NJ NASW

Hey everyone,

Check out the NASW-NJ Blog: naswnj.blogspot.com

It's a good way to stay connected to our field!

Schizophrenia research

July 1, 2009, 5:10 pm
"Hoopla, and Disappointment, in Schizophrenia Research"
By Nicholas Wade

There's still a long way to go in schizophrenia research:

"The principal news from the three studies is that schizophrenia is caused by a very large number of errant genes, not a manageable and meaningful handful . . . Schizophrenia too seems to be not a single disease, but the end point of 10,000 different disruptions to the delicate architecture of the human brain."

A New Approach to Orphanages

“Fragile Tanzanian Orphans Get Help After Mothers Die”—New York Times
By Denise Grady
Photographed by Béatrice de Géa for The New York Times
Published: June 24, 2009


This is a great article on efforts focused on the surviving children of dead mothers in Berega, Tanzania. This article provides an example that there are other ways of offering child services that can be effective and healthy aside from traditional orphanages.


“ . . . Most of their mothers died giving birth or soon after — something that, in poor countries, leaves newborns at great risk of dying, too. The children are here just temporarily, to get a start in life so they can return to their villages and their extended families when they are 2 or 3 years old, well past the fragile days of infancy and big enough to digest cow’s milk and eat regular food.

And, in an innovative program designed to meet the infants’ emotional as well as physical needs, many have teenage girls from their extended families living with them at the orphanage . . . “

www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/africa/25orphan.html?_r=1&ref=health

An Emotional Hair Trigger, Often Misread

An Emotional Hair Trigger, Often Misread--New York Times

By Jane Brody

Published: June 15, 2009

Here's a blurb from the article: "Rather, affected individuals seem to be born with a quick and unduly sensitive emotional trigger. The condition appears to have both genetic and environmental underpinnings. Brain studies have indicated that the emotional center of the nervous system — the amygdala — may be overly reactive, while the part that reins in emotional reactions may be underactive."

I found this to be a really interesting article about the enigma that is Borderline Personality Disorder.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/health/16brod.html?ref=health

Report on Gene for Depression Is Now Faulted

"Report on Gene for Depression Is Now Faulted" --New York Times

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: June 16, 2009

The nature vs. nurture debate continues.

Here's a snippet from the article: "One of the most celebrated findings in modern psychiatry — that a single gene helps determine one’s risk of depression in response to a divorce, a lost job or another serious reversal — has not held up to scientific scrutiny, researchers reported Tuesday."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/science/17depress.html?ref=science

Free chocolate:)?

This looks like a pretty awesome deal for just about anyone:)
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/05/14/free-chocolate-every-friday-for-months.aspx

A testament to self care . . .

Do Everybody a Favor: Take a Sick Day

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/health/12case.html?ref=health

P Star Rising

Tonight a couple of gals and I went to see P Star Rising (a documentary that is part of the Tribeca Film Festival). I love a good coming of age story and this fit the bill. It's funny, outrageous, touching, and unnerving. And, I guess one of the best parts of the story is that P Star's story is just beginning.

Make sure to check it out!

www.pstarrising.com
Synopsis of the documentary:

At age 9, Priscilla, an adorable yet precocious little girl, tells her single-father, Jesse,: “I am going to become a rapper and fulfill your dreams of succeeding in the music business.” Moved by Priscilla’s passion and impressed with her natural talent and undeniable charisma, he begins to teach her all he knows about rapping. In the four years that follow there is no question that rapping has brought Priscilla closer to her estranged father, and that her success has made him proud. Before our eyes, this father-daughter duo go from a one-bedroom shelter in Harlem to a 4 bedroom apartment, from food stamps to shopping sprees, from rapping on street corners to sold out night clubs, and from sneaking under train turnstiles without the $2 fare to spare to being driven around in tinted SUV’s. It is further undeniable that Jesse has been reborn, from looking at old photos and bitterly reflecting on how he never was given the respect he deserved in the music business as a rapper himself to finding his own voice and self-respect as his daughter’s overzealous manager. But in the efforts to make her dad proud, Priscilla struggles to remain a child and finds herself trapped in a world of people twice her size and four times her age and doesn't know who to trust. Jesse himself is caught between wanting to protect his daughter’ innocence and exploiting her raw talent to fulfill his deferred dream. All they know is that the ride has just begun.

Student Loans

Interesting article in the New York Times about student loan debt and the current economy. There is even mention of a loan forgiveness program that starts July 1st (but not sure how it's different from the current loan forgiveness programs out there--any clarification is appreciated).


Thanks Cara!!

Saving face in the face of unemployment

Don't know if anyone saw this NY times article today: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/health/07mind.html

I think this concept really holds implications for those of us trying to help clients or friends get jobs or trying to get jobs ourselves. Also interesting in relation to the level of confidence/pride that we as social workers display about ourselves and our own work. And even the whole CBT concept of taking action and 'editing' thoughts changing feelings and behavior...

Thoughts?

NY Times Article

this is an interesting article:

Downturn Puts New Stresses on Libraries
By SUSAN SAULNY and KAREN ANN CULLOTTA
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us/02library.html

it just shows that they need us more than ever, and need more money and resources in social services. but also gives me ideas of where and how we can use our training to be helpful!

Social Work Podcast

Hi Social Workers,

Found this website on all things social work, including a podcast on negotiating your salary.

http://socialworkpodcast.com/

Article: After Abuse, Changes in the Brain

After Abuse, Changes in the Brain, by Benedict Carey.

Here's a snipet and the link to the entire article is below:

"The researchers found that the genes that code for these receptors were about 40 percent less active in people who had been abused as children than in those who had not. The scientists found the same striking differences between the abused group and the brains of 12 control subjects, who had not been abused and who died from causes other than suicide. “It is good evidence that the same systems are at work in humans that we have seen in other animals,” said Patrick McGowan, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Meaney’s lab at McGill and the lead author of the study."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/research/24abuse.html?ref=research

Job Fair!

This year's Master's Level Social Work Job Fair is going to be held at Columbia University-Lerner Hall, on Friday, April 24 (11am-3pm). I remember that alumni came to the job fair last year . . . the website only mentions students, but I would assume alumni can go too.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/jobfair/

Article: In Turnabout, Children Take Caregiver Role

Here's an article from the NY Times about children taking on the role as caregiver.

Below is a portion from the article:

"Across the country, children are providing care for sick parents or grandparents — lifting frail bodies off beds or toilets, managing medication, washing, feeding, dressing, talking with doctors. Schools, social service agencies and health providers are often unaware of those responsibilities because families members may be too embarrassed, or stoic.

Some children develop maturity and self-esteem. But others grow anxious, depressed or angry, sacrifice social and extracurricular activities and miss — or quit — school."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/health/23care.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp