Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Advocate. Connect. Educate.
CAL I FORN IA ASSOC IAT I ON OF SCHOOL SOC IAL WORKERS
CASSW Weekly A.C.E.
From Suh Chen Hsiao, CASSW Treasurer:
Greetings from Los Angeles! Social workers will celebrate National Social Work Month in March 2015. At that time, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) will also begin an eight-month celebration of its 60th anniversary which will end in October, the month NASW was founded in 1955. This week’s highlight is Lawndale Elementary School District and SSW’s effort in building trauma-informed schools. Lawndale Elementary School District “A Collaborative Direction to Change the Fabric of Education” by Maria Ruelas, MSW, Lead School Social Worker [email protected] 310-973-1300 http://www.lawndale.k12.ca.us/ Schools across the states are faced with new educational standards that develop student’s proficiency in all academic areas particularly, English Language Arts and mathematics thus, enhancing their analytical and critical thinking skills. These new developments in the educational system establish consistent standards to ensure all students are prepared to enter college programs and/or the workforce. With strong efforts to improve public education, there are also growing concerns over unresolved mental health issues that are affecting students learning. School districts across America are taking a stance on mental health by implementing school-wide interven-tions that will improve student and staff behavior hence, promoting positive school climate. The Lawndale Elementary School District (LESD) located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County has made progressive shifts in the area of mental health in the past year.
The Lawndale Elementary School District (LESD) has adopted innovative approaches that will not only impact their schools but their community at large. Over the last year, LESD has changed the infrastructure of their schools by hiring four school social workers and partnering with more than ten community mental health agencies and universities to address the social and emotional needs of their student’s. LESD’s most supportive and influential partner has been the USC School of Social Work. Through their collaboration, LESD has become more than just a field placement provider for USC, they have become a Teaching Institute supervising more than 25 master-level social work interns. The LESD values their interns and invest on providing them with an enriching learning experience by teaching, training, exposing and supervising them within a school environment. Through this comprehensive approach, both interns and students at LESD are provided with the latest evidenced-based, data-driven frameworks to reduce disciplinary incidents, increase school’s sense of safety and support in turn, supporting improved academic outcomes.
Paradigm shifts in school mental health has lead the Lawndale Elementary School District to become a trauma-informed field placement. This approach will not only address the social, emotional, and safety aspects of a student’s learning environment but will also disseminate evidence-based trauma services across a continuum, from prevention services that focus on building resilience in students, to early interventions and more intensive services for trauma-exposed students. By integrating trauma sensitivity, social work interns will be able to address root causes of behavioral dilemmas, and educators will be empowered to improve achievement expecta-tions. This kind of interaction will foster relationships within a school setting that will benefit students, parents, staff and members of the community. As a result, LESD will eliminate barriers to academic success by changing the fabric of education through collaboration, integration and innovation.
Mental Health, Wellness & Academic February 23-27, 2015
Resources
SSWAA 18th National School Social Work Conference April 15 - 18, 2015 at Sheraton Music City Hotel, 777 McGavock Pike Nashville 37214. Conference brochure http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.sswaa.org/resource/resmgr/Conf_2015/Conference_Brochure_2015_Nov.pdf ACSSW National School Social Work Week: March 1-7, 2015 http://www.acssw.org/temp/SSW%20Week%20Celebration%20Ideas%202015.pdf http://www.acssw.org/temp/2015%20SSW%20Week%20Poster.pdf 20th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health November 5 - 7, 2015, New Orleans, LA. School social workers are encouraged to submit via this link https://cf.umaryland.edu/csmha/abstract_conference.cfm by February 27, 2015 Military Child Education Coalition http://issuu.com/militarychildeducationcoalitio/docs/art_show_2015_-_rebuilt_-_lr Building Capacity Newsletter (military connected schools)-January 2015 http://buildingcapacity.usc.edu/newsletters/WP%20Newsletter%20January%202015.pdf Social Work Month-Proclamation Template https://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/swmonth/2015/documents/SWM-
Please contact the membership Chair at [email protected] or visit our website at www.cassw.net
Join CASSW Facebook via https://www.facebook.com/pages/California-Association-of-School-Social-Workers-CASSW/417384141713649
