons congregating outside of the interview room. They don’t detract from the interview, but I wanted to give fair warning in case you were listening to this podcast anywhere were those sounds might be cause for alarm. So, without further ado, on to episode 56 of the social work podcast, Suicide and Black American Males: An Interview with Sean Joe, Ph.D., LMSW

Pediatric Oncology Social Work: Interview with Barbara Jones, Ph.D., MSW

[Episode 55] Today’s Social Work Podcast is about social work with children who have cancer, also referred to as pediatric oncology social work. Although pediatric cancer is relatively rare event, making up less than 1% of the cases diagnosed annually, that single case affects the lives of countless others. From a treatment perspective, when a child is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family is diagnosed with cancer. Children are most likely to get cancer in their first year of life, and least likely between the ages of 5 and 14. If you are white kid in the United States you are nearly two times more likely to get cancer than if you are black. One in 300 boys and one in 330 girls will develop cancer before the age of 20. Every year 2500 children die from cancers with names like Acute Lymphoblastic Lukemia (cancer of the bone marrow - the most common childhood cancer), Hepatoblastoma (cancer of the kidney), neuroblastoma (cancer of the central nervous system), Ewings sarcoma (bone cancer), Hodgin’s Lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), and Wilms tumor (cancer of the kidney). Notice that the most common forms of adult cancer such as lung, breast and colon are not included on this list. And it is not just that children get some cancers and adults get others. Among children, the cancers most often found in infants and toddlers are not the same as the cancers most often found in teenagers. For children today, getting a diagnosis of cancer is not the death sentence it once was. Before 1970 most children who got cancer died. Today, survival rates are nearly 80%. Currently there are about 270,000 survivors of childhood cancer. Consequently pediatric oncology social workers need to know as much about working with survivors of cancer as they do about issues of death and dying.

Download MP3 [36:03]

Psychoanalytic Treatment in Contemporary Social Work Practice: An Interview with Dr. Carol Tosone

[Episode 54] Today's Social Work Podcast, Psychoanalytic Treatment in Contemporary Social Work Practice: An Interview with Dr. Carol Tosone, addresses two questions: First, is psychodynamic treatment relevant in contemporary social work practice? In other words, does it meet the needs of the clients, the agencies, and the funding sources? Second, has clinical social work abandoned social work's historical commitment to advocating for social change? I think they are questions worth thinking about.

Well, in order to answer some of these questions, I spoke with Dr. Carol Tosone about contemporary psychoanalytic treatment. Dr. Tosone completed her psychoanalytic training at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, where she was the recipient of the Postgraduate Memorial Award. She is an Associate Professor at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, the recipient of the NYU Distinguished Teaching Award and is a Distinguished Scholar in Social Work in the National Academies of Practice in Washington, D.C. In 2007, Dr. Tosone was selected for a Fulbright Senior Specialist Award for teaching and research at the Hanoi University of Education in Vietnam. She is the editor-in-chief of the Clinical Social Work Journal, and the executive producer and writer of four social work education videos. And she is an expert in shared trauma – which is when a client and therapist experience the same traumatic event. I interviewed Carol about shared trauma in Episode 90: http://www.socialworkpodcast.com/shared-trauma.html.

Trailer for the "No One's the Bitch" podcast

[Trailer] A few months ago I interviewed a mother and a step-mother, Jennifer and Carol, two women whose book, No One's The Bitch: A Ten-Step Plan for the Mother and Stepmother Relationship had just been published by Globe Pequot Press. Their book quickly became a best-seller on Amazon.com, briefly reaching the #1 spot in the family category. I was really intrigued by what they had to say to social workers - or anyone who works with families. They were saying, "do not forget about the mother / step-mother relationship, it is perhaps the most important relationships to address in a blended family." Well, their message has caught the attention of major media outlets like the Washington Post, and most recently the Dr. Phil show. Although the interview is not ready for prime time, I wanted to give you a preview of the podcast in advance of their appearance on the Dr. Phil show, Tuesday, December 1st. In this three minute excerpt, Jennifer and Carol are talking about some of the typical issues that the mother / step-mother relationship brings. Enjoy this preview, and watch them on the Dr. Phil show Tuesday, December 1st.

Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change Model for Social Workers

[Episode 53] Today's podcast is on Prochaska and DiClemente's (1983) Stages of Change Model. This model describes five stages that people go through on their way to change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
The model assumes that although the amount of time an individual spends in a specific stage varies, everyone has to accomplish the same stage-specific tasks in order to move through the change process (Prochaska & Prochaska, 2009). There is an unofficial sixth stage that is variously called "relapse," "recycling," or "slipping" in which an individual reverts to old behaviors. Examples include having a beer after a period of sobriety, or smoking a cigarette a year after quitting. Slipping is so common that it is considered normal. Social Workers are encouraged to be honest with clients about the likelihood of backsliding or reverting to old behaviors once the change process has started, not because we expect our clients to fail, but because it normalizes the experience and takes away some of sense of failure and shame.