NEWS

School of Social Welfare Graduate Speaks at the Unveiling of the University at Albany’s New Initiative “The World Within Reach”

On April 14, 2008, the University at Albany launched its first-ever branding initiative with the theme, "The World Within Reach." It showcases the University's distinctive qualities as a leading public research university that offers students a strong foundation for success and a broad world view.  One of the featured speakers at the kick-off of the new brand was Kathryn Zox, MSW ’83, School of Social Welfare.  Kathryn, who calls herself a “social worker with a microphone” has been producing and hosting The Kathryn Zox Show Lunchtime Talk in Albany, NY for five years and can now be heard in the Nation’s Capital.  Kathryn has recently been selected to receive the University at Albany Alumni Association’s 2008 Excellence in Public Service Award.

Pictured above are Katharine Briar-Lawson, Dean, School of Social Welfare,
and Kathryn Zox, MSW ’83.

Above, Kathryn Zox, MSW ’83, delivering her address at the unveiling of UAlbany’s new initiative, “The World Within Reach.”

School of Social Welfare Students Attend 25th Annual Social Work Day at United Nations

On March 31, 2008, Barbara Rio, Assistant Chair, Undergraduate Program, and Director, Undergraduate Field Education, accompanied five School of Social Welfare students to the 25th Annual Social Work Day at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York City celebrating human rights and social work. Social Work Day gathers students, educators, and practitioners from around the world to discuss and learn more about the critical role of international social work and the important part the U.N. plays.

The speakers discussed many issues essential to being a social worker in the United States and worldwide. The students learned about the origin and history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the role of social work practice in helping women and children in an age of globalization, the role of psycho-social programs in the recovery process with victims of disaster and trauma, and finally social work’s contribution to social development in countries like Africa. The key message conveyed by all the speakers was the great impact that social workers can have both nationally and internationally.

As the students walked through the United Nations Plaza they were awed by all the colorful flags lining the sidewalk belonging to the member nations of the U.N. At that moment, they fully recognized the importance of being a social worker in today’s world and the impact they can have on the lives of those living all over the globe. As Heather Rice, an undergraduate student from Stephentown, NY stated, “We truly have an amazing role in shaping the world for future generations, helping and making a difference in the lives of those who may not be able to help themselves.”

Barbara Rio and School of Social Welfare students at the 25th Annual Social Work Day at the United Nations

Faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends join New York State legislators for UAlbany Day in March, to celebrate and advocate for the University at Albany and the Capital Region.

Pictured above are Katharine Briar-Lawson, Dean, School of Social Welfare, Pierre Alric ’69, University at Albany Council member, New York State Senator Neil Breslin, and Stephanie Wacholder, Director, Special Projects and Strategic Partnerships, School of Social Welfare.

Pictured above are Gail Berley ’73, member of the Board of Directors, University at Albany Foundation, New York State Senator Neil Breslin, and Stephanie Wacholder, Director, Special Projects and Strategic Partnerships, School of Social Welfare.

Lisa Ferretti , LMSW, Director of Operations, Center for Excellence in Aging Services, had her project Healthy Hearts on the Hill , featured in the Winter 2008 issue of the national publication, Practice Change Bulletin .  The Bulletin is published by Practice Change Fellows, an organization dedicated to promoting high quality health care for older adults.  Ferretti's project focuses on the West Hill area of Albany and involves unifying those in the community and impacting the cardiovascular health of senior residents. A community wide approach led by a coalition of health, faith and other community leaders and advocates encourages patient education, cardiovascular disease screenings, direct physician referrals, and participation in evidence-based health interventions. Creating safe places for exercise, improving the range of foods available in local stores and food pantries and recognizing heart healthy success stories are the next steps for the project.

Ron Toseland has been selected to receive an Outstanding Researcher/Scholar Award from the SUNY wide Research Foundation. This very prestigious award recognizes Ron's enormous contributions and excellence in gerontological research. This special award will be bestowed to Professor Toseland at a SUNY wide ceremony on April 14th.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE STUDENTS AID IN REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS -- Graduate students travelled to New Orleans -- joining in rebuilding a community -- Read More...

School of Social Welfare’s Dean Honored by Hallym University in South Korea
On November 19, 2007, Katharine Briar-Lawson, Dean of the School of Social Welfare (SSW), received an award from Dr. Choongsoo Kim, President of Hallym University in South Korea. The Dean was recognized for her “dedicated efforts on behalf of the Hallym University’s School of Social Welfare.” Read More...

University at Albany conferred the Medallion of the University, UAlbany's highest honor on City of Albany Mayor Gerald D
On December 8th 2007, the University at Albany conferred the Medallion of the University, UAlbany's highest honor, on City of Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings for his extraordinary public service and leadership. The University at Albany also established The Gerald D. Jennings Class of '76 Scholarship Fund to benefit deserving students from the City of Albany.

The featured speaker for the evening was Alyssa Lotmore, a current MSW student at the School of Social Welfare (SSW), who was the recipient of two SSW scholarships. Alyssa's excellent example as an accomplished student, athlete and intern, as well as her enthusiasm for UAlbany illustrates the type of impact the Gerald D. Jennings scholarship fund will have in opening doors to the future for talented students. Read More...

Dr. Philip McCallion, Director, Center for Excellence in Aging Services featured in prominent newspapers
Dr. Philip McCallion, Director, Center for Excellence in Aging Services, is featured sharing his expertise regarding the aged in prominent newspapers around the country. Articles by or with quotes by Prof. Philip McCallion

November 9th, 2007 -- the Center for Excellence in Aging Services and the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society held a Women's Health & Intergenerational Caregiving Forum.  The day long event focused the attention of over 100 participants on a variety of complex issues faced by women who care for others including the intersection of caregiving and issues such as poverty, immigration status, the caregiver's own health status and work-life balance.  Presentations were delivered to frame each issue from both a research and experiential perspective, discussion groups followed and then critical issues and recommendations were presented to a public policy listening panel.  The proceedings of the event will be disseminated widely to raise awareness about the need to address the challenges facing women as caregivers and to enhance support capacity.

THE UALBANY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE\RISK TAKERS 40th REUNION -- On a sunny Saturday afternoon in June a dozen hardy souls from the class of 1967 gathered at the Crooked Lake summer home of Ann Sheila and Dan Cook to renew friendships, walk down memory lane and remember those who have gone on ahead.  These are the risk takers who gathered for the first time in September 1965 to launch the UAlbany School of Social Welfare unaccredited (then) MSW program. Although most had not seen each other in forty years, friendships were quickly renewed and the many war stories of graduate school were shared.  The reunion organized by the Cooks and Gabe Viada has sewn the seeds for a “Risk Takers Club” of the School's alumni who value and support those who take risks in social work.

School of Social Welfare's Institute of Gerontology Program Honored -- Senior Services of Albany was recently honored at the 2007 National Family Caregiving Awards for its telephone support-group program. The program was originally developed collaboratively by the School of Social Welfare 's Institute of Gerontology and Senior Services of Albany. The award is sponsored by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the MetLife Foundation, and recognizes community-based programs that support family caregivers providing help to older adults.

Ronald Toseland Honored with Social Work Career Achievement Award -- Professor Ronald Toseland of the University at Albany's School of Social Welfare has received the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) Career Achievement Award. AGE-SW is a membership society for social worker scholars and practitioners focused on improving the lives of older adults. AGE-SW gives the award to a person who has made an outstanding lifelong contribution to the field of gerontology. Toseland, director of the UAlbany Institute of Gerontology, has worked in the field since 1968. The award was presented at the 60th annual Gerontological Society of America meeting in November.

"Professor Toseland has dedicated his career to social work practice and improving the quality of life for older persons," said Katharine Briar-Lawson, dean of the School of Social Welfare. "We applaud Ron for his outstanding achievement, and thank AGE-SW for their recognition of his life-long commitment to social work education."

Toseland, a professor in the School of Social Work since 1979 and director of the Institute of Gerontology since 1990, has a compelling and sustained research record, both as a scholar and methodologist. An internationally recognized gerontologist, Toseland's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health as well as by various other state, federal, and foundation sources. He has applied more than 30 years of concentrated interdisciplinary research principally to two areas: social work practice with groups, and effective interventions for problems faced by older persons - including dementia, multiple chronic health problems and the physical and emotional demands of providing care for an ill family member.

Josefina Carbonell, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging Recognizes OASIS Director, Meg McCarthy -- Meg McCarthy, OASIS Director for the New York State Capital Region, was recognized at the OASIS national conference by Josefina Carbonell, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging, for her “dedication, creativity and inspiring work” to improve the lives of mature adults.

SSW Sponsors 8 th Summer Study Tour to Africa -- The U.S.-Africa Partnership for Building Stronger Communities Project sponsored its 8 th Summer Tour to Africa. Thirteen students, a community based practitioner and the project director (Distinguished Service Professor Shirley J. Jones) visited Liberia, Senegal, and South Africa. Some of the highlights of the Summer Tour were: a meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia (the first woman president on the African continent), establishing a “Pen Pal” Project with high school students (South Africa) and a school for the deaf (Liberia), distributing hand quilted blankets and supplies to orphanages (Liberia and South Africa) and visiting the Island of Goree (Senegal) that participated in slave trade to the Americas from 1563 – 1848. For Photo

Dr. Nam Soon Huh '97 Transforms the Way Koreans Care for Vulnerable Children and Families Since 1998, the School of Social Welfare has had a “sister university” relationship with Hallym University in Chuncheon, Korea.  Each summer for three weeks, a group of Hallym University students and faculty visits Albany, where they hear lectures by SSW faculty, visit social service agencies, and live with or visit American families.  Hallym faculty Nam Soon Huh (an '97 SSW Ph.D. graduate) and Hyunsuk Yoon, who both specialize in child welfare and aging, have spent up to a year on sabbatical at the School.  SSW faculty who visited Korea for lecture tours include Vice President for Research Lynn Videka and Dean Katharine Briar-Lawson (children and family services); Professor Bonnie Carlson (family violence); Professor Anne Fortune and Social Work Education Consortium Director Mary McCarthy (field education); and Associate Professor Zvi Gellis and Research Assistant Professor Vicky Rizzo (aging).  Outcomes of collaboration between SSW and Hallym faculty include: initiatives in the Korean child welfare system to provide child protective services; a multi-site community development project to reduce family poverty; use of task-centered practice in some agencies; and academic articles and presentations about international adoption, mental health attitudes, child welfare, aging, intergenerational relations, and field education. Dr. Huh is the Dean and Professor of Social Sciences at Hallym University in South Korea.  Her research expertise is in the area of Family and Child Welfare.  In June 2007, she received the University's 2007 Excellence in Public Service Award. Read full story: http://www.albany.edu/news/campus_news/2007/0707/nam_soon_huh.shtml

Three Doctoral Programs Rank in Top 10 Nationally
Doctoral programs in criminal justice, educational administration and social welfare at UAlbany have been named to the Top 10 list nationally in their respective disciplines, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Full story >>

School of Social Welfare Center Receives Grant to Study Shortage of Child Psychiatrists in New York State  
The School of Social Welfare’s Center for Human Services Research has received a grant from the New York State Conference of Local Mental Health Directors to conduct a statewide needs assessment for child psychiatrists and to identify strategies counties can use to cope with the shortage. The Center also will assess trends to project future needs for child psychiatrists. Contact Dr. Cathleen Lewandowski, associate professor and director, at (518) 891-8784 or clewandowski@uamail.albany.edu for more information.

School of Social Welfare Joins with Black Churches to Improve Diabetes Management  
School of Social Welfare Assistant Professor Sandra Austin and Associate Professor Nancy Claiborne are collaborating with The Voices of Wellness, a health committee of Albany’s African American Clergy for Empowerment, on the design and implementation of an eight-session workshop on diabetes self-management education. Austin and Claiborne will conduct research, funded by the Center for Ethnic Minority Health Disparities, on the participants’ enhanced health awareness.

Gellis Wins International Award
Zvi Gellis of the School of Social Welfare received the Outstanding Practice Research Award in December for his paper "Randomized Controlled Trial of Problem-Solving Therapy for Late Life Depression in Home Health Settings" at the fifth International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health in Hong Kong, China. Gellis is director of the Center for Mental Health and Aging and an associate professor.

Blown away: Grad student shocked by conditions in New Orleans
GLENS FALLS -- As if it wasn't hard enough, sifting through people's personal belongings, going through dresser drawers and sorting "Dear Grandma" greeting cards to see what could be salvaged ... As if it wasn't hard enough to empty refrigerators. Read More...

A feature was also done on Fox 23 News. Please use the address below to view.