Dear Reader,
Happy New Year! This issue marks the beginning of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s 19th year of publication! I cannot believe how my “baby” has grown and developed over the years!
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Kryss shares hers with us on page 26. Whether you call them resolutions, goals, or a bucket list, knowing what direction you are headed—both personally and professionally—can help you get there!
Social workers encounter many difficult issues with their clients and in their everyday practice. Some of these issues, such as child sexual abuse, have been prominent in the national and local news lately. (See Jenna Mehnert’s letter to the editor on page 7.) The general public is, as a result, becoming more aware of some of the issues we all know all too well as social workers. It is unfortunate that it took some high-profile cases to get the attention of the press and legislators. Hopefully, this attention will result in improvements in reporting and legislation regarding child sexual abuse and other important social issues.
In this issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, we address some of the difficult issues. For example, how do you approach telling a client something that you know he or she will not want to hear? How and when do you warn someone of potential harm? Can veterans learn a new way to think about surrender when in substance abuse treatment? And what can be done about sexualization of young girls in today’s entertainment media?
In this issue, we are introducing a new feature called, “What Every New Social Worker Needs to Know About....” I am happy that Nicole Clark, an expert in and advocate for women’s reproductive and sexual health, agreed to write our first installment in this series.
Two social workers write about passion in social work careers in this issue. Katie Ullman recalls how her field placement helped her find that passion. Then on page 18, Sonya Hunte provides tips for turning your own passion into a successful social work career.
Do you have ideas or experiences you would like to share with our readers? Perhaps you would like to write an article or serve as an expert interviewee for a future issue! Let me know.
Until next time—happy reading!Linda May Grobman, Publisher/Editor
Table of Contents, Winter 2012, Vol. 19, No. 1
Student Role Model:
Carmelina Gilberto
Meet Carmelina Gilberto, BSW student at the Catholic University of America and NASW’s BSW Student Representative.
by Barbara Trainin Blank
page 3
Ethics: Duty To Warn, Duty To Protect
Since the Tarasoff case in 1974, duty to warn and duty to protect have become important concepts in social work and other disciplines. What began as a mental health issue has expanded to include other fields of social work practice, including HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, and medical social work.
by Steven Granich
page 4
Field Placement:How My Field Placemet Showed Me Why I Wanted To Be a Social Worker
People often ask, “Why social work?” Becoming a social worker was something that just seemed right to Katie, an unexplainable feeling that this was what she was supposed to do, until her field placement helped her put the answer into words.
by Katie Ullman
page 8
I Am Not Sure How To Tell You This: Delivering Unwelcome News
What will you do when called upon to deliver unpleasant news to a client? Using the PREP-SOAR-PREP method can help.
by Misty L. Wall
page 10
When To Surrender: A New Definition for Veterans in Substance Abuse Treatment
The concept of surrender is often used in substance abuse treatment. Veterans can stay stuck for years when applying, consciously or unconsciously, an old definition of the word. Witnessing this cycle of confusion led Heidi to develop a group intervention for use with this population.
by Heidi Peck
page 14
Sexualization of Young Girls in Entertainment
Concerns exist today that girls as young as seven are being introduced to sexual material, and this is affecting their psychological well-being in many ways. Proposed legislation and other recommended actions could help to reverse this trend.
by Heather Dawley-McClendon
page 16
3 Components of Turning Passion Into a Successful Social Work Career
It is no secret that social workers are often described as passionate. The question becomes: How can one turn that passion into a successful and fulfilling career?
by Sonya O. Hunte
page 18
Phi Alpha Poster Contest at CSWE 2011 Annual Program Meeting
Students presented posters at the CSWE Annual Program Meeting in Atlanta in October.
page 23
Kryss Meets Career: A Social Worker’s Resolutions
Kryss shares her goals for the new year.
by Kristen Marie (Kryss) Shane
page 26
What Every New Social Worker Needs To Know About: Infusing Social Work and Reproductive Justice To Advocate for Women’s Sexual Health
As social workers, we are in the perfect position to be the best advocates for women’s sexual and reproductive health.
by Nicole Clark
page 29
Tech Topics: Facebook and Suicide Prevention
Facebook partners with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
by Linda May Grobman
page 30
Choosing Civility
Forni’s book outlines simple rules for living a civil life.
by Patti Sabla
page 31
Departments
Letter to the Editor page 7
On Campus page 20
Poetry page 22
Reviews page 24
Classified Ads page 32
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