Social Work Soldier

Major Breakthrough.

2011-11-15T19:34:00.001-05:00

Wow. My head is still spinning from my experience today. Being new to the field, I haven't had too many "woah" experiences yet, but today...I woah'd.

I have a teenage client who has been with my agency for years. I'm actually her 4th therapist this year. Her parent's rights were terminated and her guardian isn't the most pleasant of creatures. I am not surprised she doesn't want to talk to anyone. Why should she trust adults?

I've been working with her for weeks and we have not moved past pleasantries, if you can call them that. I've tried everything I know to do, which might not be a whole lot, but at least I gave it my all. Lots of game playing to build rapport, lots of sitting in silence, lots of random questions, lots of validating, challenging, supporting. Nothing worked.

Until today.

I decided to try art therapy, since talking is clearly not on the agenda. It's a layered feelings activity that I facilitated it in a group setting during my internship. I provided her with a feelings sheet with different expressions and the feelings they represent. I gave her 6 sheets of paper, and asked her to draw these items:

A feeling you often show to others
A feeling you generally keep to yourself
A feeling you wish would go away and never return
A feeling you like to have
A feeling that you can live with but that challenges you
A feeling you rarely experience and wish you could have more of

She wasn't very invested in the activity, and drew some pretty basic faces. When I asked her to explain them all, she gave short answers and shrugged her shoulders a lot. One of her faces was confused, another lonely. I started to dig a little, to try and find out about her past experience that she still has not dealt with. She was hospitalized due to self-harm, but no one has been able to find out why. She has been closed-lipped for months and months. I brought up the incident and asked if she was feeling the same way now. As the one-sided conversation progressed, she began to cry, then she became really angry and stormed out.

I think my jaw was hanging low because she has never so much as laughed, much less show anger or sadness. And in a span of minutes! I let her leave, followed her outside. I validated her pain, determined if she was feeling suicidal, etc. She was angry but didn't leave the patio. She wouldn't look me in the eye or talk, but she didn't leave either. At one point she yelled "I'm sick of you people coming in and out of my life." When I tried to get her to open up about that, she was already gone (mentally speaking).

She asked to call her guardian, and I went to alert the school officer about her status, and left a message for her guardian. I immediately called my supervisor and asked for her suggestions, and she congratulated me on this breakthrough, even though the session ended pretty ugly. I often wonder if sexual abuse is a part of the equation. While it has never been brought up, her younger sister was abused, and the statistics show it's likely to happen to siblings. This is only a theory. I could be totally off.

Anywho, my head is still spinning. It may not seem like much, but I hit a chord.

Finally.

-SWS

Resources, anyone?

2011-09-10T16:33:00.001-04:00

Is anyone willing to share their therapeutic interventions for hyperactivity and inattention? I've heard a lot of behavior charts are good, but there is bound to better ideas.

I would also like to know if anyone has techniques for working with oppositional / aggressive children, especially techniques for they are in a moment of rage. Needless to say, I do not have much experience with these types of behaviors and have a very challenging child that I just started working with.

One last question: Behavior Management Programs that aren't points-based. Got ideas? Please share.

Much thanks.
-SWS

Almost a month in…

2011-08-28T07:29:00.003-04:00

My third week of seeing clients and I’m still alive. *fist pump* I will admit that I am quite enjoying the actual work with the clients, but dealing with parents can be tough. Real tough. Some parents/caretakers are resistant, even the ones that called in the referral. I won’t begin to try and understand what they are feeling, but I do my best to ensure them I’m not there to remove their kids, judge them, etc. Once I get in the door, I think they realize that, but getting into the home is the hard part…

We had a mandatory meeting at work on Friday. It was Cultural Heritage day so we got learn about each other’s backgrounds. They also invited some people from the UM Eye Institute to talk about working with deaf children. They taught us the science behind hearing problems, the kind of devices to assist with hearing, auditory verbal therapy, etc. I especially find cochlear implants to be quite incredible. We also talked about Deaf culture, and the very different opinions found within this population. It was quite interesting!

Now, on to the interesting topic. One of my cases is a 16 year old girl who was diagnosed with Undersocialized Conduct Disorder, Aggressive Type. The biopyschosocial also talked about some reported psychosis. When I met with the teen for the first time, she was quite fascinating and a bit scary in her perception/attitude. She does not like school and does her schoolwork only when she feels like it. She likes to fight with people and has no interest in friends. She socially isolates, sits in her bedroom alone and talks to herself. She reported hearing command hallucinations, "random" voices that make her laugh and sometimes tell her to do "dangerous things", like fight and do drugs. She denied any drug use or any thoughts/commands of self-harm. She also mentioned going to her boyfriend’s house and just sitting in the front room alone. I noticed she had psychomotor agitation as she constantly used her hands during the session. She made little eye contact with me and giggled to self occasionally. Her affect was pretty blunt but her mood was normal.

She lacks compassion for her younger siblings, as evidenced by her statement "I hate them" as she broke their crayons. She reported that she loves her mother, and when asked if she ever tells her mother: “I don’t tell anyone I love them.” She doesn’t follow rules, and I’m serious when I say this, she could give a bleep about anyone or anything. I encouraged her to be honest and gave her feedback on her interaction with her mother and siblings. She constantly reminded me that she does what she wants to, not what anyone tells her. I praised her substance-free choices and validated her report of hallucinations. I did not challenge them. I tested her insight and her judgment, and I think both are pretty poor. One great thing is that she is willing to comply with treatment/medication. I gave her mother the contact information for a pysch eval, and if she hasn’t called when I go back Tuesday, we’ll call together. She needs one, stat!

I’m praying she isn’t developing Schizophrenia. I, of course, am not licensed or an expert, by any means, but doesn’t it sound like it? She’s having both positive (hallucinations/psychomotor agitation) and negative (blunted/flat affect, lack of interest, social isolation) symptoms. I read through the biopyschosocial and mother reported depression with psychosis and drug use on her end, but no mental illness that she’s aware of on dad’s end. I know there’s a strong genetic component. I think you have a 10% chance of developing it of one parent has it, and a 50% if both parents have it. But, what if mom’s diagnosis was wrong and she’s actually Schizoaffective? That would put her in the spectrum. Mom also used crack/marijuana for many years, so the child could have some prenatal factors, like stress, malnutrition, infection. And she was born in the Spring. Research shows that viral exposure in utero can up your chances of developing Schizophrenia. And then there is the environment piece. Living in an urban environment, social isolation, poor housing, family dysfunction and childhood exposure to trauma are all risk factors.

What do you think?

-SWS

Resources:

First week on the job…

2011-08-06T19:09:00.005-04:00

Well, my first week at my new job went off without a hitch. All the employees are really nice and helpful. I spent the entire week in orientations for everything from benefits to processes to trainings. Thankfully, their processes and procedures are streamlined. Amen! I sat with my supervisor for the clinical training and process piece. She is very nice and knowledgeable. She complemented my preparation (me, prepared??? heh) and said she can tell I will catch on quickly. To say the paperwork is overwhelming is an understatement, but that is social work for ya.

We discussed ethics, privacy, compliance and the like. The HR person described some ethical issues in the past, and honestly, I am shocked at some of the choices people make. One employee had to get something signed over the weekend, so she stopped by the home with a car full of people. Um, seriously? Major HIPAA breach. Another employee had a home for rent and rented it out to his client. Yes, this is a nice gesture, but it is absolutely forbidden to enter into any sort of dual relationship with your client, during and after service.

I was assigned my first 4 clients yesterday. I have not yet made contact because I am waiting to hear from the employee I will be shadowing next week. I plan to call Monday and set up first appointments at the end of the week. I also have to do a ton of online trainings next week on-site.

As far as my clients go, what a doozy! Four males. Three of them have been treated by the agency before, two of them have a Conduct Disorder Dx, two have ADHD/Anxiety. One of them is a refugee from Africa! THAT is way amazing, for me, because it is a population I am extremely interested in working with. To say I am hella nervous about meeting these people next week is putting it mildly…

-SWS

Addiction ain’t pretty.

2011-07-23T15:34:00.004-04:00

As the world undoubtedly knows, the talented and troubled songstress, Amy Winehouse, passed away today at age 27. The jokes poured out when in reality, it is anything but funny. Addiction is a serious issue that affects millions of people. Some people mentioned having no sympathy for those that make the choice to do drugs. Everyone is allowed their own opinions, of course, but this close minded nonsense pisses me off to no end.
We don't know what drives people to make that decision in the first place. We've never been in their shoes and therefore, we should not judge. We are not a higher power and have no right judging others to be less worthy. There would be a hell of a lot less drama/trauma/chaos in the world if we tried to understand each other instead of point fingers.

Yes, doing drugs is a choice, but I highly doubt anyone picks up a needle or pops a pill hoping to become addicted. What they are looking for is an escape, and that is where the real mess lies. A lot of people who do drugs have a mental illness. Schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar, anxiety, etc. will lead people to drugs if they do not receive proper treatment. And I don’t just mean Px drugs and therapy. People need other people. We are social beings and the support of our peers is vastly important to our mental and emotional well-being. Society still has major stigma towards mental illness, and therefore, makes it even more hard for those people to cope. Until we take a moment to understand the emotional and mental challenges that our fellow humans face – instead of acting like we are somehow better and cannot be bothered – then those that turn to drugs will continue to be plagued by inner demons and their “quick fix” will continue to be a permanent one.

-SWS

Pre-Employment

2011-07-12T17:54:00.002-04:00

Who knew pre-employment would be so much work! I understand the need for all of this information. Aside from the normal items, I need to do a bit more since I will be working with humans and more importantly, children. I get it.

Drug test
Electronic fingerprints
TB screen
Notarized Affidavit of Good Moral Character
Original Diploma
Official Transcripts
Infant/Adult CPR and First-Aid Training
CFARS Certification
Proof of Eligibility to work in US
Driver's License
Proof of Auto Insurance

I’ve got most of this done already though, because that’s how I am. ☺

-SWS

I am employed!

2011-07-05T11:12:00.001-04:00

I have secured my first job after graduation. I am extremely excited and nervous as hell! I will be a Therapeutic Behavior On-Site Counselor, which means I will be going in to homes and schools and working with children and adolescents who have diagnosed mental disorders. It sounds like a doozy for my first ever therapeutic job, but I just know the experience is going to be so beneficial to my growth as a social worker. And hey, getting my feet wet on the therapeutic side might just urge me to get licensed. We’ll see how much I enjoy the work. :)

I start 8/1 with a 2 week orientation. They gave me a slew of background checks I have to get completed prior. So, I need to hop on that.

Go me!

-SWS

Testing, one, two…

2011-06-30T18:16:00.003-04:00

Hello! New blog for a new chapter in my life. :) This won’t be the most active of blogs, but I think it will be pretty good content. I plan to write about my social work / therapeutic experience. I recently graduated with my MSW and have a job prospect. More soon.

-SWS

P.S. I've imported my old social work posts from previous blog.

Site Visit

2010-11-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

I had my site visit yesterday with my field supervisor an field professor yesterday. The site visit occurs every semester to ensure everyone one is happy, the student is learning, the agency is pleased with student’s work, etc.It was a little late in the semester because my field professor is behind.

It went well, and I am so pleased that I have a caring, understanding and knowledgeable field supervisor. (I really lucked out with my 2 placements, let me tell you!) I let my professor know that I am engaged with 4 individual clients - one teen, two children and one adult - and that I am dabbling with play therapy, CBT, strengths perspective and case management. I also facilitate one children's group and co-facilitate the other. As for macro, I’ve attended some community events around Domestic Violence, and did some internal trainings on child development and trauma-based care. I plan to kick up the macro next semester, and see some court proceedings. I plan to attend the local Domestic Violence council meeting on Tuesday too. I really like macro work and want to get as much as I can out of it.

That’s my update! Now, off to finish a presentation…

A Movie Review: Reviving Ophelia

2010-10-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

I heard about this movie through BreakTheCycle.org whom I follow on Twitter. This organization aims to educate teens on dating violence and empower them to make their own decisions. Reviving Ophelia aired on Lifetime and will probably play more. Check your local channel listing to see when it airs again.

Reviving Ophelia is a story about a normal, well-to-do, calm and collected teenage girl, Elizabeth, who becomes involved with a guy named Mark. Mark is a gentleman, is respectful towards adults and showers Liz with affection and attention – just what teenage girls are looking for! Unfortunately, Mark isn’t what he seems to be. Underneath his cool façade and cute exterior is an angry young man who has become quite obsessed with Liz. The signs are absolutely blaring. Her cousin, who is deemed the wild one in the family, tries to alert her family to what is going on, but no one wants to believe her. She tries to step in and assist her cousin, but she is quickly pushed aside and told there is no problem. Once Liz’s parents find out, they do everything to control the situation and protect their daughter. However, telling Liz No only make her want him more…

If you do plan to watch the movie, or read the book, don’t read any more. It will give away a lot of the story. I wrote down all of the signs I recognized:

He gets miffed because she made plans without consulting him
You find out his mother left him and his father, and that his father called him a loser because his mother left him.
You later find out his dad beat his mother, which is probably why she left. As ugly and unfortunate as it is, abuse is a learned behavior a lot of the time.
He becomes jealous of her friends and guys she sits by in class.
He tried to control her behavior.
He calls and texts her constantly, and gets very angry when she doesn’t respond promptly.
He tracks her on her phone’s GPS! Stalking is a serious red flag.
There is a small blip about an ex-girlfriend, who we don’t learn much about. However, sounds like he has been down this path before.
He makes her feel guilty for everything.
There is the obvious physical violence. The first incident, Mark lies and says he had to slam on his break and she hit the dash. She confirms the story. The cycle repeats itself, even if he says it will never happen again.
When she really tries to end the relationship, he pulls the suicide card. This is a very common response to once again use the blame and guilt that the victim feels to get them to stay.

The denial was thick as molasses. Liz blames herself for the fights. He has manipulated her mind and has fed his guilt into her. She makes a statement in the movie that if she were a better girlfriend, he wouldn’t have to hurt her. In one scene, she is eating dinner with her family and Mark texts her. Her dad tells her that it is family time and she can reply after dinner is over. Liz pretty much has a tiny panic attack. She becomes very anxious because her body is releasing adrenaline in response to what will happen if she doesn’t get back to him ASAP, even if her mind doesn’t make the connection.

One scene I found very powerful involved the social worker. After Liz lied to her family about breaking up with Mark, she visited her therapist. When the therapist asked how life was now that Mark wasn’t in it, Liz didn’t have much to say – because she was still seeing him. The therapist likely caught on to this and I think she used a powerful technique. She handed Liz her laptop and asked her to type in “warning signs of abuse” and asked Liz to read them to her. The clarity that washed over Liz was so heartbreaking, but it is what she needed to realize the situation she was in. At that point, she took control back of her life.

I plan to read the book ASAP, and will also report on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Reviving-Ophelia-Adolescent-Ballantine-Readers/dp/0345392825

Miscellaneous news from school/internship.

2010-10-03T08:42:00.000-04:00

One month in and I’m doing ok. I lucked out with my professors because the other group of students have tons of more work. I don’t mind lots of assignments but what I mind is time management and getting them all done and done well.

The internship is going well. I’m learning a lot. I feel a tad overwhelmed because I am there for 2 10-hour days only. However, group takes up 2.5 hours each day (planning and facilitating), and I have gotten 2 clients – which is AWESOME! But, I have to write individual and group case notes, and I must keep up with them because they can get out of hand if I don’t. I just don’t feel like I have enough time to prepare myself for my individual meetings (one child and one adolescent) and do other things I need to do. It will all work out, but I really hate feeling rushed, especially now that I have clients. This is my first experience with individual meetings and while I haven’t felt too nervous since I’m just trying to get to know them at this point, I’m still clueless and want to really focus on being a good therapist and asking the right questions, etc. AND, building rapport with the teen. She is nice and sweet and talks, but it’s all superficial at this point and I really want to help her understand her emotions. She needs someone to talk to...

My child client is so very open and genuine. I’ve been working with her in group so she has gotten to know me over the past few weeks. We drew pictures of a house and tree, and she helped me draw my trees. She is very nice and shares well. We talked about bullying, and why she needs to speak up if someone is bothering her. She told me that she stuck up for her friend on the playground. I told her she was very brave, but next time, she should get a teacher so that she isn’t hurt in the process.

I actually got to see (well, hear, since it was over the phone) the Defense Mechanism known as Reaction Formation. This DM transforms an unacceptable impulse into the opposite. It’s a characteristic of obsessional neuroses, and I have no doubt this person is neurotic! Anywho, I reached out to a referral to set up an appointment so she can begin group therapy. Her mother answered the phone, and then handed off to the victim. She said she had no transportation, etc., and would call us back. Not 2 minutes later, my manager received a call from her mother and called me in her office. I’ve never heard such BS in my life! She went on and on about how we could never understand how much she wants her daughter to enter our program and receive services/treatment, but there is this problem, and that one, oh – and that one too. She called us “hun” a billion times, which is a tad insulting, but you have to let it slide. It is obvious this woman has controlled the identity right out of her daughter. After our suggestions of a family meeting to see if family members can take turns bringing her (and still, more excuses) we finally hung up because she would’ve never stopped. It was an interesting experience, and I feel terrible for that woman. I doubt we will ever see her. :/

So much to say, but studying calls. My Psychopathology mid-term is in a week! :O

My first group experience: The Good, The Bad, and The Whoa.

2010-09-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

So I did my first group with children last night! I have so much to learn. *sigh* In case you didn’t know, I’m interning at a domestic violence program. The children have witnessed the violence in many different forms, and they attend group while their parents (just the victim, and I don’t say women/mothers because we have one male – it does happen!) attend group. I’ve been working with the child therapist for the last few weeks and she gave me the floor tonight. She actually left the room while we did the activity, and I think it went ok. The children are 1-6 grade, and they are at different levels of maturity. While they were being typical kids, they did complete the activity and actually talked about it afterwards. To me, that equals a win.

It is very obvious that I don’t know proper ways of getting children to settle down and behave. We do things differently in a therapeutic setting. Telling little Johnny to sit down and be quiet doesn’t work so much. I may not have as much control as the child therapist, and she certainly has an entirely different style than I, but I think I did ok. I’m alive, they’re alive. I’ll get better, right? :)

However, I met a young man tonight who I will refer to as E. He’s in 1st grade and is very troubled, as exhibited by his behavior in group. He used a few bad words, talked about Hell, and ran around the room like some sort of big cat, growling all the way! He was very agitated and certainly did not want to participate in an activity where he sat the entire time. I was told that he is going to be my first client, and I must say, I am nervous as heck! We will be using the playroom, where he will likely get our his anger and frustration and wild-childness. I do think this young man is in desperate need of someone to pay attention to him, to tell him that he is special, to let him know he matters. I haven’t read his file yet, but I bet it’s a doozy.

I am also going to start working with an adolescent girl (I will refer to her as Y) who has siblings in the program, as well. In fact, her 2 younger siblings are in one of the child groups, and they journaled about some ugly stuff happening with big sis. She has been inappropriately dealing with her anger lately and we want to find out what's beneath the anger. The adolescent group facilitators says she doesn’t speak much in group, so hopefully I can gain her trust and give her an outlet.

I met with my supervisor today and she really put things into perspective for me. I’ve never had a therapy session yet, so I feel at a real disadvantage about providing it! However, she said some things that make so much sense and eased up my anxiety a tad. She said the most important thing about therapy is the human connection. The relationship. She said just be human to human, be present and actively listen. Don't worry about what theory or model l should be following - that comes with experience. Just listen, and be genuine. She also added that she still gets nervous 15 years later but said working through that fear is what will make me grow…

The Law of the Jungle

2010-09-12T20:51:00.000-04:00

I went to a leadership conference yesterday. It was geared toward an undergrad-level group but I thought it was interesting and motivating, nonetheless. I picked up some fantastic quotes (you know I love quotes!) and found out about some great book on leadership.

Now this is the Law of the Jungle — as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back —
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.

-Rudyard Kipling

The above quote is actually pretty damn powerful. It talks of the importance of working as a team, a collective, with each other instead of against one another. I am very moved by this quote and concept, and I look forward to being a part of a grand team of like-minded professionals who are working towards the betterment of mankind.

And I will try to fix you.

2010-08-29T20:11:00.000-04:00

This semester I am taking Psychopathology in Clinical Practice. If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I am not interested in Clinical Practice at this point. I would much rather be on the services or macro side of Social Work, although I am quite aware that counseling skills are needed across the board. That being said, I have yet to experience a mental health setting so I could very well change my mind. In fact, I will be in a clinical setting at my Domestic Violence internship. I will mainly be working with the children who have witnessed the abuse. The victims and their children will no doubt exhibit a myriad of issues. Maybe I will end up enjoy this setting…who knows. I will admit that I am uber excited to experience Play Therapy. :)

Anyway, in our first class of Psychopathology, the professor played the video below, which looks to remove the stigma that mental illness receives. I know all about this stigma, as I come from a family entrenched in abuse and mental disorders. It has never been easy for any of them to ask for help, or to even accept their situation. A lot of it is pride, not accepting their reality, etc. But, a lot of it is related to the stigma surrounding these disorders, I’m sure.

Take a moment to watch the video and reflect on how you feel about mental health disorders. You can help fight the stigma that these people have unfairly hanging over their heads.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

I am starting my FINAL year of Graduate School today!

2010-08-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

I am entering my final year of graduate studies in Social Work! I’ve decided to go full-time my last year so I can finish up start a family. So, that means 4 classes (12 hours/wk) and 20 hrs/wk of internship. Of course, this doesn’t include the countless hours spent reading textbooks (my psychopathology textbook is over 1500 pgs long!!), writing papers/presentations and studying for horrible exams.

Fall Semester courses:

Psychopathology (SCARY!)

Advanced Evaluation (MORE SCARY!)

Advanced Practice with Children and Adolescents (Excited for this class)

Field Practicum (Not a strenuous course)

In addition to my courses, I will be interning in a Domestic Violence program. I think I will mainly be working with the children, but I definitely have the opportunity to engage in the full spectrum of services. To save on study/reading/writing time, I decided to do 2 – 10 hour days. I am freaked out about this, but I’m sure the days will go by fast, and then I will come home and crash hard.

Mon-Thurs is jam PACKED. 6 hours of classes (until 10 PM!) Mondays, back-to-back 10-hour days at internship on Tues/Wed, then 6 hours of classes on Thurs. I will no doubt be a ZOMBIE!

I’ve also taken on a position in the Social Work Student Association. I am the Communications and Marketing Chair, which means I run the Blog, Facebook page, email communications, etc. It’s a strength of mine, which is why I was asked to take it on. :) I look forward to it, honestly. We have a fantastic team of people and we are going have some stellar professional development and community service events. All good for my future in Social Work.

Ciao!

Woot! Holding my 3.967 GPA strong!

2010-08-12T12:30:00.000-04:00

Summer Classes

Child Welfare
A

International Studies London
A

And now, on to my hellish last year of GRADUATE SCHOOL!

Domestic Violence: Eminem & Rihanna Speak Out

2010-08-06T13:44:00.000-04:00

When I was in Paris, one of my trip mates asked if I had heard the new Eminem track with Rihanna, Love the way you lie. I had not, so we listened to it on her iPod. As usual with Em’s lyrics, I am transported to a dark place. That man has gone through some tough shit, all of which he isn’t afraid to speak about in public. It is very common knowledge that he has had a serious violent, chaotic and destructive relationship with his ex-wife, Kim, and mother of his daughter, Haley. He has some past songs that speak about her, and one that even kills her. A Twitter friend posted the link to the video for Love the way you lie, and since the song spoke to me, I wanted to check out the video.

Wow.

Some may think this video is glamorizing Domestic Violence. It’s all in the interpretation. I think the video shows just how emotionally and mentally destructive a violent relationship can be. Rihanna’s I love the way you lie lyric has some big controversy around it. I think the point of the lyric is pretty simple: She continues to loves him despite his lies. The line between passion, love and violence can become seriously blurred.

Megan Fox can’t act her way out of a wet paper bag. She relies on her sex appeal, and she definitely has it. However, the moment where she snuffs out the fire and opens her eyes at the camera, is pretty chilling. (I read that she donated her entire fee for this project to a domestic violence shelter. Awesomeness.)

I think it’s just 2 artists, both of who have been involved in partner violence, sharing their souls. Catharsis at its finest.

Just my 2 cents. I’ve never been in a violent relationship, but most of my family has experienced it, over and over. I don’t take this topic lightly, but I can’t speak from experience. I am looking forward to working with victims and their children this school year at my internship. I think it is going to be one hell of an emotional rollercoaster for me, and I think I will learn and witness a lot of hardship and pain, but I do hope that I witness some smiles and success with moving on from the violence.

P.S. The video reminds me of The Burning Bed, which is a tragically sad movie about domestic violence.

Afterthoughts: Don’t let this video fool you into thinking domestic violence only happens to lower class people. It knows no boundaries. And, why is Rihanna half-naked? Weird.

Fall Semester!

2010-08-04T12:15:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, am I ever in for a wild, crazy ride this coming school year. I've decided to do my last year of grad school full-time! I've never gone to school full-time and I am very nervous about taking on 4 grad-level classes and 20 hours of internship. I no longer work, which is a major help, but that just leads to my anxiety and stress over our finances. (Neither of us is working and doing school full-time.) However, it is what it is and we will get through it, somehow, someway...

Fall is going to be interesting. I will have class on Mondays and Thursdays for 6 hours.

Psychopathology in Clinical Practice
Advanced Evaluation for Social Work Practice (MORE Research - ugh!)
Advanced Theory Practice with Children and Adolescents
Advanced Field Instruction

My internship in Domestic Violence is going to be Tuesdays and Wednesdays for 10 hours! I decided to do the two 10 hours days so I could nip it in the bud and have more time for school work.

Looks like Mon - Thurs I will likely be a Zombie...

Cause of the Month: Water for People

2010-07-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

Did you ever stop to think about water, and exactly how important it is to sustain all living things? In America, water is as common as a terrible singer on a popular reality show. We take it for granted. Big time. Are you aware of exactly how desperate some countries are for potable, sanitary drinking water? I would say that access to potable, sanitary drinking water is a basic human right. Wouldn't you? Unfortunately, it is not a reality for many people of the world. People in countries like Bangladesh, Ethiopia and India mostly drink, bathe and urinate/defecate in the same water source. It is utterly despicable that some people must live this way - can you imagine drinking sewage with your dinner? It is also a major source of disease - cholera being a big one. Cholera is a nasty, nasty disease and a shitty (literally) way to suffer and die.

Luckily, there are agencies out there that are trying to bring potable drinking water to undeveloped nations so that the people can be free from the water-born disease, and enjoy a human right that we should all have. I introduce you to PlayPumps! Water For People and Case Foundation are working with PlayPumps International to tackle the world water issue. I learned about PlayPumps during my undergrad and I must say, I think it is SUCH a fantastic idea!

How PlayPumps Work

While children have fun spinning on the PlayPump merry-go-round (1), clean water is pumped (2) from underground (3) into a 2,500-liter tank (4), standing seven meters above the ground.
A simple tap (5) makes it easy for adults and children to draw water. Excess water is diverted from the storage tank back down into the borehole (6).
The water storage tank (7) provides a rare opportunity to advertise in outlaying communities. All four sides of the tank are leased as billboards, with two sides for consumer advertising and the other two sides for health and educational messages. The revenue generated by this unique model pays for pump maintenance.
The design of the PlayPump water system makes it highly effective, easy to operate and very economical, keeping costs and maintenance to an absolute minimum.
Capable of producing up to 1,400 liters of water per hour at 16 rpm from a depth of 40 meters, it is effective up to a depth of 100 meters.

Genius idea, I think!

The PlayPump is a great school/clinic option. Water For People begins implementing this solution in 2010 as a way to improve school water solutions. A spinning merry-go-round pumps water out of a borehole and up into a tank. Great for hand-washing and serving part of a community, this will first be implemented in Malawi as a means to create full coverage in a community. This is one of several options available for communities.

Check it out in action:

Major donation options available!

Cause of the Month: The Girl Effect

2010-06-28T09:20:00.001-04:00

I started the Cause of the Month post after the lovely SocialWrkr24/7 started a monthly meme featuring a Cause a Month, where she speaks about a cause that represents her work in the field (child welfare) or something she is passionate about. Be sure to check out her blog! I've learned a lot from her.

Please take a moment to watch this video before reading the post.

Being a woman, an activist, a humanitarian and someone who wants to empower young women, this video gets me every time. I honestly do not remember how I came across this amazing message, but is definitely a message that we all need to hear. Females are very lucky in the United States of America. In fact, most of us do not know how good we really have it. Despite our equal opportunities here, we still see discrimination, and the so-called "glass ceiling" effect.

In many countries around the world, women have no voice, and even though we had to fight for it here, women elsewhere sometimes literally face death in such a fight. Situations have changed and continue to change in a lot of countries, but females have a long way to go. It is unfortunate that so many people do not realize the value of females, aside from their baby-making abilities. Yes - that is a major and very important piece. But they have so much more to offer, as the video above describes.

The Girl Effect is an interesting and inspiring organization.

"The Girl Effect is the powerful social and economic change brought about when girls have the opportunity to participate. It’s an untapped force in the fight against poverty, and it’s driven by champions around the globe: the Nike Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, the UN Foundation, the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, CARE, Plan, the Population Council, ICRW and the Center for Global Development – and many others."

Why Girls?

Because there’s poverty, and war, and hunger, and AIDS, and because when adolescent girls in the developing world have a chance, they can be the most powerful force of change for themselves, their families, communities, countries, and even the planet.

But while those 600 million adolescent girls are the most likely agents of change, they are often invisible to their societies and the world."

Girls really are an untapped resource. In developing countries, there are usually no identifying documentation, so a girl doesn't know her age, and cannot protect herself from child marriage, vote, open a bank account, find a job.

70% of the world's school-aged children who are not in school are GIRLS! Girls have the human right, just as much as boys, to be educated and given a chance to make a better life for themselves!

Child marriages are the norm in many countries because women's bodies aren't considered their own! Many adolescent girls die from childbirth. This is a major violation of body and soul!

Girls can be educated about HIV but it is not enough. Until they don't risk the chance of rape the minute they leave their home, or have a voice when it comes to sexual relations, no amount of education will help.

Girls can learn the skills for economic independence! They need to be given the tools, the education, and the respect first.

A girl is said to reinvest resources within her community at a much higher rate than a boy would. Girls are better investments.

Girls are a distinct category. They deserve this distinction when it comes to aid, education, sports, civic participation, health and economics.

Girls need US - YOU and ME - to speak up for their human right to live a life of their OWN! We all have a stake in the future of these young ladies. Their future is our future.

Source: The Girl Effect

So what can you do about that?

Join the movement: A million people can make a lot of noise. Help make girls visible. Stand up and be counted by becoming a fan of The Girl Effect, and getting your friends to do the same. Tell the world that you think the 600 million girls in the developing world deserve better – for themselves, and for the end of poverty.

The Revolution will be led by a 12 year old girl.

Thursday's Thoughts: Gay Adoption

2010-06-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

This article came up on Social Workers Speak on 6/9/10: Gay, Lesbian Couples Fit to Adopt.

A study done by researchers from two social work schools shows gay couples are just as fit to adopt as heterosexual ones, according to this article in the Ottawa Citizen.

Paige Averett, an assistant professor of social work at East Carolina University, Blace Nalavany also from East Carolina, and Scott Ryan, dean of the University of Texas School of Social Work Arlington and National Association of Social Workers member, interviewed 1,400 couples from around the nation, including 155 gay and lesbian parents.

They found sexual orientation had no bearing on the emotional development of adopted children. What mattered far more to the children’s well being was whether parents were satisfied with the adoption process, had a stable income and functioned well as a family.

I have very strong thoughts on gay adoption. I live in Florida, which is a pretty conservative state. It was here (Miami-Dade County) that good ole former beauty queen/singer, Anita Bryant, went on her Save Our Children tirade in late 70s, spouting nonsense that gays should not be allowed to adopt "based on conservative Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality and the perceived threat of homosexual recruitment of children for child molestation." There was absolutely no evidence of this, purely based on supposed evilness of gays. [insert barf here] Now, the ban was overturned almost 30 years later because it was unconstitutional and irrational.

Unfortunately, this discrimination was written into the Florida Statutes and thus, is constitutional (unfairly so). People have been trying to remove/revise this statute for years, including myself at this year's NASW Lobby Day in Tallahassee. It never makes it very far due to the still anti-homosexual feelings in this state. It just sickens me.

I'm not turning this post into a religious face-off because I whole-heartedly respect everyone's religious beliefs. However, I cannot accept that people feel they have the right to interfere in other's lives. Yes, I know these individuals feel that children will be living with immoral evil beings and therefore, will grow up to be such themselves. However, I find the idea a bit laughable/ridiculous/unfounded. What makes me even more angry is that homosexuals are allowed to foster children in FL, but they can't adopt them! HOW IN THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT OK? Ridiculous, is what it is.

FINALLY, someone has taken the time to scientifically study children in GLBTQI homes. Granted, only one study is mentioned, but it's a start. I took the time to read the article, which can be found here: Averett, Paige , Nalavany, Blace and Ryan, Scott(2009) 'An Evaluation of Gay/Lesbian and Heterosexual Adoption', Adoption Quarterly, 12: 3, 129 — 151.

Abstract: Many experts in the helping professions have agreed that there is no scientific credence to support a gay and lesbian adoption ban. Nevertheless, there continues to be persistent mythology pertaining to outcomes for children adopted by gay and lesbian parents. This position may be somewhat due to the dearth of research that compares heterosexual and homosexual parenting outcomes with adopted children. To respond to this gap in the literature, this study explored the extent of emotional and behavioral problems among children aged 1.5 to 5 years (n=380) and 6 to 18 years (n=1,004) with gay and lesbian or heterosexual adoptive parents. A multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association between the dependent variables (child internalizing and externalizing behavior) on adoptive parent sexual orientation (gay and lesbian or heterosexual) while controlling for child age, child sex, pre-adoptive maltreatment, co-sibling adoption, adoption preparation, family income, and family functioning. As hypothesized, results indicted that child internalizing and externalizing behavior was not contingent upon adoptive parent sexual orientation. Rather, regardless of sexual orientation, adoptive parents are likely to encounter similar challenges in terms of risk factors for child behavioral problems and mitigating factors of such behavior. Recommendations for practice, policy, and future research are highlighted.

This research study found no significant differences between heterosexual and homosexual parents and had no significant impact on the internalizing or externalizing behaviors of the children.

You don't say? Obviously, you will get bad apple parents with homosexuals, just as you do with heterosexuals. However, that does not mean that all homosexuals are evil incarnate, just like it doesn't mean all heterosexuals are bad parents. Obviously. I actually know someone in my Social Work program who has one of the most successful homosexual parent-child situations I've ever heard of. He and his partner of 9 years have joint custody of his biological daughter. She spends the other half of her time 1 mile down the road at her biological mother and step father's home. That young lady has FOUR LOVING, DEVOTED PARENTS, whereas many children don't even have one. How this is bad for her emotional/physical/mental development is beyond my knowledge. In my opinion, she is one lucky child, who will grow up with a very diverse background, and will have acceptance for those who are different.

The evil mythology surrounding homosexuals and adoption needs to be BUSTED. Too bad we can't get this topic on MythBusters. :)

Remember the 7 Cs

2010-06-08T11:08:00.000-04:00

Remember the 7 Cs

Some children with moms and dads that drink too much think that it is their fault. Maybe you are one of those children. Well, it's not your fault and you can't control it. But, there are ways that you can deal with it. One important way is to remember the 7 Cs.

I didn't Cause it.
I can't Cure it.
I can't Control it.
I can Care for myself by
Communicating my feelings,
Making healthy Choices, and
By Celebrating myself.

Source: National Association for Children of Alcoholics.

GREAT resources for motivating clients to CHANGE!

2010-06-07T21:23:00.001-04:00

I'm doing an online course to better under stand Substance Abuse and how it affects client in the Child Welfare system. I just came across some really great motivators from change. All of this information came from the below source, of which you can register and take the trainings for free.

Parent’s Stage of Change and Motivational Tasks for Child Welfare Workers
Parent's Stages of Change		Motivational Tasks for Child Welfare Worker
Precontemplation	No perception of having a problem or need to change	Increase parent's perception of the risks and problems with their current behavior; raise parent's awareness about behavior
Contemplation	Initial recognition that behavior may be a problem and ambivalence about change	Foster and evoke reasons to change and the risks of not changing; help parents see that change is possible and achievable
Decision to Change	Makes a conscious determination to change; some motivation for change identified	Help parent identify best actions to take for change; support motivations for change
Action	Takes steps to change	Help parent implement strategy and take steps
Maintenance	Actively works on sustaining change strategies and maintaining long-term change	Help parent to identify triggers and use strategies to prevent relapse
Lapse or Relapse	Slips (lapses) from a change strategy or returns to previous problem behavior patterns (relapse)	Help parent re-engage in the contemplation, decision, and action stages

Motivational Strategies for the Precontemplation Stage

When parents are in the precontemplation stage on a specific issue, child welfare professionals can use the following motivational strategies to help move them to the next stage:

Establish rapport and build trust

Raise concerns about a parent's substance-related risk behaviors to self and children

Elicit the parents' perceptions of their level of risk

Elicit the parents' perceptions of their children's level of risk with respect to safety, well-being, and health

Explore the benefits and risks of risky behaviors and treatment, including the timetable of the dependency court

Express concern and remain available.

Motivational Strategies for the Contemplation Stage

When parents are in the contemplation stage on a specific issue, child welfare professionals can use the following motivational strategies to help move them to the next stage:

Help parents understand that ambivalence about change is normal

Elicit and weigh their reasons to change and not to change, including the consequences for the child if the parent does not meet the requirements of the dependency court

Emphasize parents' free choice, responsibility, and self-efficacy for change

Elicit self-motivational statements of intent and commitment from parents

Elicit ideas regarding parents' perceived self-efficacy and expectations

Summarize self-motivational statements

Elicit ideas for the child's well-being and safety

Motivational Strategies for the Preparation Stage
When parents are in the preparation stage on a specific issue, child welfare professionals can use the following motivational strategies to help move them to the next stage:

Clarify the parents' own goals and strategies for change

Offer a menu of options for change or treatment

Offer expertise and specific guidance, with permission

Make sure that parents follow through on referrals for treatment assessment

Help negotiate a change or treatment plan and behavior agreement

Consider how to help parents lower their barriers to change

Help parents enlist social support

Explore the parent's treatment expectations

Elicit from the parent what has or has not worked in the past

Have the parent publicly announce plans to change

Explore legal and social consequences to the parent and the child

Help parents make plans for dependent children

Motivational Strategies for the Action Stage
When parents are in the action stage on a specific issue, child welfare professionals can use the following motivational strategies to help move them to the next stage:

Support a realistic view of change through small steps

Acknowledge difficulties for the parent in early stages of change

Help the parent find new reinforcers of positive change

Help parents assess whether they have strong family and social supports, and how these can be used to support child safety and well-being

Help parents engage community supports

Reflect on appropriate legal and social interactions and gains

Motivational Strategies for the Maintenance Stage
When parents are in the maintenance stage on a specific issue, child welfare professionals can use the following motivational strategies to help them sustain the benefits that they have achieved.

Support parents' lifestyle changes

Affirm parents' resolve and self-efficacy

Support parents' use of new communication or coping strategies

Maintain supportive contact and availability

Sustain parents' resolve to meet statutory timetables

Review long-term goals with parents

Advocate for legal and community supports and rewards

Help parents make plans for dependent children

Help parents, kin caregivers, and children recognize risk factors and behaviors involved with substance abuse

Motivational Strategies for the Relapse Stage
Many clients will not immediately sustain new changes they are attempting to make. Substance use after a period of abstinence may be common in early recovery. Clients may go through several cycles of the stages of change to achieve long-term recovery. Relapse should not be interpreted as treatment failure or that the client has abandoned a commitment to change. With support, these experiences can provide information that can facilitate subsequent progression through the stages of change and identify new areas in which treatment and case plans can be enhanced. When parents lapse or relapse, child welfare professionals have an especially important role helping parents to reengage by using the following strategies:

Help parents to reenter the change cycle

Explore the meaning of relapse as a learning opportunity

Maintain nonjudgmental, supportive contact

Help parents find alternative coping strategies

Keep parents' attention focused on the social and legal consequences of relapse for themselves and for their children

The FRAMES Strategies
F	Feedback regarding the parent's impairment or risk behavior
R	Responsibility for change is the parent's
A	Advice (guidance) to change is provided by the social worker
M	Menu of treatment and self-help alternatives is offered to the parent
E	Empathy and non-blaming style is used by the social worker
S	Self-efficacy or positive empowerment is facilitated in the parent

GOOD STUFF!

Monday Morning Musings

2010-06-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

*yawn*

I have a Literature Review due in 2 weeks and it has become the bane of my existence. I have to do a full-scale review and analysis on "Best Practices in Family Preservation." Finding appropriate research for that exact topic has been a pain in the arse but I finally found 4 (we need to have between 3 to 5 articles) and I'm not changing them now! I've been reading through what I've found, identifying the research question and reading through the discussion for the findings. Once I've read them all, I will go back and review the Methods. And let's face it. Analysis isn't my strong suit. It is going to kick my arse. I just don't have an analytical brain, and to try and understand their methods and make sure they covered all the bases (in other words, they conducted a solid study)...it makes me just laugh thinking about it.

Family preservation services are family-focused, short-term, intensive therapeutic services designed for families with a child at imminent risk of out-of-home placement. That is good, right, because when children are removed from their parents and their environment, it is serious trauma! Also, if the child is young and they are placed in foster care for a length of time, the attachment process can be interrupted. Research has shown the disastrous effects of disrupting the attachment/bonding of a young child and their main caretaker.

The goals of the program are to resolve the crisis that led to the decision to remove the child and teach the child's family the skills they need to stay together. It emphasizes the strengths of the family and seeks to empower families to solve their own problems. What a concept! Obviously, children who have been abused will be removed from the home and really don't qualify for these types of services. (Other services are provided, obviously, as the primary goal of child welfare is to reunify the child with their biological parents). But what about the families who have been neglectful due to inadequate housing, addiction, mental health issues or poor child care skills?

{rant}
FPS could work for them, but my findings so far are a bit disappointing. It seems as though the caseworkers in the field don't always identify the proper families for FPS. Meaning, some inappropriate families receive it, and the ones that could have benefited from FPS have the child removed. I think a lot of caseworker's err on the side of caution because they are afraid to leave a child in a home that has been identified as neglectful, etc. Makes sense - I know I'd feel that way - but it leads me to my next rant. Proper Training, please! I've come across a lot of literature that says caseworkers are not trained on proper assessment of the families and treatment of the above problems, as well as many others. This isn't the first time I've heard this! When are we going to put trained human services people in these positions and quit hiring any joe blow off the street? I doubt that their intentions are bad but they aren't educated/trained to assess these families properly, and therefore, the families are provided incorrect services. The system is not meeting their needs. We are failing them!
{/rant}

Anywho, besides reading and ingesting the research articles (time consuming, anyone?), I have to fit in my work hours (thankfully I can do those from my computer, but they take up valuable school work time) and write the damn review in TWO WEEKS! If you know me, I am not a quick writer. It takes a while for the writing flow (in other words, days, weeks, etc). I can't just sit down and spit it out. Ugh. UGH! I see sleepless nights is in my near future. As I sit here and contemplate how I am supposed to pull this off, my brain quickly reminds me that it is 25% of our friggin grade, which makes me feel so much better.

Thursday's Thoughts: Genocide

2010-06-03T07:23:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my new Thursday's Thoughts! I will use Thursdays to blog about my opinion on a popular media event, inform you about a social justice-y topic, blog a much needed rant, or just ramble about a topic I am interested in. I am not a political analyst, super smart consumer, blah blah. However, I am one passionate son of a gun - that has to count for something, right? If I need to be schooled on a topic, please do so - in a respectful manner.

Genocide

You may or may not know this about me, but I was a serious anti-genocide advocate in my undergrad. I was the president of the USF chapter of STAND, which is an amazing student-led anti-genocide org under the Genocide Prevention Network. What led me to this work? Well, I have to hand that award to Don Cheadle and his fabulous performance as Paul Rusesabagina (who I've met!) in Hotel Rwanda. Hotel Rwanda tells the story of one man's courage to save as many people as he could when genocide broke out in his country in 1994. (If you don't believe that one person can make a difference, you must watch this movie!) I walked out of the theater crying so hard that I could barely see. I was severely overcome with emotion, and that set me on the path to use my passion for good. Rwanda still holds a dear place in my heart, and I hope that one day, Todd and I can adopt a child from this country.

During my time with STAND, I was able to work with local refugees, educate our student body on the cause, and I learned a HELL of a lot about advocacy. Change will never occur unless there is NOISE surrounding the topic/event. WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP!

What is Genocide, and better yet, what is the Anti-Genocide movement?

I want to use this blog post to EDUCATE, because that is the first step. I figured the best way I can do this is share a paper I wrote for my Macro-level social work class. We had to choose a social movement and give the spiel. I was proud of this paper.

Other Resources

Learning Library

Past Genocides

Our Responsibility to Protect

Civilian Protection

Books

A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Powers: Samantha Powers is a personal hero for me and is one hell of a font of knowledge on genocide. This book educates us on all of the world's genocides from one of the world's best advocates for ending genocide.

Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Predenrgast: This book is quite powerful, as it discusses genocide from the view of 2 different people, and actor who has become invested in the cause (Don Cheadle) and a powerhouse in the anti-genocide arena (John Predergast). It also gives great ideas for advocacy!

Darfur Diaries

Media

Hotel Rwanda

The Devil Came on Horseback

Sometimes in April

Dafur Now

Frontline: Ghosts of Rwanda

Organizations

www.standnow.org

www.genocideintervention.org

www.enoughproject.org

Areas of Concern

Sudan

Burma

Democratic Republic of Congo

Afterthought: Most people in the U.S. probably pass over these news stories and say "this doesn't effect me, why should I care?" I have a real problem with this. No, you don't have to dedicate your life to saving these people, or even dedicate time to an anti-genocide cause, but to not care that thousands upon thousands of innocent people are dying because of a tyrannical government is unacceptable. We've completely lost touch with the outside world and it breaks my heart to see so many young people with no direction, no passion, no life in them other than clothes, sex and video games. But then you have all the other young people who do care, and who have used their passion to seek change, like the youth I worked with. It's always a double-edged sword and we can't win them all. :)

Cause of the Month: Break the Cycle

2010-06-01T00:00:00.001-04:00

So the lovely SocialWrkr24/7 gave me this awesome idea. I am blatantly stealing it from her, but something tells me she won't mind. We are both social workers and therefore want to rid the world of injustice. Ok, maybe I sound a bit idealistic, but my ideals are what keep me going. SocialWrkr24/7 started a monthly meme featuring a Cause a Month, where she speaks about a cause that represents her work in the field (child welfare) or something she is passionate about, so be sure to check out her blog! I've learned a lot from her.

While I'm still a student, I do know that children, adolescents and women are my focus (big focus, right!) and I have lots of different interests, job-wise. I experienced the field during my first field placement in private adoptions, and look forward to my next field placement in domestic violence. Because of that, and my interest in working with adolescents, my first Cause of the Month is Break The Cycle. I've even put a little blog button on the top right of my blog to house the Cause of the Month. >:)

Break the Cycle is the leading, national non-profit agency that focus on dating violence among teenagers. As sad as it is to admit, violence in adolescent relationships is raising at a rapid rate. And it is a silent epidemic. According to Break the Cycle, "One in three teens will experience abuse in a dating relationship and more than two-thirds of them will never report it to anyone."

Break the Cycle works toward this endeavor in a myriad of ways. They realize that education is the key to empowerment, and empowering adolescents to stand up for their rights and well-being is the best way to end dating violence. They work with schools to provide teens with the tools and knowledge necessary to develop essential life skills and transition successfully into adulthood. Let's face it: not all children receive this knowledge at home.

Break the Cycle has developed specific curriculum to be used in school settings. They also provide in-person education through the Girl Scouts and the Boys & Girls Clubs.They're also dedicated to empowering youth to become advocates for the cause, which I just love! They've created Speak. Act. Change., a special advocacy project aimed at adolescents and includes service learning activities, such as legislative advocacy and community involvement.

Not all teenagers have access to these programs and/or specialists, so Break the Cycle has created an online network called The Safe Space. This website is a comprehensive resource center on dating violence. There is an "Ask Anything" page, which allows teens to ask questions anonymously. If you know anything about relationship violence, we definitely understand the important of anonymity.

As if that wasn't enough (and sadly, it will never be enough), Break the Cycle provides training and support for adults who want to work in a variety of professional fields that work with adolescents (social workers, school professionals, lawyers, health care professionals, etc). All in all, this is a fantastic national agency that really has a grasp on the problem of teen dating violence and is working very efficiently to stop it.

How can you help?

There are always ways to help, and this agency actually offers some really awesome opportunities for all types of lifestyles and time requirements.

Take Action: Join HOPE, Break the Cycle's national membership program comprised of people all over the country united to take action against teen dating violence.

Intern with Break the Cycle: Become an intern and gain valuable, hands-on experience. Opportunities engage a range of skills and are available in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

Help Teens in Crisis: Become an Ask Anything Volunteer and respond to help emails from teens in need.

Join our Young Professionals Committee: Take on a leadership role as a part of this auxiliary group that raises friends and funds for Break the Cycle.

Spread the Word: Become a trained speaker on dating violence and table at community fairs.

Lend Us Your Expertise: Join a committee, improve our services and learn new skills.

Host a Party: Find out how you can have Valentine’s Anytime and raise awareness about teen dating violence.

Youth in Action: Visit thesafespace.org if you are a teen who wants to take action

I hope you've enjoyed my first Cause of the Month!

Child Abuse: What are we doing wrong?

2010-05-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

Tonight's class was a toughie. We watched a Dateline investigative report on the death of Kayla McKean in 1998. I have yet to work directly with abused children so I have no personal experience in this area. These are opinions based on my education, and I am quite aware that things are very different in the field.

Disclaimer: My facts and details aren't exact, so don't blast me for that. There are plenty of resources (see below) to find the exact details.

In 1998, Kayla McKean was a 6 year old girl in the 1st grade. She lived in central FL (why the hell is it always FL?) with her mother, who soon gave up on parenting her. I don't remember any details about her mother, but something tells me she wasn't parenting Kayla in a healthy fashion). Her father, Richard, was married and had a small child. At some point, Richard took in Kayla.

Kayla showed up to school with 2 black eyes. Her guidance counselor or teacher made a call to Richard, who says she fell off her bike. Kayla confirms the story. Richard is urged to take Kayla to a doctor immediately, so he takes her to the emergency room. The doctor came to the conclusion that her injuries (a broke nose, which causes black eyes, a broken knuckle and some bruising) is conclusive to falling off a bike. It can happen. She took Kayla aside to see if she would admit to anything, but Kayla stuck to the story. While the doctor believed the story, her instincts still persisted, so she called the abuse hotline, and a child protective investigator was sent to the hospital. The doctor told the social worker that Kayla's injuries were conclusive to the accident, but didn't share her instincts about anything else. She believed the abuse call was proof she thought something was awry. The SW interviewed all parties, all had the same story. She concluded that abuse was unfounded.

Richard had an anger problem, and admitted this throughout his casework, so the SW sent them to a contracted family services program to receive assistance with parenting and his anger problem. She also ordered a psychological eval, which she never followed up on. Why didn't she ask to see this bike? Or where the accident happened? She was new to the job (big surprise!), maybe experience and the stress of too many cases for one person to handle where clouding her judgement. Maybe she really did believe the story.

The SW assigned to the case was on a leave of absence when another abuse report was made a few weeks later. Kayla again showed up to school with the same injuries and the same story. Again, she was asked to be medically evaluated, and we taken to a pediatrician. The pediatrician concluded abuse on sight, and after examining Kayla, made the abuse report. A new SW was sent to investigate, and abuse was unfounded (I can't remember the details).

A friend of Richard took notice of Kayla's condition and tried to pry info from Richard and Kayla. Neither ever let on to abuse. When Summer came, Richard called up said friend and told him he couldn't handle Kayla anymore (he said she was evil) and would the friend take her indefinitely. The friend did, and for 3 weeks, Kayla had a very happy and healthy existence. However, Richard called the friend up to say he wanted Kayla back to prepare her for school. The friend was very reluctant to give Kayla back, but he had no legal grounds to keep her.

Some time into the first half of the school year, Kayla comes to school with different injuries and a new story (of which I can't remember). This time, the Guidance Counselor made the abuse report. Because time had passed and no abuse had occurred, the case was closed. When the new report came in, a new case was opened and a 3rd SW was assigned to the case. For whatever reason (details I can't remember), abuse was unfounded.

Thanksgiving comes and Richard files a missing child report. Kayla is gone. A search party is sent out immediately, on Thanksgiving Day! The FBI investigate Richard and his wife, Marcie. After a few days and no body, Marcie breaks down and tells the truth. Richard beat the life out of Kayla when she soiled her underpants. After Richard threatens to take their baby and run, he talks Marcie into driving to the Ocala National Forest to bury Kayla's body. Both are arrested, Marcie later gets out, but Richard is served with a life sentence. I do believe he was eventually given the death penalty and executed by lethal injection.

My first reaction is "Why did Marcie allow this to happen?" I assume it is because Richard threatened her and their child, and she complied out of fear. I will not judge her, although I have so much I'd like to say! As far as the system side, I have not worked in this field, so I think it allows me to see both sides. I definitely believe there was ample evidence and enough professionals involved with this family, that Kayla should and could have been saved. However, we watched an investigative report, so what we heard was a hell of a lot more information than what each of the workers involved knew. I am also very aware of the severe amount of work the case managers and investigators deal with, and unfortunately, these workers are human, and humans aren't perfect. There was also a severe communication issue between entities and a serious lack of follow up. The teacher said that there is so much paperwork involved that a lot of focus has turned away from protecting the child to CYA (covering your own ass). This obviously didn't occur in Kayla's case, as workers did not follow up when they should have (first step in CYA, people!) and a lot of reportable evidence was not properly documented.

The SWs involved all had the same story:

new to the job
no social service background
little training
few workers, which meant major caseloads
pressure to close cases ASAP
little follow-up

These complaints sound very familiar! They are the same complaints made in the mid-1800's by social workers who investigated the Orphan Train children. That was over 150 years ago! Are you seriously telling me that we are still experiencing the same exact problems? Yes, I know that the importance and action in child welfare has improved LEAPS AND BOUNDS since then, but the system itself seems to be stuck in limbo. What the heck are we doing wrong, and how can we change it for the better? Unfortunately, I don't excel at this type of problem solving, but I'm sure many people have suggested different types of reform, but how do you fix a problem that is nothing but a big cycle of problems?

Resources:

http://www.childrens-angels.org/kayla-mckean/

http://kaylaslaw.blogspot.com/?zx=917eb70dc7ec524a

http://www.mcjackie.com/galcrisis.html

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_1999-168.pdf

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=20000723&id=Ep8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Zf0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6493,1507481

R.I.P Kayla McKean

Success!

2010-04-28T14:05:00.001-04:00

I'm in!

I met with my field placement supervisor at the family violence agency. She was great and I know I will enjoy working with her. She is the head therapist of the small program, which is housed in an agency that provides a myriad of services (forensic interviewing for sexually abused children, residential treatment center, etc). She has been with the agency for 9 years and also has a private practice. She runs the adult groups, and does individual therapy, as well.

The child therapist will most likely be my task supervisor. She uses play and sand therapy. I will be working closely with her, and really can't wait to see these techniques in action. M is a Victim's Advocate. I will have the opportunity to shadow her, which is beyond amazing. I would absolutely love such a job, but I really have no legal knowledge. Lots to learn! G. asked me to familiarize myself with the cycle of violence of the Summer.

I will do bio-psycho-socials, intake meetings, maybe even help develop treatment plans. I will observe groups for adults and adolescents of domestic violence. I will participate in play/sand therapy with children. I will see court cases surrounding domestic violence. I will most definitely see the effects of domestic violence on all family members, but I am not a stranger to those. I told G. my family has been plagued by violence for many generations. Although my mom stopped the cycle, I have seen the humiliation, torment and pain it has caused most of my family. I am not close to many of my family members, for reasons I can't really explain, but they are the biggest reason I want to pursue a career in Social Work. It has been excruciating to witness the the crap my family has endured. I think I've pushed myself away from them all because of the drama, but I wish now I would've been more hands-on. Maybe I could have helped, even a little.

I plan to rock the hell out of this experience. :) This next (and FINAL) school year will be tough, but I am ready.

My last day in my private adoption internship.

2010-04-09T17:42:00.001-04:00

Today was very eventful, to say the least. I went out with bang, as they say.

Firstly, I saw a horrific motorcycle accident on the interstate. I saw the guy laid out on the concrete. He was bloodied up from road rash, and his body was contorted to hell. He was trying to get up, and the policeman ran over to him and told him to lie still. I finally saw his beat up motorcycle about 200 feet away. I was in shock and on the verge of jumping out of the car to go help, somehow. I hope he makes it. (I HATE MOTORCYCLES!)

---

Supervisor and I visited a birth mom in the morning. She is in her early 20's and on her 4th pregnancy. She has 2 babies who are only 5 months apart, had an abortion in December and is 3 months pregnant. Needless to say, this young lady really needs to be educated on how to prevent pregnancy. We talked about those options. She said she was on the pill but always forgot. We discussed the IUD, which might be a good choice for her. We asked about the father, who she said is the father to all her children. They had a "bad break up" in December and doesn't know how to reach him now. I find that hard to believe, but at least we got a name. C. will have to perform a diligent search.

Supervisor went through the intake paperwork and explained the process to her. She seemed very apathetic, disinterested. Kinda sad, actually. She does not work and collects food stamps. She only finished the 11th grade but she's interested in obtaining her GED/college degree and becoming a Dental Hygienist. At least she has some goals for herself, and I hope she follows through on them. Birth mom lives with her 2 children and 7 other relatives. The house was not big enough, and was in terrible condition. Hopefully she can secure a better life for herself and her 2 children in the near future.

After lunch, I went to a match staffing for a 2 year old healthy boy. Two amazing, very comparable families were presented. In the end, the family with his same cultural heritage was selected. The lil boy hit the jackpot, I think. :)

---

The end of the day was spent doing a home visit for a couple who adopted a baby boy. He is SO dang cute, and has the cutest, chubbiest cheeks. He is 2 months old and has grown a hell of a lot since I saw him right after birth in the hospital. He smiles a lot too, and has the cutest dimples. He is definitely happy and thriving. It was a great way to end my internship.

I gave Supervisor her card, and we hugged and reminisced. I told her that if my next placement is close, I will stop in for lunch. Either way, we will still remain in touch. She was a mentor for me, and I will never forget all she taught me.

My next field placement

2010-04-07T16:09:00.000-04:00

On the bus ride back from Tallahassee, I got a call from one of our field placement staff. She wanted to speak with me about a possible match for my next placement. I mentioned to her that I was interested in working with victims of domestic violence and/or their children (play therapy, etc). She told me about an agency that provides group counseling to victims of family violence, and also provides childcare for the children during meeting times (play therapy). This service provides:

Crisis Intervention, safety planning and assessment of family needs
Linkages with shelters, relocation and/or other community resources
Therapeutic support groups for adult victims, their teens and young children
Childcare available for children under six during group sessions
Meals for children prior to group and limited transportation available
Individual therapy for adult victims and their children
Support and advocacy in dealing with the criminal justice system - court appearances, restraining orders, etc.

Assist with Victims’ Compensation claims and Address Confidentiality Program
A program that provides therapeutic art activities to children & teens. The program is working on a film project to promote healthy relationships and keeping kids gang-free.
A program that allows teens to enhance self esteem, team building skills and to promote healthy lifestyles through gardening

Collaboration with other agencies to promote healthy teen relationships to prevent intimate partner violence.

I would definitely love to work with teens. They hold group sessions on Tues/Weed evenings, so I would definitely be working those nights. Thankfully, my classes are Mon nights and Thursday afternoons. At this time, that is all I know. I am supposed to talk with another field placement staff member early next week, since she works very closely with the agency and knows a lot more about it.

While I am not afraid of learning, I feel completely unprepared to do any sort of group counseling, or individual therapy, for that matter! I feel at a disadvantage because 1) I don't have any therapeutic experience, and 2) My field placement this past year was not clinical in the same way that these types of programs are, and 2) I only had one group experience. I may try to see if I can attend some groups in the community this summer, and do some reading myself...

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does.”

2010-04-07T15:55:00.001-04:00

This powerful quote by Margaret Mead directly applies to Social Work Lobby Day. April 6, 2010, was a day full of exposure, experience and excellence. I have never been more proud of my profession as I was this day. More than 630 social workers and social work students gathered in the Florida state capitol in Tallahassee to advocate for social justice; to speak for those with no voice. The School of Social Work gathered outside the capital and sang a song for the rest of the Social Work Lobby Day attendees. Amanda Evans, NASW-FL President, stood on the steps and presented us with empowering message: We are the change, we are the future.

During the training provided by NASW-FL, we learned more about the bills being advocated for by the agency and the impact the budget cuts will have on the services. The high-profile bills focused on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (HB 107/SB 214), Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment and Crime Reduction (HB 1189/SB 1140), Crimes against Homeless Persons (HB 11/SB 506), Juvenile Justice-Offenders 9 years and younger (HB 7181/SB 1072) and Transitional Services for Youth (HB 627/SB 1356). We also learned about how to build relationships with our representatives, as building human relationships is a core value for social workers. While I was not able to make an appointment with my representatives to voice my support for Adoption Equality (HB 3/ SB 102), other attendees were able to speak up about this concern with their representatives. I attended a meeting with classmates who were advocating for Medicaid money for Disabled persons. I was also able to sit in the Criminal & Civil Policy Council as they passed or denied bills on the agenda. Some of my classmates were able to attend meeting and advocate for Foster Kids Transitioning out of the system, as well as changing the statute language to better protect "vulnerable" adults, just like they protect children.

Unfortunately, about 9 AM I spoke with my mom and received a serious blow of a message regarding a family member. It kinda had my mind wandering around for the next few hours and I wasn't really concentrating on why I was there. That being said, it was still an invigorating experience and I will go next year and prepare myself more. Aside from the lengthy bus ride, the trip and experience were memorable and proud moments for all of us.

Education Update

2010-03-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

I only have one more assignment left to do this semester, even though the semester isn't over until end of April. It is a group project that is due 3/23. We have to create a proposal to start a new counseling group. We were assigned "Substance Abuse" and after listening to some real concerns a classmate observes in the field, we decided to concentrate on building cultural competency in the substance abuse/recovery population. I've been working on it here and there, and hope to finish it up this week. My partner does not work like me (I'm very prepared, she is pressure prompted) so it has been challenging for me. She will do her part though - I am not worried about that. I just want to be done already. However, we should wrap it up this week so I can create the presentation this weekend. Then we have to figure out who says what.

I also don't have to take my only mid-term since I'm participating in Lobby Day, which is on April 5and 6. So stoked! My internship in Private Adoption will be over in FOUR WEEKS! I am very sad to leave the agency, but more importantly, I'm very sad I will no longer work with my supervisor. She has been a wonderful teacher, and I am so appreciative of her. :)

The Summer/Fall schedule just came out. Aside from my London trip this Summer, looks like I will be able to take Child Welfare, which is one of my 2 needed electives for the Child Welfare Certificate. This course examines the issues of professional practice in child welfare that will enable students to bring skills and knowledge to their practice in assessing and intervening in situations of abuse and neglect involving children and families.

Looks like my Fall classes will be on Wed/Thurs. Here are the core classes I will be taking:

Advanced Theory and Practice with Children and Adolescents: Focuses on the application of theories, concepts, and principles in direct treatment of children and adolescents.
Psychopathology in Clinical Practice: This course focuses on the dysfunctional aspects of human behavior and personality. (SO NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CLASS!)
Advanced Evaluation for Social Work Practice: Designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in research methods emphasizing the evaluation and analysis of clinical social work services and programs. (Ugh - more research.)
Field Seminar

Still haven't been contacted re: my next internship. I have to wait until all the Title-IV people are placed, just like last time. It is SO nerve racking. I do not want to be placed in an agency I have no interest in...*sigh*

Social Justice Challenge for March: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

2010-03-08T18:27:00.000-05:00

The Social Justice Challenge for March is one I’m familiar with. I am concentrating on Children and Families in my Social Work program, and I also come from a family rampant with both forms of violence.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of domestic violence and child abuse? My family, and my clients. Children, women, men. Humanity.
What does domestic violence and child abuse mean to you personally? I come from a family with multiple generations of abuse. My maternal grandfather was beat with chains. He in turn ruled his house with an iron fist – literally. The abuse, in some form, has trickled down throughout my family. Half of the women in my family have endured domestic violence relationships, multiple times. I am not sure how I escaped all of this. Some of it was personal choice, some of it was having a mother who made different choices. Now, my mother wasn’t perfect. I mostly remember her ridiculous temper (very common character trait in my family) and her 5’ tall self scared the crud out of me growing up. But, she loved me so deeply. So unconditionally. I think that makes the difference.
What is your current knowledge of domestic violence and child abuse? I am not all knowing, but I’m learning a lot about it. I do know that is prevalent, and while we strive to make changes in how people handle personal turmoil/conflict/stress/anxiety, it is a VERY difficult thing to eradicate. Some of it's learned, some of it's personal choice. Some of it's not knowing how to handle situations properly.
Are you aware of the resources available for men, women and children who find themselves in domestic violence and child abuse situations? In my area, yes. There are also multiple internet resources, which lead to local resources.
Have you chosen a book or resource to read for this month? I desperately want to read Push, but I don’t own the book yet. I’ve seen The Burning Bed and The Color Purple, but never read the books. I am going to check out http://www.breakthecycle.org/, because I would ultimately like to work with adolescents on these very issues.
Take some time and think about what potential action steps you could take. (I’ll have a post dedicated to this shortly). Continue working with my clients, and educate those around me as much as possible.

"At least half of the exercise I get everyday comes from jumping to conclusions."

2010-03-08T17:58:00.000-05:00

No, I’m not referring to Office Space (although that is one hell of a great movie). This quote was presented to me in a Cultural Competency training today, and it really stuck. We all have personal biases, and make stereotypes, assumptions, and generalizations about people different from us. The culturally competent worker recognizes this about him/herself and works to push those pieces of themselves to the side, and fully respect the person, accept their differences and learn more about them.

Cultural Competency is the new buzz word. It is so very important in today’s world, where globalization is bringing all walks of life together in personal and professional situations. It is of utmost importance that professionals working directly with people – health care providers, social service providers, etc. really grasp and apply this concept in order to be effective at their job.

The elements that we need to follow:

Awareness of one’s own culture (and of other’s)
Understanding the dynamics of differences
Awareness and acceptance of differences
Development of cultural knowledge
Celebration of diversity

As we say in Social Work – START WHERE THE CLIENT IS. Ask questions! Don’t assume you know what is best for that client. What is best for you might be downright offensive and ridiculous to another. How would they solve a problem? How do they cope with life’s difficulties? What is their perspective of the problem?

It all starts with the person. And no one person is the same. So leave the generalizations at home. Be open and respect diversity. We need to realize that we are all human, but we all bring a great uniqueness to the table, which makes us all very interesting. Ignorance is where conflict arises. You don't have to agree with someone's way of life, but respecting and accepting that is how they live THEIR life, would make the world one hell of a better place.

Fair Adoption. Let's get on with it!

2010-03-04T18:54:00.000-05:00

I am going to be participating in Florida Lobby Day this year. Social Work students from all of Florida's universities head to the state capital to advocate for issues that we deem important. It gives us a chance to speak up for the groups of people that we support and assist, groups who don't have much a voice in the political realm. Last night, I attended Advocacy Training at school on how to speak to your officials and how the government branches work. The day before Lobby Day, we will meet with NASW in Tallahassee, who will give us more in-depth on the issues and approaching our reps.

I've decided to advocate for Fair Adoption in FL. The Florida Adoption Statue is so ugly. Statue 63.042(3) reads: No person eligible to adopt under this statute may adopt if that person is a homosexual. It is no secret that FL sits high on the anti-gay meter, as this population of people receive no rights in this state. It is also no secret that this particular bill has been submitted numerous times, and it is continuously dismissed. This legislative session most likely will be no different. However, the sponsor of the bill, Florida Senator Nan Rich and Florida Representative Mary Brandenburg, has been putting the issue in front of the committees since 2007. Someone realizes its importance!

I learned that Anita Bryant mucked things up in 1977. She lead a campaign to repeal the prohibition on the basis of sexual orientation in the name of the Save Our Children. Her conservative Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality led her to ridiculous thoughts of homosexual recruitment of children for molestation! In case you did not know, homosexuals are allowed to foster children in Florida, but not adopt. So, let's say a parents' rights are terminated. The child, who has likely been in foster care (there are other options, of course) for some time, and may have bonded with the foster parents, cannot be adopted by them! This law has done significant damage to children in foster care by not allowing the best interest of the child to be considered on a case-by-case basis. And this came next: Curtis Peterson, the lead Senate sponsor, said upon passage of the ban, “We’re trying to send [homosexuals] a message. We’re really tired of you. We wish you’d go back into the closet.”

Obviously, this was 33 years ago and society has progressed. However, many of us are still stuck in paleolithic thinking. We need to think about the thousands of children who bounce from foster home to foster home, and the thousands of parents who could be their new family. We are not thinking about the best interest of the child. We are letting our unfounded biases interfere. It is NOT fair. And don't hand me that "life isn't fair" line. This is 2010 and we are no longer wearing loin cloth. WE ARE ALL HUMAN. We all deserve the opportunity to parent, and we all deserve the opportunity to be cared for by loving parents.

We need serious change here. I am only one person, but I will speak for many.

http://eqfl.org/fairadoption/

http://eqfl.blogspot.com/

Infant Adoption Training Initiative

2010-02-19T16:32:00.000-05:00

I went to a training today, aptly called the Infant Adoption Training Initiative. My field supervisor encouraged me to attend because she felt it would be very beneficial to my learning. She was right. However, I must give credit to her. I knew a lot of the more important pieces of the training because of my supervisor. She has been a fabulous teacher and I was surprised to find myself speaking about the adoption option so freely, and actually explaining the differences between private and state adoption to some of the nurses in the training.

For people who know the laws, how to counsel a pregnant women about her options, etc. - you probably don't need to take this class. However, for those who interact with these women - nurses, volunteers, etc - who don't necessarily have knowledge on adoption, should really take this training! It is nation-wide and it is a federally funded and free to participants. It was non-biased, didn't sway this way or that way. It simply gave you factual information in which to properly counsel a pregnant woman on her options. The only have one more year left on the grant, so hurry up!

We covered the history and legacy of adoption, and how it is has drastically changed over the years. Orphan trains, anyone? I learned that the term "put up for adoption" (which is a BAD term to use) was derived from the orphan train days when parents who couldn't care for their children "put" them on a train to be "bid on" in another town. Terms like "give away" and "keep the baby" imply that the baby is property, and a baby should never be viewed this way. However, that is certainly how children were viewed in history.

We watched a "commercial" on adoption that was made in the 1930's. It was typically shown in movie theaters. There were SO many ugly things about this video, but it is the way things were down back then. The birth mom was typically wondering how much money she could get out of the deal, the baby's eye and hair color were matched to adoptive parents, the baby needed to be perfectly healthy so they wouldn't be a burden to the adoptive parents, they placed intelligent babies with intelligent parents so they could live up to their full potential. Adoption was never spoken about - many children never knew they were adopted until their parents died and they had to go through records. And, only childless couples were eligible! That is just what I picked up on. Not the way adoption is done in today's world.

Today, we encourage adoptive parents to be honest with their child about adoption. Being adopted is nothing to be ashamed about! We counsel both sides to ensure they are proceeding down the right path for them. Some people can choose to have completely open adoptions with full disclosure of identifying info, others prefer to go through an agency, and still some want complete confidentiality. Openness is becoming more and more common today. Single people are now free to adopt, and transracial/cultural adoptions are way more common. Also, adoption isn't only limited to infertile and childless couples.

I learned a lot about the laws, but I already knew quite enough about them. We talked a lot about social, cultural and personal influences. I volunteered to role this 19 year old woman who just found out she was pregnant. I had to sit in front of the group and wear this silly straw hat. Each group member was asked to take on an influential role, such as a family member, peer, mentor, religious affiliate, etc, and tell me what they think I should do, in terms of parenting a child. Every time someone through out their opinion, the trainer placed a ribbon on the hat, which fell over my eyes. At the end of it all, I couldn't see, and knew exactly what it symbolized. Those ribbons, or influences, were completely clouding my own personal thoughts on my pregnancy, and made it very hard to think about what I should do for myself and my baby. It shows us that these women have so many different opinions and emotions thrown at them from all of their influences that their heads are spinning and they don't have a clue which is the correct path for them.

We talked about adolescents and pregnancy, birth fathers, non-directive, non-coercive counseling, and how to access community resources. As an options counselor, it is your goal to give them factual, unbiased information, which empowers the client to make the right decision for the client. When you are in that role, you should never influence the person to go one way or another. As a social worker, we really need to check our biases, assumptions and beliefs at the door. Start where the client is.

Wow. Yesterday was one HELL of an experience.

2010-02-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

I experienced so many different things at my internship yesterday that my head is spinning!

First, we attended a foster care re-licensing session so that my supervisor knows how to properly renew her foster mom's license come this Summer. I tell you what, I am amazed at the amount of paperwork, legwork, etc, that goes into licensing someone to become foster parents. Holy shit! You would think they were applying to become the next President. It is insane, but I definitely understand the need for it. You want to ensure the children are placed with appropriate people.

During this meeting, people were discussing how they get calls from people who are looking for employment in fostering! I know this is way more common than it should be, but there are definitely people out there who foster for the money. And I will tell you, you don't get a lot, and it is certainly not enough to fully support the child - you need to use some of your own income, for sure. So, it makes me wonder about the children in these homes, and the level of neglect. I think it is less common today with all the checks and balances, reports, etc. - but still...

After lunch, we sorted through legal paperwork for TPR and Petition for Adoption. What a headache! Then, we went to court to file it. Then we had to retrieve some birth certificates from the Office of Vital Statistics. We tried to squeeze the Social Security office in there, but they close at 3:30! What is up with government agencies closing early? Honestly, I think government agencies should have different or longer hours. If you think about it, the people who most likely need to visit these agencies are the people who don't have the luxury to take time off from work. Our systems are so broken. Boo. GET A CLUE!

THEN - we went to the hospital to speak with a birth mom. This woman is of Mayan decent, so communicating with her was difficult. Supervisor speaks Spanish, and has experience with Mayans, so she said phrases 4 or 5 different ways before B.M. understood. This isn't an ideal situation. B.M. can't understand the process, nor the paperwork she has to sign. Come to find out, she can't read or write either, so her signature was an X. Supervisor told me that she had requested to leave the baby (Safe Haven) but the hospital administrator urged her to speak with us so we could get as much information as possible pertaining to her health, etc. Yea...no. That isn't going to happen. Supervisor is going to look into a translator for when she visits B.M. to get consent, but who knows if B.M. would tell us anything.

We got to see baby and he is just beautiful. He went to term and he is very healthy. They did all types of health screens on B.M. and baby and there doesn't seem to be any health issues, so that is good. The nurses were asking us about B.M.'s bruises, of which we could get no information from her. It would take months, most likely, for B.M. to open up to Supervisor And even then, she probably wouldn't disclose that she is physically beaten by a man/men. She told us she didn't know who birth father was, and where he could be. Not sure if that was legitimate, but it's all we have. People of these ethnic groups (typically undocumented and in the U.S. illegally) are very distrusting of any official-type because we all represent the government to them, which of course means, they could be sent packing. Supervisor told me later that abuse is very common in that culture, and you just don't talk about it, nor confront it. You just accept it. *sigh* Also, when asked if they use condoms, B.M. said they don't like them. It is quite common to hear this, and I assume the women don't dare question it. Blah.

I guess the good thing coming out of this is that baby is going to a good family. I wish I could be there when Supervisor made the call. I hope that B.M. walks away from this into a better situation for herself, and I really hope that we don't meet her again...

Next week:

Intake with pregnant teen for counseling, and explore her options

Post-placement with couple who adopted an infant from India

"Child Abuse and Neglect" training

Water: It's what's for dinner.

2010-02-01T19:26:00.000-05:00

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of Water as a social justice issue? I immediately think of women living in refugee camps, such as those who have been displaced due to genocide in their country. These women may have to leave the safety and security of the camp to walk for miles to fetch water (although the main thing they collect is firewood) which puts them in terrible danger of being raped/slaughtered by militia. I also think of the many women who have to travel miles and miles for one bucket of water and loose valuable time that is needed to keep their villages alive!
What, if any, exposure have you personally had to a water shortage? My only exposure would be due to a hurricane, and we had to drink/bathe from bottled water for a few days. This is not exactly a shortage though, in the real scheme of things.
What potential action steps can you think of that relate to this month’s theme of Water? We all need to do our part to conserve water. Did you know that it takes 3 plastic bottles full of water to make the one plastic bottle? Ridiculous, I know. One way you can help conserve water is to not buy bottled water, and instead buy a stainless steel container to refill, and a filter for your tap, or a filtered pitcher. You will also be saving the environment buy producing less plastic, which is not biodegradable! As far as the global water crisis, educate yourself and others! http://water.org, http://www.globalwater.org, http://activewater.org, http://www.fh.org/.

Theory, Theory. Everywhere.

2010-01-31T14:21:00.000-05:00

So I've been doing research for a Family Systems Theory paper I have to write. We have to pick a presenting problem, either real or made up, in our own family. We need to do a bio-psycho-social assessment, apply different family system theories, create interventions, etc. I always struggle with writing - it does not come easy for me. However, the research part is where I excel. I wanted to be a Research Librarian for years (still have that passion, actually).

So, I have to find some theorists. I discovered Dr. Murray Bowen, who developed his own theory, aptly named Bowen theory. He focused on 8 concepts in his research. The most important aspect to his theory is called the Differentiation of Self, which really makes a ton of sense. Differentiation is when an individual is able to separate their thoughts from their feelings. A person of undifferentiated status feels so intensely that they hardly ever distinguish their thoughts from their feelings, and therefore, are incapable of thinking objectively. On the other hand, a differentiated person can balance the two, as they are able to resist being overwhelmed by their strong emotions and remain objective. An undifferentiated person reacts emotionally because they have no autonomous identity - they can't separate themselves from their family. On the contrary, a differentiated person has an established identity and is confident in their ability to think/act for themselves. The less developed a person's "self," the more impact others have on his functioning and the more he tries to control, actively or passively, the functioning of others. Bowen said "People with a poorly differentiated "self" depend so heavily on the acceptance and approval of others that either they quickly adjust what they think, say, and do to please others or they dogmatically proclaim what others should be like and pressure them to conform." Voilà! I think this says a lot about people who are able to think critically about their situation/environment and question it. They form their own identity by believing in their own thoughts and opinions, and not just follow along in the footsteps of others. I think this concept is fascinating.

Virginia Satir developed a concept regarding self-esteem. It is no secret that communication is the key to any relationship. Does you think a person with low self-esteem speaks up often, expressed their opinions, and communicates their concerns? Most likely not. As expected, Satir pointed out that a person with low self-esteem will likely be ineffective at communicating. Thus, increasing an individual's self-esteem would help the family system better communicate thoughts and feelings. Voilà!

Anywho - off to work on the paper.

I learned a lot today.

2010-01-27T22:16:00.001-05:00

I think my experiences at my internship today were the most eye-opening, and the most clinical. I think I learned a lot about reading people, and just how much people can fool me. One case, I saw right through the person, and felt her falseness immediately. The other pulled the wool over my eyes, and I'm lucky I didn't say something to make the situation worse. Supervisor and I debriefed after each session. I wasn't surprised to see that I was correct on the one - Supervisor obviously picked up on her before I did, and we went over our assumptions, etc. The other case, I was not as knowledgeable on the complexity of the situation, and I certainly did not pick up on some of the controlling and manipulating behaviors - which they almost got away with on me! I must have somehow subconsciously picked up on Sup's cues because when we debriefed after, she said I changed my wording (for the better) right at the last moment. I told her I have no clue why I did, because I just did not pick up on any of the things she pointed out. However, it all made perfect sense when the evidence was laid out. I'm glad I didn't screw up the session, but I am also glad that I got to see manipulation in action. I think that had I known the background on the clients and their situation, I may have been a bit more keen to what was being said.

It's not like it's the first time I've ever encountered someone like this, but I can be gullible when I'm trying to see the good in a person. I assume that part of me will change real fast when I really get out in the big bad world of social work. However, you take the good with the bad, and the bad with the good.

Great experiences!

Brooke Fraser

2010-01-17T09:20:00.001-05:00

I just love this artist. I really, really love her music. I really find her quite amazing, and thus, I'm sharing some of my fav. tunes with you. I was introduced to Brooke Fraser by a former classmate; a young Christian woman who has opened up a church with her husband. Not surprisingly, Brooke Fraser is a Christian artist out of New Zealand. I was raised with Christian ideals, but I refer to myself as a Spiritual Agnostic (and I just figured this out recently!). Not an issue though, I am open to any form of music, and some of Brooke's lyrics have very subtle messages.

My classmate told me that Brooke took a trip to Rwanda 10 years after the genocide. During her trip, she was introduced to a young girl named Albertine, and thus, the song below was born. Being an anti-genocide advocate/activist (although I can't say I put time into it now since my schedule is overfull), and since Rwanda has a special place in my heart, the song brings tears to my eyes every stinkin' time. Honestly, I hope to one day adopt a young child like Albertine.

Other beautiful songs by Brooke.

This particular video is really cool!

This is probably my fav (aside from Albertine) - the lyrics, the piano and violins, her voice. It's amazing.

Sunday will be a difficult, yet fulfilling day.

2010-01-15T16:53:00.001-05:00

Sunday, I am going to accompany my field supervisor to a local hospital to pick up a Safe Haven infant. The baby boy was born late last night, so he will be discharged early Sunday morning. The birth mother has told the nurses that she would like to leave the child under the Safe Haven Law, but in order to do that, she can't be present when we arrive. It's disheartening, to me, that she doesn't want to be involved in finding a good home for her baby (i.e. choosing the adopted parents, or at least being involved at some level) but I completely understand her reasons not to. It probably makes the situation a tad easier when you just walk away from it. I do not judge her for her choices, and I do hope that she finds peace in her decision. I will not be able to go to the hospital and see this tiny infant without thinking of birth mom, and how much she is suffering. However, I am completely excited to finally have the opportunity to retrieve an infant from a hospital and deliver him to his new devoted and extremely thankful family.

It will be a bittersweet day.

Next Field Internship

2010-01-12T10:59:00.000-05:00

So, I'm filling out my field application for my next field internship. I am excited about some of my choices:

A couple of Independent Living program serving adolescents in foster care. This is a MAJOR interest of mine! Program focuses on activities that prepare foster youth and homeless teens for successful independent living when they turn 18. Offered during after-school hours, the curriculum includes core classes, job coaching, substance abuse prevention activities, sports clubs, broadcast journalism training and life skills classes.

A community-based, gender-responsive prevention, diversion and early intervention program serving girls, ages 12-17. The particular model of this org has been recognized nationally for helping girls find success in school, with their families and in their communities by integrating education, counseling, training and advocacy. Another area of interest!

Social Work in Schools!

A charitable organization that is composed of a network of host and sponsor faith communities that help homelessness families with children. The program brings immediate but temporary shelter, meals, and support services to homeless families. The goal is to restore the families to long term self sufficiency. I think one of my classmates is currently interning here

Spring 2010 Semester

2010-01-10T21:13:00.001-05:00

My new semester starts tomorrow. I am going to be taking my Practice w/ Groups and Families course, as well as my Field Seminar. I am starting my field practicum back tomorrow at my internship. I look forward to what this semester shall bring, even though it means less book-reading for fun and more for pure learning. :(

I am working one less job this time around, which is highly affecting my lunch money fund. I left my graduate assistantship, which did not pay a lot but did pay my tuition, so I could have more time to breathe. I kept the job I work from home, as I make more money, but work less hours. Still, it is not enough income to support all of our bills, so I still need to take out loans, right along with the bazillion dollars Todd is racking up in school loans. It is a sad state of financial affairs in our home, but we will get by...With lots of Wii games, Netflix movies and leftovers! Oh, and we are hitting the gym TOGETHER tomorrow after our days are over and I hope to make it a common weekly occurrence (maybe Mon, Wed and Sat?). We need it.

P.S. I sent an email to the School of Social Work to tell them I going to attend full-time next school year to get done in 3 years, instead of 4. I will hopefully take my 3 electives this summer (if available) to lighten the load a bit. I am freaking out over the amount of work I will have on my plate. I've never done college full-time, and doing grad school full-time makes me want to either vomit or pass out. However, I'm a dedicated woman who doesn't give up easily. So - wish me luck! (I am doing this so Todd and I can start a family. I need to be done with school first though, and since I turn 31 in a few weeks, I feel we need to get the ball rolling!)

EDIT: Todd and I just made a pact (sealed with a kiss) to hit the gym every Mon and Wed after our day is over, plus do some sort of exercise on Sat - gym, walk, Wii, etc. YAY!

January 2010 Social Justice Challenge

2010-01-07T22:30:00.000-05:00

The Social Justice Challenge topic for January is Religious Freedom. Here are the questions posted on the website. What are your thoughts? Mine are below.

What knowledge do you have of present threats to religious freedom in our world today? Everything is centered around Religion - Abortion, Gay Marriage, Terrorism. People obviously feel that their beliefs are threatened, or there wouldn't be such constant global upheaval. I feel like people worry way too much about others, when it is really none of their business (unless, of course, they are in some way harming others, etc). For example, it is ok if you do not personally agree with abortion. You have that right. However, you should not have the right to impose your belief onto another. (Honestly, separation of Church and State is the biggest piece of bullhonkey they ever taught us in school!) If we could all just accept each other as being different - and stop being AFRAID of those that are different - then we might just have a better future. TOLERANCE and ACCEPTANCE are the name of the game. We don't have to be the Stepford Wives to enjoy this life we live. In fact, our differences are what make living so damn interesting!

Have you chosen a book or resource to read for this month? I think I will check out the Persecution.com website. Looks VERY interesting.

Why does religious freedom matter to you? In all honesty, religion doesn't play a role in my life. I'm not religious, and neither is my husband. We were both raised in Christian environments, but our families didn't practice the religion. I am very curious about the unanswered questions we all have, but I do not dwell on trying to figure them out. I sometimes consider myself Agnostic, but that isn't very accurate either. However, I am VERY interested in learning about religions though, and I have always enjoyed talking to others about their beliefs. I find the religions of the world so very interesting. That being said - I DO believe all people have the right to safely practice and believe in their religion. There is just no reason that it cannot be this way.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of religious freedom? The freedom to practice and believe in any religion of the world, in any place of the world. The ability to choose what activities, holidays, events and everyday norms you will participate in. The choice to refrain from an activity, such as the Pledge of Allegiance, if it does not honor your religion.

This post is all very much my own opinions. Please let me know yours - in a civilized, non-threatening manner, of course.

Next semester...

2009-12-12T13:30:00.001-05:00

How fun!I may get to lead a baby interaction play group with our adoptive parents and their new babies! I need to look through this really interesting book on how to stimulate your baby and help develop their motor and sensory skills, and pull out some exercises. We may do it around Valentine's Day and name the class something like "How to love your baby." We also might invite some teenage mothers from our Mentoring program, which I am so excited about. Pregnant Teens/Teenage mothers are a population I would like to work with. I would actually like to work in preventing that to happen (I love prevention programming, but not sure how well it works or how much it's supported) but working with the young girls to enrich their lives and give them a better outlook is just as good.

I'm rambling now. Just did a major scrub down on my condo. I even cleaned the baseboards! It really needed it since I only cleaned surfaces during this last hellish semester. However, I did get my A in Practice w/ Individuals and my Satisfactory mark for Field! Woot!

NOW - it is time to enjoy my month off. Hubsand I are outta here next Friday for vacation and family time. Yay for Family, Friends, cold weather, traveling, good food and lots 'o fun!

International Human Rights Day

2009-12-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't be me if I didn't post about International Human Rights Day, which is December 10. Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted on December 10, 1948, that set down the basic principles at the very heart of the human rights movement. The UDHR has enabled remarkable progress in human rights, inspiring international human rights standards, laws and institutions that have improved the lives of many around the world.

All humans deserve a life free of torture, violence, rape, murder, injustice, oppression. Wouldn't you agree?

A current issue that strikes me as imperative is the "conflict minerals" that are being used to make cheap cell phones. Many of these minerals come from war-torn regions, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and FUND the exploitation, torture, murder and rape of women and children. John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, and one of my personal heroes, posted his thoughts on the matter. This situation is just like Blood Diamonds. Boo on Blood Diamonds too.

More information on conflict minerals. Of course, the Enough Project, has an entire website dedicated to the Raise Hope in Congo effort. And John Prendergast even explains the conflict materials for us.

All it takes is a bit of smart consumerism on your part, and maybe a short email or 2. Who will you tell?

And to tie it in to Social Work - here ya go! http://www.socialworkblog.org/pressroom/index.php/2009/12/10/human-rights-day-%E2%80%93-december-10-2009/

Proud!

2009-12-05T18:39:00.001-05:00

My field instructor had to fill out my evaluation for the first half of my internship. For the most part, she chose "At Expected Level" for the area questioned. I did get a few "Above Expected Level" - which is always nice.

Uses field educator for direction, supervision and education. Most definitely - that is what she is there for (and she does a great job, might I add!).

Discusses strengths and weaknesses with field educator. I really accept professional feedback with open arms. That is how you learn!

Acts professional and responsible, is punctual and dresses appropriately. I worked in corporate America for years, so my professionalism is definitely present.

Shares in collegial work responsibilities, including meeting deadlines and accepting assignments. :)

Identifies the purpose and use of agency records and forms and completes written material on a timely basis.

This was her handwritten note for: Discuss student's performance, strengths and areas for improvement:
Student is doing very well in her internship. She is a team player who has adjusted well to the entire adoption unit and has been welcomed by all. Other staff take the opportunity to provide Student with additional experiences and learning opportunities. Student is motivate to learn. She displays an appropriate/professional demeanor at all times, whether at the office, at court, during visits or other activities and events. Sudent is responsible and punctual. She is inquisitive and outspoken. Student is at the expected level of performance for this stage in her internship and this field supervisor believes that she will continue to grow as a social worker in this internship, and in her social work career.

See! I'm learning something!
:) :) :)

Finals are a' comin.

2009-12-01T15:57:00.001-05:00

Well, I guess I should say Final because I only have one. 73 questions, mind you. It shouldn't be that bad: I'm taking a break from making my study guide now, and I am meeting with my cohort this Saturday for a study session. These are VERY helpful.

This Saturday is also a party at my internship for the adoptive families and foster children. I was going to teach dances, but some logistical issues have prevented that from happening, so I will be helping with a Cranium-type game. Should be loads of fun for the kiddies.

Tomorrow, I will be presenting my internship agency to a Women's Clinic, along with my supervisor. She wants me to talk about the History of the organization, as well as the Safe Haven Law. I am a terrible public speaker (mainly because of my nerves!) but I've done it before and lived, so I just need to deal. It is part of being a professional.

Other than that, I'm too busy to write lately. 2 weeks left and I will be FREE for a month. Well, at least from school/internship. I am leaving my Graduate Assistantship, as well, which really sucks (I've made some close friends there and they pay my tuition!) but it must be done. I am not a robot/super hero and need a BREAK! Working 3 part-time jobs plus school is a bit much. I also want to put more into my internship next semester. And, I plan to start full-time next school year so I can finish in 3 years instead of . I've never, ever gone to college full-time and I'm a bit freaked out. :/

I will still have my at-home job, for as long as they need me. Hopefully that doesn't go away too soon. It will not be a pretty day in this household when we're both not working. We already struggle. I'm trying to figure out how to SAVE some flippin money when we go grocery shopping. We go to a farmer's market for produce, which is AMAZING. We come away with loads of fresh fruits/veggies for under $20. We spend roughly $100/week on food though. Hubs and I have big appetites and we gain weight easily. Therefore, we do our best to eat fresh foods, lean meats and whole wheat products. This is way more expensive to do than just buying all the boxed crap.

Any suggestions out there in blog land? I would be a crazy-frugal-coupon-crazed-deal-seeker if I had the time!

Clinical Assessments

2009-11-17T09:21:00.001-05:00

As you know, I'm interning in Adoptions, which is definitely a field of Social Work that I'm very interested in. Many of my Social Work classmates, as well as close friends and family, are very aware that I'm not interested in the Mental Health, Addiction, etc. side of the profession. It's not for me, and I have no interest in it. I'm way more interested in the Macro side of the profession (lobbying, advocacy, prevention programming, community organizing/building, etc), as well as working with refugees, teen mothers and obviously, children!

That being said, It has been a bit difficult for me to really see the clinical side to the work I've been doing at my internship. Surely, a clinical assessment is made during the home study process, and a clinical, therapeutic session occurs between a social worker and a birth mom, or a social worker and adoptive parents (grief and loss).

Yesterday, Supervisor and I were reviewing some evaluations I have to turn in at the end of the semester. One of them involved checking off all the areas of the Generalist Intervention Model you have experienced during the semester. I was having a hard time really checking off some of the boxes because I can't identify any one experience that falls under whatever category. Supervisor laid it out for me and gave me lots of examples. She said making the clinical connections comes with experience, esp. in a field that isn't so ingrained in clinical/therapeutic environment. Ok, cool.

I had the opportunity to observe the Disclosure meeting for the Andrews, where they received the entire history (that CHS has) on Carissa - medical, social, educational, legal, etc. Many questions were asked, lots of information was provided. Mrs. Andrews is completely optimistic about it all, which is good - optimism keeps people going. However, a realistic outlook about welcoming a child into your home who has had severe trauma over her life, in many forms, and has bounced around the system for years, is needed even more so. Mr. Andrews is the realist of the duo, and once the medical/mental health conversation began with Carissa's therapist (keep in mind, the Andrews are well aware of Carissa's past), Mr. Andrews made a comment that he really wanted Mrs. Andrews to hear all of this, again. He wants her to come down outta the clouds and step into this new relationship well grounded. Mrs. Andrews feels Carissa's past is just that - the past - and that is where it will stay. She is focused on creating a new life for her, which is fantastic, but you obviously cannot discount her past. Her past is what made her the young lady she is today and you just can't throw it out the window. Whatever the case is with the Andrews, I know they won't give up on Carissa as others have. They have already put so much into learning about her, well before the selection staffing. They obviously feel a strong bond with Carissa, and I think she really hit the jackpot with the Andrews.

I told Supervisor about my experience in the meeting and my thoughts on the Andrews and Carissa. Once I was finished, she said "You just made a clinical assessment." Woot!

Wow. I have so much to update...

2009-11-15T09:07:00.002-05:00

This post may be long. I really need to take the time to write more often. :/

My internship is going to be over for the semester in 4 weeks! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed working at my internship, and I can't rave enough about my awesome field instructor. I couldn't ask for a better relationship between the two of us. We have similar personalities and views, so we get along fantastic. My field professor came to meet with us and we both sang each other's praises. It was a proud moment. :)

Last week was crazy busy. One day, we had 3 home visits and one finalization at court. Another day, I attended a selection staffing, had the meeting w/ my field professor and attended a Life Books event with foster children. Insane!

We met a young couple who I shall call James and Eliana. They've have had no success in conceiving naturally (3 years of trying), so they've turned to adoption. You could definitely see that there is still a small tinge of sadness in Eliana, but she is also a very strong-willed woman and knows this is the best path for her and James. They live in a cute little bungalow with a sweet dog. They both have successful jobs and seem to know how to work out their lives when there is a new baby in it. It was the first meeting with them. Next, we meet with each of them one on one. This will be my first stab at writing a home study! Woot! I'm excited for this couple. They remind me a lot of hubs and myself. :)

We also met with another family who adopted a Safe Haven baby. This was the 2nd of 3 post-placement visits, and I will also be writing the final home investigation. Baby Mercedes is doing great! She is growing and eating her way through life! That lil teeny tiny baby ate 7 oz of food while we were there! When we arrived, Mercedes was halfway through a 5 oz bottle. Once she was finished, she got a lil fussy. Mama gave her a pacifier to see if that would soothe her. I don't think I've ever seen a child suck on a pacifier the way Mercedes did! You could definitely see that she was expecting to get something out of it. After a minute or so, she realized that thing wasn't producing any milk and she let us know she wasn't pleased with our trickery! So, mama fixed her 2 more oz and she gulped them down! It was kinda humorous.

We attended an adoption finalization at the courthouse for the Daniels family. I had not yet met this family because they went through the entire process before I started interning. Baby Addison has had some developmental delays, and they once thought she had fetal alcohol syndrome, but I believe that has been cleared. She is breathtakingly adorable though, and she is going to be one beautiful young lady! Mama Daniels is a beautiful woman, probably in her mid-forties. Papa Daniels is definitely older, maybe in his 60s. No big deal, to me, but I bring it up because a lot of people do question the age cutoff for adoption. I am not sure there is a definite line. I believe it is up to the social worker to figure out if the family is able to provide for that child for the next 20 or so years. These people aren't slowing down anytime soon. They are very lively and mobile.

The finalization was quick, as always, and later on that day, we actually went to their house for a final goodbye and good luck. (However, they are actually going to be starting the process again in January for a 2nd baby!) Mama stays-at-home and papa does some sort of financial job. He makes great money, as evidenced by their home. Mama is a crafty lady and showed me her craft room. She makes shoes, handbags, clothing, carpentry, upholsters furniture, draws/paints, etc. She is very handy, much more so than her hubby. :) She grew up on a farm - I think that has a lot to do with it. She painted Addison's room and made a lot of the furniture. I was amazed at the beauty of this room. It is every little girl's dream, and Addison will no doubt love it up into her early teens, for sure. Mama Daniels was SO nice. We sat and talked of all kinds of things, and she was so warm and sincere. She definitely disrupts the "snobby" stereotype for the rich women of this town. LOL! They also have a small dog who I just fell in love with - and I don't often like small dogs! So cute and very smart. He let me hold him like a baby and walk around the house with him. :)

On a separate day, I attended a Selection Staffing, which is where the adoption specialist, dependency case manager, therapist, and other important decision makers in the adoption field, come together and decide on the BEST family for a child. Well, it just so happens that there was only one family to present for a young girl I will call Carissa. Carissa is 12 years old and has been in the system for quite some time. She presents with a myriad of developmental and emotional problems, and has definitely been in trouble because of them. However, Carissa was picked to attend the 10-week Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting seminar that all foster parents have to go through. During that 10-weeks, Carissa fell in love with the Andrews, and they in turn adore her to pieces. The Andrews even took it further to speak with her therapist, psychologist and others to really get an understanding about Carissa. They have shown sincere interest in providing a healthy, stable life for this young lady. Carissa has spoken out for her adoration for the couple many times, which is why this family was presented. I am not surprised at all by the outcome of the meeting, which of course, was positive because the match was made! This isn't a typical selection staffing though. Usually 3 - 4 families are presented and much deliberation is needed. This was a special one though. YAY!

After the meeting, we called the Andrews to let them know. They were ecstatic!!! We can not tell Carissa until the Andrews go through disclosure though, so she does not yet know. Now - here is the cool part of the story. Later that day, we had a Life Books event for some of the foster children and we invited 3 or 4 prospective adoptive parents to attend and mingle with the children. Life Books are a very important resource for the child, as it is a reminder of where they've come from, and where they are headed. Well, Carissa and the Andrews attended and they sat together the entire time and worked on Carissa's life book. I was beaming on the inside. It was so awesome to know that these 2 wonderful people are her new family and she doesn't even know it yet! This was my first time seeing the 3 of them together, and I definitely agree that the match is perfect. Carissa hit the jackpot!

BUSY!!!!

2009-11-06T17:48:00.000-05:00

Today I got to sit in on the Adoption Team Unit Meeting, which was hysterical, to say the least. Those women (and their token male colleague) are a hoot! They are planning a holiday party in December for their foster children and prospective families, and I got talked into teaching the kids dances like the macarena and electric slide. LOL! :) I am also helping to plan the crafts, which will be lotsa fun.

Next Monday, I will be going on 3 home visits and one finalization! Then on Friday, I will finally be able to see selection staffings!! This is when everybody (case managers, adoption specialists, guardian ad litem, foster parent, etc) gets together to select the best family for a child. This is on my learning plan so I am glad that I will be able to see how involved the match process it. I will also be attending a Life Book event in the afternoon with some of the foster kids. You can read all about life books here - I'm too hungry to explain.

Then, Nov. 20 is NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY, and we have a big event going on at the County Courthouse. Lots of foster care adoption finalizations that day. WOOHOO!

Ciao!

Bridges out of Poverty

2009-11-04T16:43:00.000-05:00

Today I attended a training titled Bridges out of Poverty. The training was developed by Ruby Payne and colleagues at aha! process, in c. The piece of poverty that this training focuses on is the economic piece, which is certainly a big part but doesn't cover everything. The economic status of someone is only one thread of their quilt, ya know? There are many other threads that make up that quilt - age, marital status, sexual orientation, location, gender, religion, race, etc.

We talked mainly about generational poverty, which is when poverty exists in a family from generation to generation. Situational poverty, which we are definitely seeing a lot more of today, is when a situation - death, divorce, unemployment, depression, drugs, disability, etc - put you in poverty.

We talked about the mental model of poverty. A mental model is your perception, how you view something. As we know, everyone sees things differently. We might look at someone and think they are poor, but in reality they may be quite happy with their situation. Hell, you might view a couple who looks rich and think they have it made, when in fact they might be the most unhappiest people in the room. Don't judge a book by the cover. Plain and simple.

To check how our perceptions were different, we took the words Love, Religion, Celebration and Divorce and drew a picture representation. We all had different pictures. For divorce, someone drew a broken heart, and someone else drew a smiley face! This was a prime example at how we all view things differently, and if you are not on the same page with your client, you will be completely useless to them. There was an example of a social worker who had a poor family of 5 on her caseload. They didn't have a refrigerator - they used Styrofoam coolers. So, without telling the family, the social worker set up a fund raiser so she could buy them a fridge. And she did just that. A week after delivering this gracious gift to them, she called to check in and couldn't reach them. A month went by before she heard from the family, and when she asked where they had been, they told her they went to visit their sick mother/grandmother. The social worker asked them how the heck they were able to afford that (in another state, had crappy car, etc). Can you guess what their answer was? They sold the fridge! The social worker was completely shocked at their response and asked why they did that. They simply said that visiting this sick relative was far more important than a fridge could ever be. So, the social worker should have asked this family what was important to them and what they needed, because what the social worker thought they needed was not something the family thought they needed.

So to get on the same page about poverty, we looked at the mental model. Guess what's at the center of the Mental Model for Poverty? RELATIONSHIPS. Social workers know the importance of relationships, as it is part of our Social Work values. It is no surprise that people are social animals and need to have relationships with others to feel secure, have support/resources, etc. Trusting relationships are the key to motivating someone to change. Building trust with your client can possibly be one of the hardest things you have to do with them, but once that trust is solid, the helping relationship will blossom and you will be able to effectively assist your client in the change process.

I learned an interesting tidbit. People in generational poverty do not have a future orientation. They live in the here and now. All their priorities are right now. Whatever is needed at that moment. This is very different from how the middle class views life - we are very future oriented! We save money, when we can, and think about our futures - education, family, retirement, etc. The generational poor don't go there - what is the point?

This brings me to a very interesting argument. If a mother of 3 is eligible for Medicaid, WIC, Food Stamps, etc., but loses it all if she gets a $6/hr job (which won't pay for squat) - what the heck is her motivation to work? What is the point of stressing herself out over a bullshit job, wondering if she is going to get fired for missing work every time one her children gets sick, feeling completely exhausted at the end of the day and then having to care for the children. The list goes on. YES - a lot of us work, and work hard, and then come home to work for our families, but I think those who are reading this blog are living comfortably from their efforts, and while we all certainly have stress - it is usually not at the level of the poor.

"The need to act overwhelms any willingness people have to learn." If someone is always stressed out and having to constantly worry about the NOW - what will my children eat for breakfast, how will they get to school, how will I get to work, what if I miss my bus connection and I'm late and get fired, what if something happens to my children when they are home alone - they are never going to be able to take the time to reflect and learn. Never. Can you imagine feeling like that 247? I moan and complain when I have one night of insomnia due to an upcoming test or big event. I can't imagine constantly having those dreadful feelings in my head.

Wanna know what is at the center of the Mental Model for Middle Class? ACHIEVEMENT. Surprised? I wasn't. Guess what's at the center for the Wealthy? CONNECTIONS. Again - not surprised. The middle class has future orientation, CHOICES and power. This does not exist for those in poverty. The Mental Model of Generational Poverty describes life from a Concrete Perspective. These people tell it like it is. There are no abstract thoughts - thinking of going to college, thinking of becoming successful - there is only concrete thinking. Tell it like it is. What you see is what you get.

Anyway - there is so much more to say but I'm hungry! What I really took away from this training was pretty much what I've already been taught in my social work classes: Start where the client is. If you get on the same page with them, and see their story through their eyes, your helping relationship is bound to be effective in some way. If you think the client needs X, Y and Z services, but all they want from you is a clean pair of socks - then that is what you give them.

And to end this post - check out this documentary called The End of Poverty?

"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring." ~Liz Armbruste

2009-10-24T07:28:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I had the most enjoyable experience at my internship. I finally got to meet a family that adopted internationally. This family, who I will call the Jones, adopted a sibling group of 3 from Ethiopia. Before I met the family, I was able to watch a documentary that they were in regarding adopting from another country. It was so beautiful to see this family (The Jones and 2 of their adult bio sons) meet their new children/siblings. (Mr. Jones actually made the trip prior to this and had already met the children.) The Jones went through a reputable agency and even met Birth mom (B.M.) when they went to the country to pick up their children. She is very ill and can no longer care for them. B.M. was featured in the documentary and let me tell you, I was amazed at the strength of this woman. She was so composed and strong. However, a smile never crossed her face, and her eyes showed the depth of her pain. Supervir was crying and I had a few tears drip down my face. That type of thing is never easy to witness, no matter what situation the B.M. is in. B.M. and Mrs. Jones hugged one another and it was the most powerful thing to watch. B.M. is ever grateful that her children are being cared for and will likely live to old age, but it was the epitome of a bitter-sweet moment, if that even describes it at all. :(

Now, on to the FUN PART! I got to meet the children! I shall call them Amare (boy), age 3; Desta (girl), age 5; and big brother Bekele, age 6. The Jones kept their ethnic names (which are REALLY cool/cute, I wish I could tell you) and gave them American middle names. They were obviously already used to their names so changing them would have made the transition more difficult. However, I must first say that I was AMAZED at how quickly these children have transitioned into their new life. They've only been here 3 months and I would never be able to tell that they weren't born here. They only thing that gives it away is their cute little accent. :)

Bekele is only 6 but he was practically the parent of his 2 siblings since he was 4. He had to feed and bathe them as their mother could not. Needless to say, this young man is a leader in ever since of the word. The Jones described his transition from a parental figure to a sibling as wondrous. To see him roll around on the floor with little Amare was quite surprising (especially to Amare!) because these things did not happen back in Ethiopia. He had a sort of emotional breakdown at some point and they let him cry, so he knows it is ok to cry. I assume he had to keep all of these emotions inside in Ethiopia. Bekele is in first grade, is very outgoing, talks really fast (his English is great but if he gets going, he starts to blur it with Amharic, his native tongue), and loves soccer. :)

Desta is SO CUTE! She barely said 2 words but she is such a pretty little thing. (She and Amare look so much a like, and a lot like B.M. but I think Bekele looks very different from them.) Desta has adjusted well but she is still very sensitive to her parents leaving. When were done with the visit, the Jones walked us to the door and Desta said "Mommy, no go!" and ran to her and threw her arms around her legs. It was very touching and shows the trauma these children have experienced in their life. Mrs. Jones said she had a meltdown at the dinner table one night when she would not eat her vegetables. Typical toddler. She was also given a princess dress (Cinderella, of course) which she wore to a princess birthday party. Well, her birthday just passed and she got up that morning and immediately put on her princess dress. I think she associates birthdays with having to wear that dress. Too cute. She goes to Pre-K 4 mornings a week.

Amare is the youngest and so adorable! He has picked up the language the fastest, since he is the youngest. He seems very good natured and easy going, and they said he doesn't have tantrums (yet). He's social and has a great sense of humor. He didn't say much while we were there but he did show me his wonderful smile many times.

The Jones family were given MANY things - children's clothes, toys, money - by their church and community. When the children first sat down with these toys, they looked at them like "what the heck am I supposed to do with this?" They didn't have toys in Ethiopia. You know what they wanted to play with? The rocks and dirt in the backyard. That was familiar to them and they had a blast. The Jones say the children are very industrious and hardworking. The like to be productive, probably because they are used to it. Bekele likes to help Mr. Jones bag up leaves in the yard. Amare cleaned up after himself after he ate without being told.

I told the Jones that I hope they don't mind if I call them in 20 years when I'm ready to adopt from Rwanda. They asked why I would wait so long, and I told them my husband and I are incurring serious debt from school, so it will definitely have to wait. I had a side conversation with Mrs. Jones about my anti-genocide advocacy days and how I mostly want to work with refugees. That got us discussing the Lost Boys of Sudan and Human Aid workers and all of the things that I can only dream of being a part of. However, at least I can help those who resettle here. They need it too.

All in all, it was the best field experience I've had thus far, and I am very happy for this family. Those kids are very, very lucky to have this new life. They will not forget where they came from though, and have pictures of their B.M. and share stories about her. B.M. has pictures of them, as well, and will receive updates. Hopefully B.M. doesn't suffer for a long time, and I hope she is at peace with her decision.

[Rant]

The documentary also showed the dark side to adoption in a lot of countries: Human Trafficking. I was sickened to see some of the practices that these FAKE agencies do to obtain children to SELL to Americans who are completely clueless. And let me just put this out there RIGHT NOW, Christian World Adoption was shown in this video in a village, coercing parents to hand over their children. Now, I do not know anything else about this agency, other than what I witnessed on this video, but what I saw was enough. These children were FINE! Obviously, Ethiopia is not the best country in the world to live in, and the people that live here struggle in ways we can't even imagine, but these children and their families were living the typical Ethiopian life. These agencies come to these villages and persuade these people to hand over their children by telling them of the beautiful, healthy, safe lives they will live in America, never going hungry, blah blah. Ok, that IS great. I wish ALL of those people could live the way we do. The entire WORLD should be able too, but let's get realistic. The entire world can't move to the U.S., and children should remain with their families unless they are being neglected, abused, etc. These children were FINE!

Supervisor was telling me how they have discontinued international adoptions from Guatemala because women were being found dead with their stomachs cut open. PEOPLE WERE KILLING PREGNANT WOMEN WHO WERE NEAR TERM TO CUT OUT THE INFANT SO THEY COULD MAKE A PROFIT OFF THE ADOPTION OF THE BABY. Honestly, I don't think humanity can sink any lower into evil.

[/Rant]

"I want to provide a safe, stable home for a child that needs one."

2009-10-22T15:11:00.001-04:00

This was a quote spoken by a prospective adoptive parent that I met yesterday, when I experienced a different piece of my internship. I went on a home visit with a worker who finds families for the older children in foster care. This is far different from the work I do with supervisor, who handles private infant and international adoptions.

The prospective mother and father have already raised some pretty solid children, and are looking to adopt one or 2. The husband wants a son, but there is a sibling duo (older sister and younger brother) that they have their eye on. They met the duo when they went through the 10-week MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) training, which is required of all foster parents. I do not know if it is required of all adoptive parents (I don't think it is) but some take it anyway.

Anyway, we interviewed the prospective mother for 2.5 hours! We had to explore spanking with the father a little, since it is obviously not the approach this class teaches when disciplining children, and I was very impressed with his honest answers. He seemed very genuine. We did have to reschedule with him because of the time it took just interview his wife.

After the interview, we looked around the house to ensure there were smoke alarms, fire extinguisher, enough space, etc. It was a very interesting experience, and I hope these 2 parents end up welcoming a child (or 2!) into their home.

P.S. I found it quite interesting that they actually film these older children for commercials called Thursday's Child that are aired on local news stations. It reminds me of the Humane Society commercials where they showcase a cat or dog in need of a home. Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about that...

Back to work!