Friday, July 27, 2007

Domestic Violence

This is my touchy subject. Feeling compelled to include the links here on this blog does not compare to my need for privacy or for my need to keep the memories buried, swallowed, hacked to pieces, regurgitated and re-swallowed. Now, that having been said, I will share some of my story. For instance, the reason for my inclusion of Al-Anon in the links. Al-Anon was my salvation. It was during my first meeting there that I first heard the words "Let go and let God." There are no words to describe the way I felt when I first heard those words. I had no other choice but to do just that very thing. Were it not for those words and the fact that not long after that, during a particularly violent episode, I looked over at my screaming 18 month old son and realized that if I did not get myself together and do something to get us out of that situation then that beautiful, innocent child I had prayed for since I was 10, would one day grow up to believe violence against women was acceptable behavior. I knew in my deepest soul that God had not forgiven me for all the abortions I had (another story) and given me his most precious gift to have it destroyed by a violent man with his own issues. With that realization I found new strength to do what I had to do. Until that point I fought back, I argued, I was just as angry as he was and while not an alcoholic I was still drinking. Al-Anon showed me the way to deal with the relationship until I could get out. I'm not sure if this would work for everyone but this is what I did. I quit drinking and I shut down every emotion I had for that man, by this time it was easy to do. Nothing he could say would provoke me. I was one cold, empty bitch. Believe me, he tried his very best to provoke me...I would just look at him or not and keep my mouth shut...no matter what he said or did, I did not say a word, fight back or even roll my eyes. I showed him no emotion of any kind. I knew that eventually he would screw up on his own and then I would have my out. I prepared myself for the wait. Luckily, I did not have to wait but a short two months. He came home one afternoon and proceeded to tear up everything in the house because I wouldn't go inside with him (so he could beat the crap out of me in private). The neighbors heard it and called the police. They put him in the van and loaded him off to jail. The story does not end there but this was the beginning of the end and soon I found another place to live and we moved. I went to our post office, took a picture of him and made them swear that they would not answer any questions he had about my new address. It must have worked because he never found us. That was 17 years ago and today I have my beautiful glorious son with his innocence still intact. There is another saying that I want to share with you today courtesy of my friend Amerah: "If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it" If you can just know this one thing, you will find the strength to do what you need to do. The past 17 years have not been easy but I like to think of it as the path I took in order to become a social worker. I believe by traveling this road I will be a much more empathetic soul than I would have been had I not. In providing these links for you I hope that I have provided you with a valuable place to start when dealing with your own issues or with someone else's.
One last thing. We would never have survived in those first days had it not been for Supportive Living Services. In my opinion this is the one most underrated, most useful programs out there today. Some states don't even utilize it, my own being one of them. Luckily, I was in one that did when I needed it. Please search for it if you have the need. It can be found through your local mental health office. I have included a link that will tell you all about what it does and who it serves. This program paid my rent for 3 years, provided transportation, assisted me with medications, applying for assistance, and sent me to school. Their only requirement was that I go to therapy and keep up with my treatment plan. With programs such as this utilized in a more overarching fashion, I believe that there would be many more "survivors."

Monday, July 23, 2007

Researching for the Disabled

Today I will be adding the links I found for researching for the disabled. These include job links, information sites, work from home employment opportunities, the Small Business Administration link for person's with disabilites, products to aid in employment, etc.
I also need to apologize for neglecting this site. I am trying to transfer everything over to a Bravenet site, with hosting, a subdomain name and the whole nine yards a website offers that a blog doesn't. It is going very slowly....looks good but it is very tedious work. I suppose the more I do the easier it will get. :-)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Philosophy

Today I will be adding the links for the philosophy section. I have signed up for an aesthetics course for the fall. Philosophy scares me. Mainly because my brain is old and it makes me rack my old creaky brain and think. Not only do I have to think but I have to research and read up on how to think. Because I have AADD I have to go back and re-acquaint myself with the histories of philosophy. I guess that's a good thing. Maybe it will keep the alzheimer's at bay for a little while longer. There are thousands of pages listed for philosophy on the web and I have many of them in my bookmarks. The links that I put in the sidebar here are only intended to get you started on your own quest.....that's what it is all about...your own search for your own truth. The histories, the biographies, the dictionaries, the papers written by other thinkers, are all there to guide you in your search for your own truth. It is my hope that I can help you and that you will enjoy yourself along the way to your own enlightenment. :-)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Social Work Archives

It's late and I feel as though I need a hot shower...maybe a "virtual" hot shower, as I have been digging through virtual cobwebs most of this evening for the blog. My friend and colleague Andrew Cicchetti, check the Mutual Aid Based Group Work link in the left column, peaked my interest in archives and I wondered just how many archives there could be for social work. I would suggest that you start with his site. It is primarily concerned with group work but there are some great oral history links dating back to the 1850's and maybe earlier and links directly to the University of Minnesota. I will be adding links to all that I found in a new section "Archival Resources" that will be on the left side of this blog along with all the others.
There are two other main links that I would suggest any student take a look at, not just social work students. The first I had to shut down quickly, had I not I would've been lost in there for days, even weeks. The University of Liverpool. Never in a million years would it have occurred to me to type those four words into a search box, but yet there I was about to fall into an abyss from which I would never return. While the social work collections are extensive, it was the links for their other collections that started my fall. Gypsey Lore Collections, Medieval & Later Manuscripts, Shipping & slave trade papers, Spanish Civil War Collections, Incunabula and Early books...OMG!
The Social Work Archives in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. Anyone interested in Southern History should not miss a pass through of this collection. The Black Women's Oral History Project, the oral histories of 66 black women, most born before 1910 and who have made significant impact on their communities through volunteerism or work. Correct me if I am wrong, I could not get the finding aid link to work, but this collection must be where Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" speech is housed.
Such reverence I felt being allowed to visit the site and peruse to my hearts content.
ok, that's it for this evening...will get started adding the links tomorrow after mass. Will also continue to dig. :-)

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Information for Practice

I found a great site today. It has quality up to date journal articles. I could not find out much about it's author, Gary Holden except he has a gary.holden@nyu.edu address that does not seem to work. The site is also in great need of an index. Right now it has sort of a "poke and hope" feel to it, but that said the articles are there and they are current, you just have to read the entire site to find what you might be interested in or need.

http://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/ip/

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The National Guideline Clearinghouse

Today I want to talk about another awesome site I found in my travels that I believe to be an invaluable source for not only social work students but practitioners as well. It can be found at http://www.guideline.gov/

This site is an invaluable medical science based resource. Here is a short description taken from the NGC page:

"In 1997, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) launched its initiative to promote evidence-based practice in everyday care through establishment of 12 Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs). The EPCs develop evidence reports and technology assessments on clinical topics that are common, expensive, and/or are significant for the Medicare and Medicaid populations. With this program, AHRQ became a "science partner" with private and public organizations in their efforts to improve the quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of clinical care by facilitating the translation of evidence-based research findings into clinical practice."

While as social workers we are not involved in the "clinical" care of patients I believe that this site offers us valuable assessment resources that we might use to recognize when a client needs to be referred to a physician or when a client has been referred to us for counseling. There are annotated bibliographies, bioterrorism links, discussion list links, EPC reports, guideline resources, hurricane resources and patient resources.
The one that I would like to talk about today is guideline resources. On this page you will find links to complimentary resources as well as sister sites. Halfway down on the left you will see a browse box complete with a search box where you can type in whatever disease, mental disorder or treatment you are looking for. I typed in social work just to see how it would narrow down my search. Out of over 4000 articles in the database it narrowed down to 449 so that might be a good way to start. Typing in social worker narrows it down to 93. There are articles on recommendations for chronic pain management, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health for homeless women, diabetes, chronic fatigue, protecting patients rights,spirituality and the older adult,asthma management, stress related conditions and other mental disorders just to name a few.
I have selected Adapting your practice: treatment and recommendations for homeless children with otitis media to break down for you today as an example of the offerings of the site.

The page first gives you the title then the bibliographic sources for the article which for this article are: Bonin E, Brammer S, Brehove T, Hale A, Hines L, Kline S, Kopydlowski MA, Misgen M, Obias ME, Olivet J, O'Sullivan A, Post P, Rabiner M, Reller C, Schulz B, Sherman P, Strehlow AJ, Yungman J. Adapting your practice: treatment and recommendations for homeless children with otitis media. Nashville (TN): Health Care for the Homeless Clinicians' Network, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Inc.; 2003. 24 p. [27 references]

Then it gives you the status of the guideline. This is the current release of this guideline. Then you have the option of a brief summary of the contents which include: recommendations, evidence supporting the recommendations, identifying information and availability, disclaimer and the option to view the complete summary. Under recommendations you will find excellent questions to ask while doing your own assessment if needed. Questions about the child's housing and medical situation, exposures to smoke, viral illnesses, drugs while being brest fed, sleep disturbances, hearing difficulties, delayed speech, development, behavior, school attendance, prior infections and treatment and other history. The plan and management section gives good insight into suggestions for parental education ie signs and symptoms, prevention, risk of delayed or interrupted treatment, aids for adherance, emergency numbers, follow-up. there is also a list of associated problems/complications such as congregate living, parental smoking, lack of transportation, financial barriers, poor adherance and familial stress. Follow-up includes recheck, sharing information with patients primary care physician, referrals for further testing, specialists and case management.
The rest of the guideline centers around documentation of sources, release date, copyright information and the disclaimer.
I did check several other guidelines and found them to be as informative but much too long for my purpose here. There is also a box on the left side where you can have your own list of articles and also do comparisons of the articles you choose. I haven't tried that. I will let you know how it goes in this article when i do. :-) Have a Great Day and Happy Hunting!

Sunday, July 8, 2007

OOPS!!!!

It has come to my attention that the link to Cornell is not working and for the life of me i can not figure out why. I am typing in the exact link exactly as it shows in browser window. Maybe I didn't give the right credit or something and Cornell rigged it so I can't use it :-) So first I'll give the credit where I got the information then I will tell you how to get there on your own. Then I will remove the non-working link.

Research Department Collections, Reference, Instruction & Outreach
Cornell University Library
Ithaca, NY, USA

To get there:

type in www.cornell.edu
scroll down to "Inside Cornell" click that
click "Libraries"
scroll down click "Uris Library"
middle of the page about 4 or 5 lines down click "Library Tutorials & Skill Guides"
scroll down click "Research Strategy" and that should take you to the entire tutorial including the one from Berkeley.

Sorry for the trouble and hope this helps.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Cornell--Great Steps and Links for the Research Process

Today I am once again amazed. You probably would never guess this about me but I love the internet! I can find anything I want, need, or could only dream of finding and I do mean anything. Today is one of those days. I'm not really sure how I got to the Cornell page because I began by looking for a simple solution for adding widgets to this blog. I am still looking for that by the way, but I did find this absolutely wonderful page from Cornell's Olin & Uris Library and thought it would go great for this blog. The link is in the left sidebar of this page. If you are just beginning to do your research or if you are lost trying to research it is a great read.

Step One: Identify and Develop a Research Topic
This page has links for identifying your topic, suggestions for finding your topic, identifying keywords for your search and how to test your topic. Clicking on "suggestions for finding your topic" link will lead you to links for CQ Researcher online where you can find Issues and Controversies on file, Taking Sides, and Editorials on File within Cornell. there is also a link for Keesinger's Record of World Events Online but you have to have a Cornell id to use it. :-( There is also a link for "Subject Guides" which will lead you to internet links researched and accepted by Olin & Uris Reference Staff. Great Stuff! I could spend days telling you about that page alone, but, go on...check it out for yourself :-)

Step Two: Find Background Information
This page will link you to the university library page where you might check out the library to library loan program. It also has a link for the Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. There is also the suggestion that you take the bibliographies of what you have found and exploit...explore the writers found there. It took me a couple of years before i figured that out :-) I've always been one to want to do it the hard way :-).

Step Three: Use Catalogs to Find Books and Media
Step Four: Use Indexes to find Periodical Articles

Steps Three and Four are pretty much extensions of Step Two except Step Four has a page to help you distinguish between the four types of articles: Scholarly, Substantive News/General Interest, Popular and Sensational. If you need that then it's an informative read. there is also a link for a guide to newspaper indexes and full-text newspaper databases which i thought was really cool.

I will be back later to finish up with Steps Five, Six and Seven....
OK, I'm back with my favorite :-)

Step Five: Find Internet Resources
This section includes some of the most interesting links I have found to date. I wish I had found these before I started my second college career. The most thorough introduction to internet search is posted here via the UC @ Berkeley Library tutorial. This tutorial's table of contents is enlightenment in itself. The first being: Analyze your topic and search with peripheral vision. There are recommended search strategies which include search engines, "Googling to the Max", Boolean searching, Meta-search engines and invisible search. Invisible search is what you cannot retrieve "see" in search results, most of which is made up of thousands of specialized searchable databases. Again I could go on here for days but you can click for yourself so I won't insult your intelligence by doing so. Clicking the subject directories link will send you to the page with the top 6 searchable subject databases.
The second teaches you how to evaluate web pages skillfully. For instance: 1) What can the URL tell you? Is it someone's personal page? What type of domain does it come from? (educational, nonprofit, government, commercial, etc.) Is it published by an entity that makes sense? Have you heard of this entity before? Does it correspond with the name of the site? Should it? 2) Scan the perimeter of the page looking for answers to these questions. Who wrote the page? Is the page dated? Is it current? What are the author's credentials on this subject? 3) Look for indicators of quality information. Are the sources documented with footnotes or links? If reproduced information, is it complete, unaltered, fake of forged? Are there links to other resources on the topic? Are the links well chosen, well organized and/or evaluated, annotated? Do the links work? Do the links represent other viewpoints? do the links or absence of other viewpoints indicate bias? 4) What do others say? find out what other web pages link to the page by using alexa. there are instructions on how to do this on this page. Who links to the page? Is the link listed on one or more reputable directories or pages? What do others say about the author or authoring body? 5) Does it all add up? step back and think about all that you have learned from the page. Listen to your gut reaction. Be sensitive to the possibility that you are the victim of irony, spoof, fraud or other falsehood. Why was the page put on the web? Might it be ironic, satire or parody? Is this information as good as I could find if I used the library, web-based indexes available through the library or other print resources? There are also website evaluation checklist forms on this page.
The third link will take you to a page about citing your sources and will provide you with links to style guides in pdf form for APA, MLA, Chicago-Turibain and other official style manuals offered in UC Berkeley's library.
The fourth link is a list /glossery of internet terms and web jargon. The fifth links you to a list of handouts and power point presentations on searching...great stuff!

Step Six: Evaluate What You Find
This step provides you with an invaluable tool for evaluating "hard copy" sources.

Step Seven: Cite What You Find Using a Standard Format
This step provides a guide to citation tools and styles

Ok, that's it for today. Whew! :-)



Thursday, July 5, 2007

A Smile for Today!

Father O'Malley rose from his bed. It was a fine spring day in his new
Texas mission parish. He walked to the window of his bedroom to get a
deep breath of the beautiful day outside.

He then noticed there was a jackass lying dead in the middle of his
front lawn. He promptly called the local police station.

The conversation went like this:

"Good morning. This is Sergeant Jones. How might I help you?"

"And the best of the day te yerself. This is Father O'Malley at St.
Brigid's. There's a jackass lying dead in me front lawn. Would ye be so
kind as to send a couple o' yer lads to take care of the matter?"

Sergeant Jones, considering himself to be quite a wit, replied with a
smirk, "Well now father, it was always my impression that you people
took care of last rites!"

There was dead silence on the line for a long moment.

Father O'Malley then replied: "Aye, tis certainly true, but we are also
obliged to notify the next of kin."

Monday, July 2, 2007

Juvenile Justice Links

Please check out this page for Juvenile Justice links. This list is maintained by Florida State University's Criminology Department:

Juvenile Delinquency and Education

Youth Crime & Victimization

Juvenile Justice System

Overview and History of Juvenile Justice

State Departments of Juvenile Justice

Job Services

Prevention Programs

New Legislation

Interface with Police

Intake

Detention

Diversion

Juvenile Court System

Restitution and Community Service

Community-Based Programs

Residency Programs

Bootcamps

Aftercare

Copyright 1997 FSU School of Criminology

Six Steps to Improve Your Negotiation Skills

Do you struggle when presenting your needs to others? If so, you may need help with negotiation skills!

Getting your needs met in a positive manner requires skill and assertiveness. Here are six fundamental rules to follow so that you are prepared for the negotiation process.

1. Time your discussion

Most people think clearly during early morning periods. To be a successful negotiator you will need to accommodate the mood and mind of the other person who you are approaching. Find a time for negotiation that seems best for both yourself and the other party. It is better to move the meeting to a time that is available for the other party, if required, and this will increase your chances of negotiating with success.

2. Break the Ice

Use your initial contact time to create small talk prior to negotiating at a more serious level. The aim of this is to create a positive and friendly environment so that you can pitch your appeal for what you need in an atmosphere that is open. Only move into the negotiation process when you are sure that your request will be considered in a positive moment.

3. Use “I” Statements

Frame your statements in the first person, stating what you want directly. For example, if you feel that you are performing your work satisfactorily and would like to negotiate a raise with your employer, use the phrase, “I would like to bring up the subject of a pay rise.”

One mistake that people often make during negotiation is using “You” statements. These types of requests come across negatively because there is the underlying feeling that the other person has let you down. For example, if you stated, “You need to consider paying me more for the work I do around here”, this statement may be taken as a criticism.

4. Be honest and direct

Be honest about your situation. Explain what you need and don’t leave the other person guessing about why you’re approaching them.

5. Show appreciation

All successful negotiators understand that a win-win situation can be produced when both parties compromise on things of lesser importance. When the other party agrees to your request demonstrate your appreciation by thanking them verbally, and in any other way that you think appropriate.

6. Stick to the issue

Finally, the negotiation process can become quite complex. To avoid getting lost in the details, keep to the topic that you need them to agree to. Make sure you don’t confuse the items you are negotiating with items of personal interest.

By using these six rules in the negotiation process you will be able to produce win-win outcomes that are mutually acceptable.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

The Best Place to Start Looking

It should be widely known that the absolute best place to start looking for free research is within a university's school of social work website. Some are considerably better than others. I have copied and pasted this page from the University of Minnesota's School of Social Work resources page. Of all the universities I have visited looking for just such a page to post for you here, this is without a doubt the best one I have found so far! It made me wonder...if they treat the general public so well then what must they do for their own social work students. Or maybe they have it there for their own students and the rest of us can just tag along. :-) I was simply amazed at the navigational ease within the site...I hope you will be also. I believe that you can take this list, substitute your own state or region's information and have the perfect list to keep with you always. So here it is. Happy Hunting!

I am adding some links to other schools I remember as being worthy under the curriculum links on the side of this page. The first one is the University of South Carolina's SWAN (Social Work Access Network) page. It lists articles that you could find useful, some abstract, some full text.
So it goes...maybe later I will give them their own box...it's getting crowded over there and i've only just begun! :-)


NASW

World WideWeb Resources for Social Workers

Education Sites

General Sites

Practice Sites Employment Sites Government Agencies

- Federal
- State & Local Legislation, Law, Policy Information About the Twin CitiesListings by topic
(These lists are NOT comprehensive)

African American Resources
Asian American Resources Children & Family Issues Disability Domestic Violence and Abuse Elder Care/Aging Emergency FoodShelf Network


Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Resources

Homelessness Latino/Chicano Resources Mental Health and Health Native American Resources Poverty