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This paper describes the development of the Guilford Parent Academy (GPA), which is a school district-community collaboration developed to promote parent engagement and to assist families by providing online and face-to-face access to resources to help raise a successful and healthy child. Evaluation results over a four-year period suggest that the GPA innovative strategies and programs for reaching parents are increasingly effective within this large, culturally diverse school district. For example, GPA uses free online user accounts to allow parents to access a variety of resources to assist their children's academic and social development. GPA on the Go offers face-to-face workshops at places of business or community settings that broaden the reach of parent engagement programs beyond the confines of the school. Lastly, Parent Ambassadors are working to create peer-to-peer parent networks to engage families and share resources with schools receiving Title I funds. Workshop offerings, online user accounts, and parent participation increased over a four-year period since this initiative was founded. We discuss the utility of the conceptual model and potential for replication of Parent Academy initiatives in other school districts, as well as future research directions.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Implicit Curriculum Survey (ICS) using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Students enrolled in four different MSW programs (N = 262) from different geographic locations completed the ICS, which is a Web-based survey. The domains of the ICS include field, academics, community, diversity, faculty advising, and support services. The ICS includes quantitative and qualitative responses. However, for this study only the quantitative results were used. The EFA revealed that for each of the subscales, Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.52 to 0.90 and validity of the ICS was demonstrated through the good model fits found during the factor analysis. Implications for social work education and future research are discussed.

Untreated mental health needs can have serious negative consequences for the life outcomes of children, including greater difficulty in performing well academically. Elementary schools have a unique opportunity to meet the mental health needs of students through early intervention. One model for the implementation of mental health services in the school setting is the School-Based Support (SBS) Program. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the SBS Program on the academic performance (specifically the reading scores) of students across six elementary schools. Hierarchical linear modeling was used for analysis, and results showed that participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in report card grades for general literacy, reading skills, writing skills, and kindergarten through second grade (K-2) reading level. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of comprehensive school-based mental health services, both for enhancing student well-being and for improving academic achievement.

By the end of 2019, there were 70,630 drug overdose deaths in the United States and 9.5 million adults had co-occurring disorders of mental health and substance use disorder. There is a great need to enhance community-based experiential training for students preparing to become behavioral professionals who will work with individuals experiencing mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs). The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate an opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUDs training program designed to prepare MSW students for delivering prevention, treatment, and recovery services in high need and high demand areas. Two 3-hr trainings on OUD and other SUDs were implemented with 20 MSW students. Students demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their knowledge of opioid use and other substance use disorders from pre- to posttest for and a statistically significant increase in their confidence levels in knowledge about OUD and other SUDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of school-aged children in the United States have diagnosable mental health conditions, and schools are the primary location where children receive mental health services. Because of limited resources, school-community partnerships are recommended in the literature as a best practice for providing comprehensive school-based mental health services, but few empirical studies of such partnerships have been published. The current article describes a school-based mental health (SBMH) pilot project that was developed in an urban area using a community-engaged approach to build a partnership among education, mental health, and university systems. Descriptive results of the pilot study are presented, including a comparison of attendance, discipline, and academic outcomes between the pilot SBMH school and a matched school without these services. The article concludes with lessons learned that may be helpful to both urban and rural communities seeking similar partnerships.

Pursuing a doctoral degree represents a major life change for students, is incredibly demanding, and the process is complex. Although surviving the PhD process is difficult, it can be done. The authors are both recent graduates of a social work doctoral program and have compiled a brief list of inter- and intra-personal tips that they believe greatly promoted their successful completion of the process and attainment of the degree. They hope these 10 simple strategies are helpful to students pursuing doctoral studies and to social work faculty who currently teach and advise graduate students to promote a successful journey through doctoral education.

An estimated 730,000 Americans younger than age 21 in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and current trends predict 36,500 new diagnoses each year. Due to this rapid increase in ASD diagnoses, it is critical to understand the impact having a child with ASD has on a family's daily functioning to better coordinate services and design effective interventions. Qualitative semistructured interviews with eight mothers were conducted, and four primary themes emerged identifying primarily negative impacts of having a child with ASD. Implications for practice and future research are addressed to inform the development of best practices for families. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study tested the efficacy of a new social skills intervention, "S ocial S kills GR oup IN tervention-High Functioning Autism" ("S.S.GRIN-HFA"), designed to improve social behaviors in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Fifty-five children were randomly assigned to "S.S.GRIN-HFA" treatment (n = 27) or control (i.e., traditional "S.S.GRIN" intervention; n = 28). Examination of the direction and magnitude of change in functioning revealed that children who participated in "S.S.GRIN-HFA" exhibited significantly greater mastery of social skill concepts compared to children in the control group. Parents of "S.S.GRIN-HFA" group participants reported an improved sense of social self-efficacy, whereas parents of control participants reported a decline. The advantages of a specialized intervention such as "S.S.GRIN-HFA", designed specifically for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders, are discussed.

Pursuing a doctoral degree represents a major life change for students, is incredibly demanding, and the process is complex. Although surviving the PhD process is difficult, it can be done. The authors are both recent graduates of a social work doctoral program and have compiled a brief list of inter- and intrapersonal tips that they believe greatly promoted their successful completion of the process and attainment of the degree. They hope these 10 simple strategies are helpful to students pursuing doctoral studies and to social work faculty who currently teach and advise graduate students to promote a successful journey through doctoral education., PURSUING A DOCTORAL DEGREE represents a major life change for students. In fact, new graduate students will likely experience an entirely new organizational culture of higher education upon entering a [...]

There are multiple examples in the literature of universities and school districts coming together to form partnerships to effectively meet the needs of children and adolescents. University-school partnerships can be mutually beneficial to both types of institutions for several reasons, including the opportunities they provide for sharing resources and conducting meaningful, evidence-based, practiceinformed research. While university-school partnerships are critical for identifying points of intervention in schools and for improving children's physical health, mental health, and academic outcomes, substantial barriers exist to forming successful partnerships. Potential partner institutions need information on how to create trusting and mutually beneficial university-school partnerships. This paper summarizes 10 lessons learned over the past 10 years from a successful university-school partnership and provides tangible ideas and strategies for others who hope to engage in similarly successful partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 17% of children and adolescents in the United States have at least one mental health disorder. School-based health centers (SBHCs) are widely recognized as critical resources for evaluating and treating mental and physical health needs among school-aged children and adolescents. One primary role that SBHCs can assume for the early identification of physical and mental health problems is that of risk screening. A three-county (rural, semi-rural, and suburban) collaborative of SBHCs located in high-poverty middle and high schools implemented an evidence-based, standardized risk assessment protocol to identify unmet physical and mental health needs among students. Risk assessment measures included the Adolescent Questionnaire (AQ), Rapid Assessment for Adolescent Preventive Services (RAAPS), and Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC, both Parent and Youth Report). Common high-frequency risk factors for adolescents from the AQ and RAAPS included school suspensions, having a boyfriend/girlfriend, and having sex. Common high-frequency PSC symptoms included distractibility, excessive worry, concentration issues, trouble sleeping, and spending much time alone. We concluded by discussing the next steps related to how the data obtained from different communities can be used for data-informed program development and continued quality improvement and monitoring efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced several challenges for social work education. Beyond the blanket effects, the pandemic made clearer the racial health disparities that impact Black Americans--a stress further exacerbated as the United States was rocked by the brutal killings of multiple Black individuals. In the social work profession, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics underlies the delivery of both social work practice and social work education. In this paper, we describe how we used three ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics (social justice, dignity and worth, and human relationships) to guide us in altering our department's approach to social work education during the pandemic in the spirit of social justice, equity, and inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Untreated mental health needs can have serious negative consequences for the life outcomes of children, including greater difficulty in performing well academically. Elementary schools have a unique opportunity to meet the mental health needs of students through early intervention. One model for the implementation of mental health services in the school setting is the School-Based Support (SBS) Program. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the SBS Program on the academic performance (specifically the reading scores) of students across six elementary schools. Hierarchical linear modeling was used for analysis, and results showed that participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in report card grades for general literacy, reading skills, writing skills, and kindergarten through second grade (K-2) reading level. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of comprehensive school-based mental health services, both for enhancing student well-being and for improving academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unaddressed behavioral and socioemotional difficulties impact the mental health, educational attainment, and future outcomes of children to such an extent that it is imperative to identify effective strategies for early intervention and treatment. School-based mental health services address students’ socialemotional concerns by removing barriers to accessing appropriate services, improving coordination of services, and implementing prevention and intervention strategies for students. This study evaluates the effects of one such program on the socioemotional well-being of students served across six elementary school sites. Study findings support the critical need for school-based mental health for the promotion of prosocial behavior and socioemotional wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of school-aged children in the United States have diagnosable mental health conditions, and schools are the primary location where children receive mental health services. Because of limited resources, school-community partnerships are recommended in the literature as a best practice for providing comprehensive school-based mental health services, but few empirical studies of such partnerships have been published. The current article describes a school-based mental health (SBMH) pilot project that was developed in an urban area using a community-engaged approach to build a partnership among education, mental health, and university systems. Descriptive results of the pilot study are presented, including a comparison of attendance, discipline, and academic outcomes between the pilot SBMH school and a matched school without these services. The article concludes with lessons learned that may be helpful to both urban and rural communities seeking similar partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how military families who have children with special health care needs (CSHCN) successfully cope in the context of exceptional demands of the military lifestyle can inform scholarship, policy, and practice to the benefit of families. Using data from 775 female civilian parents (mothers serving as Key Spouses) married to active duty Air Force members, this study examined differences on dimensions of network support and spouse resiliency between mothers who do and do not have CSHCN, as well as the relative contribution of formal and informal network support to variation in self-reports of resiliency among mothers with CSHCN. Mothers with CSHCN experience significantly less formal and informal network support than their counterparts. Despite this, they reported equivalent overall resiliency, with lower perceived resiliency on only one of four resiliency outcomes. More formal and informal network support was generally associated with higher resilience. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 730,000 Americans younger than age 21 in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and current trends predict 36,500 new diagnoses each year. Due to this rapid increase in ASD diagnoses, it is critical to understand the impact having a child with ASD has on a family's daily functioning to better coordinate services and design effective interventions. Qualitative semistructured interviews with eight mothers were conducted, and four primary themes emerged identifying primarily negative impacts of having a child with ASD. Implications for practice and future research are addressed to inform the development of best practices for families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursuing a doctoral degree represents a major life change for students, is incredibly demanding, and the process is complex. Although surviving the PhD process is difficult, it can be done. The authors are both recent graduates of a social work doctoral program and have compiled a brief list of inter- and intrapersonal tips that they believe greatly promoted their successful completion of the process and attainment of the degree. They hope these 10 simple strategies are helpful to students pursuing doctoral studies and to social work faculty who currently teach and advise graduate students to promote a successful journey through doctoral education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Without sufficient education and training on mental illness, school teachers are less likely to have the capacity to recognize related symptoms in students and make appropriate referrals for care. The current pilot study tests the overall effectiveness of a new in-service training designed as the introductory component to a school-based mental health intervention. The training included information on the prevalence of mental health problems in the United States, common youth disorders, and treatment barriers that many families face. Participants' knowledge before and after the training was measured using a 27-item instrument, and statistical significance was assessed for pre- to posttest changes for individual items. Results are overwhelmingly positive and provide evidence of an increase in accurate knowledge of child mental health issues. Implications for both practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]