New Web site provides information “clearinghouse” for those helping families and children
The Family and Children’s Resource Program at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work has launched a new Web site—the North Carolina Clearinghouse on Family and Child Well-being. The site connects professionals, communities and families with training opportunities and information they need to protect
children and promote family well-being.
The Clearinghouse is the product of statewide collaboration. The Governor’s Crime Commission awarded the School a grant to create the site. Agencies on its 23-member advisory committee range from the N.C. Division of Public Health to local police departments.
“Before, there were 20 different places one had to look to find available training,” said Cathy Purvis, advisory committee member and director of Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina. “Now there is a centralized source for this information.”
The Web site features a searchable calendar of training and learning opportunities, links to relevant publications and information about well-being outcomes. “We hope information from the Clearinghouse will add to community conversations about how to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families,” said Tiffany Price, project coordinator.
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Actress Sharon Lawrence with Jeff Smith, a member of the School of Social Work board of advisors, at the Friday Center on April 4. |
"Combating Sex Trafficking" conference held
Every year, about 800,000 people are trafficked worldwide across international borders and exploited through forced labor and commercial sex work. Nearly 20,000 of these victims enter the United States; an estimated 23 percent arrive in the southeast.
A UNC conference was held on April 3 and 4 at the Friday Center to provide training to first responders, educators, medical staff and the legal community, to begin developing a working plan for North Carolina and beyond to help victims, raise global awareness, and put a stop to sex trafficking. Actress and activist Sharon Lawrence, a UNC alumna and Raleigh native who starred in "NYPD Blue," was among the speakers.
The Jordan Institute for Families and the School of Social Work were sponsors of this annual event.
Angela Shelton to present her award-winning documentary film
At age 27, Angela Shelton, actress, comedian, and screenwriter (best known for Tumbleweeds), set out to create a documentary of American women’s experiences by interviewing women who shared her name. She went on the road in a rented motor home with a small crew to interview Angela Sheltons across the country.
Unexpectedly, she found that 70% of the Angela Sheltons she encountered had been victims of rape, childhood sexual assault and/or domestic violence. This surprising journey led Angela to confront her own abusive past.
Her multi-award-winning documentary, “Searching for Angela Shelton,” has started a grassroots movement of survivors and humanitarian organizations around the world who are breaking the silence about the epidemic of abuse. She wrote a book, “Finding Angela Shelton,” and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, 48 Hours Investigates and Larry King Live. Shelton is also featured in the April 10 edition of the New York Times.
On Saturday, April 26 at 5 p.m., Shelton visits the School of Social Work to present her award-winning film and give a lecture. A wine and cheese reception and book signing will follow at 7 p.m. This event is free, but please pre-register online or call (919) 843-1759. Flyer
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Members of the Romanian delegation talk with students at the Durham Nativity School |
Romanian educators visit UNC to learn about the School Success Profile
A Romanian delegation from four universities and two non-government agencies arrived in Chapel Hill March 29 for a five-day intensive workshop on the School Success Profile, an assessment tool developed by School of Social Work researchers that identifies barriers to learning, especially among at-risk youth. The visiting educators are interested in creating a similar evaluation model for Romanian schools.
During their UNC visit, the delegation spent time at the Durham Nativity School, a private middle school for sixth through eighth-grade boys from low-income families. The tuition-free school has used the School Success Profile and continues to work closely with the School of Social Work, particularly Gary Bowen, Kenan Distinguished Professor, to raise student academic achievement.
School of Social Work ranked as one of "America's Best Graduate Schools"
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U.S. News & World Report's annual grad school report is out -- and once again, the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work is ranked among the top 10 schools of social work in the United States. See rankings
Winston-Salem area alumni invited to dine with the Dean
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Alumni are invited to a luncheon with the Dean in Winston-Salem on Wednesday, April 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Big Shotz Tavern. Please RSVP to Kristen Huffman at (919) 843-7285 or e-mail.
Clinical Lecture Series dates 
April 21 - Steps to More Powerful Groups. Speaker: Bohdan Hrynewych, MSW, LCSW, LCAS. All lectures take place on Mondays in the School of Social Work auditorium from noon to 2 p.m.; two contact hours. Click here for more info and to register.
Mark your calendar - the lineup for fall 2008 was just announced: September 15 - Cultivating Mindfulness as Therapeutic Practice and Lifestyle. Speaker: John Mader, MA, LMFT. October 13 - Effective Treatments for Anxiety, Obsessions and Compulsions. Speaker: Jon Abramowitz, PhD. November 17 - The Crucial Role of Psychotherapy in Treating SPMI Adults: Creating New Narratives. Speaker: Marilyn Ghezzi, MSW, LCSW.
Public Health Social Work Conference to be held April 22
Update your practice skills, learn new techniques, and discuss the current issues facing public health social workers at the annual Public Health Social Work Conference. It will be held on April 22 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.
We will have a recruitment booth at this event. If you know of students or prospective applicants who may be interested in our school, please have them contact Sharon Holmes Thomas at (919) 962-4367 or sholmes@email.unc.edu to arrange an appointment.
Focusing on women and addiction
The 22nd annual Addiction: Focus on Women Conference, "Healing Through Connection," will be held May 13-16, 2008 at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, N.C. It is sponsored by the Mountain AHEC in Asheville and the School of Social Work. For more information, contact the Mountain AHEC at 828-257-4475 or go to www.mahec.net for a copy of the brochure.
Sherry Mergner, AHEC liaison, is pleased to announce that three of our MSW students were awarded scholarships to attend this conference: Andrea Winkler, Ellen Crary and Rachel Billian. All are enrolled in the School of Social Work's Substance Abuse Certificate Program.
Student receives Bryan fellowship for summer project
Crystal Yarborough, second-year MSW student in our Triangle Distance Education MSW Program, was awarded a Robert E. Bryan Fellowship to conduct a summer project. She will develop a job readiness group series for the consumers of CAARE, Inc., a non-profit organization in Durham that provides supportive services, including case management, transitional housing, HIV testing and prevention, substance abuse treatment, and support groups for persons living with HIV/AIDS. After the group series, she will assist in developing an agency "coffee shop" to give consumers the opportunity to practice their job skills. Yarborough's faculty mentor is Vanessa Hodges and her community partner is Dr. Sharon Elliott Bynum.
Florence Soltys honored posthumously with award
The American Society on Aging (ASA) honored former faculty member Florence Soltys with the ASA Leadership Award at its annual conference on March 26 in Washington, D.C. This award is presented to an ASA member who has made significant contributions to the growth and development of ASA and the field of aging. In addition to this honor, a scholarship will be set up in her name for students seeking financial assistance to attend future ASA conferences. Soltys, who retired in June 2007 and was a nationally recognized expert and advocate for the needs of older adults, died unexpectedly in September 2007 of complications following a car accident. She was 72.
School of Social Work faculty member Kerri Patrick, along with three second-year MSW students who are in the aging concentration, attended the conference and accepted the award on behalf of Soltys' family.
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Florence Soltys |
MSW students Amanda Blackwell, Megan Manuel and Fiona O'Neill |
Students receive Jane Curtis Parker Awards
Each spring since 1987, the Jane Curtis Parker Award is presented to a promising MSW student who is a rising final-year, full-time student and has demonstrated those qualities which characterized the late Mrs. Parker's approach in the conduct of her professional life. A former faculty member, Parker is remembered for her compassion, a sense of social justice, courage and initiative in tackling difficult problems, inexhaustible energy and an inspirational effect on others.
Award recipients are nominated by faculty and field instructors, and receive a $2,000 scholarship. Congratulations to this year's winners: Julie Wilmer, Metta Prieto, Jennifer Williams and Stephen Wiseman.
Career Day connects students with recruiters
The School of Social Work hosted its annual Career Day and Job Fair on April 7. The event attracted 58 recruiters, nearly 70 students from BSW programs across the state, and about 90 UNC-Chapel Hill MSW students. In addition to the job fair and seminars for the undergraduate students, a continuing education workshop and an alumni/student networking reception were part of the day. Congratulations to organizers Sarah Naylor and Beth Sauer, Student Services, and the rest of the hard-working staff who assisted with this successful event.
Joanne Caye received the 2008 Child Welfare Innovative Teaching and Learning Award from the Statewide North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative. Caye developed a Law School/Social Work Mock court experience that students do each year. All the Collaborative scholars in the state are invited to the UNC Law School, where they take a class on courtroom evidence and etiquette and then testify in a mock court, questioned by law students who "represent" the DSS and the family.
Michal Grinstein-Weiss received a $50,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to study the long-term impact of Individual Development Accounts and asset building on social and economic well-being. This study will assess the long-term (10-year) impact of IDAs. The study team will conduct a new survey of individuals who participated in the Tulsa, Okla. randomized IDA experiment that ran from 1998 to 2002, and will provide a rigorous statistical analysis of the long-term effects of IDA program participation on individuals’ wealth and earnings, as well as social, psychological and health outcomes.
Tina Souders recently presented at the NASW-Mississippi Chapter Annual Program Meeting in Natchez. She conducted a four-hour workshop on "The Ethical and Legal Considerations of Clinical Supervision." She also spoke at the closing plenary session for the conference on "Shades of Gray: Exploring the Nuances of Professional Ethics and Boundary Issues."
Marty Weems presented at the Oxford Roundtable in England in March. The Oxford Roundtable is a not-for-profit educational organization that provides an interdisciplinary forum to explore current issues that affect the public. This session focused on substance abuse and addiction, and over 60 delegates from around the world gathered to share their knowledge and experience. Weems' presentation, "Innovative Instruction: Preparing Social Workers for Careers in the Field of Addictions," focused on the School of Social Work's Substance Abuse Certificate Program.
Sheila F. Frye, MSW '87, received two awards this past year. In September, she was honored for "Outstanding Contributions in Public Health Social Work" at the NCPHA annual meeting. Frye was selected as one of two recipients statewide in recognition of her years of leadership in access to care, reducing infant mortality, program innovation and a passion for women's health/injury prevention in Wake County. In November, she was given the "N. Jan Parker Champion of Safe Kids Award" at the annual Wake County Safe Kids Awards banquet. This award highlighted her dedication and leadership for child passenger safety in Wake County. Frye oversees the Maternal and Women's Programs and Child Passenger Safety Program at Wake County Human Services-Public Health in Raleigh.
Sandra Starnes Gonzalez, MSW '01, just started a new position as a school-based mental health clinician for Lincoln County. She also works part-time for The Shepherd's Ranch, which provides Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, and is working towards her EAGALA Level II certification.
Tameka Norwood Howlett, MSW '07, married Jason Howlett on October 6 in Charlotte. Tameka is a social worker and Jason is a detention officer. The couple resides in Charlotte.
Kelly Robbins Keith, MSW '03, married William Christian Keith on February 16 in Richmond, Texas. She is the TRiO student support services coordinator at San Jacinto College North Campus in Houston.
Jessica Stephens, MSW '05 and Benjamin Manning, MSW '05 were engaged on March 8.
Ariana Wall, PhD '05, received a teaching award from The University of Kansas. BSW students were asked to identify a faculty member whose teaching has had a major and beneficial impact on students. Wall will be honored by the Center for Teaching Excellence at the annual Celebration of Teaching reception on May 5. She is an assistant professor in the School of Social Welfare.
Linda Williams, MSW '77, was named Social Worker of the Year by the the 4,000-member North Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). A clinical associate professor in the Department of Social Work at NC State University, Williams is director of the department's BSW program. She has served as a mentor to more than 1,000 social work students over the past 30 years.
Sha-Lai Williams, MSW '96, was accepted into the doctoral program at Washington University, and was awarded full tuition remission plus a monthly stipend. Williams plans to relocate to St. Louis in July and will begin class in August.
Stan Yancey, MSW '00, announces his new Web site, www.stanyancey.com. Yancey is the owner of Raleigh Psychotherapy Services and has been in the counseling field since 1987.
Do you have news to share?
If you have received an award, promotion, taken a new job, gotten married, or added a new member to the family, let us know. We would love to share your news with other alumni and the School of Social Work community. Please e-mail your alumni news and photos to sswalumni@unc.edu.
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Editor: Michelle Rogers
(919) 962-1532
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Events
- April 10 - Scholarship reception
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April 21 - Clinical Lecture Series
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April 23 - Winston Salem alumni luncheon
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April 26 - Angela Shelton film & lecture
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May 10 - Graduation
Links