School launches new Web site

By Jack Richman, Dean -- For the past year, a group of dedicated people have been working to develop a new Web site for the School of Social Work. This was a group effort of Herculean proportions.

The process began with reviewing the Web sites of other top Schools of Social Work, as well as other excellent University-based web sites. Then came the hard part of designing, developing the architecture and writing all of the material. After it was created, it had to be reviewed, corrected, discussed and processed. I think as you look at the site you will agree that our colleagues have done a fabulous job.

The new site was designed and developed in-house, by Manuel Garcia, Michelle Rogers, Susan White and John Anderson. And the Web pages were reviewed and feedback was provided by many faculty, staff and students, including: Anna Scheyett, Sharon Thomas, Mary Beth Hernandez, Sarah Naylor, Linda Wilson, Beth Sauer, Jennifer Dunn, Kathleen Rounds, Denisé Dews, Rebecca Brigham, Kristen Huffman, Joe Polich, and Metta Prieto.

The site is filled with new material, including blogs written by several students who are part of the School's Ambassador Program. There is also a place where after reviewing the site you can provide feedback and make corrections or suggestions. I encourage you to take advantage of this; it will make the site better. Of course, there is also a place where you can donate to the School. I especially encourage you to consider that!

The new Web site is a work in progress and will be regularly updated with fresh material and ideas. Please thank our colleagues who worked to create this wonderful product and take time to give us feedback.

UNC project helps students with mental illnesses, support services prepare for ‘what if’ scenarios

By Susan White -- Nationally, an estimated 15 percent of students experience some form of mental illness such as major depression while in college. Many often struggle with where to get support. But a new study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill could close this gap by encouraging students to consider their needs and treatment options well in advance.

The research project, which began this year, explores whether students with mental illnesses will document their mental health issues, outline the care they prefer and provide copies of this information to people and agencies that students agree could assist if a crisis occurred. Known as “advanced directives for mental health,” these legal documents enable someone to communicate their wishes while they are capable of making decisions on their own.

The study is being funded by the UNC School of Social Work’s Armfield-Reeves Innovations Fund, which was established by Billy and Janie Armfield and Sam and Betsy Reeves.

The project is believed to be the first of its kind involving college students and could help ensure that young people get the help they need sooner, said Anna Scheyett, the project’s lead investigator and associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Social Work. Full story

School now online at iTunes University

Have you discovered iTunes University? This part of iTunes is not about downloading music. iTunes U delivers free online access to educational multimedia content from colleges and universities across the country. And now, UNC-Chapel Hill and the School of Social Work have a channel on iTunes to post audio and video. You can view iTunes U content on any PC or Mac computer (after installing the free iTunes program), or download to your iPod or mp3 player for later.

The first items we have posted on iTunes are videos from our new online course called "A Brief History of Oppression and Resistance."  Many thanks to Manuel Garcia for leading the effort to include our School on UNC's iTunes channel.

Clinical Lecture Series

Oct. 11 - “Do Ask…We Will Tell,” a free workshop for members of the media to discuss the issue of domestic violence with advocacy groups and survivors. Oct. 13 - Effective Treatments for Anxiety, Obsessions and Compulsions. Speaker: Jon Abramowitz, PhD. Nov. 17 - The Crucial Role of Psychotherapy in Treating SPMI Adults: Creating New Narratives. Speaker: Marilyn Ghezzi, MSW, LCSW. Register

School holds open houses for prospective Distance Education students, offers GRE test prep workshop

Know someone who may be interested in enrolling in our Distance Education MSW Program? Our open house will provide all the information they need. For more information on the events listed below, contact Sharon Thomas, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid by e-mail or (919) 962-4367.

• Triangle Distance Education MSW Program Open House, in Chapel Hill at the UNC School of Social Work, Oct. 15, 6-8 p.m.
• Winston-Salem Distance Education MSW Program Open House, at Forsyth County DSS, Oct. 28, 6-8 p.m.

To assist our applicants, the School is holding a GRE Test Preparation Workshop in Winston-Salem. It will be held on four consecutive Tuesdays in November from 6-9 p.m. Advance registration is required.

School coordinates 2008 Carolina Cares, Carolina Shares Campaign

Dean Jack Richman (pictured with basketball coach and campaign supporter Roy Williams) is serving as this year's chairperson of UNC-Chapel Hill's arm of the State Employees Combined Campaign (SECC). The SECC is the only charitable giving program authorized for North Carolina state work sites, supporting more than 1,000 local and national charities. Several School of Social Work staff and faculty are helping plan and implement this year's campaign, including coordinators Dana Caudill and Sarah Naylor, and committee members Mat Tarpley, Diane Wyant, Margaret Morse, Drew Lasater, Jennifer Dunn and Kristen Huffman. 

Guest lecturer to present "Preventing Child Maltreatment with Income Support"

As part of the John A. Tate Distinguished Lecture series, the School presents Kristen Shook Slack, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work. Slack will discuss reforms of child protective services systems (CPS) to enhance the continuum of interventions for families at risk for maltreatment, and specify clearer roles for CPS and public assistance systems in the context of the current economic safety net.

The lecture will be held on Mon., Nov. 10 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt building auditorium. Parking is available after 5:00 p.m., next door at the FedEx Global Education building's underground parking deck. Flyer

Nancy Dickinson and Gary Nelson received funding as part of the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute, a 5-year, $16.5 million project ($3.3 million per year) and the only one of its kind funded. The intent is to cultivate leadership at multiple levels within child welfare agencies across the country to implement sustainable systems change, institutionalize effective workforce practices, and improve outcomes for children and families. Eight universities (Fordham, Michigan State and universities at Albany, Denver, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Southern Maine) along with the National Indian Welfare Association are collaborating in this effort.  The School of Social Work at Albany is the prime contractor.  Nelson is the PI on a UNC subcontract to provide leadership development to child welfare managers.  Dickinson will be the overall project director.

Michal Grinstein-Weiss received a $170,000 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. These funds will support her large-scale project studying the long-term impact of individual development accounts (IDA)and asset building on social and economic well-being.

Grinstein-Weiss was an invited speaker at the 2008 Assets Learning Conference in Washington, D.C. Her presentation was entititled "Fostering Low-income Homeownership: A Longitudinal Randomized Experiment on Individual Development Accounts." She also facilitated a round table discussion at this conference, "Pathways to Prosperity: Effective Delivery of Savings Programs Through Targeted Initiatives."

Grinstein-Weiss was awarded the Smith Richardson Foundation’s Domestic Public Policy Research Fellowship, a highly competitive award. The Smith Richardson Foundation’s Domestic Public Policy Program supports the work of the next generation of public policy researchers and analysts. Grinstein-Weiss will receive $60,000 to develop two peer-reviewed research publications about the long-term effects of IDAs. In the midst of the mortgage and credit crisis, evidence from this research will shed light on intervention models, such as IDAs, that provide an alternative to subprime lending.

Matthew Howard wrote an op-ed column that was published Sept. 27 in the News & Observer. He explains why the recent decision of 129 college and university presidents to sign the Amethyst Initiative, which urges that the legal drinking age be lowered, is ill-considered and should be rescinded.

Susan Parish's study on hardships of families with disabled children continues to receive regional and national attention. During Lt. Governor Bev Perdue's remarks at The Arc of North Carolina annual conference, she specifically referenced findings in Parish's study that address how the economic downturn is directly affecting families with children who have disabilities.

Evelyn Williams was awarded $2.5 million in funding for her 5-year project, "A Systems Approach to Child Welfare Leadership Development and Workforce Planning in North Carolina." Williams is collaborating with Dean Duncan. This NC Workforce Development Project will focus on increasing coordination about workforce development among state, local and university stakeholders, developing leadership capacity of DSS staff and pilot testing a regional workforce planning model. These activities will support the capacity of agencies to create proactive organizational environments that promote staff recruitment and retention. The UNC Team will work with the NC Association of County Director's of Social Services and the NC Division of Social Services to implement this project.

In honor of our late faculty member Florence Soltys, UNC Health Care and the Division of Geriatric Medicine will dedicate the Florence Gray Soltys Geriatric Resource Center on Friday, Oct. 10. The ceremony will be held on the 8th floor of the North Carolina Memorial Hospital from 11 a.m-2 p.m. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served. For more information and to RSVP, contact Kathy Bruegging at (919) 966-2819.

Metta Prieto, final year MSW student, was given the UNC School of Social Work's William E. and Catherine M. Cummins Award for Outstanding School Social Work Practice. Prieto did her field education placement at Ephesus Elementary School in Chapel Hill, where her nominator Marne Meredith sings her praises. 

Adam Walsh, doctoral student, received an Impact Award from the UNC Graduate School, for his research on "The Impact of Supportive Housing on the Homeless of North Carolina: Evaluation of Cost Effectiveness and Quality of Life."  Faculty member Dean Duncan provided him the research assistantship to do this work.

Ann Bush, final year MSW student, did a summer internship in Haiti that faculty member Mat Despard helped set up. She worked for an organization called Fondation Enfant Jesus (FEJ), assisting in community-based development for the rural farming village of Lamardelle. It suffers from the extreme poverty, deforestation, lack of health care, and water shortages that are rampant throughout Haiti. Look for more information about Bush's experience in the upcoming Fall issue of Contact Magazine.

Students celebrate cultural diversity with performances

On September 16, the School of Social Work held its annual Arriba Harambee' Ch'ukhahada multicultural event celebrating the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity represented in our school and community. Talented students and faculty gave musical, drama and dance performances. Attendees also enjoyed a luncheon featuring international fare.

We mourn the loss of Harold Shields Jr., 2006 graduate of our Triangle Distance Education MSW Program, who passed away on Oct. 3. He is survived by his wife Kenitra Carby-Shields, MSW '07, and two small children, Mecca and Dima. Funeral services will be held on Sat., Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. at Southside Church of Christ, 800 Elmira Ave., Durham. Interment will follow in Glennview Memorial Park. The family will receive friends beginning at 10 a.m.
 

Alumnus offers free download of his book in honor of Philip Cooke

Richard Terry Lovelace, MSW '67 (pictured), a recently retired former student of professor emeritus Philip W. Cooke, hopes to honor his memory by giving away a stress relief book Cooke helped to publish. Written nearly 20 years ago, it is now online, and can be accessed freely without any obligation. Lovelace gives permission to print the entire text and asks everyone to read a note written by Cooke on the book’s back cover.

“Phil Cooke had considerable compassion combined with an extraordinary intellect," said Lovelace. " More importantly to me, he had little fear of daring, uncommon ways to be of help. When I submitted a book that applied a very different approach to relieving and even mastering mental stress and the disabling emotional distress that stress creates, hardly anyone would accept it as accurate. But thankfully I could count on Phil to give a fearless evaluation. His review, along with one by the world-renowned psychotherapist Dr. Albert Ellis, helped get it published internationally. Folks who knew Phil Cooke are grateful to have had him in their lives. Countless North Carolinians who never knew him are better off because of Phil’s strong positive influence on students and fellow social workers.”

MSW '98 reunion planned

Class of '98 -- mark your calendars for Sat., Nov. 15 (new date) for a reunion starting at noon in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt building. There will be a catered lunch and an opportunity to catch up with friends, faculty and staff. Menu and cost to be determined. Kristen Huffman will send out additional information in the next couple of weeks.

New alumni job board

The alumni job board has moved to the School's new Web site, and the previous listserv-based board has been discontinued. Have a job to post? Please use the e-mail link on the job board page.

Editor: Michelle Rogers, Director of Communications

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Alumni -- 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.

Alumni -- update your contact information

 
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