March, 2023

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Five Ways We Can Better Understand Our Mental Health Symptoms

My Brains Not Broken

Earlier this week on the blog, I wrote about understanding symptoms. When it comes to mental illness, many symptoms are easy to see or understand. However, many symptoms also feel impossible to see in ourselves or others. A symptom of depression for one person might not exist for someone else, but both of these people could experience depression. Mental health is complex, and understanding our symptoms (however they look) is a big step on the path toward mental wellness.

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BASW urges social workers not to take jobs with Home Office age assessment body

Community Care

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has urged its members, and other social workers, not to work for a new Home Office agency established to assess the ages of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people. Its chief executive, Ruth Allen, said taking a job with the Home Office’s National Age Assessment Board (NAAB) was a “risk to professional objectivity and could compromise the judgment of social workers”, in the light of government rhetoric about adult asylum seeke

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Mindfulness and Meditation Explained

Gary Direnfeld

Mindfulness is the capacity to be aware of one’s emotional state. Meditation is a tool to help one develop that capacity. Both are learned skills that require practice over time to develop. Many people begin thinking that Mindfulness and Meditation is like a switch you can turn on to find an immediate benefit. That would be wrong. Think of it like wanting to be a race car driver, yet you don’t even drive yet.

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Breaking Down Mental Health Terms: Understanding Symptoms

My Brains Not Broken

Today, I want to talk about symptoms. When it comes to mental health terms, I’d guess that the word “symptoms” is very well-known. Everyone has experienced an illness, or feeling unwell, at some point in their lives. We are told to look out for symptoms and when we see them, to stop what we’re doing and get help. Most often, what we’re told to do is rest.

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Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide

Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.

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World Social Work Day 2023 : Message from IASSW President

The International Association Of Schools Of Social

World Social Work Day 2023 : Message from IASSW President Happy World Social Work Day 2023 (WSWD). This year World Social Work Day will be celebrated on the 21st March 2023. This year’s theme is ‘Respecting diversity through joint social action ‘ Which relates to the third theme of the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development 2020-2030.

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IFSW presents civil society submission to the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

International Federation of Social Workers

How people’s rights are affected by international economic sanctions and what we can do about it….

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A new book unsettles assumptions about “child welfare” foster care and adoption

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

You probably remember the story: White adoptive parents of six black children drive themselves and the children off a cliff, killing them all. That may be all you remember, and perhaps wondering what would drive such a noble couple to such despair. After all, they rescued these children from their terrible parents, didn’t they? That was the story most reporters told, without asking any tough questions.

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What to Do If You Have a Psychiatric Emergency

Nnatasha Tracy

It's important to know what to do in the case of a psychiatric emergency. Sure, you could float along with treatment righting every issue before things get really bad. You could catch everything early. You might have a proactive psychiatrist. Or, then again, this may not be your experience. I would argue that people with serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder are just crises waiting to happen.

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The Camouflage of Self-Stigma

My Brains Not Broken

I wish it weren’t true, but I’m extremely familiar with self-stigma. I’ve written about it before; in fact, I tried to break it down in a blog post last year. But as much as I’ve learned about how self-stigma exists in the world, I’m a whole different story. I have so much more to learn about how self-stigma exists within myself.

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Breaking Barriers from Within

Social Work Blog

When it comes to snap decisions, we can all benefit by pausing to reflect first By Lorrie R. Appleton, LCSW The theme for Social Work month is descriptive and inspiring – Social Work Breaks Barriers. At our best, Social Workers are analogous to Super Heroes. When clients and families are faced with challenges, we rise to the occasion. Social workers advocate for justice, leap over mountains of agency red tape, and scale mountains of paperwork.

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Best Practices to Streamline Compensation Management: A Foundation for Growth

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

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International Journal of Social Work Ethics and Values Volume 20, Issue 1 now available!

International Federation of Social Workers

IFSW is pleased to announce that the Volume 20, Issue 1 (2023) of the International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics has just been published.

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Social Work Month 2023: Thank You for All You Do To Break Barriers

The New Social Worker

Let’s break barriers! March is Social Work Month. Please spend it with us at The New Social Worker. THANK you for all you do. Follow us all month (March 2023) to celebrate the social work profession and the many ways we break diifficult barriers.

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Should We Have a Role in This Partnership?

Nicole Clark Consulting

There’s more than enough work to go around. A habit I’ve picked up from an evaluation colleague is referring prospective clients to other colleagues who may be a better fit, even if I’m interested in the project. I do this as I’d rather an organization choose the best person for their needs, rather than solely [.] The post Should We Have a Role in This Partnership?

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Guess which child welfare “scholars” are in the group defending a “race realist” law professor beloved by Tucker Carlson

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

Self-proclaimed "race realist" law professor Amy Wax having a friendly chat with election denier Tucker Carlson Prof. Amy Wax of the University of Pennsylvania Law School is quite a piece of work. The school’s Dean, Theodore Ruger, has written a letter urging the University to consider imposing a “major sanction” against the self-proclaimed “race realist.

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5 Must Haves for Case Management

Thousands of nonprofits rely on case management software to help collect data, manage programs, coordinate with agencies, and provide life-changing health and human services. Adopting a cloud-based case management platform is essential for nonprofits and government agencies to operate more efficiently and make better use of their funding and budget.

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Another Chance to Start Fresh

My Brains Not Broken

After my (in my opinion) grumpy post about how challenging the month of February is , I’d like to try a different approach today. I’m glad I’ve admitted that the winter is a difficult season for me; doing so has helped shift the way I manage my mental health this time of year. While it hasn’t solved my problems, I’m glad that I’m more aware of what I’m up against.

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7 Nurse Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Relias

Nurses have one of the most in-demand roles in healthcare, and with a 6% projected job growth rate through 2031, the demand for nurses to fill both vacancies and new roles is only increasing. Given the current and future need for nurses, healthcare organizations must focus on recruiting new nurses, but perhaps more importantly — keeping their nursing staff engaged in clinical practice.

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New book explores Ubuntu from a Social Work perspective

International Federation of Social Workers

IFSW is delighted to present a new book that explores Ubuntu from a Social Work perspective.

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Self-Care for Social Workers: Seven Steps to Avoid Burnout

KVC

A key component to being a social worker is serving others during times of crisis. While social workers are often focused on taking care of other people’s needs, it’s critical that self-care is also a priority for social workers! Children, families and communities have access to life-changing opportunities and improved positive outcomes because of the tremendous impact social workers and caring professionals provide.

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Get Connected: Using Social Media for Social Work Success

Speaker: Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW.

You may have the clinical skills to manage a private practice, but your success could actually hinge on marketing skills. For a thriving practice, you need to differentiate yourself from others and present yourself in a way that attracts referrals. These days, much of that happens online, including on social media. In this webinar, Gary Direnfeld will discuss how social media marketing can help you build your private practice and grow your client base.

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World Social Work Day 2023 at the UN

The International Association Of Schools Of Social

World Social Work Day 2023 at the UN Creating a More Inclusive World: Overcoming Barriers to EnABLE Environments Monday, April 3, 2023 10 a.m. – Noon EST Ecosoc Chamber, United Nations, NY City Belo is the Save the Dates. Within the next two weeks, we will be sending a registration link for both events.

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NCCPR news and commentary round-up, week ending March 7, 2023

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

● “When my kids were growing up, they weren’t afraid of the bogeyman. They were afraid of social services,” a parent with disabilities (one of the groups most vulnerable to family policing), told The Colorado Sun. “People don’t think about how traumatic these investigations are for kids.” The comment is part of an in-depth examination of mandatory child abuse reporting laws in Colorado – which are pretty much like the laws everywhere else.

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More Overwhelmed Than I Used to Be

My Brains Not Broken

It feels like it happens more often than it used to these days. I’ll be trying to finish a task or make a decision, and my brain will freeze up. I’ll get panicked, and I won’t be able to complete the task I started (if I can even remember it in the first place). I lose my breath, lose focus, lose my grip on whatever I was doing. This feeling I get, the feeling of becoming overwhelmed, has become more of a problem for me in recent years.

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Why Staff Are Struggling with Your Programs

Nicole Clark Consulting

For a long time, I prioritized program participants, because I thought, without participants there would be no program. Now, drawing on the voices of staff (as well as my personal experiences being on staff) I see the need for more balanced considerations in what participants experience in the program and what staff experience when implementing [.] The post Why Staff Are Struggling with Your Programs appeared first on Nicole Clark Consulting.

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Empower Your Nonprofit With Effective Payroll & HCM Services

Managing a nonprofit involves many challenges, but payroll and HR shouldn’t be among them. Our guide, "A Buyer’s Guide to Payroll & HCM Services," helps nonprofits choose the best provider. Efficient payroll services ensure timely, accurate payments, vital for maintaining staff and volunteer morale. Compliance support helps navigate complex labor laws and avoid costly fines.

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Recognizing women’s leadership – Carmen Ray-Bettineski, the founding executive director of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association for Children

National Casa Gal

During Women's History Month, we recognize the contributions of women who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities and advocating for those in need. Read More. The post Recognizing women’s leadership – Carmen Ray-Bettineski, the founding executive director of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association for Children appeared first on National CASA/GAL Association for Children.

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Gifts from around the world on WSWD 2023: From Finland

International Federation of Social Workers

A reflection from the IFSW Secretary-General, Rory Truell It was snowing in Helsinki, the waters of the inner harbour were covered in a thick coating of ice.

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Staying in Active Addiction Is a Choice Even If Addiction Isn’t a Choice

Nnatasha Tracy

Staying in an active addiction is a choice. I know that's a controversial statement, but I believe it to be true. This is not to suggest that addiction itself is a choice -- it isn't -- addiction itself can be considered a mental illness, and an illness is never a choice. That said, when a person continues in their addiction, that is a choice. I wish people would acknowledge that.

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The Social Work Relationship: A Transformational Gift

The New Social Worker

Our most important change agent as social workers is and will always be the use of OurSelf in client relationships. This contribution must be proudly cherished and celebrated, and never, ever overlooked, replaced, or lost.

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Springing Into a Brighter Mood

My Brains Not Broken

I’m pretty sure I write this sort of post every year, and I love doing it. I write a lot of posts about the way weather impacts my mental health, and today’s post is a similar one. The days are starting to be a little longer, and the weather a little warmer. I feel like I’m shaking myself awake after a long hibernation, and I’m ready go out into the world again.

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Try This: Move Away from Funder-Driven Evaluation

Nicole Clark Consulting

Try this out and let me know how it goes for you. I was a panelist on a recent webinar, discussing community and structural interventions to support maternal health equity. During the conversation, I shared an evaluation struggle: Evaluation is used to meet funder expectations, instead of serving as a learning tool for [.] The post Try This: Move Away from Funder-Driven Evaluation appeared first on Nicole Clark Consulting.

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Recognizing women’s leadership – Carmen Ray-Bettineski, the founding executive director of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association

National Casa Gal

During Women's History Month, we recognize the contributions of women who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities and advocating for those in need. Read More. The post Recognizing women’s leadership – Carmen Ray-Bettineski, the founding executive director of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association appeared first on National CASA/GAL Association for Children.

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Podcast on Social Work’s ‘Constant Stream of Development’: IFSW Representatives Visit The Norwegian Association of Social Workers

International Federation of Social Workers

Last week FO, The Norwegian Association of Social Workers, hosted Ana Radulescu, IFSW European Regional President and Rory Truell, IFSW Secretary-General.

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Photography Hobby Gives Clinical Social Worker Purpose and Hope

Social Work Blog

By Alison Laurio David LaPensee has traveled to 30 countries and 47 of the 50 United States. He said he has been taking photos for decades and always has his camera with him. “If I went alone or with other people, I always had something to do in the present moment,” he said. LaPensee in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2017. “It’s a meditative project.

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Self-Care A-Z: World Social Work Day - The Importance of Self-Care for “Respecting Diversity Through Joint Social Action”

The New Social Worker

As part of this World Social Work Day celebration, we consider the key question: How does diversity affect our own self-care and, by extension, our abilities to join others in social action?