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School briefs

Kim Strom-Gottfried, Smith P. Theimann Distinguished Professor for Ethics and Professional Practice, recently served on the committee to revise the NASW Code of Ethics and on the committee to revise the NASW policy on Impaired Professionals. Strom-Gottfried is also working under a contract with USAID in the country of Georgia to develop a system of professional regulation under the Georgia Association of Social Workers and in legislation through Parliament. Research associate Todd Jensen is also collaborating on this project, working to develop competencies and measures.

Matthew Howard, Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor and associate dean for doctoral education, was recently elected as a member of the Board of Directors for the Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.

Paul Lanier, assistant professor, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association.

Josh Hinson, a clinical assistant professor, recently co-presented “Refugees: Pathways, Experiences and Resettlement” as part of the Friday Center’s “What’s the BIG Idea?” series. Hinson’s portion of the presentation focused on the refugee experience in North Carolina and explored the ethical obligations of healthcare professionals to participate in their care. The session provided information and resources on best practices for working with refugees in the state.

Kanisha Coleman Brevard has joined the UNC School of Social Work as a research associate, effective Sept. 5, 2017. In her position, Brevard will work with faculty members David Ansong, Din Chen, Selena Childs, and Mark Testa on data analyses for the federal Permanency Innovations Initiative (PII) and on preparing the final report to the federal government on the Illinois Birth thru Three (IB3) federal waiver demonstration. Brevard received her doctorate in August. Her dissertation is entitled “Decision-making in child welfare: Does race matter?” Her sample drew from the Illinois Integrated Database on Children and Family Services, and her study examined racial disparities in rates of substantiation of child abuse and neglect allegations.

Doctoral student Annie Francis, MSW/MPA ’11; and alums Tonia Deese, MSW ’08, and Britt Cloudsdale, MSW ’08, recently participated in the National ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) Placement Recruitment and Retention Project in Denver, Colo.

Lisa Zerden, senior associate dean for MSW education, was recently invited on behalf of the National Collaborative for Improving the Clinical Learning Environment (NCICLE) and the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, to represent innovations in MSW Education and the profession at the NCICLE Interprofessional Clinical Learning Environment Symposium in Chicago.

Selena Childs will be co-leading the round table discussion on, “Examining Administrative Challenges in Conducting Research in Public Human Service Systems: Lessons from Child Welfare,” at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research in January in Washington, D.C.

The Family and Children’s Resources Program recently launched a new website and a new blog called “Effecting Change.” The blog is managed by training coordinator Amy Ramirez and will focus on current and future trends in child welfare, learning and professional development content and evidence-based practice.