VCU School of Social Work

eNewsletter - Volume 1, Issue 1.pdf

Spring 2009

BSW PROGRAM

Largest Senior Class to Graduate in 2009 The BSW program is strong with 280 students--and we anticipate graduating the largest senior class in the history of the program at the May 15th School of Social Work commencement.

Bridging the Gap BSW program representatives are in process of developing articulation agreements with both J. Sargeant Reynolds and John Tyler Community Colleges in order to facilitate Human Services Associate Degree holders' ability to more easily transfer into VCU's BSW professional curriculum and earn their undergraduate degree in social work.

MSW PROGRAM

New Trauma Elective Course A new trauma elective course, Social Work Practice with Trauma Survivors: Theory, Assessment and Intervention, has been approved by the MSW Program Committee. Students have expressed mounting excitement about the course and the opportunity to learn about the connection between trauma and problems in living. The course will be offered in the fall and spring semesters of the 2009-2010 academic year.

Alternative Course Formats The MSW Program heard the cry of its part time students! Dr. Lib Hutchison chaired the MSW Program Committee (2007) that surveyed our part time MSW students concerning their program needs. A strong collective student response was, "We need courses to be more accessible to us!" The MSW Program listened, and we now offer several courses in nonstandard delivery formats, e.g., online, hybrid (online/classroom) and on weekends. And, we are doing more! The Child Welfare Course and the School Social Work Course will be offered totally in online format beginning in the Fall 2009 semester.

MSW PROGRAM -- NoVA

In-residence Elective Course An exciting, innovative and intensive "In-Residence" elective course, Washington D.C. Seminar: Exploring the Policy Environment, is going to Washington, D.C. ! Dr. David Stoesz and NoVA campus "In-Residence" students will explore the national policy environment and political culture of our nation's capital in 5 fast-paced days! Students will visit national prominent Think Tanks and Advocacy Organizations to see first-hand policy practice at work! Course dates are June 1- 5, 2009.

Hutchison Retirement Announced Dr. Elizabeth Hutchison has announced that she will retire at the end of the current academic year, culminating a 22-year career with the VCU School of Social Work.  Hutchison's invaluable contributions to the school as BSW Program Director (1987-89), a distinguished professor and effective student advisor in both the MSW and Ph.D. programs, and as field liaison, whose work took her expertise out of the classroom and into the community, and brought the community into her classroom in meaningful ways, are but a small part of her distinguished career.

Hutchison has provided outstanding curriculum development leadership, especially in areas of human behavior and the social environment [HBSE], and social justice and policy. A gifted author whose HBSE texts have guided our students, as well as students in social work programs across the country, she has embraced the intellectual challenge of presenting the interdisciplinary knowledge base necessary for social workers to gain the broad understanding of human behavior called for in a profession with so much breadth to it. Dr. Hutchison has brought integrity, dedication, leadership and excellence to the School and to the social work profession, and her campus presence will be greatly missed.

PhD PROGRAM

Virginia Graduate Student Research Forum Doctoral candidate Gerry S. Meeks was invited to represent VCU at the Fourth Annual Virginia Graduate Student Research Form held recently at the Library of Virginia in Richmond where representatives from Virginia's thirteen public universities made presentations before state legislators, other government officials and the general public. Meeks' poster presentation, Faith-based Social Services in Central Virginia, was well received, as the topic of faith-based public assistance organizations was of special interest given current unemployment and economic conditions.

Hans S. Falck Doctoral Dissertation Scholarship Natsuko "Nana" Ryosho, MSW, Doctoral Candidate, has been named recipient of the 2008-09 Hans S. Falck Doctoral Dissertation Scholarship. The $1,000 endowed scholarship is awarded annually to a student engaged in the dissertation phase of the Ph.D. program. Ryosho's research regarding improvement of quality of work life and quality of elder care will entail examination of factors affecting job satisfaction of long-term care workers. She will defend her dissertation proposal later this semester.

Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship Mariette Klein, a first year doctoral student, was recently awarded the 2009 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Doctoral Scholarship Award for outstanding achievement in scholarship and leadership. Klein was Director of Volunteerism for AARP in Washington, D.C. before entering the Ph.D. program in Fall 2008.

FIELD INSTRUCTION

Student Intern Numbers Increase For Fall 2008/Spring 2009 we placed 496 students in more than 400 different agencies across the state and in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. With an expected additional 75 placements this summer, the number of students doing internships at VCU will have increased nearly 15% over the previous several years.

4th Annual Community Partners Appreciation Luncheon to be Held May 1st Over the years, VCU School of Social Work has been involved with the community in a variety of ways. We annually place more than 500 students in agencies across the state, offer continuing education training workshops to professionals both regionally and worldwide, assist agencies with program evaluations, as well as offer several international experiences for students and alumni. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate these activities and to honor participating community partners. Save the date! Additional details will be posted to the announcements blog on the SSW website Field Instruction main page.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Save These Dates ! Continuing Education is offering three spring semester programs beginning March 27, 2009 with The Marriage of Neuroscience, Trauma and Dissociative Disorders, followed by the Pinkus-Schwartz Symposium: Therapy with Oppressed Families on April 24th, and Surviving in Challenging Times: Assessing, Sustaining, and Changing Programs and Organizations on May 1st. Program details can be found on the Continuing Education page of the SSW website.

Professional Development Webcasts Four professional development webcasts on topics related to Gerontology and Long-term Caregiving are in development and are expected to be launched later this semester. Sign up to become a member of the ListServ and receive email notification of all upcoming events and webcasts.

January ~ February 2009

Congratulations to Jacqui Corcoran for her five new book chapters and Liz Cramer's most recent examples of productivity! Take note of the impressive number of faculty-doctoral alumni publications and other important collaborations. Kia J. Bentley's chapter in the new encyclopedia, for example, is with Chris Kogut, one of our MSW grads who is now a chief resident in psychiatry at MCV. Of course, we are excited that Rosemary Farmer's book on neuroscience is now out, as is Ellen Netting & Mary Katherine O'Connor's new edition of Organization practice. Note, too, the School is well represented among authors in the new edition of Social workers' desk reference (2009, Oxford), some announced here, and some in previous publication announcements.

Bellin, M. H., Bentley, K. J. & Swann, K. (2009). Factors associated with the
psychosocial and behavioral adjustment of siblings of youth with spina bifida.
Families, Systems and Health, 27(1). Access this upcoming issue from http://www.apa.org/journals/fsh/

Bentley, K. J. & Kogut, C. P. (2008). Psychopharmacology and contemporary social
work. In T. Mizrahi & L. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of social work, (20th Ed.)
NY: Oxford Press. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from
http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/encyclopedia/

Bentley, K. J. & Walsh, J. (2009). Social workers' roles in psychopharmacotherapy. In
A.R. Roberts and G. J. Greene (Eds.), Social workers' desk reference, (2nd Ed.)
(pp. 686-691). NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/SocialWork/?view=usa&sf=toc&ci=9 780195369373

Cagle, J. G. & Kovacs, P. J. (2009). Education: A complex and empowering social
work intervention at the end of life. Health & Social Work, 34 (1), 17-27.
Retrieved March 5, 2009 from http://oberon.naswpressonline.org/ vl=1792665/cl=21/nw=1/rpsv/cw/vhosts/nasw/03607283/latest.htm

Corcoran, J. (2009). My experience with groups in social work. In S. Boyle, G. Hull,
J. Mather, L. Smith, & W. Farley (Eds.), Direct practice in social work, (2nd Ed.).
(pp. 396-397). Boston: Allyn Bacon. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0205569382

Corcoran, J. (2008). Solution-focused therapy. In N. Coady & P. Lehmann (Eds.),
Theoretical perspectives in direct social work practice: A generalist-eclectic
approach, (2nd Ed.). (pp. 429-448). NY: Springer Publications, Inc.
Retrieved February 27, 2009 from
http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=02867#Table+of+Contents

Corcoran, J. (2009). Using standardized tests and instruments in family assessment.
In A. Roberts & K. Yeager (Eds.), Social workers' desk reference, (2nd Ed.)
(pp. 390-394). New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/SocialWork/?view=usa&sf=toc&ci=9 780195369373

Corcoran, J. & Littell, J. (2009). Meta-analysis and evidence-based practice. In
A. Roberts & K. Yeager (Eds.), Social workers' desk reference, (2nd Ed.).
(pp. 1149-1152). New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/SocialWork/?view=usa&sf=toc&ci=9 780195369373

Cramer, E.P. (2009). Considerations in choosing an LGBTTQ-focused scholarship
agenda in social work. In W. Meezan & J. I. Martin (Eds). Handbook of
research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations (pp. 402-412).
New York: Routledge. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from http://www.routledgepolitics.com/books/Handbook-of-Research-with-Lesbian-Gay- Bisexual-and-Transgender-Populations-isbn9781560235316

Cramer, E. P. & Plummer, S. (2009). People of color with disabilities: Intersectionality
as a framework for analyzing intimate partner violence in social, historical and
political contexts. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 18(2), 162-181.
Retrieved February 5, 2009 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10926770802675635

Farmer, R.L. (2009). Neuroscience and social work practice: The missing link. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.ebscobooks.com/books/ProductDetails.asp?CatalogID=8707680

Littell, J. & Corcoran, J. (2009). Systematic reviews and evidence-based practice.
In A. Roberts & K. Yeager (Eds.), Social workers' desk reference, (2nd Ed.).
(pp. 1152-1156). New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/SocialWork/?view=usa&sf=toc& ci=9780195369373

McAllister, C. A., Harold, R. D., Ahmedani, B. K., & Cramer, E. P. (2009). Targeted
mentoring: An evaluation of a program. Journal of Social Work Education, 45(1),
89-104. Access this upcoming issue from http://www.cswe.org/CSWE/publications/journal/

O'Connor, M. K. & Netting, F. E. (2009). Organization practice: A guide to
understanding human service organizations (2nd Ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. Retrieved online March 3, 2009 from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Organization-Practice/Mary-Katherine- OConnor/e/9780470252857

Singletary, Jon. (2008). A multiparadigmatic approach to religion in social work
education. Advances in Social Work, 9(2), pp. 63-78. Retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/147

Walsh, J. (2009). Clinical case management. In A.R. Roberts and G. J. Greene (Eds.),
Social workers' desk reference, (2nd Ed.) (pp.755-759). NY: Oxford University
Press. Retrieved online March 3, 2009 from http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/SocialWork/?view=usa&sf=
toc&ci=9780195369373

Kia J. Bentley, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Ph.D. Program Director and Professor

Several faculty have deep connections to our sibling professionals and educators down the street on the medical campus of VCU, especially the Institute for Women's Health (IWH), the Center for Health Disparities (CHD), and The Research Incubator (RI). Partnerships with the social work department of the hospital itself and the Departments of Gerontology and Pharmacology, among others, are also central to the School. These connections and collaborations, some highlighted here, bring to life the aims of the School's 2007 Strategic Plan which specifically calls for "broadening our strategic partnerships" with other disciplines, especially VCU's academic medical center.

Dr. Liz Cramer is active with the IWH's Domestic and Sexual Violence Working Group that collaborates to secure funding for various projects and holds an annual "Health Cares about Domestic Violence" Day. Our own MSW graduate, Janett Forte, long associated with various VCU projects all over the campuses, is a key figure in these family violence activities as well. Dr. Cramer also has recently worked with Drs. Michelle Meade and Nicole Abdul in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Partnership for People with Disabilities on several studies. Dr. Sarah Kye Price works closely with Drs. Cornelia Ramsey and Sheryl Garland in chairing the important "Community Connections" committee of the CHD. This committee is helping build VCU's community-based participatory research infrastructure and its current project focuses on the Mosby Court community. Dr. Price's work with the Comprehensive Health Investment Project (CHIP) around women, loss and depression was funded by one of the original IWH seed grants. That work was featured in the Spring 2008 Spectrum, published by VCU's Office of Research, as well as the annual report of the CHD. Her project with Dr. Kia J. Bentley on decision-making around psychopharmacology use during pregnancy and post-partum, now in its second phase, seeks methodological advice from an advisory panel of MCV ob-gyn doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and pharmacologists.

A small group of School of Social Work alumni have been working over the past year to revive the School of Social Work Alumni Network (SSWAN).

One priority has been the establishment of a Facebook site where BSW, MSW, and Ph.D alumni can network, provide mutual social support, mentor current students, and stay updated on news, continuing education events and other opportunities relevant to the field of social work. If you're not already a member of the SSWAN Facebook group, we urge you to join now at www.facebook.com and reconnect with some of your fellow graduates.

We also urge you to become an official member of SSWAN by joining the VCU Alumni Association. You will then automatically be registered as a SSWAN member, with a portion of your alumni dues coming to the School of Social Work for alumni related activities. Click on the VCU Alumni Association link below for membership information and registration.

Welcome to the first issue of the VCU School of Social Work e-newsletter. Not only is this a "greener" alternative to the traditional paper newsletter, but it will allow us to communicate happenings in the School in a more timely way. We welcome your feedback about this means of communicating with you.

There have been many changes in the School of Social Work during the past year. Of particular note, Dr. Frank Baskind stepped down as Dean after more than 16 years leading the School. There were many accomplishments attributable to his leadership, but one of which we are most proud is our national ranking. Again in 2008, the School's MSW Program was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the top 20 in the country. I am serving as the Interim Dean while the university conducts a national search for someone to fill the position permanently. It is our hope that by this time next year we will have a new dean for the School identified. Another major change in the School was the retirement of Dr. Robert Schneider, a faculty member with the School of Social Work for 34 years. His contributions in the area of aging and social policy will be missed both at the School and nationally.

The School continues to move forward on its strategic plan to create a vibrant learning community, assume leadership in the university, community and profession, and promote active partnerships with diverse communities. You can learn more about the various initiatives in the School and the work of our faculty by reading other articles in the newsletter and visiting our website. I want to especially draw your attention to our Spring "Community Reach Out" service project in which we are engaged this Spring. See related article on Page 2. I hope you can find a way to join us in assisting those who have most acutely been experiencing the effects of the economic crisis.

Thank you for your continuing interest in the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Ann Nichols-Casebolt, Interim Dean

Julie Jesmer Osgood, MSW, 2nd Year Ph.D. Student

Innovative technology is often used in educational environments as a teaching tool. In an environment where the student frequently is more comfortable with technology than the teacher, choosing to utilize technological innovations can be a blessing or a curse. My experiences as both a learner, and a teacher using Wiki spaces in the classroom environment, are discussed in this article.

"A wiki is a page, or collection of Web pages, designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites." In other words, a wiki is a virtual content management platform where anyone accessing the content can upload, modify and exchange documents and files. The best known wiki is our old academically challenged friend, Wikipedia. Information on Wikipedia can be viewed and modified by any user, with or without knowledge or credentials. The same is true for all wikis. Given their reputation, one might wonder how they could be used as an effective teaching innovation.

The optimal benefit of using a wiki for classroom education is the ability to facilitate and document collaboration among class members. Wikis can be used as an effective collaboration tool, but as with any new technology, the benefits need to be weighed against the potential problems that may present in the educational environment. To that end, I have identified several pros and cons in my work with wiki spaces in the classroom, and include suggestions about avoiding common pitfalls.

The School of Social Work at VCU has launched a community service initiative
- Community Reach Out - that engages its faculty, staff, students and alumni to work together in service to the community. The goal is to add a new School-wide dimension to its long-standing commitment to social and economic justice by helping individuals and families in need.

This Spring, the focus of Community Reach Out will be to those who have most acutely been experiencing the effects of the economic crisis. We will be initiating a new project relating to this focus each month during the Spring semester.

The first project initiated was a clothing drive for unemployed women and men who need business attire for job interviews, and for newly employed adults in need of work-related clothing. The clothing was collected, organized and donated to TDC Culture of Work Academy, Goodwill of Central Virginia and Freedom House for distribution to those in need.

Read more on the School website regarding specific needs and how you can contribute to this worthy project.

F. Ellen Netting, Professor and Samuel S. Wurtzel Endowed Chair in Social Work

Scholars come to Richmond to study its history, and what a wealth of history we have in Richmond! Did you know that the Female Humane Association, founded over 200 years ago (1807), was given the first license issued by the Department of Welfare and Institutions to a child-care institution in Virginia? Now known as the Children's Memorial Foundation, this organization funds children's charities in the city. The Virginia Home for Boys and Girls (formerly the Richmond Male Orphan Society, founded in 1846) is one of the oldest children's homes in the United States. St. Joseph's Villa, founded in 1834, was the first cottage-style orphanage in the Eastern United States, and Friends Association of Children (1873) was the first African American agency to join the Child Welfare League of America. Within the city, the Instructive Visiting Nurse Association (IVNA) was the first agency in Richmond to provide home nursing visits, to open a TB Clinic, to work with insurance companies to provide nursing care to policy holders, to assign an industrial nurse to work with industry laborers, and to open a crippled children's clinic. The Virginia Home, originally known as the Home for the Incurables, was the only institution of its kind in the Commonwealth, and Retreat for the Sick (founded in 1877) was the oldest nondenominational privately supported public hospital in the South. Richmond's YWCA (1887) is the oldest YWCA in the South, and in 1889 the Richmond Colored YMCA became the first African-American YMCA to own its facility (on East Leigh Street in Jackson Ward).

Several years ago, three faculty members at the School of Social Work began a journey to uncover the rich legacies of the health and human service agencies in the city. We wanted to learn how these agencies and institutions built capacity within their organizations and programs and how they had sustained themselves through difficult times.