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Faculty, staff and student briefs

Rounds honored with retirement party

About 50 faculty, staff, students, friends and family gathered on May 25 to honor Professor Kathleen Rounds, who recently retired from the School of Social Work after nearly 30 years of service. Dean Jack M. Richman praised the former chair of the doctoral program, co-chair of the dual degree program in social work and public health and director of the Maternal and Child Health Public Health Social Work Leadership Training Program as “an incredible researcher, teacher, administrator and colleague.”
Many described Rounds, as a “voice of reason,” most often during challenging times.
“When School events were superheated, Kathleen lowered the temperature with thoughtful analysis and with path-finding advice,” said Distinguished Professor Mark Fraser. “Unrecognized, she was a backbone for making principled decisions that were above all else fair, though frequently difficult.”
Fraser also lauded Rounds’ innovative research, especially during the early years of the AIDS crisis. Her scholarly interests focused on evaluations of support services for people with HIV, services for pregnant and postpartum women using drugs and alcohol, and adolescent parenting programs. Among her numerous honors, Rounds was twice selected for the Dean’s Recognition of Teaching Excellence award and was a recipient of the Insley Evans Public Health Social Worker of the Year Award from the American Public Health Association, Social Work Section.

 
Clinical Associate Professor Sarah Verbiest’s SoWo 884 class recently spent the day at the North Carolina General Assembly, visiting with Kay Castillo from the National Association of Social Work and with several of Verbiest’s friends and colleagues who are lobbyists, including a mix of social workers, lawyers and policy workers. The students observed a lobbyist strategy meeting on healthy corner stores. They also listened in on the coal ash debate in the House; saw some historic legislation passed in the House Health and Human Services Committee around substance use; spent a bit of time with Rep. Graig Meyer, D-Orange; and met some of their own representatives and much more.
 
UNC Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost James Dean met recently with Dean Jack Richman to thank Richman for his many years of service to the School of Social Work.

Upcoming AHEC Presentations

EASTERN AHEC

  • July 8 – Intervening with People in Crisis – Marty Weems

WAKE AHEC

  • July 29 –  Depression and Suicide in Children and Adolescents – Jodi Flick
  • July 29 –  Anxiety and Panic in Children and Adolescents – Audrina Jones Bunton

EASTERN AHEC
Annual Children’s Services State of the Art Conference:

  • Aug. 25 – The Ethics of Practice with Minors – Kim Strom-Gottfried
  • Aug. 25- Ethical Practice in Supervision – Kim Strom-Gottfried
  • Aug. 25 – Brain Development and Effects of Maltreatment, and Keeping Yourself Safe from Client Violence – Jodi Flick
  • Aug. 25 – Child Maltreatment Reporting and the Ethical Use of Professional Discretion – Tara Bohley
  • Aug. 26 – Depression and Suicide in Children and Adolescents – Jodi Flick
  • Aug. 26 – Understanding Autism: The Impact of Emotional Regulation Issues and Social Cognitive Challenges on Behavior and Academics – Sherry Mergner
  • Aug. 26 – Emotional Abuse of Children – Joanne Caye

For information on AHEC programs, see: http://www.med.unc.edu/ahec/