Publisher's Thoughts - Winter 2014
by Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
These are the publisher's thoughts for the Winter 2014 issue of The New Social Worker. Download this issue at our digital editions page or get the print edition here.
Dear Reader,
Happy New Year! I am very excited, because we have some great things in store for 2014 at THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Will you help us in our planning by participating in our 2014 Reader Survey? It will take about 5-10 minutes of your time. Go to http://www.socialworker.com/2014-reader-survey to get started. Thanks!
We are starting the new year with our ALL-NEW (and improved) website! In October 2013, we launched the first major overhaul of our site in several years. Please go to http://www.socialworker.com and check it out. It can be accessed on your computer, mobile phone, tablet, and other devices. Please note that the site is still at http://www.socialworker.com. However, other pages within the site have changed, so if you have linked to any of our pages, please update your links! Also, the process for downloading the magazine has changed. Click on the “magazine” link on the site for details.
We are adding more creative work of social workers, both to the website and the magazine. This includes poetry, audio, and video features. In this issue, we have all three. See page 21, and then go to our website to access the video and audio.
In the Fall 2013 issue, we featured an article that responded to some concerns about the DSM-5. In this issue, on page 8, we look at some of the specific changes in the DSM that have social workers scratching their heads, to help you in your thinking about preparing for the implementation of the new manual.
Cultural competence helps us to best meet the needs of the diverse populations we serve as social workers. Janice Hawkins writes on page 12 about the imporance of a culturally sensitive approach to working with African American clients.
We continue with our series on mandated reporting. Parts V and VI in this issue look at questions about what to do if you are not sure about reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, and what happens if you are wrong in your decision.
In this issue, we are happy to begin a new collaboration with Social Justice Solutions (SJS). SJS focuses on all aspects of social justice and will be contributing articles to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER on a variety of issues. We are starting with an introduction to the Social Work Reinvestment Act. See page 35.
I am encouraging all social workers to read Ogden Rogers’ book, Beginnings, Middles, & Ends, which we published in October. It is a book that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and think a little differently about social work. It is available in print and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.
To subscribe to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s Social Work E-News and notifications of new issues of the magazine, go to the “Subscribe” link on our website at http://www.socialworker.com. (It’s free!)
Until next time—happy reading!
Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
Publsiher/Editor