Wellness Wednesday from the School of Social Work

Steve Landman, MSW, '72, LCSW, LMFT, CACIII,
Licensed Therapist, Certified Addiction Counselor
Family Counseling Center LLC

Prior to social work I went to law school and found domestic relations the subject I most enjoyed; thus, a transfer to UMSSW after a short time as a fourth-grade teacher in Baltimore. After graduation I moved to Massachusetts and worked in a private psychiatric hospital putting my social work concepts to use. It was there I joined the American Association of Marriage and Family therapists. My love of family therapy was started and continues to this day. I moved to Colorado in 1976 with a new marriage and a new child. In Colorado I started working for the Catholic church in adoptions, then I started a practice with 4 others in family and marriage therapy. I have taught in several settings, worked for the US department of Labor at a Job Corps Center, once per week and maintained a private practice as a licensed social worker and licensed family therapist. I also obtained a credential as a certified addiction specialist and approved domestic violence treatment provider.

" My proudest moment: providing family and couples therapy to hundreds of members of a very conservative county in Western Colorado despite being a progressive Jew from New York City (born in the Bronx)." ---Steve Landman

The DEI Pulse Survey

The DEI Pulse Survey is now live, and we are kindly asking all SSW community members to please take 5-7 minutes to complete it. We know that many are experiencing survey fatigue and we truly appreciate your efforts in completing this very important and short survey. The DEI pulse survey is confidential and gives us a “pulse” on key DEI issues at SSW. Survey data will be used to inform practices and launch programs and initiatives that promote a more equitable, and inclusive SSW community.

Once you have completed the survey, you will be directed to a separate link where you can enter yourself into a raffle for an Amazon Gift Card. Survey closes on November 21, 2022, at 5pm.

Click here to complete the survey

MSW Alumni Field Placement Survey

A group of MSW students are working on a project for their Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations (SOWK 631) class that will focus on addressing the prevalence of unpaid field placements for social work students at the UMSSW.

Project Description: We've seen that social work students often need to take out loans and work outside of school to pay for an education that never compensates us for the work we do. We are trying to collect data from current students as well as alumni that supports our proposition to pay students for their field education at the UMB School of Social Work. We believe that compensating students for field placements will lower exclusionary financial barriers and enable future social worker cohorts to become more representative of the communities they serve. Click here to complete the survey

Honor a Deserving UMSSW Alum or Student by Nominating Them to Receive

One of Six Alumni Association Awards to be Presented in March 2023!

The University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) has a rich history of graduating social workers and professionals in the field who embody the ethics and character that the National Association of Social Work requires. The UMSSW Alumni Association, together with Dean Judy Postmus, are proud to acknowledge its graduates who have demonstrated exemplary service to the field of social work. Click here to view the awards criteria.

Nominations are due by November 30, 2022

Critical Convo Recordings are Now Available Online!

"Changemaker in the Social Work Profession"

Speaker: CAPT Malaysia H. Harrell, LICSW, LCSW-C, BCD, MSW ‘02

Chief of the Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch
Department of Health and Human Services,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Moderator: Lori James-Townes, LCSW-C, MSW ’91

Executive Director at National Association for Public Defense/President, Expand-Now

"Becoming a Changemaker"
Panelists:

Anthony Carter, LCSW-C, MSW ‘18
Director of Practice Improvement and Consulting at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Maryrejahlil "Mj" Lanier, MSW ’21
Research Project Coordinator, The Institute for Innovation and Implementation

Elizabeth Stafford, LMSW ‘19
Outpatient Mental Health Therapist, Grace Medical Center

Moderator: Amy Greensfelder, LMSW ’17

Executive Director, Pro Bono Counseling Project

"Changemaker in the Community"
Speaker: Nadine Finigan-Carr, PhD, Research Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Director, Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative (PARI)

Moderator: Regina Salliey Cooper, MSW '05, Vice-President of Grantmaking and Technical Assistance with the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund

The School of Social Work is undergoing the construction of a new website which will enhance our ability to share social work jobs within our student and alumni communities.

In the meantime, we are gathering available jobs via the following form: Post Your Social Work Job.

Jobs will be gathered into one email and sent to current students, recent graduates, and members of the alumni association on a bi-weekly basis until the new site is live.

Thank you for your ongoing interest in hiring our MSW graduates!

The University of Maryland School of Social Work has an exciting opportunity for a Family Support Center Director to join their team. The Director position will oversee all aspects of program development, supervision of staff, budget, fundraising, enrollment, and facilities for the Family Support Center, located in the Promise Heights footprint of Upton/Druid Heights Baltimore City neighborhood. This position will collaborate closely with the Maryland Family Network and will work under the supervision of the Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) at the University of Maryland Baltimore. The Director of the Family Support Center will provide strategy, leadership, and guidance to support SWCOS in achieving organizational objectives.

The Family Support Center will offer an opportunity to expand and strengthen the department’s early childhood programming by co-locating integral services for expectant and parenting families of children ages 0 to 48 months and collaborate with multi-generational caregivers to support the safety, stability, healing and growth of children and families. The individual and family-based services will include addressing families’ emergency financial needs, space for education and teaching on caregiving practices and techniques, therapeutic services for children and families, and case management services to support families with navigating systems to address their physical health, social and emotional well-being.

Click here to learn more about this opportunity

Community Connections is Hiring!
The mission of Community Connections is to provide behavioral health, residential services, and primary health care coordination for marginalized and disenfranchised women, men, youth, and children living in the District of Columbia, many of whom are coping with challenges including mental illness, addiction, and the aftermath of trauma and abuse. Community Connections is currently hiring Rehabilitation Specialists.

The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Rehabilitation Specialist (RS) functions as part of a
10–12-person clinical team to deliver ACT Services to a group of consumers receiving services at the Community Connections Core Service Agency. Each RS has responsibility, under the supervision of a licensed Clinical Manager (supervisor), for working directly with a caseload of 10-12 individuals while also participating in case sharing with all consumers assigned to the team. Licensure Requirement: LGSW or Bachelors level . All interested applicant should send resumes to Bronwen.Millet@CCDC1.org

Community Connections is Hiring!

CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc. has an immediate opening for a Northwest Community and Schools Director which supports CHAI’s community development mission and goals through community building, neighborhood engagement and outreach. The Director also collaborates with and supports the schools in CHAI’s General Service Area (GSA)*, and engages teachers, school administrators, students and families in their school and community.

CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc. is a nonprofit housing and community development organization serving northwest Baltimore. For almost four decades of community service, CHAI has been forging deep connections and helping residents of all ages thrive, making our neighborhoods a stronger, better place in which to live, learn, and grow older. Click here to apply

SSW Student Financial Well-Being Resources

Date: November 18, 2022
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Online

Panelists: Henriette Taylor, Assistant Dean for Student Services
Tisa Silver Canady, Silver Canady & Associates

Join FSWI Chair Dr. Chris Callahan and Assistant Dean for Student Services Henriette Taylor to learn about new initiatives at the SSW to foster student financial well-being and connect to available resources on campus and in the community. Tisa Silver Canady, EdD, MBA will also provide an overview of supports offered thru the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness (MCCFW) for students and families.

Integrating Clinical Social Work Theory and Evidence into Practice

Date: November 21, 2022
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Location: Online

Instructor: Joan Pittman, PhD, LCSW-C
Clinical Associate Professor & Director of the MSW Program at Shady Grove

The purpose of this workshop is to examine how practitioners are using theoretical models to inform mental health services. Participants will reflect on what theories they currently use to guide practice and refresh their knowledge on some of the main theoretical paradigms used in mental health treatment. The workshop will focus on Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Focused Theories, examining how these models conceptualize client’s strengths and challenges, and inform interventions used with clients. Participants will practice applying theoretical concepts to client examples and develop strategies for using theories to improve the services they provide.

3 Category I CE

Daniel Thursz Social Justice Lecture: Ableism and Health Advocacy

Date: December 2, 2022
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Online

Facilitators:
Ableism 101: Dana Kobrin (alum), Mary McKelvie (alum), Libby Nuss (SSW Student)
Inclusive Health and Medical Advocacy: Adam Hays, Jason Schriml and Kayla Shields
Emcees: Samantha Fuld

Historically, Social Workers have received little training and guidance on best practices to support people with disabilities and provide services that are affirming, strengths-based, and accessible. This University of Maryland School of Social Work Daniel Thursz Social Justice Event will be offered as two interactive workshops:

Ableism 101: This reflective workshop created by students and alumni of the School of Social Work will focus on the ways in which bias and stigma impact us as social workers, offering strategies and exercises to increase awareness of internalized ableism and better engage in anti-oppressive practice in the disability space.

Inclusive Health and Medical Advocacy: A training on Inclusive Health, led by self-advocates from Special Olympics Maryland (SOMD), will work to better prepare social workers to provide supportive, affirmative health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This training was developed based on interactions of SOMD participants in navigating the healthcare system and engaging with healthcare providers. You will hear different health stories through first person experiences that highlight the importance of inclusive health practices.

*To foster a respectful and inclusive environment, we welcome and encourage participants and facilitators to use language that reflects and honors their own experience. Recognizing that there are different preferences and ways of identifying in the disability community, we’ve included both person-first and identity first language. If you would like to learn more, we recommend this brief article: https://www.massadvocates.org/news/ask-a-self-advocate-the-pros-and-cons-of-person-first-and-identity-first-language

Co-sponsors:
Special Olympics Maryland, DREAM Disability Justice, the School of Social Work’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

2.75 Category I CE

How to Build a Financial Coaching Practice

Date: December 6, 2022
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Online

Panelists: Sue Rogan, AFC, CASH Campaign of MD
Tisa Silver Canady, Silver Canady & Associates

FSWI partners and experienced coaches Sue Rogan, AFC and Tisa Silver Canady, EdD, MBA will discuss their work coaching clients and training financial coaches in this high-demand area of financial social work. They will share best practices, tips and pitfalls to setting up a financial coaching practice, including a discussion of various certifications and credentials available.