The location of the SSW Lost & Found bin is in the main office of Lilly Hall, hours; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Campus pay phones can be found in College Hall, 1st floor.
A list of local summer camp information is available for anyone interested in summer child care. To receive a listing, please email Doreen Underdue at dunderdu@smith.edu.
A list of current off campus housing information for the summer months is also available in the main office of Lilly Hall, hours; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Already stressed by the pending summer assignments? Invest in yourself - get a massage! Mike Suchenicz is returning for his fifth year at Smith providing deep tissue massage for members of the SSW community at a discount rate ($30 and up/hour +). Mike will be available for appointments Thursday-Friday (11:30 - 5:30) and Saturday - Sunday (8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.). Depending on the need, he may be available on Wednesdays. To reserve time with Mike, call him at 413-323-4574.
As of May 15th, 2014, all social work graduates practicing in Connecticut will be required to acquire the LMSW (equal to the LCSW in Massachusetts). In this start-up period, new graduates are allowed to count already begun clinical work towards the LCSW, but should not delay getting the license, as a deadline will soon be set for all clinical practice to be conducted as a LMSW. The application for the license is online only and can be found (along with more information about the LMSW) on the CT DPH website.
For more information, visit http://www.smith.edu/ssw/docs/nasw_fact_sheet.pdf
The Massachusetts chapter of NASW is again offering a one-day social work licensing test preparation course for students who will soon be taking their LCSW exam. The workshop will be held on Saturday, August 2, 9:00am-4:00pm, in the Case Study Room (formerly McConnell Auditorium). This workshop is an excellent review of materials for the exam and is an opportunity to review the types of questions that will be on the exam. You will receive a complete Study Guide along with sample questions. The fee is $100 for NASW members and $155 for non-members. The licensing exam is the same for 49 states (it is different in California but the review course may still be helpful for CA. residents), so you do not need to be a Massachusetts resident to benefit from this review. To register and for more information, click here!
Questions? Email Jeff Schrenzel, Western Massachusetts Coordinator for NASW.
-NASW Membership-
The attached fliers focus on the perks of being a student member and even a student ambassador for the Massachusetts Chapter. For more information on the perks of being a member with National NASW (and subsequently with whatever your local chapter is), they can visit: http://www.socialworkers.org/join.asp This is a great spot to learn about the cost savings of being a NASW member, to join or renew online, and to update your member profile (particularly if you are a current member and are moving out of state or if your school email address is the one you have previously listed). It even points them towards the ASI clinical practice insurance website, something of particular interest for those individuals entering clinical practice. An additional link of interest: https://www.socialworkers.org/students/default.asp
-Loan Forgiveness-
National NASW has some information on loan forgiveness (http://www.socialworkers.org/loanforgiveness/default.asp). It highlights some sources for loan forgiveness and even gives links to some of the necessary paperwork such as the borrower letter, instructions for enrollment, and the employment certification process. Our Chapter has an entire page on loan forgiveness (http://www.naswma.org/?page=220). Loan forgiveness is also an item on our legislative agenda. See below.
Loan forgiveness for social workers (HB1077/SB51)
Summary: The purpose of the program is to encourage social workers to work in child protective services programs or in underserved geographic areas by providing for the repayment of qualified educational loans. To be eligible for this program, an applicant must commit to working a minimum of thirty-five hours a week for one year in an eligible program or area.
Lead co-sponsors: Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, Sen. Jamie Eldridge
STATUS: Reported favorably as amended by Joint Committee on Higher Education, referred to Ways and
Means (June 2014)
-Workplace Standards-
The Chapter has produced a brochure focusing on how to negotiate for salaries/fee-for-service, what benefits to discuss, etc (http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.naswma.org/resource/resmgr/imported/WorkplaceStandards_09.pdf). This is a strong area of interest for social workers entering the field. By in large, we are not instructed on how to maneuver this process. It should be noted that this brochure was last updated in 2009. Also look at the GuideStar website, which looks at not for profit organizations and lists salaries of the top executive employees of the organization and general categories of how their money is budgeted.
-Career Services-
Students have access to both National NASW's Career Center (http://
careers.socialworkers.org/) and our own Career Services (www.naswma.org under /Students/
New Professionals). Our Career Services volunteer Elyse Pipitone is a wonderful resource not only for helping individuals locate a job but also reviewing resumes, cover letters, etc.
Information courtesy of Jeff Schrenzel, Ph.D., NASW Western Mass. Coordinator, 413 782 1757, jschrenz@wne.edu
A graduate level scholarship is available for students specializing in children and family issues.
For more information, visit http://www.smith.edu/ssw/docs/graduate_studies_scholarship.pdf
Innovative Public Charter School in Bradenton, FL seeking Community Project submissions, SW internship/volunteer candidates and thought partners in design and implementation of strengths based Two Generation Student and Family Support Program for low income families. Flexible hours. Great Resume Building Opportunity working with Smith SSW Alum & school Co-Founder.
For more information, visit http://www.vmacademy.org
The not-for-profit Center for Clinical Social Work, Inc., announces the creation of its new unit, the American Clinical Social Work Association (ACSWA), a national online membership and networking organization. ACSWA's website includes forums, blog rolls, content areas, clinical resources, a Twitter-based continuous behavioral healthcare newsfeed, a bookstore, two directories, membership portals, and social media, bringing clinical social workers together. In addition, ACSWA will attract employers and health-services firms, and it will enable individual practitioners to make their services known in detail through two ACSWA-based directories aimed at professionals and at the public.
For more information, visit http://www.acswa.org/
Thursday, July 31, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
"Understanding and Improving the Quality of Service Delivery for Immigrant Families Involved with the Child Welfare System"
Hosted by the Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare and the Migration and Child Welfare National Network. Participants will explore what is known about the extent and nature of involvement of children of immigrant families with child welfare, and the specific policy and practice strategies being developed by public child welfare systems and other partners to more effectively support the children of immigrant parents and their family members. Discussion topics will include the frequent barriers and challenges that arise, including immigration status, language, as well as access to supportive services and how to enhance the capacity of child welfare agencies and courts to serve this growing population.
Presenters:
Alan Dettlaff, Associate Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
Lyn Morland, Consultant, Migration and Child Welfare National Network
Wendy Cervantes, Vice President, Immigration & Child Rights, First Focus
Registration link below!
For more information, visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/221618954
Smith College School for Social Work's Academic and Field Work Performance Standing Committee is looking for a first year (A16) student to join the Committee. Elissa Berlinger (3rd year representative) and Sarah Brady (2nd year representative) will be visiting your first year joint policy course lecture to discuss the position as well as answer students' questions on Wednesday, July 30th. Individuals interested in this position are asked to email either Elissa Berlinger (eberlinger@smith.edu) or Sarah Brady (skbrady@smith.edu) with a statement of interest, a current resume, as well as any further questions. Students will be contacted to continue the selection process, which includes a discussion of a theoretical case as well as an interview by other student representative and the Dean's office.
Interested students are asked to submit their statement of interest and resume by Thursday, August 7th at 5:00 p.m.