Social Work Program Newsletter State

Department of Sociology, Social Work, SnapSh ts and Criminal Justice I S S U E 4 F A L L 2 0 1 2 Message from the Director By D J Williams, PhD

new year, we will continue our recent program INSIDE THIS to strengthen connections evaluation and is designed ISSUE: and partnerships within our to help our students community, while also develop stronger skills that conducting cutting-edge Message from research and providing will help them become the Director 1 excellent teaching. Our more effective as future goals are consistent with the social workers. Finally, we overall mission of ISU; that wrap up this issue with new Introducing Our is, we want our work to details about our Faculty and Staff 2 impact beneficially “the Continuing Education people of Idaho, the nation training, along with a We are and the world.” concluding message from GO FAR! 3 excited to begin 2013 and to share In this issue of Snapshots, we Staci Jensen Hart, our Field Faculty new developments in the invite you to get to know us Director. We hope you Research ISU Social Work Program better. We begin by enjoy this issue of Snapshots, with you! The ISU Social introducing (and re- Highlights 3 and we look forward to Work Program has a rich introducing) our talented continued collaboration Message from tradition of collaboration faculty and staff. Read with you! the Field within the community. We about our social work appreciate the hard work experts and the professional Director 4 and dedication of many interests of each, and please The Guardian people in diverse roles who feel free to contact a faculty Scholars have built our Program member(s) who shares over the years. Indeed, we knowledge relevant to the Program 5 have a strong tradition of services that your agency educational and provides. professional excellence at our university and within We also invite you to take a the community. look at our exciting new teaching philosophy to GO As we move ahead with a FAR! GO FAR! is based on www.isu.edu/sociology/socialwork You can now find us on Facebook: Idaho State University-Dept of Sociology, Social Work, & Criminal Justice Introducing (and Re-introducing) Our Outstanding Faculty and Staff The Social Work Program has undergone some changes over the past year or two, so let us introduce our outstanding current full-time faculty and staff, along with their areas of expertise:

pedagogy. Her work has been published in the Journal of published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and Teaching in Social Work, Community Mental Health Reflections, and Advances in Journal. Social Work. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

D J Williams, PhD (Program Director and Assistant Professor) – Dr. Williams’ scholarship crosses social work, sociology, leisure sciences, and criminology. He is particularly interested in Kimberly Wacaster, LCSW topics involving forensic Candace Christensen, PhD (Title IV-E Scholars social work, sexual diversity, (Assistant Professor) – Dr. Coordinator) – Ms. Wacaster and unconventional leisure Christensen recently is the Title IV-E Scholars experiences. He is on the completed her PhD from the Coordinator. Her work Editorial Board of the Journal University of Utah. Her focuses on child welfare of Forensic Social Work, and his scholarly interests are in the issues, and she is active in research has been featured in areas of feminist and providing CEU training on numerous academic journals community research topics that focus on social and books. methods, theatre-based work practice involving Email: [email protected] interventions, sexuality, and families. sexual violence prevention. Email: [email protected] Dr Christensen has published research in the journal Qualitative Social Work. Email: [email protected]

Staci Jensen-Hart, LCSW Kevin Owens, BA (Office (Field Director and Manager) – Mr. Owens Associate Professor) – possesses a wide range of Professor Jensen-Hart is our Jeehoon Kim, PhD skills that help keep us recent Program Director and (Assistant Professor) – Dr. also our current and former Kim comes to ISU from the together and make our Field Director. She is State University of New York Program operate efficiently! principal investigator on the at Albany. She has expertise He is exceptionally proficient Idaho Department of Health in aging and health issues and at understanding and utilizing and Welfare statewide child policy evaluation. Dr. Kim is technology, including welfare training contract. Her also proficient in quantitative specialized computer research interests include play research methods and data software. P A G E 2 therapy and social work analysis. Her work has been Email: [email protected] Continued Success: We Want our Students to “GO FAR!”

AR! R FA O G An important goal of healthy and skilled and watch motivation education is to help increase professional self. increase! students’ motivation for After considering both continual learning. Our relevant multidisciplinary F = Fun! faculty is committed to scholarship on effective Having fun and being helping social work students helping and assessing specific professional are not mutually learn research, theory, critical needs of our students, we exclusive! There is much thinking, and ethics that are have created a focus, room for both! necessary in order to become summarized below, to help successful practitioners. At our students “GO FAR!” in A = Accountability. the same time, scholars in their future careers as social Success depends on social work and related work professionals. While we professionals being helping professions know have strategically designed accountable and responsible that clinical competence is “GO FAR!” to help develop for their work. much more than a simple, student training, it also can be mechanistic application of applied by professionals at R = Rigor. theory and technique. Human any stage of their careers. Research, theory, and critical dynamics, such as empathy, thinking are essential for caring, warmth, sensitivity G = Genuine. effective social work practice. and authenticity, also are Clients respond better to essential to effective social workers who are genuine and We expect increased student work practice. We want our authentic. success by cultivating this students to learn and begin to approach within our teaching. apply both the science and the O = Optimism. We invite you to adopt this art of social work, which leads Give at least three positive approach, too, if you like, and to the development of a statements for each criticism to GO FAR! with us!

Faculty Research Highlights Candace Christensen recently Hunt Publishing). In the Metlife Mature Market published two book reviews September he consulted with Institute. in the journal Affilia: Journal of analysts at the FBI National Women and Social Work. She Forensics Laboratory and Staci Jensen-Hart recently recently gave a presentation at gave a presentation with reviewed a CEU course by the Bannock County Emily Prior (Director of the the National Association of Domestic Violence Center for Positive Sexuality Christian Social Conference, and she has three in Los Angeles) at the Workers, titled Ethics in research papers in the peer Woodhull Sexual Freedom Social Work Practice: review process. Summit in Washington, DC. Evangelism, Prayer, and Other Value Conflicts. D J Williams had two papers Jeehoon Kim shared her The course was published last summer in a findings from two separate developed at Baylor Swanson Arch, special issue of a criminal research projects at the 65th University by Dr. ISU Campus, justice journal focusing on Gerontological Society of America David Sherwood Pocatello, convict criminology, along Meeting in San Diego in and is designed Idaho with a chapter in A Reader on November. Dr. Kim’s for national Race and Ethnic Relations: research on work experience online Harmonizing Indigenous and patterns of baby boomers in availability. Immigrant Voices (Kendall Korea has been funded by

NEWSLETTER TITLE P A G E 3 Message from the Field Director: Rally Cry! By Staci Jensen-Hart, LCSW

I am excited to return to the position Our ISU Social Work Program needs may complete the 400 hours in one of Field Director, and I look both junior and senior placements as semester (block placement) or over forward to collaborating more described below: two semesters of 200 hours each directly with our outstanding field (concurrent placement). instructors and partner agencies. Junior Practicum I is completed as a Since leaving the role of Field course assignment in conjunction The ISU Social Work Program invites Director over two years ago, I have with the class Practice with Individuals you to consider this important noticed a concerning trend as and Families (SOWK 3372). opportunity to impact a new recession woes have impacted agency Students are expected to generation of social workers, while funding, and MSW programs have complete 60 hours of in-agency work, increased their presence in the where they are exposed to direct also fulfilling an ethical responsibility southeast Idaho community. It is practice with individuals and families. to the social work profession (see becoming more difficult to find NASW Code of Ethics, Ethical experienced, licensed social workers Junior Practicum II is completed as a Standard 5.01c). Please visit our who are able to find time to supervise course assignment in conjunction agency and field instructor page at: bachelor level students in field with Group Work (SOWK 3373). http://www.isu.edu/sociology/ agencies. Thus, I issue forth a “rally Students are expected to complete 12 socialwork/agency-instructors.shtml cry” to our community social workers hours of in-agency work, preferably and former students who now qualify over a period of several sessions or to complete an agency application and to be field instructors (LSW + 2 years weeks. This placement allows field instructor background form. If of experience): We need you to help students direct exposure to social you are a current field instructor, I us continue providing excellent work practice with groups in order to encourage you to update your agency baccalaureate social work education! develop skills of engagement, profile by clicking on the Intern The baccalaureate level of social work assessment, intervention, and Placement Tracking System link. education is foundational for student evaluation. Ideally, the group Thank you very much for your professional development. As you experience will be an educational, know, students at this level need treatment, or therapy form of professional help and support! quality field education in order to group. Together, we will GO FAR! in become effective professionals. helping our students develop the Furthermore, quality field education is Senior Field Practicum (SOWK practice skills that they need in order a key ingredient for success in 4476/4477) requires students to to become effective social work advanced-standing (1 year) MSW complete 400 hours of in-agency professionals! programs. work that addresses specific multi- level practice competencies. Students

New this year! Current ISU Social Work Program field instructors will receive a discount when registering for Outreach in the Community CEU events.

P A G E 4 The Social Work Program is located within the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice in the of Arts and Letters. It offers a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) degree program fully Department of Sociology, accredited by the Council on Social Work Social Work, & Criminal Justice Education (CSWE), the national accrediting agency. 921 South 8th Ave,. Stop 8114 Pocatello, Idaho 83209-8114 The mission of the Social Work Program at Idaho State University is to prepare students Phone: 208-282-3377 to work as professionals in entry-level social Fax: 208-282-4733 work generalist practice. It is the program's E-mail: [email protected] vision that graduates will work within the Social Work Contact - Kevin Owens social work profession by: 1) contributing to the enhancement of quality of life, 2) empowering individuals, families, groups, and We’re on the web! communities, and 3) advancing human rights www.isu.edu/sociology/ and social and economic justice. Consistent socialwork with the University mission, the Social Work Program strives to develop students who think critically and are able to provide health You can now find us on Facebook: related and other professional social work services within agencies and programs to the Idaho State University-Dept of Sociology, Social Work, & Criminal Justice people of Idaho, the nation, and the world.

The Guardian Scholars Program By Sherri Gaudio, Guardian Scholars Intern

The Guardian Scholars in college life. Trained assistance, career counseling, Program is a nationally mentors are assigned to year-round housing recognized program designed connect with each scholar. opportunities, and tuition to assist former foster youth The mentors are expected to assistance. with the transition to college have a minimum of one face- and throughout their college to face meeting each month, Currently, the ISU Guardian careers in order to provide and they stay in close contact Scholars Program has two support and thus increase the with scholars and help them trained mentors and four Contact likelihood of retention. acclimate to college. active scholars. The first Sherri, Rebecca barbecue was recently held or Staci at The Guardian Scholars In addition to mentoring and with three scholars in Program at ISU is sponsored social activities, the Guardian attendance. On October 25, guardianscholars by the ISU Social Work Scholars Program is available 2012, the program hosted a @isu.edu Program. Guardian Scholars to assess specific needs and symposium, Guardian Scholars: will provide former foster connect scholars with Engaging Foster Youth in Higher care youth with social university resources, Education, which features connections that include including academic panels of foster alumni and family-style dinners, holiday counseling, health and child welfare professionals. dinners, birthday cards, and counseling services, monthly activities to help admission and enrollment keep these students engaged services, employment For more information P A G E 5