Highlights and Happenings – Summer 2019

 

June 2019

“Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As I transition out of my Deanship, I’m deeply proud of and gratified about all we’ve done together to advance equity, quality and impact at the School of Social Work these last five and a half years. 

It has been among my most cherished accomplishments and professional chapters to serve as the Dean of this fine school at PSU. I offer my thanks and respect to everyone in our community – in so many ways seen and unseen – that make our work so vibrant and important to the state of Oregon. I leave with the warmest affection and an array of fulfilling memories of my time in this role. 

In the coming year, I look forward to my first-ever sabbatical, during which I will work on a number of projects related to my “trio” of professional passions (addictions, art/social work, and foresight/futures practice). I will also be gearing up to return to the classroom, and the work with students that I’ve missed so much.  

I am busy and active building a futures community here at PSU as well – and will have more to share in the coming months about exciting developments as our university advances its efforts to increase its impact in a changing world. For now, please keep in touch with me on Twitter (@lauranissen) or at my blog: www.socialworkfutures.com

Please join me in welcoming our new leader, Dean (to be) Jose Coll, and a new chapter for our community. I’m excited about his vision and ideas for helping our school move to the next level. Dr. Coll brings a fresh perspective and enormous energy to the tasks ahead. I look forward to bringing all I have to offer to help continue our important work in the years to come!   

With warmest gratitude and in solidarity with those who work for justice,

Laura Nissen
Dean and Professor

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlight
• SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Highlights

School of Social Work Selects New Dean
Dr. Coll is a nationally recognized scholar for his groundbreaking work on military/veteran populations and families, with his publications becoming core readings within social work education. Join us in welcoming Dr. Coll to the SSW community!!

MSW Ranked 33rd Best Graduate Program by U.S. News & World Report
Just last year we were 38th in the nation, and we are so excited for increasing recognition of the scholarship, leadership, and excellence of teaching in our MSW program – now in its 55th year!

Our faculty and students continue to break new ground in social justice, equity and community well-being. Though our challenges have never been greater in the world around us, social work is proud to make the world a better place. 

Scholarships
Thanks to the hard work of our faculty and staff members, this year we were able to award $302,562 in scholarships for 84 students!!

Commencement
Congratulations to the 2019 graduates across our CYFS, BSW, MSW, and PhD programs! We are excited and proud of our students, and recognize all of the work that has gone into this moment. We thank you for making our school better with your knowledge, passion, and talents, and look forward to you continuing to be part of our community as alumni.

Happenings

Now Hiring for the School of Social Work
The School of Social Work is currently looking to expand our family! Current positions we have available are as follows:

• Executive Assistant to the Dean
• Director of Finance and Operations (Center for Improvement of Child & Family Services)

Faculty Spotlight

Lisa Hawash
The City of Portland: Response to Homelessness issue 5 has been released for Spring 2019 and features the research of our very own Lisa Hawash, the MSW Online Coordinator and an Associate Professor of Practice.

Lisa’s research is outlined on page 14 and illustrates the need and public health benefit of better addressing hygiene access for those living unsheltered. To read more, please visit: PortlandOregon.Gov/Toolkit/Article/730772

 

Dora Raymaker
Dora Raymaker who was awarded a two-year, National Institute of Health KL2 career development award through the Oregon Clinical and Transnational Research Institute at OHSU. Dora’s project will use a community based participatory research approach to develop an intervention to improve workplace culture for autistic professionals. Dora joins Susanne Klawetter now as the second SSW faculty member to receive a mentored career development award this year!

Beth Green
Received the Presidential Career Research Award. Beth is Director of Early Childhood & Family Support Research at the SSW’s Center for Improvement of Child & Family Services. How to improve early childhood programming is what drives Beth’s research. She works with communities, educators and early childhood programs providing research and evaluations that support continuous programmatic improvements.

Laurie Powers
Recently listed as one of the top 100 most influential contemporary social work faculty in the nation. This ranking came from a report in the Journal of Social Service Research. Dr. Powers is a professor emerita, but she continues to do research, and is an instructor in our PhD program.

Gita Mehrotra
Received the SSW Dean’s Research Award for Excellence.

 

Student Spotlight

Our 2018 MSW graduate Ailene Farkac, played a role in getting House Bill 2631 passed in the Oregon Senate which is now headed to the governor’s desk for a signature!
HB 2631 funds a 2-year pilot program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF), which will serve women incarcerated with civil legal issues. The program will help prepare women for a more successful reentry by helping them navigate and resolve their civil legal needs before they leave prison.

 

 

In April, BSW Faculty Member, Jessica Rodriguez Jenkins, along with current BSW and MSW students, and BSW alumni, attended the Latino Social Work Organization (LSWO) Conference in Oakland, CA.

Analucia Lopezrevoredo successfully defended her dissertation on February 26, 2019.Lopezrevoredo presented “Learning from Culturally Specific Programs and their Impact on Latino Parent-Engagement” to her dissertation committee of Roberto Orellana, Ann Curry-Stevens, Alma Trinidad, and Esperanza de la Vega.

Katie Winters defended her dissertation “Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence in Child Welfare: A Critical Realist Exploratory Study” with support from the SSW community

SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Lakindra Mitchell Dove, PhD, MSW will be joining the School of Social Work as an assistant professor in the fall of 2019 – as part of the BSW faculty. Lakindra earned her PhD in Social Work and Social Research from Portland State University in 2015. She also earned her Master in Social Work from PSU in 2004. Since 2015, she has served as an adjunct instructor, and this academic year she holds an appointment as an instructor in the BSW and MSW programs.

Lakindra has over 15 years post-MSW practice experience, working primarily with children and families. She spent the last decade working as a medical social worker, specializing in child abuse and neglect. She also has experience in community-based mental health, child welfare, health care, and research and evaluation. Her scholarship is focused on the cultural needs of African American children and adolescents and racial/ethnic identity development. Her specific research interests include children’s mental health, racial equity and social justice, child abuse and neglect, and culturally responsive research methodologies.

Lakindra is a native Oregonian who is passionate about giving back to the African American community in Portland. This community played an instrumental role in her life as a child. She has an extensive work history in the areas of racial equity and social justice. She co-facilitated a national training addressing educational equity for children of color and her dissertation focused on exploring hair and hair care experiences of African American female adolescents in foster care. She is an active member of her community, serving in various roles such as mentor, volunteer, board member, and committee member.

 

Antonia R.G. Alvarez, LMSW, PhD, will be joining the School of Social Work as an assistant professor in our MSW program this fall.

Antonia is a queer mestiza Pinay-American scholar and mother, who is committed to liberatory research and community-engaged practice with LGBTQI/Two-Spirit/Mahu communities of color. 

Using arts and culture-based interventions, her work emphasizes healing and protection from suicidality. Antonia received her MSW from the University of Michigan School of Social Work and is a licensed social worker in Hawai`i. She has more than 12-years post-MSW experience working with communities, organizations and groups, and more than 20 years of facilitation and experiential education experience. She is a GLSEN-certified facilitator and a trained joker in the Theatre of the Oppressed.

 

*Editor’s Note*

This newsletter was started during Dean Nissen’s tenure, and has taken on many shapes and forms. We look forward forward to seeing this publication evolve under Dean Coll’s leadership. For now, stay in touch with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for timely updates from our SSW community. 

 

Portland State University School of Social Work Selects New Dean

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jose Coll has accepted the role of Dean for the School of Social Work!  

Dr. Coll is a nationally recognized scholar for his groundbreaking work on military/veteran populations and families, with his publications becoming core readings within social work education. 

Dr. Coll has completed a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Saint Leo University, a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision from the University of South Florida.

He is a former noncommissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps, who was originally born in Havana, Cuba and migrated to the to the United States in 1980.

Dr. Coll joins us from Texas State University, where he served as the Director of the School of Social Work. At Texas State University, Dr. Coll led the development and implementation of multiple programs related to faculty development, interdisciplinary hires, and new diversity and international courses/programs, which established a commitment to equity and justice throughout the school. Previous career highlights include appointments at Saint Leo University, and the University of Southern California.

Dr. Coll was among a distinguished national pool of candidates, and was selected by our search committee, campus stakeholders, and community members, who praised his leadership qualities, scholarly distinction, and strong commitment to social justice and community engagement.  

Dr. Coll is deeply committed to diversity, inclusion, and improving the lives of marginalized populations. He says that “walking the walk” is a mantra for his style of leadership, and we are excited for him to lead our School into new territories! Join us in welcoming Dr. Coll to the SSW community!!

Highlights and Happenings – Winter 2019

 

January 2019

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”  Arundhati Roy

Happy New Year from the Portland State University School of Social Work! We recently closed out a tense and tiring year of social injustices, as well as another term of overwhelm, hectic schedules, papers, tests, and an almost never-ending list of assignments. But we survived last year just like we always do, and are better prepared to take on what’s coming in 2019.

As we begin this new term, I want to recognize that although this work is challenging, what makes it worthwhile is our deep commitment to continue learning more about what moves us, what drives us, and what interests us both in and out of the classroom.

Life is full of opportunities, both good and bad, that we can examine to find meaning and shape what we do in the social work world, as well as who we are as a person. In 2019, I encourage you to be led by your interests and allow them to fuel the change you wish to create in this world. Read more about what I’m doing below.

Sincerely,

Laura Nissen

Dean and Professor

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlight
• SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
• Faculty News and Publications
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

Witness For Peace Northwest Presents: ‘The Silencing of Dissent: Human Rights and Journalism in Honduras’ by Jennifer Ávila
On October 18th the PSU School of Social Work hosted The Silencing of Dissent: Human Rights and Journalism in Honduras by Jennifer Ávila.

The event was amazing and attracted many guests! It was important and insightful to learn about the root causes of migration and other struggles Central Americans face due to U.S. & Honduran policy. We want to thank our co-sponsor, the PSU CLAS Migration Cluster, and Witness for Peace Northwest for preparing this event.

Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation
We want to thank East Point Peace Academy for providing this two-day workshop focused on teaching methods of Kingian Nonviolence, the philosophy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Methods for nonviolent social change and activities designed to practice nonviolence were implemented for students to get hands-on learning experiences.

Veteran 101 Training
On November 7th, the SSW hosted a Veteran 101 Training by the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs. This training gave PSU SSW alumni members a free opportunity to learn veteran service skills.

Social workers must often work with veterans over the course of their careers. For this reason, it is important to understand the different needs veterans may have.

SSW Faculty Attends CSWE
In November, Dean Nissen, alongside various SSW faculty and staff members, attended the National Council of Social Work Education conference in Orlando, Florida.

Dean Nissen gave a presentation at a NAAD meeting exploring how social workers can increase their impact through futures frameworks.

(Pictured) Assistant Professor of Practice, Eddie May, Director of Field Education, Julie Kates, and Associate Professor of Practice/MSW Online Coordinator Lisa Hawash gave a presentation on Racial Equity in Field Education.

Lisa Hawash also gave a presentation on Re-imagining Collaboration for Social Justice for the Association for Community Organization and Social Action. BSW Program Director, Stephanie Bryson gave a talk about Conducting a Racial Equity Curriculum Review, as well as a presentation about the Canadian IPE Model: Social Work Intensive in Settings in Healthcare.

PSU Day of Giving 2018
The 2018 PSU Day of Giving was a success! We set out to raise $1,000 each for the School of Social Work Scholarship Fund and the Student Emergency Fund. We were able to raise over $2,325 for the SSW Scholarship Fund and $1,250 for the Student Emergency Fund!

We want to thank all of our generous donors for your contributions to these funds. Your donation really does make a difference, as students in need have regularly accessed our Student Emergency Fund to help supplement things such as food, clothing, and other essential needs.

We also want to acknowledge the work of one of our 2018 BSW alum Rosa Garcia. Rosa was the top social ambassador of the day, and due to her engagement on social media, we won a $1000 challenge that was designated to the Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Fund has similarly helped students with financial need by supporting their pursuit of higher education.

If you didn’t get a chance to donate on the day of giving, don’t worry. There will be another happening in February where you’ll have the opportunity to support.

Signing With Seoul Metro Government
The Director of our PhD program, Junghee Lee (far left), has launched a partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Government!

Pictured is the review and signing of a proposal to approve MOU for 5 years to admit 2 social work students on a yearly basis for a year of professional development experience. These visiting scholars are employees of the SMG who are in an MSW program in Seoul. They will take our MSW classes to experience social work education in the United States.

Happenings

Exploring the Future: Skills for the Next Chapter
What if there was a way to think about the future in a better way?

On Monday, January 14th, join us for a conversation about a recent “walk in the future” with a report from Dean Laura Nissen, School of Social Work at Portland State University, from her recent attendance at the 50th Anniversary Institute for the Future conference in Palo Alto, CA, and her ongoing work in this area.

This event will be held from 12 – 1 pm, OAI Room M209, (1825 SW Broadway). This event is free, but you must register.

Open Position and Call to Volunteers: 2019 Point-in-Time Homelessness Street Count
The RRI is partnering with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to conduct the 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Street Count during the week of January 23 – 29, 2019.  We are in need of volunteers and applicants for our Team Lead position.

It would be much appreciated if you could forward this flyer to your networks to help get the word out.

Now Hiring for the School of Social Work
The School of Social Work is currently looking to expand our family! Current positions we have available are as follows:

• The SSW is searching for a new Dean
• The BSW program is hiring for an assistant, associate, or full professor
• The CYFS program is hiring for an assistant professor
• The MSW program is hiring for two assistant, associate, or full professors

To learn more about these open positions, please visit pdx.edu/ssw/jobs, and direct any interested parties there as well.

Faculty Spotlight

Maria Talbot 
Dr. Maria Talbott (middle) retired at the close of fall term. Since joining Portland State University in 1984 as an Assistant Professor, Maria has contributed to all levels of our social work programming. She has been a cornerstone of not only our aging partnerships and scholarship, but a steady and important contributor to the aging field nationally among many other important aspects of her distinguished career.

We want to congratulate Dr. Talbott on a truly amazing career and wish her the best in her days of retirement!

Student Spotlight

SE Portland Vigil – Janet Benitez, William Polikoff, Evie Willis-Cash, & Gabrielle Yelland

This fall term a student group from the SW 539: Social Justice in Social Work course decided to focus their work on pedestrian justice in East Portland. MSW students Janet Benitez, William Polikoff, Evie Willis-Cash, and Gabrielle Yelland co-developed and co-implemented a vigil with non-profits organizations Oregon Walks and Rosewood Initiative. The vigil was held following two traffic-related fatalities in SE Portland. While the focus was primarily on the remembrance of the victims, the group also voiced their concerns that changes must be made to improve pedestrian safety.

“We just wanted to recognize the disproportionality in East Portland of how many traffic fatalities are happening in this area in comparison to the rest of Portland,” – Janet Benitez

Council on Social Work Education’s Minority Fellowship Program Master’s fellows for the 2018-2019
The MFP Master’s fellowship is funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The one-year fellowship provides stipend, training, and professional development supports. Fellows are direct-practice focused students dedicated to providing mental health or substance abuse services to underserved racial/ethnic minority communities and have committed to working in direct behavioral health practice for two years after graduation.

Ruth Chapman                                      Portland State University

Maria Elena Fernandez                         Portland State University

Karina Guzman-Ortiz                            Portland State University

Andrea Padilla                                      Portland State University

PhD Dissertation
Danica Brown, a doctoral candidate in the PhD Program in Social Work and Social Research successfully defended her dissertation Friday, Oct. 19 at the PSU Native American Student and Community Center.

SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Kirsten Keith
Kirsten will be serving as the AY 18-19 Generalist MSW Intern for the Office of the Student Inclusion Coordinator. Kirsten will be working on lots of different projects centered around equity, inclusion, and student support. Kirsten has worked in higher education/student affairs for nearly a decade and we are so lucky to draw upon their skill set and expertise.

Kirsten is the Director at the Queer Resource Center and is passionate about centering the students in their vision for the future of the QRC. Their work is informed by their previous experience serving as the QRC’s Assistant Director for 5 years and as the interim CARE Team Case Manager. Kirsten’s educational background is in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Educational Leadership and Policy.

Kirsten is in their second year of their Master’s of Social Work Program. Kirsten is thrilled to be working with Marina Barcelo to support the work of inclusion for all students at the School of Social Work for their field placement.

Faculty News, Publications and Presentations

Appointments, Presentations, and Proposals

• Blakeslee, J. E., & Keller, T. E. (2018). Long-term evaluation of the My Life mentoring program. Reflections on Research podcast series of the National Mentoring Resource Center. Available at: https://nationalmentoringresourcecenter.org/index.php/learning-opportunities/reflections-on-research-podcast.html
• Bryson, S., & Rodriguez-JenKins, J. (2018, November). Using Multiple Professional Perspectives to Conduct a Racial Equity Curriculum Review. Interactive Workshop at the Council of Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting (APM), Orlando, Fl.
• McBeath, B. was appointed a Visiting Professor of the Beijing Normal University Faculty of Education (China), beginning Summer 2018.
• McBeath, B., Hopkins, K. (Univ. of Maryland SSW). Co-editors-in-chief of the journal, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership, & Governance as of January, 2018.
• Furrer, C. J., Duong, T., Holman, J., Sorenson, J., Fredericks, S., & Welch, J. (October 2018). Child welfare workforce development and values-based practice. Workshop presented at the International Conference on Innovations in Family Engagement, Vail, CO.
• Hoffman, J. submitted an NIH Loan Repayment Program proposal titled, “Postpartum Experiences of Low-Income Women: Quality of Life and Service Use.” If I receive this award it will pay off a significant portion of my student loans.
• Hoffman, J. submitted and received an Academic Innovation Mini-Fund (AIM; $1000) through the Office of Academic Innovation (OAI) to work on incorporating open education resources into one of my courses (SW 540).
• Keller, T.E., & Spencer, R. (2018). The STAR study of mentoring relationship endings. Reflections on Research podcast series of the National Mentoring Resource Center. Available at: https://nationalmentoringresourcecenter.org/index.php/learning-opportunities/reflections-on-research-podcast.html
• Klawetter, S., Neu, M., Greenfield, J.C., Roybal, K., Scott, J., Protentis, R., & Hwang, S. (2018, September). A qualitative approach to exploring barriers and facilitators to maternal engagement in the NICU. Poster Presentation. CityMatCH Leadership and MCH Epidemiology Conference. Portland, OR.
• Meinhold, J. presented at the Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations in November in San Diego, CA. The conference theme was: Families and Cultural Intersections in a Global Context: Innovations in Research, Practice, and Policies. Details of presentation: Meinhold, J. L., Feeney, S., Cancel-Tirado, D. (2018, November). Building authentic relationships with students from diverse backgrounds: Reflections and Recommendations. Roundtable presented at the National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
• Meinhold, J. served as the Board President of the Northwest Council on Family Relations (since 2015) the NW affiliate of NCFR.
• Raymaker, D.M., Mitchell, A. (2018). Presentation academic: Autism and Skilled Employment. Paper Presentation. TASH Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
• Raymaker, D.M. Presentation Community/practice: 2018 – 2018 Washington Autism Advisory Council Meeting: Improving Health through Trauma-informed Approaches for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities, their Families and Caregivers – professional expert panelist and guest speaker
• Raymaker, D.M. Proposal Submitted: National Institute of Mental Health R21 PA-18-400 Exploratory study on autistic adult burnout and suicide behavior. PI: Raymaker; Role: Principal Investigator (submitted)
• Raymaker, D.M. Proposal Awarded: OHSU-PSU Collaborative Research Program; Title: Pilot study on autistic adult burnout and suicide behavior; Performance Period: 9/28/2018 – 9/30/2019; Role: PI; $50,000; Project’s Goals: Exploratory mixed-methods pilot to begin characterizing autistic burnout and developing a measure for use in a larger NIH-funded grant to examine autistic burnout and suicidal behavior.
• Raymaker, D.M., Nicolaidis, C. (2018).  training session: INSAR Summer Institute: Equitable Inclusion of Autistic Adults as Co-Researchers. International Society for Autism Research. https://www.autism-insar.org/page/Nicolaidis
• Rodriguez-JenKins, J. (2018, November). Early childhood parenting context for Latina mothers vulnerable to child welfare involvement. Paper presentation at the Council of Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting (APM), Orlando, Fl.
• Rodriguez-Jenkins, J. Understanding parenting context and beliefs for Latino parents with young children vulnerable to the child welfare system. (Submitted 11/2018). National Institutes of Health Health Disparities Research Mentored Loan Repayment Program (LRP). Mentor: Roberto Orellana, PhD. Role: Principal Investigator.
• Thurber, A. (2018, September). Cultivating community-engaged scholars and practitioners: Lessons from a participatory counter-narrative project. Race and Pedagogy National Conference. Tacoma, WA.

Publications

• Blakeslee, J.E. & Keller, T.E. (2018). Assessing support network stability with transition-age foster youth: Measuring change over time. Research on Social Work Practice, 28, 7, 857-868
• Bienen, L., Crespo, C.J., Keller, T.E., & Weinstein, A. (2018). Enhancing institutional research capacity: Results and lessons from a pilot project program. Journal of Research Administration, 49, 2, 64-90.
• Green, B. Recently co-authored a publication focused on outcomes from a statewide randomized trial of the Healthy Families Oregon home visiting program that showed that the program supports improved access to preventive health care and insurance for low income, diverse mothers and infants.  The article is available here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329383953_Effects_of_Home_Visiting_Program_Implementation_on_Preventive_Health_Care_Access_and_Utilization_Results_from_a_Randomized_Trial_of_Healthy_Families_Oregon
• Hughes, R. B., Robinson-Whelen, S., Raymaker, D.M., Lund, E. M., Oschwald, M. M., Katz, M., Starr, A., Ashkenazy, E., Powers, L. E., & Nicolaidis, C., and the Partnering with People with Disabilities to Address Violence Consortium (in press). Peer-reviewed publication: The relation of abuse to physical and psychological health in adults with developmental disabilities. Disability and Health Journal.
• Jarjoura, G.R., Tanyu, M., Altschuler, D., Forbush, J., Herrera, C., & Keller, T.E. (2018). Evaluation of the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program: Technical Report. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Available at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf
• Mitchell Dove, L. & Powers, L. E. (2018). Exploring the complexity of hair and identity among African American female adolescents in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 95, 368-376. Here’s a link to the publication https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1Y3QchNfKhWGM

Top 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

PSU School of Social Work Holds Suicide Prevention Workshop
The training, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), is a two-day interactive workshop that teaches individuals how to spot someone who may be at risk for suicide, and how to appropriately intervene to help keep the person safe. As stated on the LivingWorks Education website, the workshop is “ideal for child welfare, education, counseling, community justice, domestic violence, healthcare, senior services, other social service providers, and concerned citizens who want to know more.”

→ Learn More

PSU program helps transgender students gain confidence by finding their voice
Those who participate in the program will work on techniques like breathing, articulation, and pitch among other things. The clinic is free and open to anyone.

Conn hopes it will help not only those in the transgender community, but all of us accept people for who they are.

→ Learn More

Bezos Gift To Portland Nonprofit Means Big Boost In Help For Homeless Families
The grant is for direct aid to families living in cars, on the street, or in motels and emergency shelters. It covers services for the next four years.

→ Learn More

Workshop Helps Portland High School Students Tackle Tough Topics
The idea, according to the students, is to get people talking about social issues openly. By starting the discussion about blackness and centering the ways black people are marginalized, Commodore said, students can learn to get comfortable with addressing difficult topics like racism.

→ Learn More

Transparency demanded in hiring of Portland police psychologist
In an Oct. 9 letter to the City Council and Police Chief Danielle Outlaw, advocacy organizations asked that the hiring process be transparent and competitive and that there be a group of psychologists – not just one – who evaluates Portland police officers. That group should also be culturally diverse, said the organizations – Portland Copwatch, the Albina Ministerial Alliance, and the Portland chapter of the National Lawyer’s Guild.

→ Learn More

Highlights & Happenings – Fall 2018

October 2018

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax

 

The 2018-19 academic year for the Portland State University School of Social Work has officially kicked off! Our students, faculty and staff members are looking forward to another year of hope, inspiration, growth, collaboration, and creativity within PSU, and the larger Oregon community.

This summer has been challenging and complex in the SSW, Portland and across the nation. We’ve witnessed children being taken from their parents, violence, and discrimination in our backyards, the loss of life at the hands of police, on top of trials and tribulations occurring in our individual lives.  

Although these issues feel daunting, we recognize that there are many of us working towards addressing them in small ways day in and day out. We encourage our community to be proud of the work you’ve been doing, while also acknowledging there’s still much to be done. This year, take care of yourselves, each other, and continue striving to create a more just, equitable and fair society.

 

Sincerely,

Laura Nissen

Dean and Professor

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlight
• SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
• Faculty News and Publications
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

Welcoming New Students
The School of Social Work welcomed over 300 new students to its programs during a series of welcoming and orientation events this fall, including our first BSW Hybrid cohort!

Culture and Conversation: Human Rights and Immigration
The Culture & Conversation: Human Rights and Immigration event that the SSW hosted, on August 9th, was a success!

We had a great turn-out, and want to send a special thank you to Catholic Charities of Oregon, and Refugee Assistance and Information Network International, for helping us facilitate a much-needed discussion about unaccompanied children and migration policy.

We also want to thank the Human Rights Commission, Portland OR for being present and tabling, as well as Tamale Boy for the delicious food.

Potluck with a Purpose: Raising Money for the Student Emergency Fund Donation
“As a full-time student who is not eligible to receive federal grants and loans, the SSW Student Emergency Fund has given me access to resources in times of need. Not all student schedules coordinate with the hours of the food pantry. Some students don’t have access to get downtown daily, and this is why the Student Emergency Fund gift cards are so beneficial to students in need.” – CYFS Student

On September 16, the SSW hosted “Potluck with a Purpose,” a fundraiser for SSW faculty and staff to raise money for students that may be facing extreme hardships. The evening was an opportunity for our school community to enjoy music, food, and fellowship while raising funds for a worthy cause. We collected gift cards for students during the potluck, but are actively seeking donations to reach our fundraising goal of raising $5000 to assist our students in need.  Feel free to donate online at: https://giving.psuf.org/sswemergency.

“I have utilized the Student Emergency Fund at least twice during my time as a student in the School of Social Work. During these times, I was either between housing, between jobs, or waiting for financial aid to come through. Having access to the emergency funds has been such a relief for me because I cannot ask my parents for money because they are both unemployed. With this emergency fund, I was able to purchase groceries when I would have gone without. I hope you consider keeping this program for future students in need.” -MSW Student

“I’m so grateful that the gift cards were available. Because I was able to access healthy food, it saved me from a hospital stay due to my inability to control my blood sugar. It also helped me cover my transportation costs.  The gift cards are a lifesaver and I’m forever grateful to those that donated them.” -Ph.D. Student

SSW Faculty Appointed To Serve on Committee

Over the summer, our MSW Online Options Coordinator, Lisa Hawash, was appointed to serve on the University Public Safety Oversight Committee due to her advocacy against arming PSU in 2014. This committee is charged by the PSU President to provide recommendations and oversight for safety on campus as well as provide input into the external consultant review process of the killing of Mr. Washington.

 

Applications Open for MSW/PHD Programs
Applications for our MSW program and Ph.D. programs are now open! Check out our calendar for information sessions, and the program admissions pages for application requirements and deadlines.

 

SSW Regional Research Institute Partners with Outside In to Expand Mental Health Services for Homeless Youth
“The program is designed to address the unique challenges facing our young people experiencing homelessness. “When we successfully intervene at this critical stage in their development, we help them build futures that encourage wellness and community connections, giving these vulnerable young people a better chance to end the cycle of poverty.” Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute will work with Outside In to evaluate and measure how well the program works.”

Happenings

Grit & Grace: Multicultural Women’s Mental Health Conference
ASHA International invites you to join us on September 28th at the Grit & Grace: Multicultural Women’s Mental Health Conference, a 1-day innovative program to inspire, educate and empower women to take charge of their mental health and cultivate resilience and wellbeing. You can find the event on Facebook here.

To learn more about the conference and register, please visit: https://myasha.org/grit-grace-multicultural-womens-mental-health-conference/

Witness For Peace Northwest Presents: ‘The Silencing of Dissent: Human Rights and Journalism in Honduras’ by Jennifer Ávila

On Thursday, October 18th, join us in room 212 of the Urban Center Building to hear Jennifer share about the root causes of migration and other struggles Central Americans face due to U.S. & Honduran policy. Journalist, artist, and documentary film-maker, Jennifer Ávila is the Co-founder & Director of Contracorriente, a digital media platform.

Event Co-Sponsors: PSU CLAS Migration Cluster, PSU School of Social Work. For more information, please contact John at portwalsh@gmail.com. Interpretation will be provided.

Culture and Conversation: Internment

The PSU School of Social Work has hosted a number of discussions as a part of our Culture and Conversation Series. The next installment will be led by Yoosun Park and focus on the role of social workers during Japanese internment, and the role of social workers in our current political climate.

This event will be held on Friday, October 19, 2018, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm in ASRC 620/630.

For more information about this event and registration, please visit our Facebook page.

 

Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation
The PSU School of Social Work will be hosting a two-day workshop by East Point Peace Academy on nonviolence.

Kingian Nonviolence, the philosophy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr., has found a home in prisons, jails, schools, law enforcement agencies and social movements in countries around the world. It has helped movements achieve social change, communities transform cultures of violence, and individuals find peace in their hearts and minds. In an era of rising hatred and xenophobia, it is more important than ever to have the skills to respond to individual & systemic forms of violence and injustice. This interactive, transformational workshop will cover topics such as the myths and realities of nonviolence, the dynamics of human conflict, deãnitions of violence., and the methods of nonviolent social change.

This event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 20th and 21st. To register please visit eastpointpeace.org

Empowered Youth Development Initiatives Workshop
This workshop encourages the development of strategies and programs that reduce risks and strengthen the protective factors of multi-ethnic children. The audience includes all who have a professional interest in the positive development of multi-ethnic children including: early childhood to high school educators, administrators and principals, curriculum specialists and directors of instruction, school counselors, homeschool coordinators, education directors and staff, social service providers, health directors and staff, community recreation specialists, coaches, and college and university students, faculty and staff.

This event will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2018, from 8:00am – 5:30pm at Warner Pacific College There is a pre-registration fee of $99. To register on the day of the event you must pay $109. Only 90 spots are available.

Social Work Education’s Role in Voter Turnout: How Faculty, Field, and Schools Can Support Students and Communities to Vote
Calling all social work educators! Social work students can engage in nonpartisan voter engagement activities as part of their field education training. We will present an evaluated model (piloted at both the University of Connecticut and University of Nevada, Reno Schools of Social Work) as well as innovative and simple ways that schools, faculty, and field education can encourage students and agency partners to support clients and communities to vote.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018, 12:00pm – 2:00pm ET. Register for the 10/3/18 session here

Social Work Leaders: Group Discussion on How Professional Organizations Can Support Their Members, Schools of Social Work a and Communities to Vote
All organizations, including NASW chapters, are invited to attend this webinar to share and learn ways that organizations can encourage voting by their members and communities. We will specifically discuss barriers to voting and how people can become informed voters. Led by Tanya Rhodes Smith, Director, Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work. Guest speakers include: Valerie Arndt, Executive Director NASW NC, Colleen Dempsey, Practice Associate, NASW OH and Allan Wachendorfer, Director of Public Policy, NASW MI.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018, 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET. Register for the 10/17/18 session here

Faculty Spotlight

Julie Kates

We are excited to announce that our Director of Field Education, Julie Kates, has been appointed to a 3-year term on the CSWE Council of Field Education!

The Council on Field Education collaborates with the professional community to improve the quality of field programs. Additionally, the council provides support for field directors and educators and produces and disseminates relevant knowledge.

Julie is looking forward to working with other colleagues in this area to impact field education at a national level and simultaneously learn from her peers. Congratulations!

Staci BokHee Martin

SSW adjunct faculty, and recent GSE Doctoral Graduate Staci BokHee Martin, ’18, is the recipient of the 2018 Carnegie Project of the Education Doctorate (CPED) Dissertation in Practice award for her work entitled, Co-Creating Spaces of Critical hope through the Use of a Psychosocial Peace Building Education course in Higher Education in Protracted Refugee Context: Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya.

 Martin’s research interest is refugee education. For her dissertation project, she spent a total of three months and two weeks with refugees in Kenya, age 18-35, researching their philosophy and pedagogy of hope before, during and after her course on Peace Building Education. She has lived and worked in 15 countries, working with vulnerable populations and youth and has published and presented prolifically. 

Martin is invited to attend the CPED Consortium Convening in Phoenix, Arizona in October to receive a monetary award and plaque and will present her work at their luncheon. Martin’s dissertation chair is Dannelle D. Stevens, professor emerita, Curriculum and Instruction Department.

 The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate is the knowledge forum on the EdD with a membership of over 100 schools of education in the US, Canada, and New Zealand, working collaboratively to improve professional preparation in education at the highest level.

Katie King

Katie King, our wonderful Development Officer, served her final day at the PSU Foundation on August 31st. She’s served with us since November 1, 2017. In her time with us – we have achieved numerous successes – most recently – reconfiguring and relaunching our Dean’s Circle Philanthropy Advisory Group.

Though Katie is so talented in development, her heart is pulling her back to her first love – athletics. She’s going to become a trainer and head into a new career trajectory. Please join us in thanking Katie for her assistance and dedication to our school this past year.   The SSW will miss you and we wish you the happiest of next chapters!

Student Spotlight

Portland Menstrual Society
Portland Menstrual Society (PMS, get it?) founder and board member Lynn Hager (MSW student) — along with fellow board members and Portland State University students Mason Pierce, Jennee Martinez (BSW ‘18), and Danie Primmer (BSW ‘18) —started the organization because of the lack of menstrual hygiene resources on the PSU campus.

Working alongside like-minded groups like NXT LVL PDX (which throws dance parties to raise funds for PMS) and reusable pad manufacturer GladRags, the group has collected and distributed menstrual hygiene supplies to a slew of campus areas: the Food Pantry, the Resource Center for Students with Children, and the Native American Student Community Center. As the next academic year approaches, PMS plans to redouble its efforts by advocating for safe restrooms on campus and working to increase student and administration awareness about the necessity of providing free menstrual hygiene products on campus.

PMS would like to expand its reach and provide menstrual hygiene products to other centers on campus, including the Pan African Commons; the Pacific Islander, Asian, and Asian American Student Center; and the Disability Resource Center.

Want to help? Get in touch with the group on Facebook or at pms@pdx.edu to coordinate a pick-up donation. Or, drop off tampons, cups, and other menstrual hygiene resources at the PSU Food Pantry from 9 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday.

SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Kate Davis

Kate has extensive direct practice experience in community mental health and non-profit social services. She is also a trainer, consultant, and clinical supervisor. She ran a successful private practice for 10 years until she returned to clinical work in community mental health, which is one of her passions. PSU’s SSW has been a primary and adjunct part of her life since 2000. The themes that run through all her work are authentic relationships, collaborative activism, and liberatory practices. Shared power and the promotion of decentered voices is essential to her.

She is well trained in emotionally focused therapy and attachment work. In teaching and practice, she strives to center the voices of those who are frequently left out of access to equitable opportunity. Her training in the latter comes from her clients, friends, and students who have been gracious enough to share their lives with Kate, and she will be learning and unlearning forever.

Personal Interests: Activism, dogs, Netflix, movies, lakes, and naps. She has been “over-working” her entire life, so this small list is growing as her personal life expands.

Education: Mt. Wachusett Community College, University of Oregon, and PSU School of Social Work. All of my clients, students, and friends have also been my educators.

Faculty News, Publications and Presentations

News

• Ben Anderson-Nathe was appointed to External Program Reviewer: School of Child & Youth CareUniversity of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada and the Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Human Services Clark College, Vancouver WA, USA
• Dora Raymaker has been appointed to Inter-agency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Healthcare Workgroup, and the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) Scientific Review Council (SCOAR)
• Dora Raymaker received an award from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Student and Early Career Academic Excellence Scholarship
• SSW now houses two leading academic journals: Affilia and Child & Youth Services
• The CYFS program received a Provost’s Grant for 2018-19 to conceptualize and redesign all core courses to be offered in both online and face-to-face formats, which is being coordinated by Assistant Professor of Practice Hillary Hyde
• RRI (Karen Cellarius as PI) will provide evaluation services for Outside In’s new $2.5 million SAMHSA grant which will expand the availability and type of care to accommodate more diverse populations, triples the capacity of their RISE treatment programs, and expands access to mental health and substance use treatment services for homeless youth in the region.
• The Child Welfare Partnership (CWP) started the fall by welcoming 25 social work students committing to pursuing a career in public or tribal child welfare. Each will receive a  stipend and specialized Field Education and coursework through the Child Welfare Education Partnership. Throughout the past year (July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018) the CWP Training unit provided training to 2,703 child welfare staff members entering the child welfare workforce in the Oregon Department of Human Services, using a re-designed training format that includes intensive hands-on learning, real-world simulations, and panels by youth and parents who have been through the system. New Worker training has been a core and evolving component of the Partnership for close to 25 years.
• The CCF Research team is in the first year of a multi-year Research-to-Practice Partnership grant working with national and local partners to support Oregon’s efforts to improve the quality of state-funded pre-kindergarten. With funding from the Gates Foundation and in partnership with the Oregon Social Learning Center and Oregon State University, Dr. Beth Green and her team co-created a statewide learning agenda with the Oregon Early Learning Division (ELD) designed to support the state’s key questions about how to best improve preschool quality.  
• The CCF System of Care Institute continues to provide coaching and training for the implementation of Wraparound and System of Care governance across Oregon, and over the past year also expanded to work in Idaho. This year the team had great success with a new program called “Ideas to Action” engaging people across multiple agencies to build action plans for their jurisdiction.
• CCF’s Leadership Academy for Middle Managers (LAMM) is entering its final funded year. As part of the Children’s Bureau’s National Child Welfare Workforce Institute, for the past 8 years, this program has provided training and coaching to over 600 public and tribal child welfare managers around the country, with a focus on leading change and advancing the child welfare workforce. A rigorous evaluation shows significant post-training results.

Publications

• Anderson-Nathe, B., DeFilippis, J., & Mehrotra, G. (2018). Deconstructing and reconstructing identity: How queer liberation organizations deploy collective identities. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 45, 85-111.
• DeFilippis, J. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). Embodying margin to center: Intersectional activism among queer liberation organizations. In M. Brettschneider, S. Burgess, & C. Keating (Eds.), LGBTQ politics: A critical reader, (pp. 110-133).
• Gharabaghi, K. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). Strengths-based research in a deficits-oriented context. Child & Youth Services, 38(3), 177-179.
• Gharabaghi, K. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). Troubling the emergent pathology of complexity. Child & Youth Services, 38(4), 269-271.
• Raymaker, D.M. (2018) Hoshi and the Red City Circuit. Argawarga/Autonomous Press. Fort Worth, TX. 978-1-945955-12-9
• Sale, T., Raymaker, D.M., Rija, M., Gould, V., Wall, C., & Melton, R. (2018). Mitigating Early Loss of Community Participation in Early Psychosis Services: State of the Science. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University.
• Wahab, S., Dodd, S. J., Slaughter, S., Pari, A., Pettinger-Dunhman, A., W. (2018). Sex Trades and Social Work Practice. Social Work Speaks: National Association of Social Workers Policy Statements 2018–2020, 11th Edition, p. 293-297. NASW.
• Wahab, S., Bhyuan, R., Park, Y. (2018). Feeding the Scyborgs in Social Work: Enduring commitments that sustain. Affilia: Women and social work, 33(3), 281-285.

Presentations

• Gita Mehrotra and Ben Anderson-Nathe facilitated a workshop at the Social Work and Sexualities Conference in at the University of Montreal in Montreal, Canada “Sexualities, Genders, and Intersectionalities: Expanding Contemporary Social Work Issues”
• Christina Nicolaidis was invited to give a Grand Rounds presentation on “Autism and Reproductive Health” to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University in September, 2018.
• Christina Nicolaidis was invited to give a talk to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Council in Washington DC in September on “the Healthcare Experiences of Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Challenges and Solutions” as part of the Improving Healthcare Outcomes for Adults on the Autism Spectrum symposium.
• Abelson, M., Anderson-Nathe, B., & Scott, E. (2018, June). Queered spaces: Survival strategies and resistance of LGBTQ youth. Presentation at Queering Social Justice Symposium. Portland State University. Portland, OR.
• Ranahan, P., Charles, G., Gharabaghi, K., & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2018, May). De/valuation, conflict-collaboration, and solidarity: Perspectives on interprofessionalism in child and youth care practice. Canadian National Child and Youth Care Conference, Richmond, BC, Canada.
• Raymaker, D.M. (June, 2018). Pregnancy, Disability, and Women’s Decisions: Including Women with Intellectual Disability and Autistic Women in Research and Discussion Around Pregnancy Decisions. Paper presentation. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, St. Louis.
• Raymaker, D.M., Mitchell, A., McDonald, K., AASIRE team. (June, 2018). Intersectional Identities and Employment for Autistic Professionals. Paper presentation. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, St. Louis.
• Nicolaidis, C., Raymaker, D.M., AASPIRE team. (May, 2018). Including Autistic Adults in Research to Develop and Evaluate Services Interventions: Lessons from Long-Standing Academic-Community Partnerships. Poster Presentation. International Society for Autism Research, Rotterdam.
• Raymaker, D.M., Scharer, M., Nicolaidis, C., AASPIRE team. (May, 2018). Narratives of Autism and Skilled Employment: Barriers, Facilitators, and Considerations in Professional Settings. Poster Presentation. International Society for Autism Research, Rotterdam.
• Raymaker, D.M., Sale, T.,  Valeria, M., Caruso, N., Gould, V. (March, 2018). Empowerment of Individuals Experiencing Early Psychosis through Community-Based Participatory Research and Technology:  Lessons Learned from EASA Connections. Paper presentation. 31st Annual Research & Policy Conference on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health, Tampa.
• Raymaker, D.M. (February, 2018) OHSU Autism Seminar Series, Department of Psychiatry / Institute of Developmental Disabilities Pediatrics – Narratives of Autism and Skilled Employment
• Raymaker, D.M. (September 20, 2018) Book reading and discussion on neurodivergent, queer heroes and representation. Another Read Through Books. Portland, OR.
• Raymaker, D.M., Nicolaidis, C. (May, 2018) Oregon Pediatric Therapists Special Interest Group – Neurodiversity: Rethinking Autism. Shriner Children’s Hospital. Portland, OR.
• Raymaker, D.M., Nicolaidis, C., Zuckerman, K. (February, 2018) PSU-OHSU School of Public Health OHSU Brain Institute, and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital – Public Health Portland Style #9 – Neurodiversity: Rethinking Autism. Lucky Labrador Pub. Portland, OR.
• Raymaker, D.M., Nicolaidis, C. (2018). INSAR Summer Institute: Equitable Inclusion of Autistic Adults as Co-Researchers. International Society for Autism Research. https://www.autism-insar.org/page/Nicolaidis
• Raymaker, D.M., Kripke, C. (March, 2018). The AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit. Developmental Disabilities: Update for Health Professionals, San Francisco.
• Wahab, S., Mehrotra, G., Kimball, E., Meyers, K., Ng Ping Cheung, S. (2018). The Braid That Binds Us. Oregon Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Annual Conference, May 22, 2018.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

10 More Documentaries on Netflix for Social Workers
Thousands of social, cultural, historical, and political documentaries are streaming on Netflix, and many provide in-depth looks at subjects relevant to social work practitioners and students. The following list offers some new suggestions for viewers interested in social work topics.

→ Learn More

Medical Social Workers Are Essential, But-Under Appreciated
To do their jobs well, medical social workers need to know other health professionals, hospitals, social services, and patients and families well. Each time a medical social worker is lost, it takes months or even years to get a replacement up to speed. In the meantime, patients and families can end up falling through the cracks.

→ Learn More

Why the Myth of Meritocracy Hurts Kids of Color
“Recognizing the vast economic and racial inequalities his students faced, Chicago teacher Xian Frazinger Barrett chose what some might consider a radical approach for his writing and social studies classes, weaving in concepts such as racism, classism, oppression, and prejudice.”

→ Learn More

Childhood trauma can change the way your genes behave and leave you more vulnerable to illness

A wealth of medical and scientific research shows the devastating effect separation from a parent can have on children, particularly young children. The distress and upheaval are emotionally and physically overwhelming in the short-term, but such a trauma in someone’s childhood is also connected to long-term biological changes that put them at risk for psychological and medical problems throughout their lives.

→ Learn More

BLACKSTREET VEGAN BAKERY BRINGS SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CUPCAKES TO PORTLAND
“The bakery describes itself as a “Black-led vegan pop-up bakery” and has a social justice mission: “to honor the history of Mississippi Avenue as a major part of Portland’s Black community and to expand economic opportunity for Black people in baking.”

→ Learn More

Highlights and Happenings – Spring 2018

June 2018

I am pleased to announce that for the 2017-2018 academic year, the School of Social Work will be graduating over 400 students across all of our programs. Our Masters of Social Work program continues its tradition of being one of the largest masters programs at Portland State University, graduating more than 200 students, and making up 14% of all masters degrees awarded for the year. Additionally, 192 students in our undergraduate programs will be graduating, as well as four PhD students.

Among these undergraduate students is Shayla Adkins, who has been chosen to speak at Portland State University’s Professional Schools and Colleges Commencement Ceremony at the Moda Center on June 17th. If you are unable to make the ceremony, be sure to watch it live at pdx.edu.

We are so proud of our students and recognize the hard work that went into them achieving their degrees. Thank you for being a part of another successful school year and being a part of our community at the School of Social Work.

 

Sincerely,

Laura Nissen

Dean and Professor

 

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlight
• SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
• Faculty News and Publications
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

 

PSU SSW Spring Highlights

People of Color Professionals Navigating Predominantly White Spaces

On May 30th, Director of Student Affairs, Cimone Schwoeffermann (left), and our 

Student Inclusion Coordinator, Marina Barcelo (center), led a panel discussion titled “People of Color Professionals Navigating Predominantly White Spaces,” at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education in New Orleans. NCORE is the leading national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education.

The panel was organized by Isaac E. Dixon, PhD, Associate Vice President, Human Resources Portland State University and Debra “Debi” Jenkins (right), AAS, BA, MA, MS, PhD, Behavioral Sciences Chair, Clark College.

The session examined the experiences, stories, and strategies regarding working in systemically dominant environments as higher education professionals. The purpose of the session was to provide insight, clarification, and tools to navigate white space on developmental, professional, and organizational levels without having to lose one’s authentic self.

 

Politics & Social Work: Macro Practice in Action

Thank you to State Representative Diego Hernandez for visiting the School of Social Work and presenting “Politics & Social Work: Macro Practice in Action” as part of our Culture & Conversation series. Students, faculty, staff, and community members enjoyed learning more about his educational journey and path to the Oregon State Legislature. We are proud to have Diego as part of our alumni network!

 

 

Social Work Comedy Night at Curious Comedy Theater

The School of Social Work in partnership with the Portland State Alumni Association held a Social Work Comedy Night at Curious Comedy Theater in support of student scholarships and building community among alumni of all of our programs.

The School raised over $600 from the night’s ticket proceeds and silent auction. This money will go directly to the School of Social Work Scholarship fund for current and future students. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for this night of laughs and thank you especially to Curious Comedy Theater and its performers for hosting such a fun event!

If you missed the event but still want to donate to the School of Social Work please visit the following link: https://www.pdx.edu/ssw/give

 

SMG Closing Ceremony

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) official delegates celebrated with the SSW a closing ceremony, acknowledging the ongoing partnership between our two institutions. The Short-Term Development Program was instituted earlier in November of 2017 and was meant to encourage educational cooperation and high quality training through expanded field sites between SMG and the School of Social Work. This year marks the third year of this exchange. We continue to value the presence of our visiting scholars from this program.

 

President’s Diversity Awards

Marina Barcelo (Student Support & Inclusion Specialist), Rae Stevenson (PSU Student and CYFS minor), Laura Nissen (Dean and Professor at the School of Social Work and Gita Mehrorta (Professor at the School of Social Work) at the Presiden’ts Diversity Awards Ceremony

Congratulations are in order for the three esteemed members of our SSW community who are receiving the 2018 President’s Diversity Awards! These awards went to Dr Ghita Mehrorta – Distinguished Faculty Category, Marina Barcelo – Distinguished Staff Category, and Keela Johnson – Distinguished Graduate Student Category. We couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments nor grateful for their contributions!

 

 

Happenings

Celebrating Dr. Pam Miller: Thursday, June 14 from 4-6 pm in ASRC 620/630 – Join us in celebrating Dr. Pam Miller’s career accomplishments as she retires from the PSU School of Social Work. Pam Miller has been at the PSU School of Social Work from December 1992 – June 2018.  Pam will be giving a farewell colloquium focused on her career-long commitment to end of life care, health policy, and international social work. Reception to follow. -> Please RSVP online

 

 

Student Spotlight

Rae Stevenson, a CYFS minor who is also a McNair scholar, is the selected student speaker for the PSU Multicultural Graduation!

Rae Stevenson is a senior at PSU and an educator in Portland, Oregon. Rae has had the privilege of working with learners from a variety of age groups and backgrounds, supporting education nonprofits from Portland, Oregon to Jacmel, Haiti.

Through her work with children and young adults, Rae has developed a passion for building dynamic, inclusive learning communities where every student’s story is valued and integrated. She brings this passion to academia as a Social Science major, where her interdisciplinary course of study has centered feminist, critical and cultural pedagogy, and the voices of underrepresented groups.

Through the McNair scholars program, Rae is currently working on research exploring how students of color describe their experiences of racial identity development in predominantly white school systems in Portland, Oregon. Rae aspires to a career in educational leadership, where she can work with others to address issues of inequity in education.

 

Alexis Lawrence, a graduate student in the School of Social work and graduating this year with her Master of Social Work Degree, spoke Saturday, June 9th, 2018 at Portland State University’s Black Graduation Ceremony.

Alexis is a Portland native, and attended the University of Oregon with a major in Family and Human Services. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and enjoys giving back to her community. Alexis interned with the Sexual Assault Resource Center as a Sexual Assault Advocate and Prevention Educator last year. This year she interned at the Randall Children’s Hospital in the Labor and Delivery Center as a social work case manager. After graduation, she will continue to pursue licensure in the Medical Social Work field with a focus on Mental Health and Addictions services.

The first Black Graduation that happened at Portland State University was in 2016. Ebony Oldham came from the University of Oregon and wanted to bring something similar to PSU. She was apart of the Black Cultural Affairs Board at PSU, and noticed that everyone was having their own graduation, except those who identified as Black/African/African American. On social media, Black students have been criticized and penalized for celebrating their excellence as they crossed the stage. Black grad was created to honor black students, without policing them for their actions. Its a ceremony put on by the students, for students, to celebrate Black Excellence and Black Achievements, because graduating is a huge milestone.

SSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Eddie May, MSW, LCSW, has been hired into the new Assistant Professor of Practice position in the Master of Social Work Program in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.  Eddie will continue as the Assistant Director of Field Education and MSW Distance Option Coordinator through the end of summer and begin his new role beginning September 16, 2018 with some period of transition during Fall 2018.

Eddie brings extensive clinical, supervisory, ​management​, and teaching​ experience ​to his new role within the MSW faculty​. ​Eddie specializes in ​​clinical interventions ​with those who have experienced trauma​​ and centers ​intersectional identity and ​anti-oppressive practice​s in his work with individuals, couples, and families.​ His teaching focuses on the cultivation of relationships within learning spaces to allow self-analysis and contextual meaning-making to occur deeply, frequently, and fluidly. He​ ​seeks​ ​to​ ​help others challenge, strengthen, and more deeply understand their personal and professional meaning and the meaning of those around them. In the classroom, private practice, and in training/consulting​ ​roles, Eddie​ ​believes focus on implicit/explicit bias and socialization​​ informed by existentialist​ ​and narrative​ ​frameworks can support the process of unpacking each knapsack carried in our day today.

Eddie has spent the last three years as the Assistant Director of Field Education and Distance Option Coordinator ​at the School of Social Work​ where he enhanced student and field instructor education statewide​. He holds a deep commitment to our school’s future​, to the breadth and depth of the education we provide, and to the students​ and field partners​ in our Ashland, Bend, Eugene, Salem, Portland​ and Online ​communities.​ ​He is humbled and excited to begin this new role ​teaching and contributing to the explicit curriculum​​​ and looks forward to supporting the development of direct practice skills in the advanced clinical concentration, integrating and elevating the practices and voices of targeted communities, ​and continuing to support the ​critical work of Field Education​.

 

Brea Watts, MFA, joined the SSW as our new Marketing and Communications Manager in May. Brea is a marketing and communications professional, storyteller, social justice advocate and entrepreneur. Her strengths are in developing strategic communication plans and writing engaging content across a variety of platforms. Brea is a first-generation college graduate from East Oakland, California who’s committed to using her voice and experience in marketing communications to work with people from marginalized communities.

Outside of working with the SSW, Brea loves music, dancing, baking and writing poetry. Before relocating to Portland she ran a small baking business, and recently completed a book that creatively explores how race, class, and gender impacts the lives of Black women. Brea lives by the motto that “self-care is an act of political warfare,” and is excited to join the School of Social Work to align her personal interests and professional background to advocate for social change

 

Lakindra Mitchell Dove, Ph.D, has been hired as a fixed term Instructor for the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work Programs in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.  She will begin her new role beginning September 16, 2018.

Dr. Lakindra Mitchell Dove earned her Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Research from Portland State University in 2015. She also earned her Master of Social Work from PSU in 2004. Since 2015, she has served as an adjunct instructor in Child, Youth, and Family Studies and the Bachelor of Social Work program. She is also a field liaison and faculty advisor in the Master of Social Work program.

Lakindra has extensive direct service experience, working primarily with children and families. She has spent the last decade working as a medical social worker, specializing in child abuse and neglect. She also has experience in community-based mental health, child welfare, health care, and research and evaluation.

Lakindra is a native Oregonian who is passionate about giving back to the African American community in Portland. This community played an instrumental role in her life as a child. She has a long work history in the areas of racial equity and social justice. She co-facilitated a national training addressing educational equity for children of color and her dissertation focused on the cultural needs of African American youth in foster care. She is an active member of her community, serving in various roles such as mentor, board member, committee member, and the co-facilitator of a support group for professional black women.

She enjoys spending time with her family and close friends. In her spare time, she likes to read, watch documentaries, dance, travel (domestic and international), and spend time alone.

 

Crystallee Crain, Ph.D., has joined the School of Social Work at Portland State University as an assistant professor of practice in the Child, Youth and Family Studies program. Crystallee has a well-established career in justice-seeking service with a passion for equity and access for low-income communities and communities of color. Crystallee’s professional experience includes leadership development and capacity building for organizations that work to bring access to marginalized groups. Crystallee earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Transformative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. She holds a Master of Arts in Social Sciences (concentration in Sociology) from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelors in Political Science from Northern Michigan University. In 2013 she received Advanced Post-doctoral training in Health and Human Rights in the School of Public Health at Harvard University.

In January 2011 she received the Inaugural Norman Lear Leadership Award from People for the American Way Foundation (presented by Young People For).  Her organizing work was highlighted in TIME magazine Person of the Year in 2011 in The PROTESTOR issue in December. She was published in Women in Today’s World, a multimedia encyclopedia on Women’s issues in the 21st Century. Recently she published an op-ed in the Portland Tribune titled: Workplace has a vital part in #MeToo Movement. Crystallee has a history of LGBTQ organizing, violence prevention, and policy advocacy on issues of child welfare and protecting children from abuse. She has served on the Board of Directors of COLAGE (Children of Lesbian’s and Gays Everywhere), OneLife Institute, and the American Red Cross. Nationally she has been engaged with groups like the National Black Justice Coalition that works to eradicate homophobia and racism.

Prior to moving to Portland, Crystallee served as a member of the Alameda County Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission.  She currently serves on the Multnomah County Community Budget Advisory Council for Human Services. Dr Crain is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Child, Youth & Family Studies program in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.

 

Josh Goodson began his position as the Office Coordinator at the School of Social Work in January 2018. Josh transferred from Clackamas Community College with an Associates of Arts and is currently working on completing his B.S. in Psychology at Portland State University.  

Josh’s academic goal is to obtain a master’s degree in Educational Counseling.  He enjoys working with students and would like to ultimately become a School Counselor in the public school system and higher education. He is passionate about the impact that each school system has on developing young adults and is eager to be a part of their development process.

Prior to the SSW Office Coordinator position, Josh was working in the Center for Improvement of Child & Family Services (CCF) as an Office Assistant.  In addition, Josh has ten years supervisory experience as a manager at Game Stop.

When he is not working, Josh likes to walk and play with his mini Australian shepherd, Patch. He enjoys hiking, playing soccer, writing, and reading. During the summer, he especially enjoys camping and swimming.

 

Amie Thurber, Ph.D., will begin her position as a professor at Portland State’s School ofSocial Work in Fall 2018. Amie Thurber’s research, practice and teaching interests involve transforming social inequality in neighborhoods and developing best practices for community-engaged teaching and research.

Amie completed her Ph.D. in Community Research and Action at Vanderbilt University.  Her current work involves the development and study of the Neighborhood Story Project, an action research project designed to amplify resident-led resistance to gentrification.

Other recent work includes a study of white activists organizing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter; a report on Equitable Development for the city of Nashville; and a number of projects with Cayce United, a resident-led tenant organizing effort in Nashville’s largest remaining housing project that’s now slated for redevelopment.

Amie is also the lead editor of A People’s Guide to Nashville, forthcoming through the University of California Press. This alternative guide to the city was collaboratively written by more than 120 Nashvillians and documents sites of social justice struggle in Nashville.

Amie received her MSW from the University of Montana, and spent 15 years directing a non-profit training organization addressing racial and social disparities throughout Montana. She has 14 years teaching experience in departments of social work, psychology, and human and organizational development.

Born and raised in Portland, Amie is excited to return to the northwest and join the PSU community.

 

Faculty News, Publications and Presentations

News

Marina Barcelo was recently named the new vice president of the board of directors of the ACLU of Oregon.  She was also just voted in as the newest member of Oregon Community Foundation’s Latino Partnership Program Advisory Council.

2017-2019        Bryson, S., Principal Investigator, Portland, Oregon, Testing an Asset Building Framework in Child Welfare Practice Faculty Enhancement Grant, $15,000
2016-2018        Bryson, S., Principal Investigator, Vancouver, British Columbia, How Do Mothers and Caseworkers Develop Care Capital: Testing an Asset Building Framework in Child Welfare Practice, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada, $68,691. Co-Investigator Natalie Clark.

Publications

-Autism in Adulthood Editor-in-Chief: Christina Nicolaidis, MD, MPH

ISSN: 2573-9581 | Online ISSN: 2573-959X | Published Quarterly | Current Volume: 0 (Associate Editor Dora Raymaker)

-Lisa Hawash, featured on program of Digital learning Idea Lab at the PSU Office of Academic Innovation 5/8/2018

Just published or in press

• Englander, H., Collins, D, Peterson-Perry, S., Rabinowitz, M., Phoutrides, E., Korthuis, T., Nicolaidis, C. “We’ve learned it’s a medical illness, not a moral choice:” a qualitative study on the effects of a multi-component addiction intervention on hospital providers’ experience. Journal of Hospital Medicine. Online first April, 2018, DOI 10.12788/jhm.2993.

 

• Englander, H., Wilson, T., Collins, D., Phoutrides, E., Weimer, M., Korthuis, P.T., Calcagni, J., Nicolaidis, C. Lessons learned from the implementation of a medically enhanced residential treatment (MERT) model integrating intravenous antibiotics and residential addiction treatment. Substance Abuse. Online ahead of print, March 2018. DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2018.1452326.

 

• Keller, T.E., Overton, B., Pryce, J.M., Barry, J., Sutherland, A., & DuBois, D.L. (2018). “I really wanted her to have a Big Sister”: Caregiver perspectives on mentoring for early adolescent girls. Children & Youth Services Review, 88, 308-315.

 

Presentations

• Christina Nicolaidis presented the following: Nicolaidis, C. and Raymaker, D. (May 2018) “Neurodiversity: Rethinking Autism.” Speaker. Oregon Pediatric Specialist Special Interest Group. Portland, OR, May 2018.
• Christina Nicolaidis presented the following: Nicolaidis, C. (May 2018)  “The AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit.” Invited speaker, International Society for Autism Research Community Conference, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

 

 

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Social worker: Don’t neglect role of food in mental wellness
Healthy eating has a powerful effect on mood and other aspects of teens’ mental health, clinical social worker Heather Monroe writes. Citing data, she extols the psychological benefits of gardening and cooking as well as the health benefits of fresh fruits and
–>Learn more

Mapping Segregation in Portland
Portland State University and the city of Portland are collaborating this spring to research the history of racist housing policies in Portland, and they’re looking for help from the public.  Greta Smith, a graduate student in PSU’s public history program, has collected about 30 restrictive covenants from housing deeds around Portland and created an interactive map of the addresses where covenants were used.
-> Learn more

Meghan’s mom is a social worker
Despite all the royal craziness over the past few months, [Doria] Ragland reportedly still works at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Culver City, California. The organization’s mission statement reads, “Didi Hirsch transforms lives by providing quality mental health and substance abuse services in communities where stigma or poverty limit access.”
-> Learn more

One year later: Monroe, Snohomish County’s new approach to homelessness
A Community Outreach Team that pairs a social worker with a law enforcement officer is helping connect homeless people with services in Snohomish County, Wash. People who might have been arrested in the past are now steered to drug treatment and other programs.
-> Learn more

Abuse victims find respite in Children’s Advocacy Centers
Since their debut three decades ago, Children’s Advocacy Centers have provided a therapeutic, comforting alternative for young abuse victims who would otherwise have had to tell their stories multiple times to investigators. The CACs spare children from further traumatization as well as curbing false accusations, experts note.
-> Learn more

 

 

Highlights and Happenings – Winter 2018

March 2018

It’s been a busy winter term in the School of Social Work!

As we move into 2018 and take stock of all that transpired last year, it is clear that our work has never mattered more nor is it more urgent. Our professions and those we work with are responding to threats, setbacks and barriers that emerge as we go about our business of building healthy communities, families and individuals, as well as movements that affect change. To those of you in social work and human services professions, thank you for your dedication and courage as you support our community through the most complicated social justice ecosystem in recent history.

I hope you’ll enjoy this issue of Highlights & Happenings which includes recent news about our U.S. News & World Report rankings, details about our upcoming Culture & Conversation series and amazing accomplishments by our faculty and students. We’ve been busy and look forward to an even busier spring!

Here’s to a busy and impactful 2018 ahead.

Laura Burney Nissen
Dean and Professor

 

Highlights

School of Social Work ranked in top 20% of programs nationally

The School of Social Work at Portland State University has been ranked among the top 20% of all social work programs nationally, according to the US News and World Report 2018 rankings for social work programs in the US.

According to the new list, out of over 250 surveyed MSW programs nationally, the School of Social Work is ranked #38 and is ranked #2 among programs in the Pacific Northwest. Only the University of Washington’s #5 program is ranked higher in the Pacific Northwest.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized once again as a leading social work school in the US,” said Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work. “Our School’s unique blend of high-quality academics, cutting-edge research and community grounded training programs improves the lives of individuals and communities in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest every day.”

-> Check out all the US News and World Report program rankings online.

Year in Review 2016-17

The School of Social Work produced a recap of a few of the many projects, successes and other achievements of its faculty, staff, researchers and workforce developers from 2016-17 year and first term of 2017-18.

Visit our Year in Review 2016-17 to learn more about the important work that the School of Social Work has been engaged in this past year.  Congratulations to all for another exciting and productive year!

Friends and Family Night at McMenamins nets over $1,000

We’re thrilled to report that our second annual Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub benefiting the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund raised $1,280 for students in need.

Thanks to those of you who supported this important cause by dining with us in February. Our student emergency need is great and this donation will help immensely.

Social work students present poster at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference

This year, the School of Social Work sent a total of 19 students across the BSW, MSW Portland, MSW Distance option and Online Option programs to the Latino Social Work Organization Conference held in Seattle in March.

Bachelor’s of Social Work students Maria Ochoa, Jamie Arreguin-Perez and Rosa Garcia-Moreno presented their poster, “Community Care as Resistance: Creando una comunidad Latina at PSU School of Social Work.”

School of Social Work at MLK Tribute ’18

Members of the School of Social Work community were part of the program at MLK Tribute ’18: Walidah Imarisha, Living the Legacy: Afrofuturism & Possibilities for Oregon featuring Walidah Imarisha in January.

The event was co-emceed by Roberta Hunte, assistant professor in Child, Youth and Family Studies, and the singing of the Black National Anthem was led by SSW student Alexis Lawrence.

This event was sponsored by PSU Global Diversity and Inclusion.

Watch the video on Facebook!

Equity issues retreat

School of Social Work faculty and staff held an equity issues retreat last December in response to the “Expectations for Portland State University’s School of Social Work” developed and presented by the School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus (SOCC) last May.

Specifically, the team discussed:

• Creating more spaces and affinity groups to support and learn from one another in pursuits to revise curriculum, course content and pedagogy
• Identifying areas of improvement for implicit curriculum, including built environment and student supports outside of the classroom
• Connecting with current efforts and resources within the Office of Academic Innovation and the Office of Global Diversity & Inclusion
• Increasing mentoring and guidance for faculty, especially new and adjunct faculty

-> Learn more about how the School of Social Work is responding to the School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus (SOCC) expectations.

-> Learn more about how the School addresses equity and inclusion in its activities.

Flourishing partnership with Seoul Metropolitan Government

Pictured (left to right): Suhong Min (Visiting Scholar at SSW from SMG), Insik Hwang (Visiting Scholar at SSW from SMG),  International Affairs, PSU), Seonae Kwon (Manager for the Oversees Training, SMG), Jiae Park (Assistant Manager for the Oversees Training, SMG), Incheol Kim (Director General of Administrative Services, SMG), Laura Nissen (Dean of SSW), Joyce Hamilla (Director of Office of International Partnerships, David Brown (Assistant Dean of Finance & Administration, SSW), Junghee Lee (Associate Professor of SSW), Byungchun Choi (Visiting Scholar at the Center for Public Service, PSU)

On November 8, the School of Social Work welcomed an official delegation from Seoul Metropolitan Government in South Korea to the SSW to reaffirm an ongoing partnership to increase scholarship and international development between us. Junghee Lee, Joyce Hamilla from International Studies and Dean Laura Nissen hosted the delegation in a welcoming and signing ceremony as they visited various officials on campus and enjoyed some exploration in Portland.  We continue to value the presence of our visiting scholars from this program.

In addition, this past summer, Dr. Lee led a faculty-led program to Seoul entitled 2017 Collaborative International Field Experience between Seoul Welfare Foundation and School of Social Work at Portland State University.  You can read about the experience in her overview and syllabus here and her remarks from her public address during the visit here.

Happenings

The School of Social Work at Portland State University is proud to present Culture & Conversation, a month-long series of events designed to spark campus and community dialogue around identity, equity, and community. Now entering its seventh year and scheduled throughout the month of April, the series welcomes thinkers, activists, and community leaders in lively discussions around topics impacting communities in Oregon.

All events are free and open to the community.

Politics & Social Work: Macro Practice in Action

with Representative Diego Hernandez
Thursday, April 5, 2018, 4-5:30pm
ASRC Building, Rooms 620 & 630
-> Get free tickets

A Place to Call Home: Exploring Housing in Oregon
with Cristina Palacios
Friday, April 13, 2018, 5:30-7pm
ASRC Building, Room 620
-> Get free tickets

What Does it Mean to Be Good? Exploring Morality in the Midst of Structural Oppression
with Brittany Wake
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 4-5:30pm
ASRC Building, Room 660
-> Get free tickets

El Cuento: The Story
with Michele Martinez Thompson, Martha Calderon, and Gerardo Jimenez
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 10-3pm
Salem Campus, 626 High St. NE
-> Get free tickets

Las Cafeteras Workshop & Concert
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Smith Memorial Student Union
More information coming soon!  Check Facebook for updates.

Student Spotlight

Ph.D student wins City of Portland award

Ph.D student Lisha Shrestha has been named a 2017 Spirit of Portland Award recipient. Lisha was awarded PSU’s President’s Diversity Award in 2015. She is also a recipient of 2017 Spirit of Portland, Community Leader of the Year Award.

“Over the past 6 years, I have been actively involved with the refugee community in Portland Metro area through my work at Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, New Portlanders Program at the City of Portland and Elders in Action, said Shrestha. “My role as a community builder was to integrate refugee into the robust mainstream culture without losing their socio-culture identity. I initiated first refugee run farmers market in 2014 and helped 50 refugee families get a space to grow vegetables. I modified curriculum used for relationship enhancement for refugee communities. The modified culturally specific curriculum improved the participation and involvement of the refugee communities. I also initiated ASL class for hard of hearing refugee community members. It started with a volunteer-based initiative but later was funded by Northwest Health Foundation. Two of the students are also graduate of Disability Leadership Academy, City of Portland, 2017. I also engaged and advocated for refugee elders for their transportation and housing needs by partnering with local advocacy-based organizations and utilizing community resources.”

Congratulations, Lisha!  We’re proud to have you a part of our School of Social Work community!

Faculty News, Publications and Presentations

News

Lisa Hawash was recently elected as Chair Elect of the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (www.acosa.org). ACOSA is a national member-based organization focused on macro social work practice both in academia and in community organizations. It’s my go-to professional organization. Lisa has been the Convener of Governance for the past 1 1/2 years and co-led and facilitated the development of ACOSA’s multi-year strategic plan. In December 2018, she was elected as Chair Elect, a three-year term.

Publications

Anderson-Nathe, B. (In press). Queering gender and sexuality in child and youth care. In K. Gharabaghi & G. Charles (Eds.), Child and youth care across sectors.

Anderson-Nathe, B. & Gharabaghi, K. (2017). Trending rightward: Nationalism, xenophobia, and the 2016 politics of fear. Child & Youth Services, 38(1), 1-3.

Blakeslee, J., Kothari, B. H., McBeath, B., Sorenson, P., & Bank, L. (2017).  Network indicators of the social ecology of adolescents in relative and non-relative foster households. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 173-181.

Brennan, E. M., Jones, K. R., & Bender, R. (2017). Gentrification and displacement: An environmental justice challenge for social work in urban environments. In M. Rinkel & M. Powers (Eds.) Social work promoting community and environmental sustainability: A workbook for global social workers and educators (pp.133-145). Berne, Switzerland: International Federation of Social Workers.   -> View online

Bryson, S., Gauvin, E., Jamieson, A., Rathgeber, M., Faulkner-Gibson, L., Bell, S., et al. (2017). What are effective strategies for implementing trauma-informed care in youth inpatient psychiatric and residential treatment settings? A realist systematic review. Int J Ment Health Syst, doi: 10.1186/s13033-017-0137-3. This publication has been downloaded 5249 times and has scored in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric, which calculates attention an article receives by users of Twitter, Facebook, and Mendeley.

Shobe, H., Conklin, T. (2018) Geographies of Graffiti Abatement: Zero Tolerance in Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. Professional Geographer. Manuscript in publication.

DeFilippis, J. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). Embodying margin to center: Intersectional activism among queer liberation organizations. In M. Brettschneider, S. Burgess, & C. Keating (Eds.), LGBTQ politics: A critical reader, (pp. 110-133).

Gharabaghi, K. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (In press). Troubling the emergent pathology of complexity. Child & Youth Services, 38(4).

Gharabaghi, K. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). Strengths-based research in a deficits-oriented context. Child & Youth Services, 38(3), 177-179.

Gharabaghi, K. & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2017). The need for critical scholarship. Child & Youth Services, 38(2), 95-97.

Koroloff, N., Friesen, B., & Buekea, N. (2017). Changing the rules: A guide for youth and young adults with mental health conditions who want to change policy. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University. -> View online

Kothari, B. H., McBeath, B., Sorenson, P., Bank, L., Waid, J., Webb, S. J., & Steele, J. (2017). An intervention to improve sibling relationship quality among youth in foster care: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial. Child Abuse and Neglect, 63, 19-29.

Kothari, B. H., McGee, M., Harmon-Godlewski, B., McBeath, Lipscomb, S., & Bank, L. (under review). A longitudinal analysis of school discipline events among youth in foster care. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

McBeath, B., Harmon-Godlewski, B., Waid, J., Kothari, B. H., Webb, S. J., & Colangelo, F., & Bank, L., (in press). A methodology for visualizing and describing foster care placement pathways. Journal of Public Child Welfare.

Nicolaidis, C. & Raymaker, D. (January 2018). “Neurodiversity: Rethinking Autism” a presentation in community and practice settings.

Nicolaidis, C. (February 2018) “Serving Adults on the Autism Spectrum.” Webinar hosted by the CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO), in collaboration with The Lewin Group as part of the Disability-Competent Care (DCC) workstream.

Teo, A.R, Marsh, H., Forsberg, C.W., Nicolaidis, C., Chen, J.I., Newsom, J., Saha, S., Dobscha, S.K. (January 2018) Loneliness is closely associated with depression outcomes and suicidal ideation among military veterans in primary care. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018; 230:42-49. DOI:2018.01.00. -> View online

Abel, G., & Wahab, S. (2017).  “Build a friendship with them”: The discourse of “at-risk” as a barrier to relationship building between young people who trade sex and social workers.   Child and Family Social Work. Early view. DOI: 10.1111/cfs.12357

Smith, D., Hohman, M., Manthey, T., & Wahab, S.  (2017). Student-perceived quality of Motivational Interviewing training: A factor analytic study. Journal of Society for Social Work Research. DOI: 10.1086/690636

Beck, E., Charania, M., Ferdoos, A.,Wahab, S. (2017). Undoing Bias and Islamophobia: Awareness of Orientalism in Social Work. Journal of Progressive Human Services. Online first. DOI: 10.1080/10428232.2017.1310542.

Park, Y., Bhyuan, R., Wahab, S. (2017). Can an academic journal promote radical scholarship?

Wahab, S., Feminisms in dangerous times. Affilia: Women and social work, 32(3), p. 273-275. v DOI: 10.1177/0886109917716230

Park, Y., Wahab, S., Bhyuan, R. (2017). Feminisns in dangerous times. Affilia: Women and social work, 32(1), p. 5-9. DOI: 10.1177/0886109916686271

Waid, J., McBeath, B., Kothari, B. H., & Bank, L. (2018). Foster home integration as a temporal indicator of relational well-being. Children and Youth Services Review, 83, 137-145.

Walker, J. S., Seibel, C. L., & Jackson, S. (2017). Increasing youths’ participation in team-based treatment planning: The Achieve My Plan enhancement for Wraparound. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26 (8), 2090-2100.

Presentations

Best, J. I. & Blakeslee, J. E. (January 2018). Support network disruption: Narratives of youth in foster care. Paper presented at the 22st annual conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.

Blakeslee, J. E., Best, J. I., & Tumwebaze, G. (January 2018). Youth-identified strategies to enhance support networks in foster care. Poster presented at the 22st annual conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.

Blakeslee, J. E. & Best, J. I. (January 2018). Provider-recommended strategies to enhance foster youth support networks. Paper presented at the 22st annual conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.

Kothari, B. H., Blakeslee, J. E., Waid, J., McBeath, B., & Bank, L. (January 2018). Moving towards a holistic assessment of well-being in child welfare: Testing a multi-dimensional, multi-informant measure. Paper presented at the 22st annual conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.

Hawash, L., Sanders, B., Soska, T. (2017). Association of Community Organization and Social Administration’s strategic visioning and the grand challenges in social work. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Dallas, TX on October 19, 2017. This presentation focused on the strategic planning process and outcomes for  national organization (ACOSA), as well as ACOSA’s connection to the Special Commission and drive to extend and enhance macro practice educational offerings across the country in schools of social work.

Emily Lott: “Employee Perspectives on Implementing Collaborative & Proactive Solutions in a Juvenile Justice Residential Program”

Drew, A., Spencer, R., McBeath, B., Keller, T.E., & Herrera, C. (2018). Ready, set, go?: Examining organizational readiness for change in an intervention with youth mentoring programs. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, D.C.

Mandating Inclusion:  Trans perspectives on domestic and sexual violence advocacy Sid Jordan ( from UCLA) and gita mehrotra

Uretsky, M.C., Henneberger, A.K., & Woolley, M.E. (January, 2018) Graduates, dropouts, and persisters: A novel approach to understanding the correlates and consequences of non-graduation. Presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.

Uretsky, M.C., Hoffman, J. (January, 2018) Group-based foster parent training and support programs: A meta-analytic review of the evidence.Presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.

Wahab, S., Mehrotra, G., Kimball, E., Kanuha, K., Bhuyan, R., Kim, M. (2018). Counter hegemonic domestic violence analyses and movements. Presented at Society for Social Work Research Conference in Washington, D.C. on January 12, 2018.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Hospital-subsidized housing for homeless people brings win-win
Hospitals in several cities are subsidizing supportive housing for homeless people, shown by studies to save money by reducing ER visits while improving clients’ health.
–>Learn more

N.Y. adopts mental health curriculum
New York will become the first state to require mental health education across all grades. The curriculum will focus on the signs and symptoms of mental illness as well as aim to reduce the stigma associated with such illnesses. .
-> Learn more

Trump administration freezes database of addiction and mental health programs
Federal health officials have suspended a program that helps thousands of professionals and community groups across the country find effective interventions for preventing and treating mental illness and substance use disorders. Administration officials confirmed that the contract for running the database has been terminated. A new entity will take over the program’s duties. Learn more in this Washington Post article.
-> Learn more

Dallas hospital heads off crises behind frequent visits
A two-year-old outreach program at a Dallas hospital has cut into massive costs by addressing the reasons behind frequent hospital visits. The hospital launched a Center for Clinical Innovation that works with social services providers and uses advanced software to keep track of clients, allowing social workers to better monitor progress and needs. Learn more in this Politico article.
-> Learn more

Heading off hardship: Social worker joins Wash. police
Problems such as addiction and homelessness that lead to conflicts with the law are the focus of a social worker newly added to the police departments of Edmonds and Lynnwood, Wash. “It is my belief that a highly skilled professional, who is capable of meeting and assessing people where they are, will be an excellent addition to our departments’ outreach efforts,” said Lynnwood Police Chief Tom Davis.
-> Learn more

Highlights and Happenings – Fall 2017

We urgently need to bring to our communities, the limitless capacity to love,
serve and create for and with each other.
– Grace Lee Boggs

Now more than ever, social work and human services values and practices that promote equity, peace and well-being for all are needed in our society.

We all have witnessed extraordinary and troubling views of intolerance, hate and violence in our communities this past year.

Despite these challenges, there is time and space for hope. It is institutions like the School of Social Work at Portland State University that will be at the forefront of deeply activating and focusing individuals and communities on building a better world.

As we head into another energized and hopeful academic year, we celebrate the important work that students, faculty, community members and social work and child, youth and family practitioners bring to the most vulnerable among us.

With your help and support, we look forward to continuing the important work the School of Social Work at Portland State University brings to our city, our state and the nation.

Laura Burney Nissen
Dean and Professor

What’s Inside?

• • • Highlights
    • Happenings
    • Faculty Spotlight
    • Donor Spotlight
    • Faculty News
    • 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

We Made Our Match!

The School of Social Work at Portland State University is proud to announce that it has successfully met its fundraising goal and match to create a $500,000 endowed Maybelle Clark Macdonald Scholarship Fund for students.

For each of the past five years, the School of Social Work and PSU Foundation have raised $50,000. With the fifth year complete in 2017, the $250,000 raised by the School will be matched by the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Foundation to establish an endowed Maybelle Clark Macdonald Scholarship Fund. This fund will begin awarding scholarships to Master of Social Work (MSW) students in 2019.

Fall Student Welcoming

The School of Social Work welcomed over 300 new students to its programs during a series of welcoming and orientation events this fall.

• 92 new BSW students
• 30 new CYFS students
• 200 new MSW students
• 7 new Ph.D. students

We welcome these students to our School of Social Work community!

Student Emergency Fund Report Card

The School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund wrapped up the 2016-17 academic year by raising $4,450 to help students with emergency essentials. Through the collection of gift cards from faculty, staff, students and interested community members at events throughout the year, the program served 30 students in 2016-17 with 70% of recipients first generation college students. These gift cards are used by students in need to purchase groceries, gas and house supplies.

If you would like to donate gift cards to help a student in need, please drop them off with Marina Barcelo in ASRC 620V or mail them to her at Marina Barcelo, Portland State University, Social Work, School of (SSW), PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207. You may also make a cash donation directly via our School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund donation site.

New Hybrid Bachelor’s in Social Work Program

Beginning fall 2018 students can earn their BSW with classes online and in Eugene, Oregon, with a hybrid online and face-to-face Bachelor’s in Social Work degree (BSW) from the School of Social Work.

In this new hybrid program, that admits its first entering class in fall 2018, students will complete 80% of courses online and 20% face-to-face in Eugene, Oregon. This makes our hybrid BSW perfect for community college transfer students, working adults, and for students who live outside the Portland area. Students will complete their first year of courses entirely online. In the second year, students attend some classes online and others face-to-face on the weekends in Eugene, Oregon. They’ll learn from the same faculty and instructors that teach in our on-campus program in Portland and gain rigorous training and practical experience to build social work skills and a solid foundation for social service careers.

-> Learn More about the New Program and Sign Up for Email Updates

Teaching Excellence Symposium

The School of Social Work conducted its first ever teaching excellence symposium this fall. The symposium was designed to help faculty explore how various teaching methods intersect with various teaching philosophies, how to maintain a student centered focus as an inclusive pedagogy, and to leave the session with a personal commitment with a plan for teaching excellence.

Pictured is the planning group including (left to right) Monica Garcia, Sarah Bradley, Ted Donlan, Hillary Hyde, Erin Flynn, Keva Miller, Ben Anderson-Nathe, Lorraine Brave, Miranda Cunningham and Gita Mehrotra. Not pictured but also part of the effort was Sam Gioa, Stephanie Bryson, Karen Moorehead and Ridley Williams.

New Diversity and Inclusion Webpage

The School of Social Work recently updated its diversity and inclusion webpage. In addition to outlining schoolwide activities focused on diversity and inclusion, the page highlights the efforts of specific academic and research units within the School.

The School is committed to equity and inclusion in all of its academic, research, training, professional development, and community program offerings to students, faculty, staff, field instructors, campus partners, and community members.

-> Visit the new diversity and inclusion webpage

Social Work Ph.D. Student Successfully Defends Her Dissertation

Leah Brookner, a doctoral student in the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, successfully defended her dissertation on Friday, October 27, 2017. Her dissertation, entitled “ Is Therapy Going To The Dogs? , Evaluating Animal Assisted Therapy for E arly I dentified A t-risk C hildren ,” was reviewed by committee members (as pictured) Vicki Cotrell, Ph.D. , Maria Talbott, Ph.D. (Chair), Eric Mankowski, Ph.D. (OGS Rep) and Michael Taylor, Ph.D. Congratulations, Dr. Brookner!

New Faces in the SSW

Matt Chorpenning, MSW, has joined the School as an instructor. After completing his MSW at PSU, Matt was a research fellow at the Center to Advance Racial Equity and the site supervisor for the SHINE Community School program at Kinnaman Elementary School. He has been a field supervisor at SSW since 2015 and an adjunct since 2016, teaching both on campus and online courses.

Matt’s area of academic focus is on macro-level social work, community organizing, systemic change efforts, and policy, especially poverty policy and racial equity policy in the United States. He has published two reports with the Center to Advance Racial Equity.

Adrienne Graf, MSW, has joined the School as field placement development specialist. Adrienne earned her MSW from the School of Social Work at Portland State in 2010. Her most recent position was in Portland State University’s Women’s Resource Center as a sexual and relationship violence prevention coordinator. She comes to the School of Social Work with 9 years of experience supporting students affected by domestic and sexual violence. She has also held adjunct teaching positions in PSU’s Master of Social Work and public administration programs.

Adrienne’s academic interests include harm reduction theory and practice, mitigating trauma exposure from interpersonal violence by working alongside survivors navigating systems engagement, institutional betrayal, and how social work policy and practice intersect with the sex trades.

Adrienne enjoys spending time with her girlfriend Leigh and their 17 year old chihuahua Nibbles, water aerobics, tending to her massive houseplant collection and procuring new plants, planning vacations to warm climates, learning how to cook new dishes and perfect old recipes, stockpiling nail polish, and attending local queer community events. Adrienne may be reached at agraf@pdx.edu and (503) 725-8592.

Roberta Hunte, Ph.D., has been named an assistant professor in Child, Youth, and Family Studies in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.

Dr. Hunte is an educator, facilitator, and cultural worker. Her academic interests include reproductive justice, women of color feminism, cultural work for social change, and Black women in construction. She facilitates trainings on equity, diversity and inclusion. She is a collaborator on the play “My Walk Has Never Been Average” and a short film entitled “Sista in the Brotherhood,” both of which are informed by her research on Black tradeswomen. She also helped create a devised theater piece based on reproductive stories from people of color and transgender people.

Roberta earned her Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada in 2012. She is not new to our PSU community. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Hunte was a full-time assistant professor in Black Studies, Conflict Resolution, and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies. She has also held adjunct appointments at Portland Community College in political science and women’s studies. Dr. Hunte’s position is a shared line between CYFS and University Studies.

Katie King has joined the School as the new development officer for the School of Social Work. Susan Brennan, who was the School’s development officer briefly this summer left the PSU Foundation this fall to move back east to be closer to family. Katie has been with Portland State since 2015 where she worked closely with PSU’s athletics department to complete the Viking Pavilion project. Katie is a native of the Pacific Northwest and previously held development positions at the University of Houston and the University of Tennessee. To get in touch with Katie, email her at kingk@psuf.org or call her at (503) 725-2500.

Jessica Rodriguez-JenKins, Ph.D., is a new assistant professor for the BSW and MSW programs. She completed her Ph.D. at University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She engages in practice-informed qualitative and quantitative research centering on how best to support parenting among vulnerable families with young children. Jessica is interested in partnering with community providers to develop sustainable, culturally appropriate, interventions that support multi-level factors that affect parent-child relationships. Her dissertation research examines possible predictors of nurturing parenting among Mexican and Puerto Rican origin mothers with young children vulnerable to the child welfare system.

As a licensed clinical social worker, Jessica brings her extensive practice experience in serving children and families in community mental health and perinatal medical social work to inform her research and teaching. Jessica’s research interests focus on the promotion of family well-being through strengthening parenting practices, supporting parent-child relationships, and understanding cultural and contextual factors that influence parenting beliefs, specifically within marginalized families.

Happenings

Public Health Portland Style!

Join the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health for Public Health Portland Style!
#8 Stop Overdose: Safe consumption spaces.

Several months ago, Public Health Portland Style came together to talk about the opiate crisis in Oregon. We know that here in the Portland Metro Area 1 person dies every other day from a drug overdose. Mental Health America ranked Oregon 51st in the nation for access to mental health and addiction services and our death rates from Hepatitis C are double the national average. Join us in the conversation about initiative strategies to help keep people who use drugs alive. Safer Consumptions Spaces (SCS) are places where people can bring pre-obtained drugs to use with trained staff to help assist in the event of an emergency. They provide clean injection supplies in a clean environment staffed by people who are not only trained to respond to an overdose but offer kindness, respect, referrals and health information to people using in these spaces. SCS are operated in over 70 Cities around the world have prevented countless deaths and HIV/HCV infections however there are currently none operating legally in the United States.

This event brings together Shannon Riley, the Regional Project Manager for the Overdose Emergency Response in Vancouver BC. Shannon’s previous experience in overdose relevant work comes from both nursing at Insite, the 1st SCS in Vancouver, and managing a clinic in a homeless drop-in center in San Francisco. Bridget Bassett, a long time harm reductionist who has worked and volunteered in HIV /STD prevention for over 9 years and is a former heroin user who will talk about her experience using on the streets of Portland and how harm reduction services enabled her path to recovery. And Haven Wheelock, Drug users’ health advocate and the Injection Drug Users’ Health Services Program Coordinator for Outside In. She is advocating for evidence based policies to improve the lives and health of people who use drugs, like safe consumption spaces.

Thursday, Nov 16th
6 to 7:30 pm
Lucky Lab Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby Street

This event is free and open to the public. It will also be streamed live on Facebook Live.  All ages are welcome, we encourage you to invite friends, family, students and co-workers to join us!

-> Register or watch via Facebook Live

She Also Served

Join the School of Social Work this November for She Also Served, a Lunch & Learn series. Led by Elizabeth Estabrooks, Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator, this series is not to miss.

In this three-part series, students will gain a broader idea of what is included (or excluded) when the word “veteran” is used. What are the intesectionalities of being a veteran? How does the word “veteran” exclude women, persons of color, and LGBTQ veterans? What are the facts that you don’t hear about women veterans unless you go looking for them? Each of these three sessions is designed to stand alone, but attending all three provides you with deeper, broader understanding.

One of the three sessions is upcoming:

• Session 3 covers areas relating to mental and behavioral health (PTSD-MST, Suicide, and Substance Use). — Monday, November 27, 2017, 12-12:50pm, ASRC 660

This free series is open to all students and community members. Please bring your lunch–lunch is not provided. For information on how join via Google Hangout, contact Marina Barcelo at mbarcelo@pdx.edu.

PSU Day of Giving 2017

Tuesday, November 28 is Giving Tuesday – a global day of giving fueled by the power of shared action! The School of Social Work is proud to participate in this special day by joining in the first-ever university-wide PSU Day of Giving dedicated to supporting the schools and programs that make a difference in our community, #PDXGiveChange.

Make a gift to the School of Social Work and your contribution will be used to fund important student scholarships that help support the next generation of social workers and human services professionals.

Remember, gifts of any size can make a big difference. Join with your fellow Vikings and help advance the causes that create positive change in our community. Mark your calendar and support the School of Social Work on November 28!

-> Make a gift

Faculty Spotlight

Susanne Klawetter, LCSW, Ph.D.(c), has joined the School of Social Work as an assistant professor as part of the MSW faculty. Susanne completed her Ph.D. at the University of Denver, where her dissertation research examined the development of Warm Connections, an integrative behavioral health intervention, in partnership with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. In addition, she was a co-investigator on a multi-site research project that explores maternal mental health and maternal engagement in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Susanne’s scholarship is focused on promoting human health and wellness, particularly for women and children. Specific research interests include social determinants of maternal and child health, preterm birth, maternal and infant mental health, and early childhood intervention in an effort to advocate for health equity.

Susanne Klawetter is a licensed clinical social worker with over six years post-MSW experience working with families. In addition to clinical practice experience and research training, she is a seasoned educator with over six years of teaching experience in social work and public health programs.

Outside of her work, Susanne enjoys running, being outdoors, listening to live music, and animals. She and her partner, Chad Klawetter, have triplet 10 year olds – Olivia, Sam, and Zoe – and a 1 year old Labrador named Daisy.

Donor Spotlight

At Portland State’s annual 2017 Simon Benson Dinner on November 9, Barre Stoll ’89, MSW ’92 was presented with the Award for Alumni Achievement. Barre earned her bachelor of science in psychology in 1989 and her master’s degree in social work from PSU in 1992, as well as a doctorate in clinical psychology from Pacific University.

A retired licensed clinical psychologist, Barre has worked at Reed College and Stand for Children and is a tireless community volunteer. She is currently a member of the PSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees, where she is chair of the Philanthropy Committee. Barre served on the Leadership Gifts Committee for PSU’s Creating Futures Scholarship Campaign and on the Graduate School of Social Work Advisory Board.

Seeing the obstacles many of her classmates faced in completing their education has driven her involvement with the university over the years. She also served on an Advisory Board for the Dean of Pacific University Graduate School of Psychology as well as several community boards, including St. Mary’s Home for Boys, Parents Anonymous of Oregon and Waverly Children’s Home. For more than two decades, Barre and her husband, Robert, have been generous supporters of PSU and received the President’s Award for Outstanding Philanthropy in 2004.

Thank you for your generosity and service to PSU and the School of Social Work, Barre. We appreciate the many ways you shaped the lives of so many of our students!

Faculty News

PSU receives $1.9M grant to prepare social work students to practice integrated behavioral health

Portland State University’s School of Social Work recently received a $1.9 million federal grant to prepare social work graduate students to practice effectively in integrated behavioral health settings, particularly to serve people across the lifespan in rural and/or medically underserved communities.

The four-year Health Resources and Services Administration grant for Behavioral Health Workforce for Education and Training will provide education to a new generation of social work professionals with the practice skills to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations throughout Oregon. Of the 136 grants awarded, only 58 were awarded to social work programs and PSU’s is the only one of three awarded in the Northwest.

Led School of Social Work Assistant Professor Ericka Kimball, Ph.D., the Behavioral Health Integration Project (BHIP) will build upon the current Integrated Care Project (ICP) that has educated students in integrated care with a focus on children, youth and families. BHIP will expand the number of social work professionals with education and training in behavioral health integration to work in a variety of health settings across the lifespan. In addition, it will focus on increasing the number of social work professionals with historically marginalized and/or intersectional identities to work in integrated behavioral health care.

29 Master of Social Work students in each project year will be selected to receive a stipend of $10,000 over the nine months of their advanced year of study. In addition, the project will provide professional development funds to field instructors to advance expertise in integrated behavioral health care settings serving rural and/or medically underserved populations.

Sabbatical adventures through podcast

Portland State University School of Social Work faculty member Pam Miller, Ph.D., returned this fall from a year-long sabbatical that took her on some extensive international travel.

To share her experiences with our community, Dr. Miller created a video and audio podcast in which she reflects on her teaching, learning and research experiences while away.

In her video, learn more about Pam’s travels and experiences in France, Japan, and Poland, and hear her reflections on social work education in other parts of the world.

In her podcast, we talk with Pam about why faculty take sabbaticals and learn what observations and lessons she’ll be bringing back to PSU.

-> Watch video

-> Listen to podcast

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

CBS News recently aired an original broadcast online called “Portland | Race Against the Past.”
The original looks at a legacy of “white supremacy in Portland (which) is never far from the surface, and in reality, has never been that well hidden,” according to anthropologists and academics who have studied Portland’s history.
-> Watch video

NASW Revises Code of Ethics
In August 2017, the NASW Delegate Assembly approved the most substantive revision to the NASW Code of Ethics since 1996. The 2017 revisions to the Code focus largely on the use of technology and the implications of technology for ethical practice. The new Code goes into effect on January 1, 2018. Copies of the new Code will be available November 1, 2017. You can pre-order a copy by calling NASW Press at 800.227.3590. View Frequently Asked Questions for a listing of the revised sections of the Code.
-> Learn more

Recognizing child welfare’s debt to research
Research has had profound influence on US child welfare policy, dating back to the landmark Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, social work scholar Richard Barth observes. He warns, however, that one-size-fits-all measures backed by insufficient data still plague the foster care system.
-> Learn more

Multi-part team takes on Oregon jail’s revolving door
The Lane County Jail in Eugene, Ore., is working with a host of service providers to address homelessness and mental health conditions that keep inmates coming back after release. “Jail is not what it was — we’re not interested in warehousing people,” said Capt. Dan Buckwald.
-> Learn more

Campus sexual assault: Should restorative justice be an option?
The approach – which includes facilitated discussions – shows potential for bringing closure to survivors and stopping repeat offenses. But critics say it’s not appropriate for such a violent crime.
-> Learn more

Highlights and Happenings – Spring and Summer 2017

Editor’s Note: After a brief hiatus this spring, Highlights & Happenings, the newsletter of the School of Social Work at Portland State University, resumes with its spring/summer 2017 issue.  Moving forward the newsletter will be published once each quarter.  Look for the next issue in November 2017.

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Congratulations, Graduates!

Congratulations to the School of Social Work graduates who participated in Portland State University commencement ceremonies at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland. This year the School graduated 329 students in its Bachelors in Social Work, Child and Family Studies, and Master in Social Work programs, as well as its Ph.D. Program in Social Work & Social Research.

The School’s MSW program saw a 91% retention rate among students graduating this year, an impressive statistic.

The MSW program continued its tradition of being one of the largest Master’s programs at PSU, graduating 207 students.

The undergraduate Child and Family Studies program graduated 32 students in its brand new minor, broadening the scope and reach of this human services work.

Congratulations to all School of Social Work graduates and the friends and families who supported them throughout their educational journey!

We are proud of the work that our students, faculty, and staff do every day in our programs and in our community. In this edition of Highlights and Happenings, we are excited to recognize their admirable work as we say goodbye to our graduates and look forward to welcoming new students into our programs!

 

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlights
• Faculty Spotlight
• Program Spotlight
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

School Celebrates Retirement of Three Longtime Social Work Faculty

At a recent end of school year potluck lunch and celebration, the School of Social Work bid a fond farewell to three retiring faculty — Pauline Jivanjee, Vicki Cotrell, and Mindy Holliday.

Dr. Vicki Cotrell came to the School of Social Work in 1998. Vicki served in a variety of important faculty leadership positions in the School during her 19 years here, as well as being a well-loved instructor. Vicki’s passion for and focus on aging has been irreplaceable. Her sense of humor, warmth, and collegiality have been her trademarks, as well as the excellence she exhibits in everything she does. Even as she retires, Vicki continues to teach us about the beauty and power of transitions related to growing older! Thank you for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community, Vicki, and best wishes for a happy retirement!

Dr. Pauline Jivanjee came to the School of Social Work in 1990. In addition to being a coveted instructor, Pauline has served in a variety of deeply valued professional leadership roles — including associate dean — during her 27 years at the School. She’s been known as a steady, warm, and professional presence who embodies both the rigor and ethics of social work practice. Pauline has also contributed broadly to literature regarding children’s mental health, particularly as it relates to the inclusion of youth and family voice and equity and systems reform. Her legacy is a strengthened school and field as a result of her efforts. She’s most recently been a leader in successful efforts to recruit and support social work students to enter careers in the integrated health practice. Thank you for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community, Pauline, and best wishes for a happy retirement!

Mindy Holliday, MSW, came to the School of Social Work in 1997. She brought with her a successful social work career in the community prior to her transition into higher education. These connections aided her in being part of founding and leading the original “distance option” MSW program across the state of Oregon. Because of this, Mindy has deep professional connections throughout every corner of the region, having been connected to so many practicing social workers educated outside of the metro area. She’s taught throughout the BSW and MSW programs in a variety of topic areas. Most recently, she’s taught courses that introduced social work as a career option as well as other BSW cornerstone courses.

Thank you and congratulations, Vicki, Pauline, and Mindy, for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community. Best wishes for a happy retirement!

Students of Color Caucus Outlines Expectations for Social Work Education at PSU

In May 2017, the School of Social Work received a document entitled “Expectations for Portland State University’s School of Social Work” that was developed by the School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus (SOCC), a group of 30+ students and staff of the School.

Responses from the dean, the faculty and staff, and faculty and staff of color followed shortly thereafter. At the end of the 2016-17 school year, the dean provided an “Update on Students of Color Caucus Actions in the School of Social Work.”

The BSW and Field Team Welcome Faculty and Staff to New Roles

Mollie Janssen, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, has been named statewide flexible degree/online option coordinator for the Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) Program in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.  She joins at the rank of assistant professor of practice and will begin her new role on September 1, 2017.

Ms. Janssen has extensive experience as a program coordinator, trainer, and consultant.  She is committed to honoring people as the experts in their own lives. She focuses on working with and learning from people who have been historically marginalized. She is experienced in working with programs, professional development, and clinical supervision that is grounded in trauma informed anti-oppressive practices.

Mollie is passionate about travel, art, and new adventures. She enjoys spending time with her two busy boys ages 10 and 5.

We welcome Mollie to her new role in the BSW Program and as a continuing member of our School of Social Work community!

Lisa Cordova MSW, LCSW, has been named field specialist for the School of Social Work field education program.  She’ll start her permanent role on June 1, 2017.

Lisa is no stranger to the SSW.  Her first connection with the School of Social Work at Portland State University was as an MSW field instructor in 2010. She then joined PSU in February of 2013 to produce the 50/50 Photo Story Project, Day of Service and 50th Grand Celebration.

Lisa earned her MSW from the University of Denver in 1996. Before coming to PSU, the majority of Lisa’s social work practice was in community agencies with a focus on violence prevention and early intervention, particularly youth relationship violence, interpersonal violence and child abuse.  Lisa is particularly passionate about the power of youth voice and leadership in impacting social change.  As a licensed clinical social worker, individual counseling and psychoeducational support groups with teens were also core components of her work.

Outside of work, spending time with family and friends is high on her list. Lisa enjoys Pacific NW standbys like camping, hiking, gardening, and coffee. She and her partner have two daughters, a dog, a cat and a mini-flock of chickens.

Social Work Faculty and Students Visit Seoul, South KoreaA team of Master and Doctoral School of Social Work faculty and students recently returned from an international field experience in Seoul, South Korea.  This international exchange trip included lectures, site visits, and cultural experiences exploring how the human services environments in Korea and the US are becoming more complex, international, and interdisciplinary.

Our School participants were joined by colleagues from the Hatfield School of Government in the PSU College of Urban and Public Affairs, the Oregon State Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the Seoul Welfare Foundation.

Two Social Work Ph.D. Students Successfully Defend Their Dissertations 

Stephanie Sundborg, a doctoral student in the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, successfully defended her dissertation on Wednesday, May 3, 2017. Her dissertation, entitled “Foundational Knowledge And Other Predictors of Commitment To Trauma Informed Care,” was reviewed by committee members (as pictured) Junghee Lee, Stephanie Sundborg, Julie Rosenzweig, Diane Yatchmenoff, and Greg Townley. Congratulations, Dr. Sundborg!

Rebecca Yazzie, also a doctoral student, successfully defended her dissertation on Friday, May 5, 2017.

Her dissertation, entitled “An Analysis of Oregon Youth Authority Populations: Who Receives Treatment and What Factors Influence Allocation of Treatment Resources?,” was reviewed by committee members (as pictured) Keith Kauffman, Michael Taylor, Bill Feyerherm, chair (who joined the defense via Skype), Laura Nissen, and Melissa Thompson. Congratulations, Dr. Yazzie!

Culture and Conversation Series Ends Sixth Year with Dynamic Contributors 

This spring the School successfully produced another year of “Culture and Conversation,” a lecture and dialogue series organized by the School of Social Work to elevate public voices who are concerned with issues of identity, equity, and community. Three major events took place this year.

For the first event titled “Radical Resistance Post Election,” the School partnered with Momentum Alliance, Oregon Queer Youth Summit, and Social Justice Fund for a workshop and panel focused on social movement building skills. After the panel, participants were given the opportunity to develop plans for community action.

“El Cuento/The Story,” the second event in the series, was a workshop facilitated by faculty member Michele Martinez Thompson as well as two Master’s of Social Work alumni, Martha Calderon and Gerardo Jimenez. This event, designed specifically for people of color, provided the opportunity to discuss identity by sharing personal and community experiences and allowed for the exploration of peer mentoring and community networking to take place.

At the final event, “Queering Sexual Violence: Radical Voices from Within the Anti-Violence Movement,” Jennifer Patterson, editor of Queering Sexual Violence, and contributor Angie River led a discussion centered around queer, trans and gender non-conforming survivors.  It was followed by a panel of community advocates working on issues of sexual assault in queer communities.

The School of Social Work thanks the organizers, presenters, and attendees for their contributions to another successful year of Culture and Conversation!

Dean Laura Nissen Hosts Social Work Western Consortium at PSU At the end of March 2017, Dean Laura Nissen hosted the first meeting of the Grand Challenges for Social Work Western Consortium on the Portland State University campus. The all-day meeting attracted social work deans from the University of Washington, the University of Southern California, and other schools in the west to strategize on how to use the Grand Challenges for Social Work in their teaching, scholarship, and research.

View Photos From the Meeting

Led by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Grand Challenges for Social Work is a groundbreaking initiative to champion social progress powered by science. It’s a call to action for all of us to work together to tackle our nation’s toughest social problems.

Get More Information on the Grand Challenges for Social Work

Reclaiming Futures Holds National Conference

Addressing racial and ethnic disparities across juvenile justice systems. The positive role of the arts in developing at risk youth. These were just two of the many themes explored at the recent Reclaiming Futures National Conference.

Reclaiming Futures, an approach and model developed in the Regional Research Institute within the Portland State University School of Social Work, promotes improving juvenile justice through coordinated individual response and community directed engagement. It helps to identify and offer services to young people and their families who are struggling with substance use and/or mental health concerns.

Reclaiming Futures has now been used in 42 communities in 18 states. Each year Reclaiming Futures leadership comes together to share best practices, network with one another, and learn the latest evidence about promising and effective juvenile justice reform strategies.

One session panelist at this year’s conference was Robert Schwebel, Ph.D., whose Seven Challenges program offers an evidence-based approach to provide counseling to young people that incorporates work on alcohol and other drug problems. In his presentation, Dr. Schwebel made the case for why a counseling approach to working with youth based on empowerment can be more effective than one rooted in control.

Learn More about Reclaiming Futures and Its Innovative Approaches for Youth and Families Involved with the Juvenile Justice System

Happenings

School of Social Work Launches Mentor Program

Would you like to help a student transition into their future career? Would you like to reaffirm your passion for the fields of social work and human services?

The Mentor Program in the Portland State University School of Social Work pairs professionals in the community with current PSU social work and child, youth, and family studies students to enhance students’ skills, develop their job search network, and clarify their career goals.

Learn More about the Program and How You Can Get Involved  

Student Spotlights

Social Work Students Receive PSU Diversity Awards 

Chris Bush (BSW ’17) recently received a Commission on Sexual and Gender Equity award at Portland State University’s 2017 President’s Diversity Awards.

SAGE, the Commission on Sexual and Gender Equity at Portland State University, envisions a campus environment where all sexual and gender identities and expressions are celebrated, supported, and fully and equitably included in all aspects of campus life. Congratulations, Chris!

Dustina Haase-Lanier (MSW ’18) recently received the David & Linda Smeltzer Scholarship at Portland State University’s 2017 President’s Diversity Awards.

The purpose of the David and Linda Smeltzer Scholarship is to attract outstanding students who use wheelchairs for mobility. These are students who contribute to the campus learning environment by sharing their unique strengths and diverse perspectives through their involvement in on-campus activities and participation in community service. Congratulations, Dustina!

The School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus received the Distinguished Team Award at Portland State University’s 2017 President’s Diversity Awards.

This group of School of Social Work students — that hey worked together to create and present a list of expectations for racial equity to Portland State University School of Social Work leadership, faculty and staff — were honored for their advocacy, engagement, support and other accomplishments. Congratulations, Students of Color Caucus members!

Read the Students of Color Caucus List of Expectations for the School of Social Work

Program Spotlight

New Hybrid Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) Program Beginning Fall 2018

Beginning fall 2018 students can earn their BSW with classes online and in Eugene, Oregon, with a hybrid online and face-to-face Bachelor’s in Social Work degree (BSW) from the nationally ranked School of Social Work at Portland State University.

In this new hybrid program, that admits its first entering class in fall 2018, students will complete 80% of your courses online and 20% face-to-face in Eugene, Oregon. This makes our hybrid BSW perfect for community college transfer students, working adults, and for students who live outside the Portland area. Students will complete their first year of courses entirely online. In the second year, students attend some classes online and others face-to-face on the weekends in Eugene, Oregon. They’ll learn from the same faculty and instructors that teach in our on-campus program in Portland and gain rigorous training and practical experience to build social work skills and a solid foundation for social service careers.

Learn More about the New Program and Sign Up for Email Updates

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Gifts from clients: Always taboo?

Conflicts of interest can arise when clients give gifts to social workers, but accepting them can be ethically justifiable if professionalism isn’t compromised, ethics expert Allan Barsky advises. “If gift-giving is an authentic expression of the client’s gratitude, then the principle of self-determination suggests that social workers should honor the client’s wishes.”

Read More in this Article from The New Social Worker

Loving, 50 Years Later

Last month marked the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the landmark Supreme Court decision that invalidated state laws restricting interracial marriage. Recently, the New York Times asked readers to share their experiences about being in a mixed-race relationship. We received more than 2,000 stories in just a few days.

Read Selected Stories in the New York Times 

When Love Wins: How Human Trafficking Survivor Elisia Lopez (MSW ’15) Reunited with Son Nahko Bear

A human trafficking survivor and her firstborn found each other and made peace with their painful past, inspiring the revolutionary music of Nahko Bear.

Elisia Lopez is an alumna of the MSW program at Portland State University.

Learn more in this story on Crixeo

According to Harvard Psychologists, Parents Who Raise “Good” Kids Do These 5 Things

Read them in this Curious Mind Magazine article

When a seat opened up in the Oregon House of Representatives, Tawna Sanchez’s cell phone started buzzing with texts and calls. The gist: Go for it.

“My first reaction was, are you out of your mind?” Sanchez says. “Then I started seriously thinking about it and said, ‘What the hell.’ I can keep doing what I’m doing now, or I could step it up and do a little more.”

Tawna Sanchez, MSW, now serves Oregon House District 43 representing the North Portland neighborhood where she grew up. It was a historic victory. She becomes just the second Native American to serve in the Oregon Legislature. Tawna earned her Master in Social Work degree from Portland State University in 2012.

Learn more in Making History: A Native Voice At The Capitol

Highlights and Happenings – March 2017

Food insecurity and houselessness continue to challenge college and university students across the nation. We’re no different in the School of Social Work at Portland State University. A 2013 survey by our faculty showed that 43% of School of Social Work students experience food insecurity. This means that many of our students struggle with getting access to affordable, nutritious food most days of the week.

I am in constant awe of the resiliency of our School of Social Work students. Students have shared with me that despite the tremendous barriers they face, they remain as determined as ever to complete their education. With the support of the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund, our students are able to meet some of their basic needs, even if just for the week, allowing them to focus on their success in school.

Over the fall and winter terms, 16 unique students across our programs accessed the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund. These students have experienced incredible challenges since the start of the school year, including houselessness, food insecurity, unemployment, bankruptcy, car and home theft, mental health struggles, hospitalizations, and loss of child care and scholarship support. We know that students with non-dominant identities experience greater challenges when accessing more traditional funds. 65% of students accessing our fund were students of color, and 69% were first generation students.

Just over the past two months, there has been a noticeable uptick in students experiencing housing insecurity. Many of our students live paycheck to paycheck, often with the fear of possible eviction. Some students have been fortunate enough to find temporary housing on the couches of friends and mentors. While our fund does not solve the housing crisis in Portland, it certainly helps remove some stress for students.

I hope you will join us for our first ever Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland this Tuesday, March 14th beginning at 5pm to raise funds for our School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

-> Learn More

And remember, you can always drop off a gift card with me at any time!

Thank you,

Marina Barcelo, MSW, MA
Student Support & Inclusion Specialist

 

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Student Spotlight
• Faculty News and Publications
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

Social Work Month in March

This Social Work Month we salute the social workers who stand up for millions of people each day.

They stand up by comforting people who are experiencing devastating illnesses and mental health crises, ensuring they get the best care while on the road to recovery. They stand up and support our brave military personnel, veterans and their families. They work in communities and with national, state and local government to provide services and pass legislation to stand with and help the most vulnerable.

Child, family and school social workers stand up by protecting children who have been abused or neglected, helping children find new families through adoption, and ensuring young people reach their full academic and personal potential.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) launched the Social Workers Stand Up! campaign during Social Work Month 2017 in March to educate the public about contributions of social workers and why the professional title of social worker is so important.

The aim of this campaign is to improve the image and respect of the social work profession by educating the public, media and elected officials about social work.

-> Learn More

Let Knowledge Serve Oregon

When a seat opened up in the Oregon House of Representatives, Tawna Sanchez’s cell phone started buzzing with texts and calls. The gist: Go for it.

“My first reaction was, are you out of your mind?” Sanchez says. “Then I started seriously thinking about it and said, ‘What the hell.’ I can keep doing what I’m doing now, or I could step it up and do a little more.”

Tawna Sanchez, MSW ’12, now serves Oregon House District 43 representing the North Portland neighborhood where she grew up. It was a historic victory. She becomes just the second Native American to serve in the Oregon Legislature.

-> Learn more in Making History: A Native Voice At The Capitol

 

School of Social Work Students Featured in Veterans Exhibition

Congratulations to Portland State University School of Social Work Ph.D. student Maria Carolina González-Prats and Bachelor of Social Work student Deborah Lynn Peterson who are featured as part of the I Am Not Invisible exhibition honoring Oregon women military veterans.

I Am Not Invisible is a remarkable exhibition featuring 20 portraits of Oregon women military veterans.

There are more than 28,000 women veterans in Oregon — a number that has risen steadily over the past three decades — representing almost one-tenth of Oregon’s veteran population.

-> View Carolina’s portrait
-> View Deborah’s portrait
-> Learn more

MSW Program Ranked #14 in U.S.

The School of Social Work’s MSW program was recently ranked #14 among master’s of social work programs in the US.

These rankings are based on over 57,000 student reviews and ratings of over 1,600 colleges. Last year Portland State University’s MSW ranked #17 on this list.

These rankings are published by SR Education Group, an education research publisher founded in 2004.

-> Learn more

Lynn E. Thompson

The School of Social Work is sad to share that Lynn E. Thompson, retired faculty from the Portland State University School of Social Work, died last month. He was 81 years old.

Lynn earned his BSW and MSW from University of California, Berkeley, where Gordon Hearn, the first dean of the School of Social Work at Portland State University, was his undergraduate advisor.

Lynn taught practice courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels from 1968 through 1987. He became assistant dean under Dean Ricky Ross in 1978 and continued in that position until 1987 when he retired from PSU.

Lynn and his wife Chris recently created a scholarship for MSW students in the School of Social Work, which will now be a living legacy to his dedication and leadership.

Happenings

Family and Friends Night at McMenamins Benefits Social Work Students

Join us for a festive Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland. You can eat, drink, and support School of Social Work students in need all at the same time. 50% of the evening’s proceeds will go to the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017
5 p.m. until close

McMenamins Market Street Pub
1526 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201

-> Learn more

Tap in to the best of Public Health at the Lucky Lab Beer Hall in NW Quimby

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is hosting Public Health Portland Style series with the latest topics on Public Health every third Thursday of the month.

The next event is #3 Your Health: Zipcode or Genetic code?

Thursday, March 16
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Lucky Lab Beer Hall in NW Portland

Featuring experts Larry Wallack, Liana Winett, and Rachael Banks. This event is free and open to the public.

-> Learn more

 

Student Spotlight

The Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research just wrapped up another successful application season, with 32 qualified candidates applying to Portland State’s social justice focused doctoral program. 10 applicants came from outside the United States, 18 outside the state of Oregon, and 11 applied with an interdisciplinary background, bringing degrees other than a Master of Social Work (MSW) to their application.

Students who accept Portland State’s invitation this spring will join a highly qualified group of Ph.D. students. One such student is Keela Johnson. Keela received both her BS in Sociology and Masters in Conflict Resolution from Portland State University. Her current research interest focuses on intercultural race dialogues and their effectiveness, emphasizing the trauma of sharing one’s experience of oppression with the dominant culture, affinity group development, and basic education around the social construction and history of American society.

As an advocate for racial and social equity, Keela has worked for over 10 years creating and facilitating workshops, trainings, and dialogues for organizations. She has done an internship with the Independent Police Review of Portland where she implemented a program she designed for disenfranchised communities. Keela also formerly held the position of Dialogue Coordinator and Specialist at Resolutions Northwest of Portland. She is currently an independent contractor and dialogue specialist for organizations in the Portland area.

-> Learn more about doctoral students in the Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research

 

Faculty News and Publications

News

People living outside in Portland struggle to meet their basic hygiene and health needs because of a shortage of showers, bathrooms and washer and dryers.

These were the results of a survey led by Lisa Hawash, MSW, assistant professor of practice. Lisa led a team of researchers and graduate students in a survey of 550 people experiencing homelessness and poverty.

One possible solution: a community hygiene center that is open all day, every day.

-> Learn more in The Oregonian article
-> Learn more in KOIN 6 article
-> Learn more in Street Roots News article

Beth Green, Ph.D., Callie Lambarth, MSW, and Diane Reid, MSW, prepared final reports with community stakeholders and Children’s Institute on the North Douglas County Community Needs Health Assessment. As a result of a community-engaged process to collect and analyze data, families with young children, service providers, and other community stakeholders crafted recommendations and identified priorities to promote access to health services and cultivate a culture of wellness in North Douglas County communities.

-> Download the Phase 1 planning report
-> Download the Phase 2 regional health services survey report

 

Staci Martin, Ed.Dc, has been awarded a scholarship from Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Martin is PSU doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership Curriculum and Instruction and an adjunct instructor in Child and Family Studies in the School of Social Work.

Martin was awarded the $1,300 Louise M. Berman Fellows Award for doctoral students. She was recognized for her research project, Co-Creating Spaces of Critical Hope.

The scholarship is based on academic success, involvement in Kappa Delta Pi, and a written essay. She was selected from pool of applicants from students around the country.

-> Learn More

Dora Raymaker, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the Regional Research Institute (RRI), recently received $467,000 from two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to launch a community based participatory research study to understand the challenges and success factors for autistic people in the workplace. The study focuses on professional employment.

To showcase her work and find prospective study participants, Dora held Portland State University’s first ever Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit Science. Dora answered more than 25 of the over 250 questions and comments logged in her one-hour online session, which was seen and “voted” on by over 2,500 Reddit users. In fact, hours before her session began she was trending on Reddit Science!

Reddit is an American social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website used by over 542 million monthly visitors. It became especially popular when President Obama did AMAs during his time in the White House.

-> View Dora’s Reddit archive

Publications

Abel, G., & Wahab, S. (In press). Young Street Based Sex Workers’ Interactions with Social Workers. Child and Family Social Work.

Beck, E., Charania, M., Ferdoos, A.,Wahab, S. (In press). Undoing Bias and Islamophobia: Awareness of Orientalism in Social Work. Journal of Progressive Human Services.

Blakeslee, J. E., Kothari, B., McBeath, B., Sorenson, P., & Bank, L. (2017). Network indicators of the social ecology of adolescents in relative and non-relative foster households. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 173-181.

Burbach, J., Martin, S. B., Arnold-Fowlkes, J., Escobedo, M., Hibbs, A., Julius, C., Musgrove, C., & Sakaith, J. (2016). Who defines me? Spaces and Places of Agency and Hope. In S. Keengwe (Ed), Handbook of Research on Promoting Cross-Cultural Competence and Social Justice in Teacher Education. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Curry-Stevens, A. (2016). Precarious changes: A generational exploration of Canadian incomes and wealth. In D. Raphael (Ed.) Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives (3rd Ed., pp.60-89). Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.

Curry-Stevens, A., Kim-Gervey, C. & Chief Education Office Research Team (2016). Chronic absenteeism report. Salem, OR: Chief Education Office, Oregon, and Center to Advance Racial Equity, Portland State University.

Curry-Stevens, A. & Muthanna, J. (2016). In defense of culturally-specific organizations: Understanding the rationale and the evidence. Advances in Applied Sociology, 2(16), 67-80.

Curry-Stevens, A. & Sinkey, A. (Eds., 2016). In need of a long welcome: Supporting the integration of newcomers to Portland. Portland, OR: Center to Advance Racial Equity, Portland State University.

Gonzalez-Prats, M.C. (2016). Accountability, Complacency, or Obfuscation? Analyzing the U.S. Military’s Response to MST. Journal of Public Integrity. (In Publication)
Goodman, E., Bobzien, J., Burgess, M. & Melton, R.P., Lambert, S (2016) Counseling Children and Adolescents with Sensory Processing Disorder: Results of an Exploratory National Study Target publisher: Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling. -> DOI

Hill, C. & Curry-Stevens, A. (2016). Organizational change and racial equity: Implications for capacity building practice for organizations and networks. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership, 7(1), 21-28. -> DOI

Keller, T. E., Logan, K., Zell, A., Lindwall, J., & Beals, C. (2016). Monitoring and supporting a multi-faceted, multi-institutional student mentoring program. In Dominquez, N. & Gandert, Y. (Eds.) 9th Annual Mentoring Conference Proceedings: Developmental Networks: The Power of Mentoring and Coaching. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico.

Mehrotra, G. R., Kimball, E, & Wahab, S. (2016). The braid that binds us: The impact of neoliberalism, criminalization, and professionalization on domestic violence work. Editorial. Affilia: Women and social work, 31(2), 153-163. -> DOI

Outcalt, S.D., Nicolaidis, C., Bair, M.J., Myers, L.E., Miech, E.J., Mathias, M.S. A Qualitative Examination of Pain Centrality Among Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts. Pain Medicine. 2017; 18(2), 211-219. -> DOI  (PMID: 27353828) (Originally published online first June 2016).

Raphael, D. & Curry-Stevens, A. (2016). Surmounting the barriers: Making action on the social determinants of health a public policy priority. In D. Raphael (Ed.) Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives (3rd Edition, pp.561-583). Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.

Raymaker D, McDonald K, Ashkenazy, E., Gerrity, M., Baggs, A.M., Kripke, C., Hourston, S., Nicolaidis, C. Barriers to Healthcare: Instrument Development and Comparison between Adults on the Autism Spectrum and Adults With and Without Other Disabilities. Autism. Published online ahead of print, Sept 22, 2016. -> DOI (PMID: 25979536)

Sowers, J.A., Powers, L., Schmidt, J., Keller, T.E., Turner, A., Salazar, A., & Swank, P. (2016). A randomized trial of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics mentoring program. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. First published on March 10, 2016 -> DOI

Wahab, S. & Abel, G. (2016). The Prostitution Reform Act (2003) and social work in Aotearoa/New Zealand” for review in Affilia: Women in Social Work. -> DOI

Weimer, M.B, Hartung, D.M., Ahmed, S., and Nicolaidis, C. A chronic opioid therapy dose reduction policy in primary care. Substance Abuse. 2016: 37(1) 141-147. (PMID: 26685018)

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources

The School of Social Work’s faculty affairs and equity, inclusion and community partnership council (EPIC) committees recently put together a set of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Resources.

-> Get resources

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What’s in a zip code? Your health, as it turns out.

The new founding dean of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Portland State University School of Public Health, Dr. David Bangsberg, M.D., M.P.H., discussed the role public health education plays in addressing social determinants of health at his OHSU Illuminate keynote address.

-> Watch video

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Taking the first step: OHSU and PSU stand together against gun violence

Gun violence is a preventable public health issue. From shootings by and against police officers, to mass casualties at schools, churches and community venues, gun violence is rampant around the world.

Students, faculty, and staff at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Portland State University met recently at the Collaborative Life Sciences Building on Portland’s South Waterfront to listen, discuss and understand the impact this issue has on the community.

-> Read article

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Utah teen suicide tries drop after new app’s debut

Suicide attempts by Utah teens have declined 20% in the year since The University of Utah introduced a smartphone app for quick connections with counselors during crises, according to preliminary state data. Rainey Boateng, a licensed clinical social worker, says he has been called a lifesaver by some of the thousands of users of Safe UT to whom he has responded.

-> Watch video

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Report on the status of Oregon women and girls

The Oregon Women’s Foundation recently released Count Her In, a report on the status of Oregon women and girls. It is full of interesting and important information in a usable format.

-> Download report

Highlights and Happenings – January/February 2017

Did you know that the School of Social Work at Portland State…

• Has a statewide charter?
• Has programs in Ashland, Bend, Eugene, Salem, in addition to a fully online program?
• Was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1962 to serve the whole state?

Our work and reach extends well beyond the Portland metro area.

Each cohort of students at our distance option sites attends class, engages in group work, completes field education internships, and develops professional practice skills to benefit each community’s particular needs. Students enter their distance option program bringing unique experience centered in their home communities with dedication to continuing this work locally after graduation.

As distance option coordinator for the School of Social Work, I work with an amazing team of site coordinators in each of our other Oregon locations. These individuals grow the distance option programs each day — implementing field instructor orientations and trainings; providing faculty onboarding support; mediating student concerns and needs; and marketing and recruiting to find new students and field faculty. In short, they do everything required for this program to run successfully. They are each passionate professionals who know and truly understand their local social work landscape. With their local knowledge, they help our students connect with organizations and agencies to support needs and provide guidance around the critical social needs in their communities.

Visiting faculty are another critical component of our distance programs. Hopping on planes, jumping on trains, or driving each week to join students in their communities, they teach an entire week’s worth of content in one eight-hour classroom day. Bringing faculty from Portland to our distance sites, as well as utilizing local adjunct faculty, ensures all students receive the same quality social work education across program options.

As we enter 2017, we salute and thank our statewide School of Social Work faculty, staff and students for bringing their passion and work to all corners of our state.

Eddie May, MSW, LCSW
Distance Option Coordinator and Assistant Director of Field Education

 

What’s Inside?

• Highlights
• Happenings
• Donor Spotlight
• Faculty News and Publications
• 5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Highlights

School of Social Work Welcomes New Staff

John Barnett is our new Operations & Administrative Services Manager within the Dean’s office of the School of Social Work following the departure of Diane Coward who is now across the street at the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. John has extensive experience in this area. He worked for the SSW Dean’s office in 2008 to 2013 and has been with the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services (CCF) since then.

John Waddingham has joined the School of Social Work team as the MSW Student Affairs Assistant. Prior to joining us John worked as the Student Services Administrative Assistant and Financial Aid Representative at East West College of the Healing Hearts.

 

An Open Letter to the Portland State University School of Social Work Community from Dean Laura Nissen

“It has been a complex, busy, and challenging month.”

“[A]ll schools of social work are taking note of the powerful challenges ahead.”

“Equity; racial, social, political and economic justice; competence; dignity and worth of the person; and integrity — all are core values we will steadfastly uphold moving forward.”

“We affirm our commitment to our community, our students and our goals for peace, equity and justice in our country and our world.”

-> Read Dean Nissen’s full letter

School of Social Work Faculty Hosts SDHI Inauguration Day Commitment to Action Ceremony

Pictured above lower right: Dr. Christina Nicolaidis; MSW student and SDI coordinator Julia Chandler; and Marsha Jordon, African American Health Coalition.

One of our faculty members and Social Determinants of Health scholar, Dr. Christina Nicolaidis, and members of the Social Determinants of Health Initiative sponsored a special event on inauguration day. Approximately 60 health and social services professionals, faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered at Portland State University to commit to action and pledge to stand up for social justice.

This SDHI Inauguration Day Commitment to Action Ceremony was organized by the Social Determinants of Health Initiative, a collaboration among Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), community organizations, governmental agencies, and local health systems.

Those who attended had the opportunity to articulate a commitment, write it on a ribbon, and tie the ribbon to a net as a symbol of our collective work for social justice. The ribbons surrounded a framed Social Justice Pledge. This expression of collective work is displayed in the School of Social Work space in Portland.

Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to the collaborative team that produced this powerful event!

-> Learn more about Social Determinants of Health Initiative

 

Visiting Scholar Program Wins Top Award

An innovative visiting scholar and professional development program of School of Social Work was recently recognized as the top program of its kind by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) in Seoul, South Korea.

As part of this initiative, three visiting scholars from the SMG have been living in Portland the past two years while they study and research at Portland State. In addition, sixteen SMG officers came to the School last summer for a short term training program focused on exploring and observing social work and human service programs, service delivery systems, and policy making.

These collaborative projects of the School of Social Work and Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) are led by Dr. Junghee Lee, associate professor and program director of the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, with generous support from Dr. Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work, PSU’s Office of International Affairs, and the College of Urban and Public Affairs.

Happenings

Family and Friends Night at McMenamins Benefits Social Work Students

Join us for a festive Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland. You can eat, drink, and support School of Social Work students in need all at the same time. 50% of the evening’s proceeds will go to the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017
5 p.m. until close

McMenamins Market Street Pub
1526 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201

NASW Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) in Salem

Join the social work community across the state on Thursday, March 9th and learn to lobby, speak with local state representatives, understand issues from the social work perspective and participate in advocacy for Oregon!

-> Register

Agenda

• NASW Legislative Update
• Lobbying 101
• The Future of Social Work
• Keynote Address from Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek with honored guests
  Rep. Diego Hernandez and Rep. Tawna Sanchez
• Lobbying and Social Worker Panel
• Lobby meetings with state legislators in teams (there will be a training in the morning session)
• Panel Q&A with social workers in a range of professions

Limited seating available!

-> More information

Donor Spotlight

School of Social Work Recognizes Generosity of Christine and David Vernier

Portland State University recently recognized the generosity of Christine and David Vernier, local technology entrepreneurs, at a reception at the Simon Benson House on the PSU campus in Portland.

Thanks to a $3.6 million gift from the Verniers, 18 Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Child and Family Studies (CFS) students received scholarships this year and are being recognized as Vernier Endowed Scholars.

Pictured here, clockwise from the top, are Ka Lee (BSW, expected ’17); Heather Haworth (BSW, expected ’17); Dr. Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work; Christine Vernier; and Anna Keene (BSW, expected ’17). Ka, Heather, and Anna are three of this year’s Vernier Endowed Scholars from the School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work and its Vernier Endowed Scholars recipients sincerely thank Christine and David Vernier for their amazing gift supporting the future of social work and human services!

-> Learn more about the Vernier Endowed Scholars

Faculty News and Publications

News

Lisa Hawash, MSW ’05, assistant professor of practice in the School of Social Work, recently published a study exploring the hygiene needs and challenges of people experiencing poverty and homelessness. The report was developed in partnership with Sisters of the Road.

Field Education Director Julie Kates, MSW ’95, was recently selected to participate in the Office of Academic Innovation Mini-Grant Learning Cohort in Equity and Social Justice in Community Based Learning. Julie and her colleagues will work to develop and support pedagogy in equity, social justice action-based community-based learning within their departments and the university in general by adapting current courses, developing new courses, reviewing research, and modeling a justice-based educational praxis.

E. Roberto Orellana, Ph.D., MPH, MSW, associate dean for research and sponsored projects and associate professor co-authored a chapter in the 3-volume second edition of Sexual Assault Victimization Across the Life Span. His chapter is entitled “Screening for and Treatment of Sexual Abuse Histories in Boys and Male Adolescents.” Sexual Assault Victimization Across the Life Span is the essential reference for sexual assault responders.

Portland State University School of Social Work assistant research professor Dora Raymaker, Ph.D., and her $467,000 grant to study autism in the workplace is featured on a KATU News report.

Janet Walker, Ph.D., associate research professor, director of the Pathways to Positive Futures Rehabilitation Research and Training Center and co-director of the National Wraparound Initiative, and her team recently visited Australia and New Zealand to present on and learn more about youth and young adult mental health innovations.

Pictured above are Tamara Sale, principal investigator of Project EASA Connections and EASA (Early Assessment and Support Alliance) Program Development Coordinator with Patrick McGorry, Professor of Youth Mental Health and Executive Director of Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Australia.

Prof. McGorry is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of early psychosis interventions.

Psychotic disorders like schizophrenia can often lead to a lifetime of disability. Schizophrenia, in particular, usually starts during the transition years to adulthood. Promising new research shows that early interventions for psychosis in young people may help improve lifelong outcomes.

-> Learn more about the Pathways RTC research project “EASA Connections.”

In this photo collage from top, then left to right:

Janet and Celeste Seibel, Manager for Project AMP+, met with staff from Tu Mai Awa, a Wraparound project in Hastings, New Zealand, that focuses on working with children and families in a way that builds on the strengths of indigenous culture and community. Janet and others are sitting by a Korowai, a traditional cloak which was made by families to symbolize how the program was supportive.

Janet and Celeste in Napier, New Zealand, met with Ruth Gammon, a key Wraparound trainer and expert in New Zealand.

Janet presented on cost-effective strategies for supporting high-quality Wraparound to a roundtable of key officials from New Zealand’s ministries of Health, Education and Social Welfare, as well as representatives from non-profits and the police.

Wraparound is an intensive, holistic method of engaging with individuals with complex needs, most typically children, youth, and their families.

Wraparound is innovative in that it is community-based and offers an effective alternative to residential treatment for children and youth with behavioral health challenges.

-> More information on the National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)

Publications

Blakeslee, J. E., & Keller, T. E. (2016). Assessing support network stability with transition-age foster youth: Measuring change over time. Research on Social Work Practice, DOI: 10.1177/1049731516678662.

Blakeslee, J. E., Richardson, D., Zell, A., & Keller, T. E. (2016). BUILDing student developmental networks in academic settings. In Dominguez, N. & Alexander, D. (Eds.), 9th Annual Mentoring Conference Proceedings: Developmental Networks: The Power of Mentoring and Coaching. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.

Brennan, E., Jivanjee, P., Elkin, E., Myers, C., Murphy, B., & Carvente, H. (2016, November 1). Promoting Positive Futures: Evidence Based Practices in Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Health [Webinar]. -> Watch

Brennan, E. M., Nygren, P., Stephens, R. L., & Croskey, A. (2016). Predicting positive education outcomes for emerging adults in systems of care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 43(4) 564-581. -> Read

Crapnell, T., Lau, L. Hanks, C.D., Nicolaidis, C., Kuo A.A. Autism. In Pilapil, LeLaet, Kuo, Peacock, Sharma (Ed). Care of Adults with Chronic Childhood Conditions: A Practical Guide. 2016. Springer. Switzerland. Pp 53-66.

Jivanjee, P., Brennan, E. M., Sellmaier, C., Gonzalez-Prats, M. C., & Members of the Pathways Transition Training Collaborative. (2016). Achieving Cross-System Collaboration to Support Young People in the Transition Years: A Tip Sheet for Service Providers. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University. -> Download

Koroloff, N., Friesen, B., & Buekea, N. (2016). Advice to Young Adults from Young Adults: Helpful hints for Policy Change in the Mental Health System. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University. -> Download

Turner, S. (2016). Take charge for the future: Enhancing self-determination. Presented at Mental Health Practitioners EASA. November, 2016. Portland, OR.

Turner, S. (2016). Take charge for the future: Self-determination and community participation in foster care. Presented at Morrison Child & Family Services. October, 2016. Portland, Oregon.

Velez-Klug, C., Nicolaidis, C., Korthuis, P.T., Englander, H. “It’s Been an Experience, a Life Learning Experience”: A Qualitative Study of Hospitalized Patients with Substance Use Disorders. Journal of General Internal Medicine. Published online first December, 2016. DOI: 10.1007/s11606-016-3919-4.

Walker, J. S., & Flower, K. M. (2016). Provider perspectives on principle-adherent practice in empirically-supported interventions for emerging adults with serious mental health conditions. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 43(4) 525-541. -> Read

Walker, J. S., Seibel, C. L., Jackson, S., & Ossowski, J. D. (2016). Introduction to the special section: Positive developmental strategies for engaging emerging adults and improving outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 43(4) 521-524. -> Read

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

The Joint Office of Homeless Services is recruiting volunteers to help conduct surveys as part of the 2017 Homeless Street Count during the week of February 22 through February 28, 2017. Volunteers will assist service agencies throughout Multnomah County in conducting a short survey in an effort to obtain an accurate snapshot of the number of people who are experiencing homeless on a given night in our community.

-> Learn how to volunteer

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How a simple Google doc called “What to do instead of calling the police” went viral and why it matters
This year, social justice warriors and those who love to hate them have probably come across the humble GoogleDoc What to do instead of calling the police. Compiled and circulated by New York-based education strategist Aaron Rose, What to do instead has been shared thousands of times on social media, and Aaron estimates that between 200 and 300 people are viewing the document at any one time.

-> Read article on Medium
-> Access the Google Doc

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One-woman organization run by Portland State University MSW alumna helps homeless where they are.
Sarah Kelley, MSW ’16, receives $120k Meyer Memorial Trust grant to expand her Thrive Central Oregon program in Bend, which helps needy Central Oregon residents connect with social services.

-> Read article in the Bend Bulletin

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198 Methods of Nonviolent Action

Practitioners of nonviolent struggle have an entire arsenal of “nonviolent weapons” at their disposal. Included are 198 of them, classified into three broad categories: nonviolent protest and persuasion, noncooperation (social, economic, and political), and nonviolent intervention. A description and historical examples of each can be found in volume two of The Politics of Nonviolent Action, by Gene Sharp.  From the Albert Einstein Institution.

-> Get 198 Methods of NonViolent Action 

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Explore how and why non-profit human service organizations are using social media in this paper by Dr. Jimmy Young, assistant professor of social work at California State University San Marcos.